On a day that looked like it was going to be a complete right off, actually ended up being very productive, even producing a rarity amongst the crowd. At around 1pm we received a phone call from Ian Alexander saying he was sure he had found an adult White-winged Black Tern on the main pit at Swineham. The description sounded spot on so we shot down there, and upon arrival we were indeed treated to stunning adult White-winged Black Tern. This is a remarkable find in as much as this is the third record of this species in as many years at the same site, where previously, the only other records ever for this species in the harbour was of one on Brownsea Island 49 years ago. Also noted over the gravel pits whilst watching the Tern was 1 Hobby, 20+ Swift, numerous Swallow, House and Sand Martin, a few singing Cetti’s Warbler and one of the Marsh Harriers. A sea watch from Branksome Chine this morning produced 1 Great Skua, 1 Manx Shearwater, 2 summer plumaged Great Northern Diver, 1 Kittiwake, 2 Fulmar, 10+ Gannet and 4 Sandwich Tern. At Poole Harbour mouth a whopping 123 Sanderling were on Shell Beach along with 5 Turnstone, 3 Dunlin and 2 Ringed Plover. Also in the harbour entrance were 4 Little Tern and possibly another 2 on Shell Beach, and 2 Brent Geese on Pilots Point. On Lytchett Fields today were 80 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Ringed Plover, 3 Redshank, 3 Lapwing, 8 Swift and 1 Peregrine.

White-winged Black Tern at Swineham 02/06/15 

To watch in HD click play and hover the curser over the cog shaped symbol and select 1080

Waders continue to be the staple at present with a few odds and ends still dripping through. In Brands Bay yesterday 3 Ringed Plover, 199 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Knot and 5 Little Egret were counted along with 30+ House Martin and 30+ Swift, including one with a white rump patch. Semi-decent views were obtained and it seems to have been nothing more than just a Common Swift sporting a dashing white rump…enough to get the heart racing for a few short moments though. At Lytchett Bay a single Little Ringed Plover, 2 Redshank, 3 Greenshank and 33 Black-tailed Godwit were noted.

Little Owl information

With your great feedback to our request for Swift sightings last week, I’d like to put out another request for information if I may. Little Owl has been absent (as far as we know) from the Poole Harbour basin for around 10-15 years. They used to breed at places like Arne, Middlebere, Lytchett Bay and Upton CP but with the increase in Tawny Owl and Barn Owl number’s, the Little Owls have been ‘forced out’. However, with so much suitable habitat, its beyond belief that Little Owl is totally absent within the Poole Harbour area. We have been working with Dr Emily Joachim who recently set up the new UK Little Owls group (and soon to be live website), which seeks to report and gather information on Little Owl sightings from across the UK. Although not classed as native, their drastic decline nationally over the last 20 years has highlighted the fact that something is going seriously wrong within their environment, and we’d like to get to grips with what that is locally. Is it just an increase in numbers of other owl species, or is there something much more complex going on?

We would like to put out a request for anyone that has found/knows about any Little Owls within the areas of the attached map so we can share it with Dr Emily Joachim for her research.  Any information would be gratefully received.

To report any sightings please email us at birdsofpooleharbour@gmail.com

Not much to report as the summer doldrums kick in (not that by looking out of the window you would ever guess its summer)! I took a walk around Holton Lee yesterday, and was amazed by the number of fledged birds. Dartford Warbler and Stonechat were feeding young and commoner species such Blue Tit, Great Tit , Chaffinch and Robin all had fledged young. Also present at Holton Lee were Tree Pipit, Woodlark, Siskin, Mistle Thrush and 4 Buzzard. Up on Slepe Heath two Hobby were seen hunting, and a single Spotted Flycatcher was along Soldiers Road. In Middlebere 3 Spoonbill were feeding and a single Whimbrel. There is some potentially bad news regarding the breeding Poole Harbour Marsh Harriers, in as much as the male the is father to both nest sites has disappeared and now hasn’t been seen for 5 days. Although this is unusual, it’s not thought to be suspicious and it’s likely the male has just moved on, leaving the females to feed themselves and their new young. Lets just hope a few of the harriers fledge after last years successful seven.

