Todays highlight was a Siberian Chiffchaff singing at South Haven, Studland near the boardwalk. Also through there, a Yellow Wagtail, Whimbrel and small passage of finches, Swallows and Corvids. A ringing session in the north of the harbour saw the first 4 Blackcap of the spring ringed including a male from a pervious year which we’re checking the date on now.  Second to our lovely night recording of a Cuckoo passing over Poole in the darkness on Monday night, several ‘daytime’ sightings have now begun to occur with one calling in Rempstone, one on Hartland and one near Arne. At Lytchett Bay there are still 2 summer plumaged Water Pipit plus a summer plumaged Spotted Redshank. 

Male and female Blackcap – Poole Harbour North

Little Ringed Plover – Arne moors (yesterday) 

Linnet – Holton Lee 

A foggy start gave way to a beauty of a day, bringing with it a nice selection of birds. At South Haven a reeve Ruff flew down the beach after being flushed from the flooded area, a great patch record and not an easy bird to catch up with at Studland let alone anywhere during the spring in Poole Harbour. Also at South Haven were 4 Wheatear and plenty of med Gull moving about. What seemed to be a migrant (passing) Hen Harrier appeared over Hartland briefly before taking out some aggression on an unsuspecting Peregrine. What should have been the harbour’s first Cuckoo was heard calling distantly from Hartland mid-morning…more about that later! Brownsea Lagoon numbers were moderate to say the least but over the coming weeks more and more Sandwich Tern and Common Tern will be arriving making it the summer-hive of activity we’re all familiar with. Today numbers consisted of 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 4 Turnstone, 2 Brent Geese, 6 Avocet and still good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit. Out on Arne Moors (viewed from Ridge Wharf) were 5 Little Ringed Plover on a flooded patch but they had gone by late afternoon. Another Osprey slowly drifted over Canford Heath mid morning and a single Red-legged Partridge at Holton Lee was the first in quite some time. 

From our Listening Station in Old Town Poole, we encountered something quite unexpected on Monday night. When night recording for night migrants, the excitement always comes from never knowing what species you’re going to encounter next. On Monday night when analysing the nights recording we heard something familiar. Incredibly at 00:18am a Cuckoo flew over calling just twice before disappearing into the night! A real turn up for the books. Also encountered that night was a passing Common Snipe and 3 Song Thrush calls.

Cuckoo – Cuckoo – Call of night time migrant – Old Town Poole Listening Station

Common Snipe – Common Snipe – Calls of night time migrant – Old Town Poole, Listening Station

Like the rest of the county, spring migration really seemed to arrive in the harbour today, although best bird of the day doesn’t sound too spring-like. An Iceland Gull found out on the mud of Upton CP was a nice find, sat amongst Herring Gulls and 22 Med Gulls, including a green colour-ringed bird. After the rain passed mid morning a good passage of hirundines travelled through the harbour with Swallow and Sand Martin most prominent and a few House Martin in tow. There were 2 Little Ringed Plover on pools in the lower Frome Valley near Swineham and a minimum of 10 Cetti’s Warbler singing. At the PCW drain 15+ Blackcap had arrived and 4-5 Willow Warbler were singing. Out on Lytchett Fields a summer plumaged Dunlin had arrived indicating that they are now on the move too, plus a Whimbrel was in the Bay and 2 straggling Brent Geese dropped in too, alos 1 remaining summer plumaged Water Pipit.  In Middlebere the summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank was still feeding and a female/juv type Marsh Harrier was circling over the Piddle Valley. 

Iceland Gull (right)- Upton CP – Ian Ballam

Black-tailed Godwit – Middlebere – Roger Hewitt

A strong easterly wind seemed to keep the birds heads low today, at risk of being blown into next week! A Whimbrel appeared in Holes Bay mid morning and the harbour’s first Yellow Wagtail of the spring was in Upton CP. A summer plumaged Water Pipit was again at Lytchett Fields. A night recording session from our listening station in Old Town Poole produced a single Ringed Plover and a flock of Sandwich Tern passing over at 1:40am.

Nice to hear Poole Harbour finally get its share of Redstarts with one at the Middlebere Cottages this morning and another up on Ballard. In the Middlebere Channel a summer plumaged Spotted Redshank was feeding with another out in Lytchett Bay. It seemed Blackcap had arrived back on territory in several places such as Holton Lee, Arne and Soldiers Road. The ringtail Hen Harrier is still holding on, refusing to budge and disappear back to a breeding site somewhere else…maybe she’s heard what happens to Hen Harriers when they arrive back to their breeding grounds on Grouse Moors! At Lytchett Fields a stunning summer plumaged Water Pipit was still present, also there a Wheatear was in the Arable Field along Slough Lane and 14 Willow Warbler were present.

Wheatear – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Willow Warbler – Lytchett Fileds – Ian Ballam

There was no sign of the Arne Osprey today suggesting its probably moved off now after spending three days in the harbour.  Its now been seven years since attempts to try and entice them to breed in the harbour began, by erecting 10+ decoy nests at specific sites. Since then there have been a handful of occasions of birds lingering for a week or more during the spring, always eventually moving off. Will this year be the year?

