Well, what a fascinating day. Firstly, we’d like to say a huge thanks to all those that braved the conditions and made it to the opening of the new Birds of Poole Harbour HQ. At midday a clan of about 60 eager people from local businesses, project partners, NGO’s and members of the public gathered in the snow for the ribbon to be cut by our guest Ruth Peacey. Despite the weather we received a warm reception and kind words from our guests and we can’t wait for many more of you to drop in over the coming weeks to see and learn about the work we do as a charity and to get you all hooked on the Birds of Poole Harbour. Sadly, due to the conditions that set in mid-afternoon we had to close early and even then some of our staff got caught out on the way home and had to abandon their cars a few miles from home! Its predicted that this cold spell won’t last long and we’ll be back up and running before you know it.

Now, the other main feature of the day was of course the weather. Hard weather conditions like this always play havoc with the birds and it wasn’t long before we began seeing effects of the cold weather taking shape. Out the front of the BoPH HQ, a few Fieldfare, Redwing and c30 Lapwing were moving west above the Quay, moving ahead of the front that was coming up from the south west. Most amazingly though was when a drake Garganey was found sheltering in the mouth of the PC World drain at dawn, a true sign that spring really had arrived. It was looked for later in the day on the low tide but couldn’t be relocated, however 5 Golden Plover and c30 Lapwing were out on the mud (very rare in Holes Bay) and 2 Jack Snipe were feeding right out in the open, trying to find patches of un-frozen mud. There was also 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Spoonbill, 4 Tufted Duck, 40 Pintail, 100 Avocet, 300 Wigeon, 5 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall and 5 Rock Pipit. At Lytchett Fields there were 2 Spoonbill, c30 Lapwing, 60+ Fieldfare, 20+ Redwing and 2 Water Pipit.  A Woodcock flew across the road at Wessex Gate retail park in the peak of the blizzard mid afternoon with another Woodcock seen at South Haven and a Lapwing on the chain ferry slip way. In Parkstone Bay, near Whitecliff there were a further 2 Golden Plover and 2 Lapwing on the mud (very rare here too) and a Hawfinch pitched down in a Stoborough garden briefly with several more Golden Plover overhead there too. Only a single Hen Harrier was seen to come out of the roost this AM despite 4 going in the night before. Obviously didn’t fancy getting up and we can’t say we don’t blame them. Around the harbour people were also reporting Fieldfare, Redwing and Blackcaps in their gardens which is always a joy, just make sure you keep feeders topped up and bits of fruit on the ground as it looks as if they’ll certainly need it over the coming days. 

OPEN DAY 

OPEN DAY – Ribbon being cut for new BoPH HQ

Record shot of drake Garganey – Holes Bay NE – Ian Ballam

Fieldfare – Poole Garden – Colin Moyes

Today we spent all day getting ready for tomorrows big opening so no time was had for birding sadly. It was absolutely Baltic anyway and the cold wind kept everyone and everything low it seemed. Best was just a small showing of cold weather movements beginning with Lapwing, Redwing, Fieldfare and a few Black-tailed Godwit seen on the move. I think everyone and everything is just getting prepared for the coming days weather forecast. 

Yep, its certainly getting colder and with just one more day to go until our new Birds of Poole Harbour visitor HQ opens, will we see a total white out before the big day? Who knows, but regardless of sun, snow or storms we’ll be opening at midday on March 1^st, to celebrate the unofficial start of spring…and we really mean ‘unofficial’!

Despite the cold today a nice list of birds emerged including 2 Great Northern Diver and 2 Black-necked Grebe in Shell Bay, with another Black-necked Grebe flying through the harbour mouth early evening. In Bramble Bush Bay were 4 Ringed Plover, 32 Sanderling, 1 Greenshank and a Lesser Redpoll. At Littlesea the Great White Egret was seen (also seen from Coombe Heath) and there were 60+ Grey Plover in Brands Bay. At Whitley Lake on the low tide c120 Med Gulls gathered and there were 40 Sanderling and a single Sandwich Tern. At Norden sewage works there was a single Firecrest 3 Chiffchaff and 2 Hawfinch at Norden park and ride. 3 Crossbill flew over Poole Town and Blackcaps seem to be visiting more gardens than normal In Holes bay NE c10 Pintail, 2 Spotted Redshank and c20 Avocet were present. From Lytchett Bay view this AM, 5 Spoonbill were on Otter island and a female Merlin zipped over the marsh. There were 3 Hen Harrier still in the west of the harbour late afternoon and 2 Marsh Harrier in the Wareham Channel with c50 Bar-tailed Godwit which is unusual. On Lytchett Fields a single Spoonbill was feeding and there were 3 Water Pipit.

As we mentioned, our new engagement HQ opens on March 1^st, but if you can’t make it then, we’ll be open over the weekend too. For a full overview of the project you can read our recent press release HERE. 

Cold bleak scene at Poole Park – Paul Morton

Snow descending on Old Harry and Ballard Down – Paul Morton

At Lytchett Bay late afternoon a decent-ish gull roost formed in the bay on the rising tide, consisting mostly of Black-headed and Common Gull. 6 Med Gulls also dropped in but despite constant scanning in minus 1 degree nothing ‘juicer’ could be found. It seems Weymouth is currently hogging all the good gulls. 76 Avocet were feeding in the bay and just 3 Red-breasted Merganser could be seen. In Holes Bay NE another c50 Avocet were feeding in the channel, 11 Pintail were in amongst the Wigeon and Teal, the Spotted Redshank was in its usual place by the outflow and a Peregrine was on Pergins Island briefly. A quick scan off Baiter couldn’t relocate yesterdays reported Red-necked Grebe but 8 Great Crested Grebe, 11 Red-breasted Merganser and 5 Med Gulls were just off the beach. In Lytchett Minster, 2 Hawfinch were settled in trees by the church briefly. There were also 3 Spoonbill in Lytchett Bay, 2 on Holton Pools with a Water Pipit there too. In Poole Park Red-breasted Merganser and Goldeneye were showing superbly down to a few meters, allowing close study of plumage detail and features. 

