As a charity we aim to boost the profile of bird monitoring and conservation out in the harbour, and there’s no better way to do that than by talking to people. Over the Christmas and new year period, and even this morning I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and chatting to like minded people, fascinated families, intrigued individuals and curious members of the public. When watching wildlife, it’s so easy to get drawn in to what your doing that you can actually forget that just yards away might be someone who is equally interested or even better just waiting to catch the birding bug. Whenever I’m out surveying or generally out in the harbour, I’ll always invite people to come and ask questions or have a look through our scopes just so they feel they’ve connected with the harbour in a way they weren’t necessarily expecting to. So if your out around the harbour and you see someone watching birds, then speak to them, ask them questions, you’ll be amazed at how much ‘wisdom’ people are willing to part with! The less we keep our eyes down and stuck to our scopes the more we’ll all interact and the more we’ll all learn.

Back to the birds now. At Lytchett Bay the Smew remains on the flooded fields, also there 1 Merlin, 1 Stonechat, 2 Green Sandpiper, 7 Gadwall, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Chiffchaff. Out on the water the Surf Scoter is still present off Jerry’s Point, 5-8 Great Northern Diver mainly around Brands Bay area, 8 Black-necked Grebe and 36 Great Crested Grebe. On Baiter (until yesterday) the Little Gull remained also there a Sandwich Tern. Off Whitecliff a Black-throated Diver was close to the cycle path and a 1^st year Scaup is on the small Poole Park Lake. A sea watch from Branksome produced 1 Great Skua, 3 Red-throated Diver, 1 Black-throated Diver, 1 Common Scoter, several Kittiwake and 2 Gannet. There are still 4 Purple Sandpiper at the Sandbanks Ferry slipway. Out in Shell Bay an Eider and 3 Great Northern Diver were present with 40+ Sanderling (including a colour ringed bird) and 6 Rock Pipit. A Marsh Harrier flew over the Wareham bypass. A night survey at Lytchett Bay produced 3 Woodcock, 7 Common Snipe and 5 Jack Snipe.

There’s been little change in the weather, which in turn has produced a handful of Little Gulls. There was one out in Lytchett Bay and another present on the Baiter playing fields, both 1^st winter birds. Little Gulls of this age have to be some of my favourite birds, so dainty, elegant and well presented. Click HERE for some video footage of the bird at Baiter today. Also present for it’s sixth day was the Smew at Lytchett Bay. Although the land the bird is on is private, it is viewable from a gate at the end of Slough Lane, next to the waterworks. At North Haven 4 Purple Sandpiper were feeding on the steps next to the chain ferry and 2 Sandwich Tern were feeding out in Shell Bay. A handful of Kittiwake passed out at sea and a Great Northern Diver was just inside the harbour mouth. The Yellow-browed Warbler is still present at Knoll Beach, Studland and the Poole Harbour Harrier count seems to have increased even more with now 8 Marsh Harrier present and an absolute minimum of 4 Hen Harrier.  On the Brownsea Lagoon today 8 Spotted Redshank and 12 Greenshank. Due to the flooding 30 Shelduck had moved up the Frome Valley to Holme Bridge and a huge gull roost of around 2000 birds cam into roost on to Brownsea this evening, mostly Herring Gulls.

Just a quick run down this evening of some of the excellent birds in and around Poole Harbour today. Definite highlights included a Bittern over the mouth of the Frome, the 2 Bewick’s Swans still in the Frome Valley, a Smew at Lytchett Bay, the Surf Scoter in Brands Bay, Great Skua, 5 Little Gull and all 3 diver species out in Poole Bay, 8 Marsh Harrier and 4 Hen Harrier around the Wareham Channel/Middlebere area, 30+ Black-necked Grebe and 4 Great Northern Diver in Brands Bay and off Middle Beach.

