If these storms continue it won’t be long until the Great Northern Diver record is broken again. In 2023 a county record of 25 were logged in the harbour on 15th Dec with conditions similar to those we’ve experienced in the last week or so. Today a healthy total of 13 flew into the harbour this morning to join those that are already present, so the next calm day could result in a good number. Another ‘small’ diver also entered the harbour this morning and a Purple Sandpiper was running along the waters edge of the car park at North Haven point by the slipway. At Holmebridge 32 Cattle Egret were feeding in fields just east.
Poole Harbour sightings blog
A record of all interesting and notable sightings from around the harbour throughout the year.
Latest Sightings
Harbour Update – 09/12/25
Harbour Update – 08/12/25
More tricky conditions today in the harbour, but in between the rain showers, the long-staying Velvet Scoter was still showing off Jerry’s Point, along with 4 Great Northern Diver and 1 Goldeneye. In Brands Bay there were 2 more Goldeneye, 6 Black-necked Grebe and 3 Sandwich Tern. 2 Black-necked Grebe and 3 Great Northern Diver were off Knoll Beach, best viewed from Fort Henry, Studland. 1 male Mandarin was in Poole Park near The Kitchen. 2 White-tailed Eagle were in the lower Frome Valley near Holmebridge, as well as, a flock of Cattle Egret being present. 70 Avocet and 1 Marsh Harrier were at Lytchett Fields RSPB.
Harbour Update – 07/12/25
Torrential rain in the harbour, but that didn’t put us off from our Winter Safari Cruise this morning. Plenty of good birds to be seen despite the weather with 6 Great Northern Diver and 2 Black-throated Diver flying in to the harbour entrance and 1 Black-throated Diver was later off the south-western end of Green Island. There were also 1 Velvet Scoter and at least 4 Great Northern Diver off Jerry’s Point. With there being so much rain recently and with the tide so high (a foot above prediction), some of the classic roosting spots were flooded throughout the harbour. Up the River Frome Valley there were c200 Black-tailed Godwit and c50 Lapwing being moved by 5-6 Marsh Harrier that were coursing this area. On the Brownsea Lagoon a lot of the islands were flooded, but a huge number of birds were roosting in the shallow water with c500 Avocet, c500 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Greenshank and c20 Bar-tailed Godwit. Similar conditions too in Holes Bay with not much space for roosting birds, so 200+ Avocet was the best. 1 male Hen Harrier flew through the Middlebere Channel this afternoon.
Harbour Update – 06/12/25
Its still so mild, almost t-shirt weather again, but the birds keep coming. Off Jerry’s Point, Studland there was still one Velvet Scoter this morning, also 3 Great Northern Diver and 1 Slavonian Grebe. There were between 25-30 Spoonbill on Shipstal Point, at RSPB Arne, plus both adult White-tailed Eagles were seen around Middlebere and the Wareham Channel. A Great White Egret was in Middlebere.
Spoonbill flock – Shipstal Point, RSPB Arne – dizzygirl66.bsky.social (BlueSky)
Peregrine chasing down Curlew – Shipstal Point, RSPB Arne – dizzygirl66.bsky.social (BlueSky)
Velvet Scoter – Jerrys Point, Studland – Peter Moore
Harbour Update – 05/12/25
The predicted storm didn’t hit until this afternoon, and up until then, things were bearable. Off Branksome 6 Red-throated Diver passed west, along with 1 Great Northern Diver, c20 auks (most likely Razorbill) and 6 dark-bellied Brent Geese. To complete the diver hat-trick a Black-throated Diver was on the water close to the harbour entrance. A Spotted Redshank was in Lytchett Bay again this afternoon, at teh PCW Drain c10 Common Chiffchaff were feeding along the channel this morning,
Spotted Redshank – Lytchett Bay
Harbour Update – 04/12/25
Slightly quieter day, but still some decent birds about with the Velvet Scoter straight out from Jerrys Point along with 3 Great Northern Diver, 1 Black-throated Diver towards Brownsea and 3 Goldeneye towards Furzey Island. Plus there was a Slavonian Grebe out from the houseboats in Bramble Bush Bay. At Lytchett Fields the Ruff was still there, as was the Spotted Redshank.
