As stated yesterday, the conditions looked favourable for a Wood Pigeon movement this morning and we certainly weren’t let down. An incredible 72,665 birds passed over the harbour between 7:00 –10am. Birds were moving in large flocks containing between 500-1500 individuals, with most passing west over the northern shores of the harbour. During the Wood Pigeon watch a Red Kite was also seen drifting over Brownsea Island, also heading west.

Today was also the November Poole Harbour WeBS (Wetland Bird Survey). This meant the whole harbour was being watched at 9:00am this morning with a stunning variety of birds being recorded. The Surf Scoter was still out in Brands Bay showing well off Redhorn Point. All 3 species of Diver were recorded with 5 Great Northern Diver spread across Brands Bay, Central Harbour and Studland Bay, a Red-throated Diver in Studland Bay and a Black-throated Diver off the southern shore of Brownsea. Also in Brands Bay 2 Slavonian Grebe and 2 Black-necked Grebe with another 21 Black-necked grebe in Studland Bay. Other open-water species reported included 100+ Great Crested Grebe, 100+ Red-breasted Merganser and 11 Goldeneye. An amazing 15 species of wader were recorded with Redshank, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Black and Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Dunlin, Knot, Grey Plover, Lapwing, and Avocet all recorded. There were some big duck counts too with Teal, Wigeon, Pintail and Shoveler all recorded in triple figures. At Arne 27 Spoonbill were still off Shipstal and 3 Firecrest were reported from the Studland area.

Finally some interesting ringing information with news that a Chiffchaff first ringed in January 2012 is back at a traditional over-wintering site in the harbour for its third year proving winter site fidelity for this species. And finally, thanks to Peter Moore for researching the incredible movements of a colour ringed Black-tailed Godwit seen on the flood meadows in Wareham on the 02/11/13, see the below history…Pretty amazing!

LG-RO 27.06.02 Langhús, Fljót, N Iceland

LG-RO 12.01.03 Avon Valley, Hampshire, S England


LG-RO 03.04.03 Poole Harbour, Dorset, S England


LG-RO 26.06.03 Langhús, Fljót, N Iceland
LG-RO 30.07.03 Humber estuary, Lincolnshire, E England


LG-RO 08.02.04 Poole Harbour, Dorset, S England


LG-RO 04.10.04 Poole Harbour, Dorset, S England


LG-RO 03.11.04 Humber estuary, Lincolnshire, E England


LG-RO 24.04.06 Lytchett Bay, Dorset, S England


LG-RO 26.11.06 Mont-Saint-Michel, Manche, W France


LG-RO 02.03.07 Avon Valley, Hampshire


LG-RO 06.04.07 Lytchett Bay, Dorset

LG-RO 10.10.07 Arne Bay – Poole Harbour – Dorset, 


LG-RO 10.11.07 Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Dorset


LG-RO 01.01.08 Tejo Estuary, Setúbal, W Portugal


LG-RO 06.04.08 Lytchett Bay, Dorset, S. England


LG-RO 08.04.08 Lytchett Bay, Dorset, S. England


LG-RO 30.04.08 Höfn, Hornafjörður, E Iceland


LG-RO 01.05.08 Stekká, Höfn, Hornafjörður, E Iceland


LG-RO 14.09.08 Middlebere, Poole Harbour, Dorset


LG-RO 01.02.09 Buckenham Marshes RSPB, Norfolk


LG-RO 19.02.09 Hucklesbrook, Avon Valley, Hampshire


LG-RO 01.10.09 Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Dorset

LG-RO 22.08.10 Middlebere, Poole Harbour, Dorset


LG-RO 16.07.11 Llanelli WWT, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK


LG-RO 20.10.11 Pontorson(Ardevon), Normandy, NW France


LG-RO 30.08.12 Lytchett Bay, Dorset, S England


LG-RO 12.10.12 Wareham, Poole Harbour, Dorset


LG-RO 12.01.13 Bisterne, Avon Valley, Hampshire


LG-RO 08.08.13 Lytchett Bay, Dorset, S England


LG-RO 2.11.13 Wareham, Poole Harbour, Dorset, S England  

This morning saw the very start of what could potentially be a huge Wood Pigeon movement along the south coast.  A handful of flocks containing 300-400 birds were noted over the harbour, and 20,000 were counted over at Christchurch. The ideal conditions for Wood Pigeon migration involve a clear sky and a light northerly wind which tomorrow morning has both of. If you see any large flocks whilst out tomorrow please report your sightings to us. In November 2010 a whopping 160,000 were counted over the harbour in one morning!

