The day started off cold and icy with our February field trip, which we’ll mention in a minute, but we were soon warmed up to boiling point when news came in late afternoon that a potential White-tailed Eagle had passed over Poole Harbour at 11am on Wednesday morning. A local observer was working over at Parkstone Yacht Club when he noticed ‘a huge, slow flapping, wide winged’ bird fly over from over Brownsea towards Whitecliffe. The observer stated….

On Wed at 11am (ish) I saw huge, slow flapping, wide winged bird, rising, circling / drifting South, single bird high above the habour between Whitecliff & B’sea. Silhouetted. Had no binocs. For me it said Eagle.

I used the word “huge” because that was the first thing that caused a sharp intake of breath. Living in Bere Regis I’m accustomed to Buzzards, Ravens and it was clearly significantly bigger. Next, the flight was neither soaring nor steady, it was slow flapping, gliding a bit, flap a few times again. Generally circling and drifting slowly and without obvious purpose towards Brownsea from off Parkstone YC where I was working. Very broad wings were obvious and dominating and maybe raised a bit rather than flat during the gliding. It was almost difficult to see either head or tail, so dominant were the wings. That made me think for a minute of Vulture (which again I am very familiar with from Pyrenees and Andalucia.)

Now, this initial statement was made on Wednesday but unfortunately without a photo or any other observers it seemed this mystery bird would go unidentified. However, in Hampshire today, a White-tailed Eagle was seen heading north over Cliddesden mid morning. Although the two sightings could be completely un-related, the strength of the observers account over Poole Harbour on Wednesday strongly suggests it could have been the same bird. This is also not the first time this  situation has occurred in Poole Harbour when on May 9^th 2008 a large Eagle species was seen flying over Hartland Moor (also thought to have been a White-tailed Eagle) being mobbed by Buzzards, whilst a first year WT Eagle had been over-wintering in Hants only a few weeks prior to the sighting.

Bird news from today included a good haul of sightings from our field trip around the bays of Studland despite the cold icy winds. Out in Brands Bay were 8 Black-necked Grebe, 10+ Pintail and 2 Great Crested Grebe. In Bramble Bush Bay 2 Great Northern Diver, 2 Goldeneye, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Ringed Plover and 2 Turnstone were counted with another 2 Great Northern Diver out in Studland Bay. At Norden Sewage Works a Firecrest was still present feeding on the filter beds with 2 Chiffchaff, 5+ Goldcrest and 1 Grey Wagtail. On a public bird boat the Black Guillemot was found nearer to the Sandbanks side and the Smew holds strong in Holes Bay. At dusk the Bittern was again seen flying over the Moors and a grey male Hen Harrier was seen at Hartland. 

Firstly, an interesting observation was made by SRG (Stour Ringing Group) this week when a control Chiffchaff was caught in the north of the harbour, which was first ringed on November 3^rd 2015 in Southampton. This is interesting as it highlights the first proven winter movement for this species to Poole Harbour. We’re currently unaware of other documented winter movements of Chiffchaff from elsewhere in the country as typically birds seem to tend to arrive at an over-wintering site and remain for the duration of the winter. The date this bird was first ringed could suggest it was still on its autumn migration though as some Chiffchaff can still be seen migrating well in to late October. SRG also had a great control of an Oystercatcher first ringed on Brownsea on Oct 2^nd 2011 and was seen in Leidschendam, The Netherlands on Feb 8^th 2016.

Todays birds included the Barn Owl again at RSPB Lytchett Fields with 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank and 4 Med Gulls. There certainly seems to be a lot more Med Gull around now with good numbers coming into roost in the evenings and they’re generally a bit more obvious around the harbour fringes now. A single Spoonbill flew over Lytchett Bay and 15 were out on Shipstal. At Holton Lee, Great Spotted Woodpeckers were drumming rapidly this morning and a (relatively) large flock of c80 Redwing were on the Horse Fields. Out in the Wareham Channel, 11 Great Crested Grebe, 9 Goldeneye and 1 Great Northern Diver seemed to form a loose roost at dusk and a Woodcock flew over the approach track. Siskins are very conspicuous at the moment with small groups and larger flocks feeding in numerous Alder trees, with behind PC World, Holton Lee and Poole Park being good places to look. A single possible northern race Long-tailed Tit passed through a garden in Stoborough mid-afternoon.

