Conditions today were perfect for a good trudge around the harbour with open water species being a particular focus. A really great count of 4 Slavonian Grebe off Ower Point resembles counts of years gone by for this bird and it was joined by 6 Black-necked Grebe with and 12 off Middle beach, Studland. There were also 3 Great Northern Diver off the Brownsea southern shores along with 1 Common Scoter, 100+ Red-breasted Merganser, 60+ Goldeneye and 45+ Great Crested Grebe. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 3 Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank and 3 Pintail but due to a mostly frozen lagoon numbers of other waders and wildfowl were really low.  Also on Brownsea 1 Woodcock, 3 Firecrest, 60+ Siskin and a pair of Raven. At Fleets Corner an incredible 21 Chiffchaff were ringed including a Siberian Chiffchaff and a Firecrest. This site has historically been good for over-wintering Chiffchaff but for some reason, mid-January (certainly over the last 2 years) has seen a spike in numbers from just a few birds present to 20+. This phenomena was also represented at Norden Sewage Works where recently only 4-5 Chiffchaff have been present, yet today there were 18 on the filter beds. In Lytchett Bay 5 Spoonbill were roosting and the Lesser Yellowlegs was in the bay on the low tide. The Smew was still out in Holes Bay SE and late news from yesterday at Swineham Point 6 Jack Snipe were flushed and several Bearded Tit were calling. At Arne 15 Spoonbill were on Shipstal Point. 

Lesser Yellowlegs – Lytchett Bay – 19/01/17 

Redhead Smew – Holes Bay – Chrys Mellor

The cold crisp winter mornings continue to impress with a stunning sunrise over the Purbecks today. As the blanket of gold spread out across the Frome and Piddle valleys both Marsh and Hen Harrier were stirring as the fleeted over the moors and out towards Swine. 4 Raven ‘cronked’ low over Slepe Heath and Dartford Warbler warmed up along Soldiers Road by seeking sheltered, frost free sun-spots. On calm waters the redhead Smew was easy to find in Holes Bay NW and then SE and at the PC World Drain 4 Chiffchaff and a Firecrest were feeding. At Lytchett Bay the Lesser Yellowlegs was feeding just off the black pipe again. At Arne, a wonderful spectacle of a Merlin utilising a ringtail Hen Harrier as she flushed Meadow Pipits from the ground was observed as a Marsh Harrier then joined in. The Starling murmuration at Studland is now causing quite a stir with roughly 250 people enjoying the show now. 

Sunrise over Slepe Heath – Paul Morton

Today was picture perfect day in all respects with a vibrant energetic sunrise and a glowing magical sunset. Finally a Short-eared Owl turned up in the harbour with one along the Keysworth shoreline briefly. A remarkable sighting of a Goshawk over Slepe Heath/Arne Moors was a good record as this species is still incredibly rare in Dorset despite populations outside the county increasing. In Lytchett Bay a ringtail Hen Harrier was hunting at dusk and the Lesser Yellowlegs was in the Bay. The redhead Smew is still in Holes Bay NW and at the PC World drain a Siberian Chiffchaff and Firecrest were seen. At Arne, there were 14 Spoonbill late afternoon and 5 in Lytchett Bay in the morning. On Hartland a Merlin was sat on a post. Firecrests were in the car park at Arne and off Shipstal Point 7 Black-necked Grebe were in central harbour. 

We’ve been fairly lucky this winter with weather and coinciding our school bird boats with cold, crisp still winter days. Unlike it winters gone by in recent years when storm after storm threatened every trip we had planned throughout the whole winter. Well today we needn’t worry about that as millpond like conditions allowed for easy birding and great birds. Highlights included 13 Barnacle Geese sat on the water off Ower Bay with c400 Brent Geese, 1 Great Northern Diver in South Deep, 4 Common Scoter, 3 in Brands Bay and 1 off Shipstal, c10 Black-necked Grebe in central harbour, c50 Goldeneye, c 150 Red-breasted Merganser and c50 Great Crested Grebe around all bodies of open water. There were 24 Spoonbill flying over and around Shipstal Point and the lagoon was partly frozen so only several hundred Avocet were present. The Smew was feeding in both Holes Bay NW and NE over the course of the morning. The Lesser Yellowlegs was at Lytchett Fields and at the PC World drain 3 Chiffchaff were feeding and a Firecrest was seen. At Arne a ringtail Hen Harrier passed the Raptor Hide and 2 Marsh Harrier were in Middlebere with a Merlin seen dashing through. 

Goldeneye – Poole Park boating lake – Paul Morton

Barnacle Geese – Ower Bay – Paul Morton

Winter sea watches can often go one of two ways…very productive or more often than not…a total waste of time. Today however a seawatch from Branksome Chine was well worth the effort as an easterly wind kept passing birds close to the shore. Divers were the main highlight with all 3 regular species seen including 1 Great Northern Diver settled on the water and another heading west. Then 6 Red-throated Diver flew in from the west, settled on the water for several minuets before continuing east whilst another 5 Red-throated Diver and a Black-throated Diver fed as a group before they then upped and headed east with then another 3 Red-throated Diver passing east further out. Also seen were 2 Common Scoter east, 1 Kittiwake east, 5 Gannet west, 1 dark-bellied Brent Goose west and 2 Med Gulls east. It was also fairly busy with Razorbill with c30 heading east and another 14 settled on the water with 8 Great Crested Grebe. There was a report of 3 Slavonian Grebe from Ower Bay and also 2 Black-necked Grebe with 9 Crossbill on Rempstone Heath. From Middle Beach, Studland 14 Common Scoter passed and a few Gannet were ‘milling around’ with only 6 Black-necked Grebe present. A single pale-bellied Brent Goose was in amongst c500 dark-bellied Brents near Middlebere. At Norden Sewage works near Corfe 10 Chiffchaff, 1 Siberian Chiffchaff and a Firecrest were on the filter beds. The Starling murmuation at Shell Beach was again enjoyed by good numbers of people and a Merlin was on the post in front of the Middlebere hide. Finally the Smew was in Holes Bay SE. Sadly there was no sign yesterdays Waxwing from Canford Heath. 