Red-breasted Merganser – Poole Park – Ian Ballam

The beast from the east is building slowly but the clear sky is allowing the sun to generate some minor warmth in sheltered areas and you can see birds taking advantage of this by sheltering on the leeward side of Spartina banks and muddy fringes. The cold wind is stall making viewing difficult but a Red-necked Grebe was reported off Baiter/Parkstone Bay and a Golden Plover was seen heading west over Holmebridge, indicating the possible beginnings of a cold weather movement. Also in the frome Valley near Holmebridge were 2 Egyptian Geese, 1 Spoonbill and 4 Little Egret. There was also a report of a possible Common Crane see flying over Organford late afternoon. 

With most people over Weymouth way twitching the (immaculate and stunningly cute) adult Ross’s Gull it seemed, reports from around the harbour were thinly spread. So, we’ll just provide a series of photos taken by local birder Ian Ballam, that highlights just how approachable the birds are along the Holes Bay cycle path and what an incredible place it is to hone in on your ID skills. These photos were taken early morning too when the light is best for Holes Bay NE.

Spotted Redshank – Holes Bay NE – Ian Ballam

Common Redshank – Holes Bay NE – Ian Ballam

Wigeon – Holes Bay NE – Ian Ballam

Little Egret – Holes Bay NE – Ian Ballam

Rock Pipit – Holes Bay NE – Ian Ballam

The beast from the east really had set in today and 2 degrees felt like minus 22 degrees in the wind. A survey at dawn produced 11 Spoonbill in the Wareham Channel, with one then heading out onto Bestwall. Three were then seen heading up the Wareham Channel late afternoon having passed over Sunnyside Farm. Five Hawfinch were seen with 2 at Lytchett Minster church on the outskirts of Upton, another single at French’s Farm, Lytchett Fields and 2 at Norden park and ride. Two Marsh Harrier were seen grappling very briefly which seemed encouraging however it was so brief that it could have just been a bit of playful/territorial banter. A single Great Northern Diver was in the mouth of the Wareham Channel and a Peregrine was sat on ‘gull islands’. 

Spoonbills – Wareham Channel – Paul Morton

Spoonbills – Wareham Channel – Paul Morton

Hawfinch – Norden park and ride – Keith Rawling

Very little reported today with just 2 Purple Sandpiper at North Haven, 3 Firecrest in the Arne car park, Med Gull numbers building along Baiter Beach and the standard spread of wader and wildfowl across the low tide. 

Firecrest – Arne RSPB car park – Keith Rawling

Med Gull – Fishermans Dock, Poole Quay – P Brown

The harbour and surrounding area is looking just superb at the moment with these cold, crisp mornings and the sun glowing like a large orange balloon as it rises on the horizon. Mistle and Song Thrush can be heard singing through the still morning air, Dunnock are getting frisky in people’s gardens and singing contently from shed roofs and Great Spotted Woodpeckers are drumming their way to success in cold, shadow filled woodlands. There was a great variety of birds logged today including 2 Hawfinch that were in the top of trees opposite the Norden park and ride. Along Holme Lane, 2 Egyptian Geese were in ‘the egret field’ at the eastern end of the road with 14 Little Egret in there too and a Woodlark sub-singing nearby. Off of Middle Beach, Studland the Velvet Scoter was with 3 Common Scoter and there was a single partial summer plumaged Black-necked Grebe. From the houseboats at South Haven 2 Great Northern Diver were off the beach as were 4 Black-necked Grebe and a Common Guillemot. In Whitley Lake, Sandbanks a Black Brant was found in amongst the small Brent Goose flock and in Poole Park 6 Goldeneye (3 male and 3 female) were still courting. There were c15 Spoonbill on Shipstal, Arne and 3 on the Brownsea Lagoon where 5 Greenshank and c50 Avocet were also present. Med Gulls are now entering the harbour in good numbers on the low tide giving good comparison opportunities as they settle down with Black-headed Gulls.

Common Guillemot – Brownsea shoreline – Marcus Lawson

Hawfinch – Norden park and ride – Paul Morton

 Med Gull and Black-headed Gull – Shore Road, Sandbanks – Paul Morton

Black Brant – Shore Road, Sandbanks – Paul Morton

With a nice bit of high pressure sat over southern England this AM and the sun shining it obviously got some Red Kite moving. February through to the end of April is a great time to try and see Red Kite in Poole Harbour as migrant birds depart over-wintering grounds (often in central and southern Europe) before returning north to breeding grounds. Some populations in England are sedentary and don’t move off very far, but the birds we see and experience on migration during the spring are birds that have moved south for the winter. They’re still a pretty scarce bird in Poole Harbour but in the right conditions good numbers can move through the county in a single day. Today was a good example of this with individuals seen heading north over Poole Quay, Lytchett Fields, Upton and Sandford over the course of the day. Only a very small number breed in Dorset, mostly in the north of the county so watching this stunning birds of prey as they glide overhead (often very low) is a very welcome spring sight. Out in Studland Bay, off Middle Beach the Velvet Scoter was with three Common Scoter, Spoonbill were on Shipstal, Lytchett Fields and the Brownsea Lagoon, the male Merlin came into his usual roosting post on Hartland and 2 Hen Harrier were seen around Middlebere and Arne during the day. 

Red Kite – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam