Well, Christmas is almost upon us and the harbour has been delivering its own set of Christmas presents recently with Red-necked Grebes, Black Guillemot, Bean Geese, numerous Marsh and Hen Harriers, vast wader flocks and a good selection of open water species. As everyone winds down for the festive period I strongly urge you to get out and explore the harbour in a bid to walk off that Christmas pudding and those mince pies. This morning I visited South beach again to see what I could find out on the water, and by scanning back and forth across Studland Bay I counted 26 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 10 Common Scoter, 1 Great Northern Diver and 8 Red-breasted Merganser. Late news, but a Great Bustard flew over Lytchett Bay on Sunday, which will be one of the released birds from the Salisbury Plain reintroduction program. There are still are minimum of 3 Purple Sandpiper on the groynes at North Haven, often association with Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Sanderling. I managed to get some footage of the Common Scoter flock this morning off South Beach and also of a decent Lapwing flock at Swineham and a Grey Plover hanging out with a Turnstone in Bramble Bush Bay. You can watch each of the videos HERE.       

Today BoPH co-hosted a walk with the DWT along Holes Bay, promoting their Living Landscapes initiative and Great Heath Project. Part of the project is to link up important areas for wildlife, whilst interpreting that wildlife to the people that live within and close to those areas. Holes Bay is a great example of an important area for wildlife right in the heart of an urban surrounding. Todays walk highlighted perfectly why it’s worth getting out of the house and visiting this area with a great list of birds accumulated. Highlights were 2 Spoonbill right next the footpath, 100+ Avocet in various areas of the bay, numerous waders including Curlew, Redshank, Dunlin and Oystercatcher. Around 350 Black-tailed Godwit were feeding in one of the fields along the woodland track between Upton CP and Holes Bay, giving views down to about 20 meters. Teal, Wigeon, Pintail, Gadwall, Shelduck, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Common Gull and Common Buzzard all added to the supporting cast as Goldcrest and a Jay also appeared. Out at Swineham a Hen Harrier and Marsh Harrier were hunting together and a Short-eared Owl was accidently flushed up on Slepe Heath. At Shell Bay there were 2 Sandwich Tern and a Red-necked Grebe, with another (or the same) Red-necked Grebe off Middle beach with 19 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Slavonian Grebe and 13 Common Scoter. 

The species range out in Studland Bay is starting to look pretty impressive, especially now that the Black Guillemot has been re-located out there. It was found off Middle Beach, but was also viewable from South Beach. It was some distance out, only viewable with a telescope, but that’s not to say it won’t come in closer over the coming days/weeks. An hour vigil from South Beach this afternoon produced 1 Black Guillemot, 19+ Black-necked Grebe, 1 Red-necked Grebe, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Razorbill, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 15 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Sandwich Tern and 10+ Mediterranean Gull. There are now 4 Hen Harrier in the harbour, 2 juveniles, 1 adult male and a young male, along with the 11 Marsh Harrier, 2 Merlin and numerous Peregrine. The best place to try and catch up with any of these is around the Swineham area or viewing Arne Moors from the top of Slepe Heath, as Arne Moors is strictly a private site with no access. 

The harbour is full of waders at the moment and a low tide on any stretch of the harbour shoreline can provide you with views of at least 18 species of wading birds. Some species are site specific, for example the Bar-tailed Godwits will always favour the sandy shoreline of Shore Road (Whitley Lake) and Turnstone the stony beaches of Baiter and Hamworthy beach. Wherever you are around the harbour, just take a moment to peek onto the shoreline to see what you can spot. Wading species you can currently encounter are Oystercatcher, Avocet, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Sanderling, Purple Sandpiper, Turnstone, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew and Snipe. There were 4 Black-necked Grebe off Jerry’s Point along with good numbers of Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe and Red-breasted Merganser. Other sites monitored included Lytchet Bay where there was 1 Greenshank, 1 Water Pipit and 2 Green Sandpiper. Holes Bay saw 1 Spoonbill, 1 Common Sandpiper, 30+ Avocet and 1 Tufted Duck (unusual here). At Hatch Pond still no Bittern but 49 and 9 Snipe roosting on the 2 small areas of cut reed plus 1 Pochard. I’ve finally managed to get out and do some sound recording recently and was thrilled to get a recording of a bird I never was never expecting. I was out along the Arne Road hoping to sound record Redwing coming into roost when I heard a call I was quite unfamiliar with. It was a husky gruff , rather heron like. I looked up only to see to see a Short-eared Owl flying over my head and away towards the Wareham Channel. The call was coming from the Owl! It did it again, so I  quickly pressed record hoping it would do it one last time before disappearing and sure enough, as it lofted away into the cold, gloomy light it called one last time. The recording below is of that call. 