The Surf Scoter was again in Brands Bay with 3 Great Northern Diver  2 Black-necked Grebe and 2 Razorbill.

Out from Middle Beach, Studland was 1 Great Northern Diver, 14 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Guillemot and 2 Ring-necked Parakeet.

Out in Lytchett Bay 1 juv Marsh Harrier, 10 Brent Geese, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 150 Dunlin, 100 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Cetti’s Warbler and a Kingfisher.  

The rain set back in today which meant the Surf Scoter didn’t fancy leaving anytime soon, so spent a second day in Brands Bay happily feeding out in the deep water channel. Past Dorset records of this species have included individuals that have stayed for a number of weeks, so we’ll see how long this bird decides to holiday in the harbour. Here are a selection of photos that have kindly been sent to us by local birders.

   Surf Scoter – Ian Ballam Surf Scoter – Steve Smith

Also in Brands Bay at least 4 Great Northern Diver, 30+ Great Crested Grebe, 2 Black-necked Grebe and 20+ Red-breasted Merganser.

Out in Studland Bay another 3 Great Northern Diver were present.

On Baiter 2 Sandwich Tern were present and a small gathering on Brent Geese are starting to build with 21 birds feeding on the field.

A wet and cold school bird boat ventured out at 10am, but was rewarded with a Brownsea Lagoon packed with birds. With around 500 Avocet, 400 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Spoonbill, 200 Oystercatcher, 200 Dunlin plus the usual Redshank, Turnstone, Greenshank, Shoveler, Teal, Little Egret, Knot, Grey Plover and a Peregrine.

Out in the harbour the Scaup was still present and 23 Spoonbill out on Shipstal Point.

Finally some still calm conditions welcomed us this morning, which made harbour watching an absolute joy. My favourite conditions to view the harbour are overcast sky’s and zero wind, this makes the birds easier to find out on the water.  I was taking a colleague on a trip around the harbour having already show cased the wonders of Studland as Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Redwing, Song Thrush and Meadow Pipit were all present in good numbers. A harbour watch from Jerry’s Point, Studland was already producing some cracking birds with 2 Great Northern Diver just yards off shore, also a Red-throated Diver, 1 Razorbill, 4 Black-necked Grebe and 4 Goldeneye when a dark, medium sized duck way out in Brands Bay caught my eye. It was obviously a Scoter, but too ‘chunky’ and not the right head pattern for Common Scoter. The bird showed the characteristics of being either a 1^st year Velvet Scoter, a species seen in the harbour many times before, or a 1^st year Surf Scoter, a species only ever recorded once before in the harbour way back in 2007. The clincher would be if it showed a white wing panel when it flapped its wings…white wing panel = Velvet Scoter, no white wing panel = Surf Scoter. After an hour or so the bird finally decided to flap and no white could be seen. Excellent, Surf Scoter, a rare vagrant from Canada, Alaska and North America. Also in Brands Bay 30+ of both Red-breasted Merganser and Great Crested Grebe.

Elsewhere, out in Studland Bay there was a Long-tailed Duck, 3 Common Scoter and 7 Black-necked Grebe.

Out from Shipstal Point, Arne there were 25 Spoonbill, a Scaup, 3 Goldeneye, 1 Great Northern Diver, 20 Brent Geese, 8 Red-breasted Merganser and 11 Great Crested Grebe.

Out over Swineham and Bestwall there were 3 Marsh Harrier and an incredible ‘mega flock’ of Black-tailed Godwit as around 3000 flew down the Wareham Channel towards Arne.

At Middlebere the male Hen Harrier was seen several times and 2 Yellow-legged Gull were present.