Harbour Update – 03/12/25
Another mostly fine day, with a few hard-hitting down pours to break up the serenity. A final ringing session of the year at Lytchett Bay produced 16 Bearded Tit which is a good end of year total considering many disperse in October. Off Jerry’s Point this afternoon there was 1 Velvet Scoter, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 7 Black-necked Grebe, 5 Goldeneye, 6 Great Northern Diver and c40 Red-breasted Merganser. A Spotted Redshank was in Lytchett Bay, both adult White-tailed Eagles were in the Wareham Channel this afternoon, 12 Spoonbill were on Shipstal Point, Arne, Marsh Harrier were at Swineham and 15 Cattle Egret were at Holmebridge.
Male and female Bearded Tits – Lytchett Bay – Ed Betteridge
Harbour Update – 02/12/25
Well, much better conditions for birding today and quite a lot had been blown in after the storms of yesterday. More divers around the harbour with a minimum of 8 Great Northern Diver counted from our Winter Safari Cruise this afternoon, but probably a few more lurking off distant shores. They were mainly confined to South Deep, off Jerry’s Point and Brands Bay, but 2 more along the south-western shore of Brownsea too. 1 Red-throated Diver was also off Jerry’s Point along with 1 Velvet Scoter, 6 Black-necked Grebe and 1 Slavonian Grebe. 2 more Black-necked Grebe were west of Furzey Island and 4 were off Middle Beach Studland (+1 more Great Northern Diver) for a harbour total of 12 Black-necked Grebe. The 2 Pink-footed Geese were also still on RSPB Arne Moors. At Middlebere there were 1 Great White Egret, 125 Avocet and 2 Marsh Harrier. In the Wareham Channel the 2 White-tailed Eagles were sat on a sandy cliff before taking off. Huge numbers of birds feeding on the low tide here too with 4 Spoonbill, c500 Avocet, c20 Grey Plover, c500 Dunlin and c200 Black-tailed Godwit. At Swineham at least 4 Marsh Harrier were active and 10 Glossy Ibis were feeding in the wet field south of the gravel pit. The 2 Pink-footed Geese were still on Arne Moors amongst the Greylags. At Lytchett Bay from Rock Lea View on the rising tide there were similar numbers of birds with 400+ Wigeon, 65 Avocet, 1 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 250+ Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Ruff was on the fields this morning. 4 Cattle Egret were on Wareham Common. Holes Bay North also providing very good numbers of waders with 631 Black-tailed Godwit, 550 Dunlin, 255 Avocet and 23 Knot. 1 Red-breasted Merganser was at Poole Park, no doubt sheltering after the wind yesterday.
Great Northern Divers – Jerry’s Point – Garry Hayman
Harbour Update – 01/12/25
Hmmmmmm, well there might have been birds out there today, we aren’t quite sure. Blasting south westerly winds, torrential rain and low cloud made birding and viewing the harbour impossible, so we’ll just have to wait until things calm down tomorrow to see what the weatehr has delivered into the area in teh last 24 hours….perhaps a Tropicbird or two?
Harbour Update – 30/11/25
Another stunning day in the harbour before the weather turns tomorrow. Still fairly limited numbers of divers in the harbour for the time of year, but nice sightings of 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Black-throated Diver, 95 Shag and 12 Red-breasted Merganser flying in through the harbour entrance this morning. 1 Water Pipit was at Wytch Lake by the causeway.
Nice conditions for our Winter Safari Cruise this afternoon where thousands of waders and ducks were feeding on the low tide in the Wareham Channel. There were c400 Avocet, 7 Spoonbill, c20 Grey Plover, c200 Black-tailed Godwit, c50 Curlew and c50 Dunlin. 2 White-tailed Eagles were active in this area too with adult female G466 of the local pair and a 2-year old juvenile G644 putting up all of the c300 strong flock of Greylag Geese and Canada Geese along with the 2 Pink-footed Geese still on Arne Moors. 2 Marsh Harriers and 1 Raven also had a tussle with the Eagles. The 2 Velvet Scoter were still off of Jerry’s Point and 2 Black-necked Grebes were sheltering close to Furzey Island. On the Brownsea Lagoon by high tide there were c500 Avocet, c50 Bar-tailed Godwit, 8 Turnstone and 8 Greenshank.
Shag – From our Winter Safari Cruise today – Harry McBride
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