There was lots of coverage from around the harbour today. Starting at Studland where much peninsular was covered. I experienced a wonderful first too when I had all three regular Diver species in one scope view out in Shell Bay. 

Middle Beach

Black-necked Grebe x 21

Great Northern Diver x 1

Great Crested Grebe x 2

Knoll beach

Firecrest x 2 (including 1 ringed bird)

Chiffchaff x 1

Bullfinch x 4

Shell Bay

Great Northern Diver x 3

Red-throated Diver x 1

Black-throated Diver x 1

Black-necked Grebe x 1

Treecreeper x 1

Lesser Redpoll x 2

Bramble Bush Bay

Goldeneye 20+

Red-breasted Merganser 100+

Grey Plover x 8

Great Crested Grebe 20+

Dartford Warbler x 2

Shipstal Point

Long-tailed Duck x 1 (think its the same as the Sandbanks bird)

Black-necked Grebe x 2

Goldeneye 80+

RB Merganser 200+

Great Crested Grebe 50+

Spoonbill x 19

Baiter

Great Northern Diver x 1

Ringed Plover x 24 on rocks

The Short-eared Owl was out again along the Arne Road and 4 Marsh Harrier were seen to go into roost. At Middlebere there were 500 Dunlin in front of the hide, 300 Dark-belled Brent Geese, 250 Black-tailed Godwit, 110 Lapwing and ringtail Hen Harrier, 4 Spoonbill, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, plus the usual Teal, Wigeon, Redshank etc. Sanderlings are now a regular feature at either Shore Road (Whitley Lake) on a low tide, or along the Studland beaches on a high tide. A Common Sandpiper was in Holes Bay NE. There are so many great birds around the harbour at the moment, whether its Kingfishers in Poole Park, Rock Pipits and Brent Geese at Baiter, Turnstones on the Quay, masses of wildfowl in Holes Bay, Woodpeckers in Upton CP, a majestic Harrier or dopy Diver off Arne, it’s a great time of year to be out so make the most of it. 

I’ve also made two short videos recently, having not had time to put anything together over the last month or two. Watch the HERE…Enjoy!

A Short-eared Owl was hunting out in the afternoon sunshine along Arne Moors and the lower Frome Valley at times interacting with a couple of Marsh Harriers. Short-eared Owls aren’t quite an annual winter visitor to the harbour but when they do occur they’re well worth staking out. Hartland Moor, Middlebere, Arne Moors, Swineham and the Frome Valley are good places to look anytime from early afternoon to dusk. Another Bittern or possibly the same as yesterdays was seen further up the Frome Valley near Redcliff Sailing Club. 5 Bearded Tit were at Lytchett Heath along with 4 Chiffchaff.  7 Marsh Harrier were out around the Wareham Channel area. Middlebere late afternoon looked cracking with a great Avocet flock at the western end. There were 2 Pale-bellied brent Geese in with a large flock of Dark-bellied Brents at Ower and a Jack Snipe was seen leaving its roost in a very Woodcock(esque) style. As I write, I’ve just received an email from a visitor to our site called Jo who has kindly sent a photo asking if the bird present in the photo is a Black Guillemot? Well, quite simply…yes it is! The photo was taken off the car park in front of the Haven Hotel this afternoon. Great find, well done. 

