Yet again Red Kites were active with individuals passing over Canford Heath/Hatch Pond, Parkstone, Upton and Slepe Heath. At Lytchett Fields there were 4 Ringed Plover, 1 Greenshank, 1 Dunlin and c130 Black-tailed Godwit. Again, Nightjar activity was pretty intense last night, certainly on some of the heathlands along the southern and south-western shores with the end of May seeing peak activity as males arrive on territory and begin to court females. There were Hobby over Slepe Heath and Wareham Water Meadows and 1-2 Osprey were around Middlebere and the Wareham Channel.

We’d also like to bring to your attention an issue that relates to two species we mention frequently on our sightings blog. In recent weeks Red Kite have become a regular feature for us here in Poole Harbour and during the winter Hen Harriers are one of star species, providing immense excitement for those lucky enough to see one quartering over the spartina saltmarsh. However, both species are ruthlessly under attack and today the RSPB investigations team issued a press release relating to three more sat-tagged Hen Harriers that have gone missing in suspicious circumstances in northern England. Likewise, at least half a dozen Red Kite have been found trapped, poisoned or shot at various sites in the north of England in recent months. You can read about the Hen Harrier issue HERE and the latest Red Kite issue HERE. Now, we don’t know about you but we’re getting sick of reading these stories which seem to be almost daily now. It seems illegal persecution of birds of prey is occurring systematically on or near shooting estates in the UK and if something isn’t done about it now then it won’t be long before they’re gone for good. Please read the articles and show your support for getting these heinous crimes stopped.

Nuthatch – Upton CP – John Pick

Blackbird – Upton CP – John Pick

With this long period of good weather it was inevitable that a heathland fire would occur somewhere around the harbour, but we weren’t quite expecting it to be Arne. Despite the number of visitors that visit the Arne peninsular each summer, fires here are (thankfully) very rare and it usually tends to be the urban heathlands of Poole Harbour north that suffer this time of year. Regardless, please remember that having any kind of small camp fire or BBQ creates an extreme high fire risk, so to reduce that risk simply don’t have one and certainly not on, in or near any heathland sites. Luckily fire crews were able to get on top of it and extinguish the flames fairly quickly, but a few avian casualties were found sadly. On a slightly happier note, 2 Osprey were seen again over the Arne peninsular. At Lytchett Fields there were 6 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin and 37 Black-tailed Godwit. Nightjar are certainly back in numbers with birds vocal at all traditional breeding sites, including on Lytchett Heath where their presence has been a bit sporadic over recent years.

Fire damage at RSPB Arne today – Photos RSPB Arne team

A really productive day today and fine weather to boot and lots of birds now with young. Up on Hartland Moor there were 3 Cuckoo calling also Mistle Thrush with newly fledged young. At Challow Hill, Yellowhammer, Common Whitethroat and Red-legged Partridge were along the main track and on the top ridge.  At Ower a single Crossbill, 6 Tree Pipit, 4 Cuckoo, Siskin, Linnet, Woodlark and another 3-4 Cuckoo calling. On Shell Beach, Studland there were still a few Sanderling, most of which were in full breeding plumage. At Lytchett Fields a Cuckoo was calling near the waterworks at the end of Slough Lane and out on the fields were 3 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin and c70 Black-tailed Godwit. Over Slepe Heath and the Arne road area 5 Hobby were hunting/displaying with what looked like 2 pairs and a singleton. There were also 2 Osprey over the Wareham Channel and then Arne for most part of the day. This has to have been one of the best springs in recent memory for passage Osprey in Poole Harbour with birds present/passing through most days from the beginning of April. This alone bodes well for when the chicks from our Poole Harbour Osprey translocation project begin to arrive back next spring (2019) and start prospecting for new breeding sites.

Reed Warbler – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Common Whitethroat – Upton Heath – Rene Goad

 Stonechat – Upton Heath – Rene Goad

Today we had a selection of Moths in our HQ on Poole Quay which had been caught, collected and recorded from Holton Lee as part of our on going moths of Poole Harbour study. Each Saturday (when weather permits) we’ll be showcasing a selection of species that are common (and some not so common) place in gardens and sites around Poole Harbour. Its not only until you start learning about the variety of species you can find and then begin looking at them in detail that you realise just how incredible and interesting moths are. Moth trapping has become incredibly popular and it’s a great way of carrying out your own piece of citizen science by catching, recording and then reporting the species you catch in your very own garden. There are numerous sites you can buy equipment from but we’ve found ASL Anglian Lepidopterist Supplies very good and efficient and have found Robinson Traps the most effective. With the weather warming up but the nights still cold catches are still pretty slim but towards the end of May and into June and July ‘bumper hauls’ of moths can be common place and a fascinating challenge for any beginners taking up this hobby. Bird-wise today 130 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Bar-tailed Godwit on Brownsea were logged. With the sun beaming down across the harbour Dartford Warbler were widely reported and very active across the heathlands and Sand Lizard were very conspicuous on heathland path edges. At Lytchett Fields a single Cuckoo was calling and there were 4 Ringed Plover, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 5 Dunlin and 7 Black-tailed Godwit. Two more Red Kite drifted over Upton headed towards Upton Heath and Nightjar were churring at Sunnyside, Arne, Hartland and Studland.