Elsewhere, bird reports were fairly thin on the ground with 4 Willow Warbler, 5 Swallow and a Whimbrel around the Coombe Heath area. At Lytchett Fields, 5 Whimbrel were a good early spring record, also present 123 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Greenshank, 20 Redshank, 1 Wigeon, 16 Little Egret and 88 Teal. At Holton Lee, it was much of the same with Tree Pipit and Woodlark singing. Med Gull numbers on the Brownsea Lagoon seem to be increasing, perhaps with more attempting to breed this year after 3 pairs successfully raised young last year.

With all this talk of spring migration, we understand not everyone gets to be outside as much as others, so we thought we’d provide a bit of spring song for you to enjoy.

Willow Warbler – Arne RSPB Reserve – 08/04/16

Common Chiffchaff – Arne RSPB Reserve – 08/04/16

There were encouraging signs that the Osprey was again in Middlebere mid-morning, and was seen again heading over towards the Wareham Channel around 11:30am, presumably to go fishing? At Lytchett Fields a Marsh Harrier was hunting over both sets of fields and the colour-ringed Greenshank was again present with 100+ Black-tailed Godwit, also 3 Swallow and 8 Blackcap present. At Holton Lee Willow Warbler and Blackcap were also evident near the Little Mead area and 2 Tree Pipit were on the heath. 

Today one of yesterdays Ospreys lingered around the Arne Peninsular for its second day, chilling out mostly in the dead trees at Middlebere but occasionally heading out to the Wareham Channel to catch a fish before returning. Ospreys can often stay in the harbour for a couple of days during the spring, especially if foul weather prevents them from moving on, but we’ll certainly be keeping an eye out to see how long this individual sticks around for. Also in Middlebere were 2 Spoonbill, 2 Grey Plover, 384 Black-tailed Godwit and a good number of displaying Redshank. The ringtail Hen Harrier is still being spotted occasionally, mostly around the Hartland/Wareham Channel area. At Lytchett Fileds a Little Ringed Plover was seen briefly.

Little Ringed Plover – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Isn’t it funny that when discussing the lack of Osprey, three come along at once…well, three sightings at least. Around mid morning one was seen circling above Lytchett Bay only then to disappear off west, heading towards Wareham Forest. Then, in the early afternoon another (the same?) was seen sat in the normal dead trees over at Middlebere. Whilst this bird was being watched one of the Arne wardens was watching one feed on a fish off the bottom of Grip Heath. Now that we have birds arriving in the harbour, it would be great to receive all sightings where and when possible to monitor how long they’re hanging around for. Brittany Maxted who carried last years autumn Osprey study (which will be published soon) has independently set up a new online Osprey recording form. Please report all your Poole Harbour Osprey sightings over the coming year HERE.

Elsewhere there were a scattering of Migrants with a Wheatear up on Hartland Stud and 2 Willow Warbler along Soldiers Road. At the PCW Drain 5 Willow Warbler were in song along with 10+ Chiffchaff and 5 Blackcap were present. At Holton Lee 2 Tree Pipit, 10+ Chiffchaff, 2 Green Sandpiper and 2 Greenshank were noted. On Brownsea, Sandwich Tern totals had increased to 33 with 3 Brent Geese still present on the lagoon with 2 Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank with both Chiffchaff and Blackcap singing in the wood. At Lytchett Bay a male Brambling was seen with a colour-ringed Greenshank, 39 Sand Martin, a male White Wagtail, 2 Blackcap and 200+ Black-tailed Godwit. At Holes Bay 2 Knot were in amongst 519 Black-tailed Godwit. Whilst collecting in our sound equipment from our listening station before the rain set in a modest passage of Swallow, Sand and House Martin passed over. Highlights from Monday nights recording session included our first Water Rail and Greenshank of the spring, also 1 Moorhen, 1 Redshank, 3 lateish Redwing calls, 7 Song Thrush calls and numerous Oystercatcher and Curlew calls. 

Water Rail – calls of a night time migrant – Listening Station, Old Town Poole – 05/04/16

Not a Water Rail night call we experience that often. Below is a more typical call you’d expect from a Water Rail whilst migrating at night. 

Water Rail – Flight calls of a night time migrant – Lytchett Matravers

Osprey – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

Green Sandpiper – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

Tree Pipit – Holton Lee – Paul Morton

With only one Osprey sighting so far this spring, its been left to the other raptor species to keep up the show with the ringtail Hen Harrier once again being seen out around the Wareham Channel with a single Merlin. The three Marsh Harrier are still busy as the bonded pair actively showing interest in one another, whilst the second female is struggling to gain the males attention. At Lytchett Bay/Fields a Sandwich Tern was in the Bay, a single Willow Warbler and several Chiffchaff were in the field fringes and on the fields were 2 Greenshank, 108 Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Sand Martin over and a single Wigeon. Out on Poole Park Lake were 2 Red-breasted Merganser and 2 Great Crested Grebe. At the PC World Drain 5 Blackcap were present including a few singing males, also 4 Willow Warbler and 5+ Chiffchaff. At Holton Lee a Tree Pipit was singing with a Woodlark, also 10+ Chiffchaff, 7 Linnet and 2 each of Green Sandpiper and Greenshank on Holton Pools. At Baiter 9 Turnstone were feeding on the shoreline.