Constant monitoring provides such a great insight in to how valuable and important areas are, and with thanks to a committed group of watchers, Holes Bay is proving to be a vitally important site for a whole range of species. Gratitude and kudos to the likes of Martin Adams, Steve Smith and Nick Woods who have been counting the waders and wildfowl in Holes Bay, pretty much daily this winter and today logged 286 Pintail and 226 Shoveler NW which signal nationally significant numbers, not to mention the internationally important total of 4786 Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit. This is a phenomenal total and represents roughly 11-12% of the current UK over-wintering population, and 9-10% of the current global population……all in Holes Bay!!!! Not bad for a site that was almost too toxic to walk past a few decades ago.

Out in Studland Bay there were 3 Common Scoter and 3 Black-necked Grebe, Wareham Common held 31 Cattle Egret and 6 Cirl Bunting were feeding out toward Old Harry. This morning, one of the PCW drain Siberian Chiffchaff was calling and singing quite a bit when the sun came out, the Ruff was in Holes Bay NW again, with the Little Gull still in the NE sector and at Poole Park the Pochard was still on the main boating lake and the drake Mandarin was still on the smaller lake.

Carpets of Black-tailed Godwit – Holes Bay – Martin Adams

A rather stop/start day, but eventually the dank, murk won and once again it was rather grey over the harbour. In Holes Bay NE the adult Little Gull was feeding in the mouth of the PCW channel and the redhead Goosander was out in the middle of the NE sector. Around the harbour there were 6 Great Northern Diver, and at Swineham 3-4 Marsh Harrier were active despite the rain and another Little Gull was just west of the Wareham bypass, just past Purbeck School.

Adult Little Gull – Holes Bay NE – Mick Brooks

Although still wet, the mild weather has really got a lot of birds going, with Rock Pipits in full song and display flights up at Old Harry and Ballard this morning, and once again Woodlarks singing beautifully at a few heathland sites. There were 2 adult Little Gull on the floods just west of Stoborough this afternoon and 12 Spoonbill were on Shipstal Point, RSPB Arne. On Baiter 2 pale-bellied Brent Geese were feeding with the dark-bellied Brent Goose flock and sadly what looks to be a dead Black-throated Diver was found long dead on Baiter Beach. The redhead Goosander was in Holes Bay NE again and an adult Little Gull was in Holes Bay south.

Deceased Black-throated Diver – Baiter Beach – Brittany Maxted

2 pale-bellied Brent Geese – Baiter Park – Brittany Maxted

The rain forecast didn’t materialise this morning, allowing plenty of birders out today. Off Jerry’s Point there were 3 Slavonian Grebe, 5 Black-necked Grebe and 1 Red-necked Grebe showing well. Off South Beach, Studland there was another Slavonian Grebe, 3 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Common Scoter and 1 Great Northern Diver. There were 12 Great Northern Diver spread about inside the harbour from our Winter Safari Cruise this morning, with most being in South Deep, Central Harbour and the North Channel. In Shell Bay there was an impressive group of 350+ Dunlin and 40 Sanderling, although these were later scared by dog walkers. 6 Spoonbill were feeding in the Wareham Channel this morning and at least 12 were later roosting at Shipstal. 1 Ruff was amongst a flock of Lapwing flying around the lower Piddle Valley. In Holes Bay the 1 adult Little Gull and red-head Goosander were still present. The 10 Glossy Ibis were still at Swineham today, behind the rugby Club

Female Crossbill inspecting one of our Osprey Platform Cameras

Despite being a weekend, there didn’t seem to be much birding going on, with very limited reports coming through, although all the old guard are still about with the 10 Glossy Ibis still at Swineham, the 3 Purple Sandpiper were at the Haven Hotel groyne, 2 White-tailed Eagle flew over Brownsea and flushed c3100 Black-tailed Godwit. At Shipstal, Arne 17 Spoonbill were roosting, c15 Cattle Egret were around Worgret and a Spotted Redshank was at Lytchett Fields. These still mornings are allowing for early bird song to be heard with Woodlark almost in full voice at multiple sites.

Black-tailed Godwit flock flushed by White-tailed Eagles – Brownsea Lagoon – Derek Morgan

White-tailed Eagles passing over Brownsea Lagoon – Derek Morgan

Great Northern Diver – Brownsea channel – Derek Morgan

Finally some blue sky, but the chilly easterly wind persisted. A huge high tide and super flooded river valleys means there’s currently large amounts of water dispersed around the area, and today a large number of waders were on the Brownsea Lagoon including 1000+ Black-tailed Godwit and 500+ Dunlin, plus 100+ Bar-tailed Godwit and c200 Avocet. Also a magical Merlin chase ensued over the lagoon this morning in perfect morning sunlight. There were 5 Great Northern Diver along the north channel, and off Jerry’s Point this morning a Red-necked Grebe was reported, plus there were 3 Slavonian Grebe, 6 Black-necked Grebe and 3 Great Northern Diver, and out in Studland Bay 2 Common Scoter, 1 Black-necked Grebe and 1 Great Northern Diver. In The Wareham Channel and at Swineham a Ruff was with the Lapwing flock and there were another 2 Merlin hunting in that area, along with 1 Red Kite and 4 Marsh Harrier. The 2 Brambling were still along Thrashers Lane, Studland, a Siberian Chiffchaff was on Wareham Common and another was in the PCW Drain, 20 Spoonbill were on Shipstal Point, 1 Spotted Redshank was at Lytchett Fields and 2 White-tailed Eagle were in Brands Bay this afternoon.

Siberian Chiffchaff – Wareham Common – Trevor Warwick