The tides this week have been huge! Many of the flood plains have been under water for much of the week creating excellent feeding areas for waders and wildfowl that have been forced out from their normal high tide roosts.

There is still a large group of between 1000-1500 Black-tailed Godwit feeding out on the Stoborough Causeway flood with around 200 Lapwing.

The floods at Lytchett Bay produced 123 Redshank, 31 Dunlin, 17 Lapwing, 1 Spotted Redshank, 83 Wigeon, 4 Shoveler, 5 Green Sandpiper, 432 Teal, 183 Wigeon and a Peregrine Falcon.

At Holes Bay 502 Wigeon, 213 Teal, 410 Black-headed Gull, 1 Pintail, 1 Spotted Redshank, 10 Little Grebe, 2 Spoonbill, 1 Kingfisher and a Water Rail.

My favourite sighting of the week goes to a Black Redstart that was seen near Asda at Holes Bay. Not an easy bird to find in Poole Harbour.

At Arne, still 24 Spoonbill off Shipstal, also a Common Scoter and small parties of Siskin with the odd Redpoll.

There were 10 Black-necked Grebe off Middle Beach, Studland also 2 Common Scoter and 1 Red-breasted Merganser.

There were 4 Marsh Harrier ‘playing’ over the Swineham area early evening, the male Hen Harrier dashed across Arne Moors as did a Merlin and a Barn Owl was out hunting at Arne. 

Don’t forget to book on to the next ‘Birds of Poole Harbour’ Field Trip – 3 Bay Bumble, a gentle amble looking at the bays of the western harbour in seach of waders, wildfowl sea ducks, grebes and geese. For more information and to book on click on HERE 

Autumn tactics crept in today with a day of glorious sunshine, sandwiched in-between two days of wind and rain.  No two days are the same at the moment, but with this mornings northerly breeze and clear sky’s it seemed some passage could be on the cards. Despite a few decent sized groups of Wood Pigeon, the migration never picked up and a flock of 300 was the maximum over Lytchett Bay and South Haven.

A School Birdboat trip that left the quay at 10am were spoilt with a whole manner of decent birds. 26 Spoonbill are always an incredible sight, a Long-tailed Duck flew down passed Brownsea, settled on the water for a couple of seconds and then headed down towards Arne. Both Peregrine and a female Merlin were upsetting the Brownsea Lagoon regulars as 300+ Avocet, 200+ Black-tailed Godwit, 200+ Oystercatcher, Redshank, Dunlin, Knot, Grey Plover, a few Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank and Spotted Redshank all had to dive foe cover more than once. To complete the trip two Seals made an appearance off Shipstal point, Arne.

A ‘vis-mig’ session at South Haven, Studland produced 10 Crossbill, 23 Siskin, 6 Redpoll, 23 Chaffinch, 2 Brambling, 19 Goldfinch, 1 Linnet, 2 Bullfinch, 3 Meadow Pipit, 9 Reed Bunting, 4 Greenfinch, 9 Starling and 2 Fieldfare as-well as a stunning male Merlin and 300+ Wood Pigeon.

A short ringing session a Holton Lee produced 2 Marsh Tit. This species is becoming increasingly rare in the harbour and it now seems that Holton Lee and Slepe Copse are the only reliable places to see them. They’re not even regular at Arne any more. Also there a Barn Owl hunting over the marsh.

No, the title isn’t a self-assessment of recent days, but a comment on how things have seemed to slow up a bit bird wise.  Updates from various sites include –

Hatch Pond where an Oystercatcher was present, also 2 Wigeon, 1 Pochard, 7 Shoveler, 17 Teal, 3 Great Crested Grebe and 5 Snipe.

Holes Bay saw another 3 Spoonbill feeding on the falling tide.

Both the male and juvenile Hen Harrier were seen hunting together over the mouth of the Frome.

At Lytchett Bay 7 Brent Geese, 6 Green Sandpiper, 55 Lapwing, 38 Dunlin and 2 Stonechat.

Around Swineham and Bestwall, 2 Marsh Harrier were playing/fighting together, 1000+ Black-tailed Godwit were still feeding on the flood at Bestwall with 300 Lapwing.  On the pits 100+ Teal, 20 Tufted Duck, 14 Wigeon, 1 Pochard, 1 Pintail and a Peregrine over.