Eyed Hawkmoth – BoPH HQ

Moth selection – BoPH HQ

With spring now leading into summer and migration now tailing off (not that its really got started this year) the drive is just to be out and to enjoy Poole Harbour’s spectacular scenery and diversity. There are still plenty of good birds to see and a visit to any of our local heathlands at dusk will reward you with ‘churring’ Nightjar and up until the end of May calling Cuckoo still too. Common and Sandwich Terns are now well established on some of their islands on Brownsea, most of which are now on eggs. There has also been a call out from the BTO asking for House Martin sightings over the coming weeks. There’s been a big decline in the number of House Martin reported this year, along with several other summer migrants and the  RSPB and BTO are asking for information on any House Martin that are now settled and breeding at traditional or new sites. For mor information or if you see or know of any within our Poole Harbour recording area (or beyond) then please report them HERE.

Today we carried out our annual gull census on ‘Gull Islands’ in Poole Harbour. Its fair to say the colony has had its ups and downs over the last few years with a mass illegal harvest of eggs in 2016, flooding in 2015 and a cold late spring in 2017. Not quite sure what to expect we headed out and were pleased to find that we arrived just in time as some of the chicks were just beginning to hatch out of their eggs. Since the first survey in 2008 where 87 Med Gull nests were found we’ve always struggled to better that total and have in fact seen a year on year decline of Med’s on the islands. However, this year felt different and one of the islands was definitely ‘Med Heavy’, which was proven in the overall totals with 155 Med Gull nests located, which is an incredible total. Although we saw no signs of illegal activity/egging Black-headed Gull nests were down to 4115 but we think this was down to a set of natural causes and could well be in part down to the increase of Med Gull which have a habit of bullying and often predating gull (and tern) nests.

Mediterranean Gull nest totals

2008 – 87

2015 – 64

2016 – 38

2017 – 33

2018 – 155

Black-headed Gull nest totals

2008 – 8951

2015 – 6400

2016 – 2589 (illegal harvesting of eggs occurred)

2017 – 5736

2018 – 4115

Elsewhere around the harbour today an Osprey was again in the Wareham Channel although only seen this afternoon so could have been a new migrant passing through? On Brownsea a Nightjar was visible from the heathland hide, up behind the villa, which is always nice to see before the bracken takes over. In the Corfe River Valley leading down to Wytch Lake 2 Cuckoo were calling. On Lytchett Fields a Spoonbill appeared out of nowhere! With no reports for a week or two it’s good to know that maybe one is trying to over-summer? Around midday a few Red Kite passed over too (they’re almost becoming to common to even mention now) with birds over the Arne Road and Slepe Heath and Lytchett Minster. At Hatch Pond 2 Common Sandpiper flew across the lake indicating some kind of wader passage had taken place if nowhere else showed signs of this! Along Hartland Moor Cuckoo and Woodlark were singing and a Hobby was over central Hartland.

Different stages of Black-headed Gull hatching on ‘Gull Island’ 2018 survey

At Lytchett Fields there were 200+ Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Ringed Plover, 1 Greenshank, 3 drake Shoveler and 3 Gadwall. Over Swineham GP 2 Hobby were hunting, 4 Egyptian Geese were on the flood and there was some Bearded Tit activity off Swineham Point with birds calling and moving about in the reeds. An Osprey drifted over the western part of the Wareham Channel mid afternoon and a Red Kite was over Wareham.

The main highlight today was another good passage of Red Kite through the county, most in the west near Weymouth but the harbour saw its fair share with birds over Brownsea, Upton Heath, Lytchett Minster, Lytchett fields, Wareham, Canford Heath and Arne. We were also sent a photo of some Red-eared Terrapin sun-bathing in Poole Park Lake. We weren’t aware they were present there but apparently they’ve been there for quite some time. We also received news of a Marsh tit on Brownsea Island which would be the first record on Brownsea for quite some time which is great.

Red-eared Terraprin – Poole Park – Clare Slade

With more high pressure and clear skies there were more Red Kites moving today with birds over Canford Heath, Lytchett Matravers, Morden Bog, Sandford and Greenland’s Farm. A Wood Warbler was a great find in a private garden in central Poole and at Holton Pools a Little Ringed Plover was on the scrapes before the high tide set in. On Lytchett Fields there were just c30 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, 4 Redshank and 4 Ringed Plover.

Little Egret – Holton Pools – John Pick

Today we hosted what was going to be our last Spring boat tour of the season, however they’ve been so well received that we’re planning to run several late spring and some summer tours now too so please keep an eye out on the website for more details. Todays trip was idyllic in terms of setting….bright sunshine, calm waters and a great crew of guests. Highlights included an Osprey circling high over Arne, a Marsh Harrier was over Giggers Island briefly and out on Arne moors (not viewable from the main land) 4 Lapwing, 5 Redshank and a skulky male Ruff were on a flooded pool. Over Swineham Swifts were swooping over the boat and Reed (44) and Cetti’s Warblers (20) were really vocal in the reed beds a Cuckoo was calling near the B&B and several Reed Bunting were on territory along the northern river bank with 3 Bearded Tit at Swineham Point and a Kingfisher. Out on the water there were still several Great Crested Grebe lingering on from the winter although they’re now all in their summer finery. On the Brownsea Lagoon  there were 11 Bar-tailed Godwit and 211 Black-tailed Godwit, c40 Oystercatcher, c10 Dunlin, c100 Sandwich Tern and c100 Common Tern with 2 summer plumaged Turnstone on the Brownsea Quay. Elsewhere up to 7 Hobby were active commuting between Hartland, Slepe Heath and Arne. Over Wareham a Red Kite drifted low over the town. At Lytchett Fields there were 98 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Ringed Plover, 6 Dunlin, 4 Redshank and 2 Whimbrel.

Up with the lark public bird boat – Swineham

Kingfisher – Swineham – Peter Moore

 Reed Bunting – Swineham – Peter Moore