Summer migrants were still coming through around the county and our feature species seemed to be Wheatear with good numbers about. There were 2 on Hartland Stud, 7 on top of Hartland Moor, 4 on Studland golf course and 16 at Greenlands Farm. Willow Warbler were again conspicuous around the harbour and Blackcap numbers seem to be increasing too. Again Swallow with the odd House Martin thrown in for good measure came through for most of the morning, and at Sunnyside Farm a male Ring Ouzel was feeding in the fields whilst Lapwing displayed and Willow Warblers sang. A Great White Egret was reported from East Holme and a Hobby was hunting over a boggy area of Upton Heath. We carried out our first night recording session for a while from our listening station in Old Town Poole, and despite WNW winds dominating some passage was picked up with Common Sandpiper, Dunlin, Sandwich Tern, Whimbrel and likely Bar-tailed Godwit all recorded during the hours of darkness. 

Whimbrel – Calls of a night migrating flock – Old Town Poole Listening Station 19/04/17 @ 02: 39 

Sandwich Terns – Poole Harbour

Displaying Sparrowhawk – Corfe Castle

Other areas of the county saw big falls of birds today and we had our fair share trickling through to inner parts of the harbour. Ring Ouzels were seen up on Hartland Moor and along Soldiers Road. At Arne Redstart and an early Spotted Flycatcher were reported. There seemed to have been a mini influx of Willow Warbler too with many singing in mixed woodland around the harbour. At Lytchett Fields the 2 Ruff were still present with a single Little Ringed Plover, 2 Wheatear and a new Reed Warbler. On the Brownsea Lagoon a smart summer plumaged Spotted Redshank was feeding in front of the Lower Hide and 23 Knot, 6 Avocet and 6 Greenshank were also present. On Hartland Stud 2 Wheatear were feeding and a small pulse of Swallow were moving through out the day. In Holes Bay north a late(ish) Wigeon was hanging out with some Mallard and a Common Sandpiper was near the outflow.

Chiffchaff – Hartland Moor – Paul Morton

Wigeon – Holesa Bay north 

Common Sandpiper – Holes Bay north 

As April progresses more and more migrants will continue to arrive, but this NW wind will be keeping things at bay. It still doesn’t seem like a huge amount has turned up, so here’s hoping the last 2 weeks of April and early May see’s a big rush of birds. Today was still pretty decent though with a good mix of migrants around Swineham with 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 10 Sedge Warbler on the River Frome walk, 9 Reed Warbler, 6 Wheatear in the field behind the house aptly named ‘Curlews’ where in fact it was 3 Whimbrel which joined the Wheatear. 2 Common Sandpiper were on the low tide mark near Swineham Point and over the main pit several Swallow and Sand Martin were feeding. At Lytchett Bay, Sedge Warbler made its first appearance of the spring too. At South Haven 7 Wheatear were dotted around with a singing Firecrest near by (most likely a migrant), a Cuckoo, a few Reed Warbler near the boardwalk and a decent passage of Swallow all heading north. In Brands Bay a Brent Goose remained with 2 Pintail, 25 Teal, 1 Ringed Plover, 8 Whimbrel, 50+ Swallow, 3 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin, 2 Wheatear and a single Whitethroat.

Sedge Warbler – Swineham 

Whimbrel – Swineham 

Swallow – Bestwall

Today most of the focus was on Lytchett Fields/Bay where a reeling Grasshopper Warbler was found at dawn in scrub on the northern edge of the bay where 3 Yellow Wagtail also went over, with both Ruff also still on the fields and 3 House Martin hawking over the approach field. An Osprey flew in over Durlston heading towards the harbour but wasn’t relocated. At Slepe Heath 4 Tree Pipit were buzzing around but not really singing or seeming very settled and a Little Ringed Plover was in the Lower Frome Valley near Swineham. On Hartland Moor early returning migrants and resident breeders were all busy gathering nesting material and singing with Blackcap and Dartford Warbler very prominent. Swallows were passing through the harbour for most of the day on a fairly broad front. The 3 Whimbrel were still on fields at Bestwall. 

Grasshopper Warbler – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

Today was fairly quiet with the highlight being a Great White Egret flying north over central Poole. On Lytchett Fields there was a single Little ringed Plover, 2 Ruff, the Lesser Yellowlegs and in the bay was 1 Whimbrel, 5 Ringed Plover and 17 summer plumaged Dunlin. 

Dartford Warbler – Hartland Moor – Keith Rawling

Reports and sightings are few and far between at the moment so if you’re out in the field anywhere within our Poole Harbour recording area then please email us in your sightings or Tweet (@harbourbirds) us or Facebook (Birds of Poole Harbour) us, we’re really keen to about any sightings, especially of any spring/summer migrants. Today the 2 Ruff were still on Lytchett Fields with the Lesser Yellowlegs. At Swineham there were 2 Common Sandpiper and the eastern end of the pit with 4 Swallow, 2 Willow Warbler and 3 Reed Warbler in the area and at Bestwall 3 Whimbrel. 