After last nights storm the wind eased to a steady bellow and eventually eased to gentle breeze. Todays highlight was a Bittern on the Swineham/Arne Moors boarder that lifted off one of the footpaths and disappeared into the reeds. Although not reported too often, it wouldn’t surprise me if several Bittern over-winter in the harbour, its just that the reed beds are so vast and complex you just never see the. I haven’t checked Hatch Pond recently…has anyone else?  There was also a minimum of 11 Marsh Harrier in and around the Wareham Channel. Spoonbills were out in Lytchett Bay and Arne moors (of all places) but still, the best spot to see them by far is out on Shipstal Point, Arne RSPB reserve. Kingfishers seem quite prominent at the moment with several encountered along the Frome this evening and birds being seen regularly from Shipstal Hide. Water Pipit were at Lytchett Bay and Ridge Wharf Yacht Club. 

Today I led an RSPB public bird boat, which despite the forecast was a huge success. With a bright winter sun bearing down and a brisk westerly wind whipping in we headed out from Poole Quay at 10:30. We headed straight for Arne and Shipstal Beach where we were treated to 35+ Spoonbill on Shipstal Point and 2 Common Seal right next to the boat. The salt marsh was full on Teal, Wigeon, Curlew the odd Little Egret and Brent Goose. We then went round the back of all this islands and encountered the usual Cormorant and Shag as well as good numbers of Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Great Crested Grebe and Canada Geese. Kingfishers were seen on both the Brownsea and Furzey Island Quays but surprise of the morning had to go to a Swallow that flew around the Brownsea Quay and our boat for a short period. The Lagoon looked wonderful with Avocet, Black and Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Knot, Greenshank, Redshank, Turnstone, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon and Grey Heron all present and a Great Northern Diver just off the sea wall. Add 2 Common Scoter and a Black Redstart on the roof of my office when I returned and I have to say the trip was a big success. Poole Park is still looking good with feeding Black-tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher and Little Egret right next to the wall and a large Greenfinch roost in Poole Park of around 150-200 birds.

With the extremely popular response to our BoPH/RSPB Dorset Discovery Winter tour we have decided to start advertising our up and coming Spring Tour too. You can find details of it HERE

Finally please take a minute to look at and sign this Marine Conservation Zone Plan which includes protecting both Studland Bay and areas of Poole Bay.

http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/mcz

The Lesser Yellowlegs was looked for again yesterday, but unfortunately didn’t materialise. One place that was checked was Poole Park boating lake, which has currently been drained, offering a feeding habitat not just for a Yellowlegs but many other species of bird too. I was stunning to see that around 10 Little Egret, 10 Turnstone, several Black-tailed Godwit, numerous Oystercatcher and a good variety of Duck were just meters from the lake wall, not fussed one bit by the many runners, dog walkers and prams that were whizzing on by. The harbour was flat calm early morning, which made counting the open water species easier. From the harbour mouth there as 1 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Common Scoter, 50+ Red-breasted Merganser, 20+ Great Crested Grebe, 15 Sanderling on the rocks and a handful of Goldeneye. The Spoonbill are commuting between Brownsea and Shipstal on the high tides, and still out feeding in Holes Bay and Middlebere on the low tides. I have kindly been sent 2 photos of the Brownsea Lesser Yellowlegs by Brian Hill, one of the lucky DWT volunteers on the island that day carrying out a winter work party. Thanks Jol Mitchell for also sending in a photo of the Bean Geese from Monday 8^th December.

The two Bean Geese were again at Swineham first thing yesterday, and then moved on over to Arne Moors which made them only visible from Slepe Heath. I forgot to mention yesterday they are the Tundra race of Bean Goose and not the much rarer Taiga race. There are currently 10 different Marsh Harrier going into roost in the west of the harbour, which seems to be a December Poole Harbour record. Spoonbills seem to be feeding in a number of places on a low tide with 14 in Holes Bay NE and 7 in Lytchett Bay, with a Water Pipit and the latter site. Also at Holes Bay a Common Sandpiper, 46 Avocet and 8 Pintail.