It’s been quite quiet over the last few days. The Ruff, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank and 13 Lapwing were still at Lytchett Bay.  At Swineham the Kestrel family have now fledged with 3 young noisily screeching near the Curlews Cottage. Hobby are now active over numerous ponds and lakes catching Swallows and House Martins rather than Dragonflies as to fatten their chicks up. Still no early signs of passerine movements, but we will expect birds such as Willow Warbler, Pied Flycatcher and Garden Warbler to start passing through the area in about two weeks.

The heat is definitely having an effect on the birdwatchers more than the birds, as more and more birds arrive on their journey south. At Lytchett Bay an impressive list of 11 waders which included 1 Ruff, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 5 Greenshank, 5 Green Sandpiper, 2 Whimbrel, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Sandpiper, 20+ Lapwing, Curlew and Redshank, along with 18 flyover Crossbill and a Hobby. At Bestwall a Grasshopper Warbler was heard reeling, along with 3 Sedge Warbler and 3 Med Gulls at Swimeham.

I’ll stop banging on about it being autumn soon I promise. I should just be enjoying the sun, but when you start seeing the very beginnings of autumn migration it just gets you thinking of things to come. More birds, mainly waders continue to pass through the area. On Brownsea today there were 4 Spotted Redshank, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Avocet, 3 Greenshank and the fledged Yellow-legged Gulls. At Lytchett Bay 8 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 19 Lapwing, 4 Greenshank, 18 Teal, 4 Redshank, 38 Curlew, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Hobby, 85 Swift and a Cetti’s Warbler. An Osprey was at Morden Bog this evening meaning it will probably be fishing in the harbour somewhere in the next few days. A total of 119 Sandwich Terns fledged from the Brownsea colony by early July, which is a fantastic total. 

The passage of waders continues right across the harbour with many different species popping up at various site. On Brownsea still at least 3 Spotted Redshank are present as too are Common Sandpiper, 1 Avocet, 5 Black-tailed Godwit and Greenshank. At Lytchett Bay up to 5 Green Sandpiper, 1 juvenile Little Ringed Plover, 2 Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 40+ Curlew, 5 Redshank and 18 Lapwing. Nightjar are putting on spectacular displays on many of the harbour’s heathlands as young are now beginning to emerge.  The long hot days are helping young birds along too as insects have become plentiful with young Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Yellowhammer, Dartford Warbler and Stonechat all noted in the last couple of days.

Today was an absolute scorcher with the sun blazing down and drenching everything all day long.  Highlights from the last few days have to be the quite significant rise in wader numbers at various sites. At Holes Bay there was a decent count of 80 Redshank, 45 Curlew, 19 Black-tailed Godwit and 9 Oystercatcher, interestingly also a Wigeon there too. At Lytchett Bay a great total of 12 Green Sandpiper, 44 Curlew, 17 Little Egret and 2 Black-tailed Godwit. A ringing session targeting on Nightjar in the north of the harbour was successful with a second year male being ringed.

More evidence of wader passage today from Brownsea with 3 Spotted Redshank, 11 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpiper and 1 Avocet. Also on Brownsea at least 10 broods of Shelduck ducklings of various ages.  At Lytchett Bay 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Lapwing, 5 Teal, 1 Hobby over, several Bearded Tits and a Grey Wagtail.  At Swineham the wader theme continued with 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Lapwing, also there a large group of 50+ Swift, Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler still active in the reedbed and a Common Seal made it’s way up into the Wareham Channel.

I am thrilled to announce that the ‘Birds of Poole Harbour’ group is now a registered charity.  Our aim is to boost the profile of bird watching and bird conservation in the harbour using a variety of public engagement projects.  We strive to provide the general public with as much information as possible about this nationally and internationally important site.

What we will be offering

Educational monthly field trips for the public

Educational bird boat tours for local schools with the local Poole RSPB group

Public talks programme

Free specially commissioned surveys to give the public access to various scientific studies from around the harbour

The opportunity to help contribute towards various conservation projects across the harbour

Plus all the usual access to the stunning Brownsea Island webcam, regular sightings updates, video footage of some of the harbours best birds and other interesting events.

As a small charity we understand it is vital to work closely with the larger conservation NGO’s such as the RSPB, DWT and NT with whom we will continue working with in order to promote all their main aims and values. 

Registered Charity Number 1152615 BIRDS OF POOLE HARBOUR

The rains held off the last few days and the temperature continues to make it feel like summer. A mixture over overcast sky’s and bright sunshine has provided a stark contrast as more and more young birds continue to surface.

At Swineham a late Cuckoo has been very active still, calling continuously over the last few days. Also there the Sedge Warbler’s seem to been starting a second brood and Reed Bunting, Goldfinch and Greenfinch all have young. Bearded Tits seem to be doing very well in the reed beds around the Frome with many dashing over the tops of the reeds from Swineham Point. Unfortunately the Swineham flood pools have totally dried up now, reducing the chances of passage waders using them as feeding station. Some excellent news from Brownsea where a minimum of 100 Sandwich Tern chicks look like they’re going to fledge. Compare that total to only 70 fledged birds in the last 3 years makes this year a huge success. The Common Tern chicks have just begun to hatch and the Roseate Terns are still present on Brownsea, and 1-2 Common Sandpiper keeping putting in an appearance. At Lytchett Bay the autumn continues to creep up with another 4 Green Sandpiper and 8 Teal arriving, with a Lapwing, 2 Common Tern, 5 Sand Martin and 2 Cetti’s Warbler present. 

A warm and sticky last few days means lots of midges about, never nice when trying to watch Nightjar or an taking an early morning stroll to look for early migrants. Either way, the birds are still keeping us entertained with young birds being fed by mum and dad, and some birds gearing up for a second brood. Great Crested Grebe are with young at Swineham and Hatch Pond. The Roseate Terns are still present on Brownsea , also there  2 Common Sandpiper, only 1 Avocet left and the Yellow-legged Gull chicks are almost ready to fledge. At Lytchett Bay, possible breeding evidence of Redshank was seen as a tight group of 5 birds hid in channel. Also at Lytchett Bay Bearded Tits were pinging from the large reedbed to the north of the bay, and a Lesser Whitethroat continued to sing.  Dartford Warbler, Stonechat, Linnet and Meadow Pipit all seem to be having good breeding years out on the heaths.

The wind gradually died down throughout the day to leave a nice pleasant,  summers evening for us to enjoy. A few nice snippets from today included either one or two Roseate Terns back on Brownsea Lagoon webcam for several periods of the day, also on Brownsea another Spotted Redshank. An Osprey was seen over Arne RSPB reserve this evening. At Lytchett Bay a flock of 11 Linnet must have contained at least 8 juvenile, which was notable, also there a Reed Warbler singing from an Oak tree in a wooded lane seemed odd! Freshly fledged Grey Heron were noted as were several family parties of Pied Wagtail.