Well we’re only on January 3^rd and some great birds are being found. The highlight from the last couple of days have included the discovery of two Bewick’s Swans in the Frome Valley, best viewed from the Wareham bypass bridge heading up stream towards East Holm. Bewick’s Swan are very in scarce in Dorset nowadays, let alone Poole Harbour. A redhead Smew was found on a flooded back-water at Lytchett Bay today proving that these birds will venture this far south-west in non bitterly cold winters. The bays in the south-west of the harbour are filled with all the usual species, but Brands Bay and Jerry’s point were particularly busy yesterday morning with the Surf Scoter, 8 Great Northern Diver, 11 Black-necked Grebe, 12 Goldeneye, 50+ each of both Red-breasted Merganser and Great Crested Grebe. Off Middle Beach 11 Common Scoter, 26 Black-necked Grebe and an Eider were present. A Common Sandpiper was found at Holes Bay and at North Haven 3 Purple Sandpiper, 9 Ringed Plover and 10 Dunlin were roosting. Birds of prey continue to impress with 3 Hen Harrier over Hartland and 6 Marsh Harrier still present around the Wareham Channel. Merlin have been sighted at Hartland and Middlebere and Barn Owl also at the latter site. At least 4 Peregrine are present around the harbour and can be seen harassing waders at Brownsea, Arne and Holes Bay. A sea-watch off Ballard produced Kittiwake, Gannet, Fulmar, Red-throated Diver, Razorbill and Guillemot. On many of the heathlands Dartford Warbler and Stonechat are very active and Woodlark have been reported singing elsewhere in Dorset so keep an ear out at Arne.

I’ve recently uploaded some new video taken from around the harbour over the last few days. They are of Great Northern Diver, Black-necked Grebe, Peregrine and Bewick’s Swan. To view them click HERE

Not much news due to the horrendous weather but highlights included the Long-tailed Duck still on Swineham GP, a Little Gull on Poole Quay and an adult Kittiwake riding out the storm on Baiter Park. The Goldeneye flock in Poole Park is now at 6.

What a year 2013 has been with a real selection of birding and conservation highlights in the harbour.  I’ll write a brief report sometime this week, but we would like to thank EVERYONE that’s contributed to our cause one way or the other over the last year. It’s certainly been a year to remember and we hope that 2014 is even bigger and better. Some interesting reports from the last two days have included a Long-tailed Duck on Swineham GP, a Black-necked Grebe in Holes Bay, 3 Great Skua past Middle Beach, Studland and 8 Goldeneye on Poole Park lakes. The best of the rest include 29 Black-necked Grebe in Studland Bay and 12 in Brands Bay, 7 Great Northern Diver off Jerry’s Point along with the Surf Scoter, 7 different Marsh Harrier and 4 separate Hen Harrier (2 male, 2 female). On Baiter 22 Turnstone, 300+ Brent Geese and 200+ Oystercatcher. There were 8 Sanderling at Shore Road and 52 Bar-tailed Godwit. The 4 Purple Sandpiper were still at North Haven and another 5 Red-throated Diver past out at sea with many Kittiwake, 4 Gannet and lots of Auks.

Highlights from today included the discovery of a redhead Smew on Swineham GP in amongst the 364 Teal, 161 Shoveler, 23 Pochard, 222 Canada Goose and 18 Greylag. Also found today were 2 first winter Little Gull feeding over the flood meadow at Bestwall. Off Swineham Point there were 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 3 Marsh Harrier, 1 Chiffchaff and 3 Kingfisher along the Frome Valley. 16 Spoonbill were off Giggers Island which were presumably part of the flock of 22 at Shipstal before they were flushed by a group of walkers. Between the harbour mouth and Goathorn were 2 Black-throated Diver, up to 7 Great Northern Diver, the Surf Scoter and a Sandwich Tern. All around the harbour today were large numbers of the regular over-wintering waders and wildfowl. Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Teal, Wigeon and Shelduck all had significant counts. A Merlin was at Fitzworth. Yesterday 7 Marsh Harrier came out of the roost and there a still currently 3 Hen Harrier ranging from Swineham, Middlebere and Brands Bay. Off Shipstal Point a Common Scoter, Great crested Grebe, Goldeneye, 2 Sandwich Tern and Red-breasted Merganser were all present. A Water Pipit was at the Wytch causeway. At Lytchett Bay there was a Merlin, 4 Greenshank and 2 Green Sandpiper. 