This morning looked good for possible thrush passage through the harbour, but what started off looking hopeful, petered fairly quickly.  A few small groups of Redwing passed over Arne, followed by my first Fieldfare of the autumn as a flock of 32 settled in a tree. A few smaller groups of 3-5 passed over and then it was over. A male Brambling was near Arne farm, and there were 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrel, 1 Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk out over Swineham.

In Holes Bay the falling tide attracted 4 Spoonbill, 300+ Wigeon, 200+ Teal, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 50+ Dunlin along with Redshank, Oystercatcher, Curlew, 8 Little Grebe and a fly over Grey Wagtail.

Out on the Wareham to Stoborough causeway the flooded fields are currently attracting about 1000 Black-tailed Godwit on a high tide with plenty of Lapwing mixed in.

Don’t forget to check out our up and coming field trips starting with our next one on Saturday the 30^th of November – Three Bay Bumble, Studland

‘Birds of Poole Harbour’ Events

There seems to be a pretty regular pattern now with sun and rain constantly competing against each other, and with it still being so mild it makes it a real pain knowing exactly what to wear when out birding. I know, not exactly dilemma of the centaury, but it’s always good to have a moan once in a while.

The best bird from the last few days was actually a late report from October 22^nd when a Short-eared Owl was flushed from Holton Lee, where it then flew out across Lytchett Bay. During the winter of 2011/12 one possibly two SE Owls over wintered in the harbour, and it would be great if the same happened again this year.

Lytchett Bay also produced some new arrivals with 2 Water Pipit making use of the flood meadows along with a handful of Rock Pipit. Also there, 11 Green Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 3 Stonechat, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Redpoll a handful of Redwing and a Chiffchaff, as well as the usual Redshank, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Teal and Wigeon.

Out on Hartland Moor the grey male Hen Harrier was joined by another a young male as 2 Merlin also dashed about the place.

At Middlebere a juv Marsh Harrier was present a Merlin flew over the NT cottages and a Peregrine took a Redshank.

At Holton 2 Marsh Tit were ringed with this site being the only reliable site for Marsh Tit nowadays!

On Brownsea Avocet numbers are around 600 with Grey Plover numbers rising into double figures.

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Well, the storm was as quick to disappear as it was to arrive, but a trail of destruction was obvious with trees, fences, branches, boats! Strewn all over the place on my way to Branksome Chine this AM. The magical sea watch I had in my head with masses of rare Atlantic species piling by out at sea wasn’t to be. A small tally of 1 Kittiwake, 7 Gannet, 2 Sandwich Tern, 1 Great Northern Diver, 4 Pintail, 4 Brent Geese and 3 Razorbill was our reward for the early start.  

The Swineham, Bestwall, Stoborough Causeway area is looking fantastic at the moment as all the fields have flooded creating a stunning network of pools and wet grassland, perfect for waders and ducks. Out on Bestwall a Ruff was feeding with 50+ Lapwing, 40+ Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Pintail, 9 Gadwall, 4 Wigeon and 2 Shoveler and a Merlin was sat on a post.

At Swineham a late Wheatear, 1 Rock Pipit, Kingfisher, 2 Bearded Tit, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, whilst out on the gravel pits 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Little Grebe, 158 Teal, 8 Wigeon, 10 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 14 Tufted Duck, 6 Gadwall and 2 Bearded Tit.

Elsewhere Arne Moors and the Stoborough Causeway were also hugely flooded with both sites holding over 200+ each of Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwit.

At Middlebere 3 Spoonbill, 1 Barn Owl (that sat on the hide for a short while) 48 Brent Geese, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 7 adult Yellow-legged Gull, Redwing and a Dartford Warbler.

Male Hen Harrier were recorded at Lytchett Bay, Bestwall and Middlebere today. It could be the same bird, but possibly a new male has arrived in the last few days?

Also at Lytchett bay today 7 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpiper and a Marsh Harrier.

Finally there was a report of a Black Brant that flew into the harbour around 9am, so well worth scanning through the Brent Flocks to try and locate it.