We really hit the Jackpot today with sunshine and blue sky. As a result a nice selection of sightings came through. The best being a double owl encounter at RSPB Lytchett Fields when a Short-eared Owl and Barn Owl were flying around together in the approach field to the viewpoints, both real scarcities at this site, also there a Jack Snipe and good numbers of Lapwing, Dunlin, Redshank and 3 Greenshank. The Smew was still in Holes Bay with a Knot (rare here), Common Sandpiper and Turnstone. The Black Guillemot was viewable from the mainland today due to the flat calm water, out off the corner of Brownsea. A Bittern flew across Arne Moors at dusk and 18 Spoonbill were out on Shipstal Point, Arne. 

Another fine sunny day (we could get used to this) obviously got a few birds moving about. There was a recent high of 7 Marsh Harrier in the west of the harbour early evening, including a newly arrived spanking adult male. There were also still 2 ringtail Hen Harrier in the same area as the Marsh Harrier. The Black Guillemot was tucked into the Brownsea shoreline mid-morning and still at least 5 Great Northern Diver around the Brownsea and the inner harbour. The 10-15 Spoonbill were again on Shipstal and the Smew was still in Holes Bay north/south. At PC World there were 2 Firecrest, 18 Chiffchaff, including a Siberian (tristis) type and c15 Siskin. A high tide count at RSPB Lytchett Fields saw a whopping 873 birds with highlights being 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 478 Lapwing, 300+ Dunlin, 1 Med Gull, 5 Greenshank and good numbers of other common waders and wildfowl. 

The storm blew its self out over night and gave way to calm seas and some warm sunshine by this morning.  A school bird boat trip produced the Black Guillemot off the Brownsea SE corner again in its usual spot, c10 Spoonbill on Shipstal Point, Arne, at least 5 Great Northern Diver around the Brownsea shoreline, 2 Black-necked Grebe out in between South Deep and Bramble Bush Bay, plenty of Red-breasted Merganser and Great Crested Grebe, but what seemed like a decline in Goldeneye totals. Firecrests were in the Arne car park and at the PC World drain and the Smew was again in Holes Bay south/north. 

Luckily the rain held off until late afternoon, which meant a few reports came in. The female Smew was still in Holes Bay north…how long will she stay around for? Out over Arne Moors (viewed from Soldiers Road) a Short-eared Owl, 4 Marsh Harrier, 1 Peregrine and a single Hen Harrier high overhead were noted.

Both Wednesday 3^rd and Thursday 4^th were very quite with not much to report other than a Woodlark singing on Slepe Heath, 20+ Spoonbill on Shipstal, 1 Short-eared Owl on Coombe Heath, Arne, 2 Firecrest in the Arne car park, 1500+ Brent Geese in Middelbere with a Marsh Harrier, 1 Merlin at Shipstal the Smew in Holes Bay.

Tufted Duck – Poole Park – Keith Rawling

Goldeneye – Poole Park – Keith Rawling

Pintail – Upton CP – Keith Rawling

RSPB Lytchett Fields and Lytchett Bay saw most coverage today with 2 Bearded Tit in a reedbed just behind the Waterworks, 1 Spoonbill, 4 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 8 Red-breasted Merganser and 1 Goldeneye out in the Bay and 332 Lapwing, 15 Little Egret and a Kingfisher out on the fields. On the Pools Field at Lytchett Bay there was 1 Water Pipit, but several of the ‘Scandinavian’ Rock Pipit are starting to moult into their spring plumage, which will be nice to see if they hang around until their moult is complete. In Poole Harbour west a Peregrine spooked a flock of 500 Lapwing and a Hen Harrier worked its way across the Wareham Channel north shore. A Marsh Harrier was seen at Upton Country Park.

A quiet Monday with just the Holes Bay Smew, 20+ Shipstal Spoonbill and a ringtail Hen Harrier in Middlebere being the only birds reported. 

Sightings were few and far between today with not much change from recent days. There were 20+ Spoonbill out at Shipstal and 3 Great Northern Diver on the open water. The Smew was still in Holes Bay south and both Marsh and Hen Harrier were noted in Poole Harbour west.

Public Talk

Birds of Poole Harbour will be hosting a talk at Holton Lee on Feb 17^th about the charities work and the birds and wildlife of Holton Lee/ Lytchett Bay. The event is a booked event so to book on please call Holton Lee on 01202 625562.