Today was a day of two halfs with glowing sunshine first thing and then…the rain. Our last ‘Birds of Poole Harbour’ field trip of 2013 took place this morning at Swineham where we were treated to a warm glow as we made our way around the reedbeds, flood meadows and gravel pits of Swineham. Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, and Redwing were in evidence around the rugby club, up to 3 Marsh Harrier were off Swineham Point and on the GP Pochard, Tufted duck, Pintail, Gadwall, Little Grebe, Shoveler and Greylag Geese were all present. No less than 4 Cetti’s Warbler were singing their hearts out and a hansom Kingfisher sat fishing from a post on the Bestwall flood meadow. Various grebe roost counts were made this evening with Middle Beach seeing 24 Black-necked Grebe, 11 Common Scoter, 2 Great Northern Diver, 1 Razorbill and 8 Great Crested Grebe. Off Jerry’s Point 4 Great Northern Diver, 9 Black-necked Grebe, 14 Goldeneye, 50+ Red-breasted Merganser and 1 Eider. The Surf Scoter was also present.

With the incredible discovery Dorset’s first Brünnich’s Guillemot in Portland Harbour today and a White-billed Diver down in Devon it begs the question just what’s out there along our coast at the moment? The recent storms and pending gales have certainly stirred up a mouth watering mixture of wandering vagrants in southern Britain. A Cory’s Shearwater seen in Weymouth Bay a few days ago also highlights that unusual species are being blown on to our shores and with more strong winds forecast for tomorrow there’s no better time to start checking your local coastal site for a storm driven goody. A Murrelet, an Auklett? Ok, I’m getting WAY ahead of myself. As well as the devastating wind, flooding has also caused chaos for many with pretty much the whole of the Frome Valley now a flood plain. This in turn could attract scarce geese and swans so keep an eye out. Species encountered over the festive period have included Spoonbill, Spotted Redshank and 4 Goldeneye at Holes Bay. At Swineham 3 Cetti’s Warbler, Shoveler, Pintail, Pochard, Gadwall, Teal and Wigeon all on the gravel pits. At Branksom 25 Diver species flew west all, possibly all Red-throated Diver, 60+ Kittiwake, a few Gannet, 2 Black-necked Grebe and 1 Brent Goose with 4 Purple Sandpiper and 8 Sanderling at North Haven.

Finally we hope you all had a safe and Merry Christmas and hope you have an even better new year.

Well, I’ve never seen waves breaking all the way over the Baiter car park before and onto the playing field, quite unbelievable really.

With all this wind and weather several sea-watches have taken place at Branksome and North Haven over the last few days. The watch at Branksome yesterday morning produced an unprecedented 46 Red-throated Diver! This is a huge total for Poole Bay, and at one time a single flock of 20 flew by. Divers are very much on the move during December and January, but these kinds of totals for Poole Bay are quite un-heard of. Also counted were 32 Kittiwake, 5 Great Northern Diver, 4 Gannet, many auks and several Great Crested Grebe. Out in Shell Bay was 1 Great Northern Diver, 4 Eider, 3 Black-necked Grebe and 8 Shag. In and around the rocks at the Haven Hotel 5 Purple Sandpiper, 8 Sanderling, 7 Ringed Plover and 5 Dunlin. Baiter Park sheltered many hundreds of Brent Geese, Oystercatcher and Black-headed Gulls, also 16 Turnstone, 250+ Dunlin and 21 Black-tailed Godwit.

Finally, we’re really pleased to announce our first Poole Harbour conservation project is underway with the introduction of two Barn Owl and one Kestrel Box that have been installed at Lakeviews B&B, Swineham and was totally funded by public donations. For the full story click HERE