Today provided another nice mix of spring migrants and birds on the move when 2 first summer Spoonbill passed over Lytchett Bay, heading east. Our over-wintering birds had departed a few weeks ago so it seems these were potentially migrants passing through the area. On Lytchett Fields 2 newly arrived Ruff were feeding in amongst the Black-tailed Godwits. A Hobby dashed through over Slepe Heath quickly, heading west towards Wareham. An early evening visit to Swineham produced an Osprey over the western end of the Wareham Channel, 2 Common Sandpiper on the edge of the pit, 1 House Martin amongst a mixture of Swallow and Sand Martin over the main pit and an intriguing 64 Gadwall in the Wareham Channel. Up on Branksome cliff top a Dartford Warbler was in gorse next to the road, along Cliff Drive and 3 Gannet were out in Poole Bay. Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, a few Wheatear, more Blackcap and gentle passages of hirundines were noted at several sites across the harbour but still no sign of any Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat or even Common Whitethroat! 

When most of the county seemed to have a decent fall of common migrants, none were really reported from around the Poole Harbour area. Is that because they weren’t there or was it because they just weren’t reported? A few Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Swallow and Sand Martin were recorded but not much else. Highlights though included a Little Tern in the Wareham Channel mid morning and the two Cattle Egret that were in the Frome Valley were back again about 300m east of Holmebridge. The Lesser Yellowlegs was on Lytchett Fields mid morning with the springs first Common Sandpiper. A Red Kite drifted low over Upton and on the tall part of the Asda building in Poole a male and female Peregrine were roosting. On the Brownsea Lagoon 3 Spotted Redshank were still at the southern end with 11 Avocet, summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Knot and 15 Bar-tailed Godwit. Our first night recording session from our listening station in Old Town Poole produced only 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Moorhen and 1 Coot. Talking of night sounds, there was potentially a big passage of Coot over Lytchett Bay on the night of April 8^th and 9^th with 53 calls recorded by Nick Hull. Whether this was just a handful of birds or something a bit more substantial is yet to be decided but the sheer number of calls suggests something interesting was going on considering this is a pretty rare bird for Lytchett Bay. 

 Moorhen & Coot – Calls of night time migrants – Old Town Poole Listening Station – 12/04/17 @ 22: 30

A stunning day today which had a nice mix of winter and spring birds. 5 Black-necked Grebe in the Wareham Channel, just off gull islands was the biggest surprise, none of us from BoPH recalling seeing them this far into the harbour before, suggesting these could have been freshly arrived migrants? At Swineham there were 3 singing Sedge Warbler and 2 Reed Warbler with c15 Cetti’s Warbler and 5 Wheatear in various fields around Swineham with a female type Marsh Harrier over the point. Sandwich Terns were noted around most of the harbour with a nice gathering on the lagoon too. Peregrines were seen over the Wareham Channel and Rempstone. There were still 6 Red-breasted Merganser in central harbour and a handful of Brent Geese. Swallows went through in a light trickle. On the lagoon there were 5 Spotted Redshank (3 in full sum plum), 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Ringed Plover, several sum plum Dunlin, as well as, Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank Avocet and c10 Med Gulls. An Osprey was also over the Wareham Channel getting mobbed by gulls. Wigeon, Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal and Tufted Duck made up the duck attendance and a Lesser Redpoll flew over Holton Lee. In Lytchett Bay 2 Whimbrel were out on the mud along with c30 Black-tailed Godwit. At South Haven, Studland a Cuckoo was in the Boardwalk area. In Holes Bay there were 2 Whimbrel too. 

Black-necked Grebe’s – Wareham Channel

Common Buzzard – Holton Lee

This afternoon 2 Cattle Egret were in the Frome Valley, just west of Holmebridge. Looking at plumage, it looks as if it could be the same two that were in Lytchett Bay last week. The Lesser Yellowlegs made a rare appearance onto Lytchett Fields, having de-camped to the bay for most of its time recently, along with a single Little Ringed Plover, 3 Ringed Plover and 2 Whimbrel also on the fields. On the Brownsea Lagoon 5 Spotted Redshank including some summer plumaged individuals were in the western bays and Sandwich Tern numbers are increasing day by day.

Finally, we’ve been working with Dorset Police Marine Division to help carry out extended patrols to monitor ‘Gull Islands’ this spring. Last year, during our annual census of the islands our charity discovered a large illegal theft of gull eggs, which we believe end up on the menu’s in some of the top restaurants in the country. We’d like to say a huge thanks to Dorset Police for their support in this issue and we hope that through these increased monitoring efforts we can really put a stop to this once and for all. For the full story CLICK HERE