Waxwing – Canford Heath garden – David Ayrton (16/01/18)

Finally, FINALLY a Waxwing was reported within the harbour with one in a private garden on Canford Heath. One of the last big Waxwing eruptions Dorset experienced was also at Canford Heath back in 2008 with several hundred birds present. We know, we know, but at least 1 single bird is a start! Just keep an eye out on those treetops on your drive to work…you just never know…there could be one on a street near YOU! Elsewhere around the harbour, reports were pretty quiet with 17 Spoonbill on Shipstal, Arne, the Lesser Yellowlegs and Green-winged Teal at Lytchett Fields and 2 Great Northern Diver near the harbour mouth. 

There was a nice mix of species in the harbour today starting at Hartland Moor where the Great Grey Shrike was close to the road along Soldiers Road then viewed out across the Moors 14 Barnacle Geese and a Marsh Harrier were counted and an unusual record of a Golden Plover flew over Hartland heading west calling. At Middlebere there was 4 Spotted Redshank and a Marsh Harrier and in Shell Bay 2 Sandwich Tern, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 15 Sanderling and a few Gannet moving east. There was a single Firecrest in the middle Beach car park. At Arne 22 Spoonbill were in Shipstal Point and from an RSPB bird boat 3 Common Scoter, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 8 Black-necked Grebe, 3 Great Northern Diver and a Merlin on Brownsea. In the Wareham Channel a ringtail Hen Harrier was seen from the train and at Lytchett Fields the Lesser Yellowlegs and Green-winged Teal were still present. The redhead Smew was also still in Holes Bay south. The Starling murmuration at Shell Beach, Studland still had the crowds wowed with what seems to be an increasing rather than decreasing sized flock. 

Starlings – Shell Beach, Studland – Paul Morton

With calmer seas birds were easier to pick up out on the water and at around midday a Little Auk was reported from the harbour entrance for around 15 minuets. This news only reached us third hand via an info service so if anyone has any more info on this or even better, some photos we’d really appreciate seeing them. There was plenty more on offer around the harbour today with up to 4 Great Northern Diver (2 in the harbour entrance and 2 off Jerry’s Point), a male Merlin was in the Frome Valley and 3 Marsh Harrier were over the Moors. In Shell Bay there were just 2 Black-necked Grebe. At Middlebere the single Black Brant was with c700 dark-bellied Brent Geese at lunch time. At South Haven a Jack Snipe flew over and 13 Sanderling were on the beach. The Starling murmuration over Shell Beach car park at dusk was rumoured to be the best yet!!! So get down there while the going is still good. At Lytchett Fields both Lesser Yellowlegs and Green-winged Teal were found. Off the southern shore of Brownsea 7 Black-necked Grebe were bobbing about and on the lagoon were c125 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Spotted Redshank and 6 Greenshank. In Middlebere c500 Avocet were roosting on the high tide and on Shipstal the Spoonbill were still glamming themselves up. A female Crossbill was on Canford Heath.  

Lesser Yellowlegs – Lytcehtt Pools Field – Peter Moore

Sandwich Tern – Baiter – Peter Moore

A strong built throughout the day making ant type of outing tricky, and we even had to postpone one of our school bird boats with 40 knot winds predicted. However by late afternoon things had settled again and a few snippets of info made it our way. In the Frome Valley a redhead Goosander was downstream of Holme Bridge with 2 Green Sandpiper in the valley and 3 Firecrest in woods bordering the river. At South Beach there was a single pale-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Sandwich Tern, 2 Gannet and a Firecrest. In Old Town Poole a Black Redstart was on the roofs of the high street. At Lytchett Fields the Lesser Yellowlegs and Green-winged Teal were still present with usual good numbers of Dunlin, Redshank, Snipe, Lapwing and Teal on the high tide. At Whitley Lake, Sandbanks the ‘reverse plumaged’ Bar-tailed Godwit was seen again for the first time this winter and in Holes Bay south the redhead Smew was still feeding. At Arne the Spoonbills are prepping for their limelight as Winter Watch prepares to catapult them into stardom and in the Wareham Channel still at least 3 Marsh Harrier are present.  

Bar-tailed Godwits – Shore Road, Sandbanks – Peter Moore

Black-tailed Godwit – Poole Park – Peter Moore

Ergh!!! There’s foul and then there’s foul. A really yucky day in the end with sleet even pelting down briefly as dusk approached. The Smew was still in Holes Bay south feeding further along the bay towards ASDA. At Lytchett Fields the Lesser Yellowlegs was forced off its usual area due to the high tide and the Green-winged Teal was on French’s Pool and a harbour tick in the shape of 4 Egyptian Geese passed over Lytchett Bay.