Has autumn really set back in already? These wet blustery squalls are more fitting for late October not late May. Well, the forecast for next week looks like an improving picture, but until then I think we have some more wet and windy weather to contend with. Firstly, many thanks for everyone’s replies to our request for Swift information. Although it seems that there are birds back on territory in numerous places, numbers on whole still seem down, so lets see if the improved weather next week sees more Swifts settling at nesting sites. Bird-wise it was very quiet yesterday with only Lytchett Fields seeing any coverage as 2 Ruff, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 10 Black-tailed Godwit and a pair of Shoveler were present.

We will also be hosting our up and coming Nightjar walks in June and July at the wonderful Arne RSPB Reserve, so to book on or for more information CLICK HERE

Red Kites seemed to be on the move today with several over the county, including one over Upton CP first thing, plus another (more likely the same) over Upton Heath. Lytchett Fields still had 2 female Ruff today along with 109 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Redshank and good numbers of Shelduck. I was also commenting today on the lack of Swifts over traditional breeding areas such as Old Town Poole, Wareham and Parkstone. It could be that there are still birds yet to arrive but they certainly seem very thin on the ground. I’d be quite keen to hear if anyone within the Poole Harbour area has Swifts prospecting nesting site yet. If so please report your sightings to birdsofpooleharbour@gmail.com

The Red-footed Falcon seems to have disappeared today, however it also disappeared the day after it was originally found and then stayed for five days, so we’ll just watch this space. Lytchett Fields has been productive again with 2 Ruff, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Little Gull, 1 Greenshank and between 30-50 Black-tailed Godwit. Nightjar are really active locally with males setting up territories on all heathland sites. I did notice the other night that at one site there was no wing clapping or kew-eek type calls despite the high number of males, which would possibly suggest that there are still more females to arrive, which will no doubt cause great excitement in the next few days. There have been plenty of newly fledged birds around too, with Stonechat being most notable out on the heathland with most pairs already fledging young it seems. There are also plenty of raptors around too with Hobby frequenting similar habitat to the Red-foot, a Red Kite was over Wareham yesterday, displaying Buzzards, hunting Kestrels, the odd Peregrine (one sat on the Middlebere Osprey nest today), the Marsh Harriers feeding young and numerous Sparrowhawk.

A few highlights came through today, including the Red-footed Falcon still playing ball on Wareham Water Meadows for it fifth day. Elsewhere, the two Nightingales are still singing on territory at Challow Hill, Corfe as too was a Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaff and a Yellowhammer. 6 Spoonbill were seen flying towards Arne, nice to know there is still a healthy total around (in summer terms). Up on Slepe Heath Tree Pipit were singing, Woodlark were present the two Poole Harbour Marsh Harrier nests are now feeding young. 

Yet again the Red-footed Falcon pleased the crowds today from the Wareham bypass bridge. Often circling high and seeming to travel quite some distance it would always return to the same stretch of river to feed on Mayflies and Dragonflies. Yesterday evening the Red-footed Falcon was joined by a Little Gull and today Hobby, Peregrine, Kestrel and Buzzard all passed by our rare visitor, offering good comparison opportunities. At South Haven a Yellow Wagtail passed overhead, in Brands Bay there was 1 Teal, 1 Grey Plover, 128 Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Knot and 3 Dunlin.

Great news today that the Red-footed Falcon returned after going missing for a day, feeding quite happily in the same spot as Wednesday, viewable from the bridge over the Wareham bypass. It obviously likes this part of the Frome Valley, so lets hope it hangs around for a little while longer. Not much other news from today other than 132 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Redshank, 4 Lapwing and a Lesser Whitethroat were at Lytchett fields. A Hobby was out feeding over Wareham Water Meadows yesterday afternoon too.

The undoubted highlight today was of a female Red-footed Falcon found feeding out on Wareham Water Meadows this afternoon. The bird had been reported in a garden near Wareham first thing this morning, but no further news was confirmed. However is was later found feeding next to the bridge on the Wareham bypass where at times it was flying past the many observers 10 feet away! This is the first Poole Harbour record for 20 years, with the last being up on Ballard Down in June 1995. It stayed faithful to the site next to the bridge for several hours but then disappeared. However it was later re-found further up the Frome Valley near, just west of the bypass. Not quite as good, but still significant was the news of a singing Wood Warbler in the Corfe River Valley, a real rarity in the harbour these days. At Lytchett Bay there were 4 Redshank, 12 Dunlin, 2 Lapwing and 104 Black-tailed Godwit. A Red Kite drifted over Upton CP this moring and Middlebere saw 2 Spoonbill.