The summer doldrums already seem to be upon us with very little news over the last few days. Strong south westerlies haven’t helped the cause too much. Still, enough sightings kept trickling through…

Highlights on Wednesday 8^th included a sea watch at Branksome where 5 Gannet, 3 Fulmar and 5 Common Tern all passed. At Arne Dartford Warbler numbers seem stable with at least 4 pairs on Coombe Heath alone, also there summer plumage Dunlin, Grey Plover and Ringed Plover. Lesser Whitethroat was still singing at Lytchett Bay.

Thursday 9^th saw a decent range of wader species at Lytchett Bay which included Knot, Turnstone, Bar-tailed godwit, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit and Greenshank. On Brownsea the Sandwich Terns are now fully settled with many bird now on eggs. Also the Nightjar is back at it’s favoured roosting spot in front of the Lake Hide. Despite their secret nature Golden Pheasants have also been reported more frequently than usual. At Fleets Corner there was a Garden Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Whitethroat present.

Friday 10^th was very quiet. Lytchett Bay saw 2 summer plumage Grey Plover, 22 Dunlin, and 1 Hobby.

Saturday 11^th and Sunday 12^th could only muster a Marsh Harrier at Swineham, a few Whitethroat at Fleets Corner and 2 Hobby over Arne.

Well, a cracking Bank Holiday was all we needed to keep us smiling…until today that is when we’re now looking like we’re going to get hit with gale force winds and torrential rain. It’s not all bad though. An early morning sea watch from one of the Poole/Bournemouth beaches could produce the odd Great or Arctic Skua, Black or Little Tern??

Best of all the Sandwich Terns are all ready back on eggs on the Brownsea Lagoon, so why not watch all the drama unfold live…. http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/dwt-webcam

Also, don’t miss out on our next outing…don’t delay and book on now as places are limited. For more info visit our events page…

http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/magical-morden-bog

Highlights from the last few days….

Monday 6^th was a glorious bank holiday, great for birds, but not so much for birders. Saying that, a Goshawk sighted over Lytchett Bay was a real highlight. Also at Lytchett Bay a Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, the Red-throated Diver, 1^st winter Little Gull, female Marsh Harrier, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit and 45 Whimbrel. At Middlebere on a rising tide there were 8 Grey Plover, 63 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Ringed Plover and 9 Whimbrel. At Hatch Pond there was a Cuckoo, 1 Sedge Warbler, 7 Blackcap also Reed Warbler and 3 pairs of Great Crested Grebe present. Holes bay held a good selection of waders with 14 Curlew, 71 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Knot, 12 Ringed Plover and a Common Tern. A Nightjar was present on Lytchett Heath.

Tuesday 7^th was again stunning. An Osprey flew over Coombe Heath, Arne, also there 3 Dartford Warbler, 1 Woodlark and 1 Tree Pipit. There was a Hobby over Bestwall. A Female Marsh Harrier at Swineham. An uneventful sea watch at Branksome produced a handful of Gannets and 35 Common Scoter. At Hatch Pond a Cuckoo again and a fine male Whinchat. On Canford Heath there where a few Dartford Warbler, 1 Hobby, Linnet and Stonechat. On Brownsea still 2 Spoonbill, 7 Avocet, 1 Golden Pheasant and 4 Dunlin. At Lytchett Bay the Red-throated Diver again, 12 Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank and 150 Black-tailed Godwit. 

Sorry for the lack of news recently, but I’m sure the decent weather makes up for that. As spring migration begins to slow down, we can now start focusing on the breeding birds that stay here for the summer. Some late news from April 30^th saw Honey Buzzard fly right over the centre of Poole and a Savi’s Warbler was heard reeling on a private site during a Water Rail survey. Here are some highlights from the first five days of May…

May 1^st started off nicely with Red-throated Diver, Red Kite and 8 Whimbrel at Lytchett Bay. At least 4 Hobbies were over Hartland Moor and the long staying ringtail Hen Harrier was seen along the moors. There were at least 2 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon. There was another Lesser-spotted Woodpecker out towards Holton Heath, and finally the Sandwich Terns started to use their breeding islands on the Lagoon Webcam.

May 2^nd not much to report. Still at least 15 Avocet on the Brownsea Lagoon, 4 Greenshank,        3 Spotted Redshank and 1 Spoonbill.

May 3^rd saw slightly more action where at Upton CP there was 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank and a Whimbrel. At Lytchett Bay the 1^st winter Little Gull remained as did the Red-throated Diver, also there 2 Common Sandpiper and 11 Whimbrel. At Swineham there were 4 Common Sandpiper, 20 Whimbrel, 1 Marsh Harrier and 150 Black-tailed Godwit. At Hatch Pond there were 3 pairs of Great Crested Grebes.

May 4^th was very unsettled to begin with then cleared to be a nice day. At Swineham there were 2 Scaup on the main GP, 1 Red-throated Diver on main GP, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Sandpiper, 23 Swift, 2 Sedge Warbler, 5+ Cetti’s Warbler and 10+ Sandwich Terns. The Red-throated Diver and Little Gull were still at Lytchett Bay.

May 5^th where glorious weather really took a hold, and the summer warmth started to shine through. Main focus was around Lytchett Bay where the Red-throated Diver were still out in the bay, a Greenland Wheatear was on the pols field, about 35 Whimbrel were dotted around the area, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and a Wood Warbler. In the Wareham Channel the gull colony is looking and sounding superb. Best viewed from Holton Lee.

Another fine couple of days allowed birds and birders to soak up some sun, despite a chilly northerly wind at times. Highlights included….

28^th April – A survey at Lytchett Bay produced Whimbrel 2 + 6 later on pools, Greenshank 1, Black wits 334, Redshank 6, Curlew 8, Little Egret 8, Teal 3, Mallard 5, Shelduck 26, Snipe 1, Little Gull 1 (1st w), Med Gull at least 2 over calling, Blackcap 3, Willow Warbler 1, Chiffchaff 2 singing, Cetti’s Warbler 2, Reed Warbler 8, Sedge Warbler 4, Reed Bunting 8, Peregrine 1 male, Buzzard 2 and a Lytchett Bay mega… A COOT! From the west of the harbour up on Ballard there were 2 Red-legged Partridge, 1 Hobby, 1 Whimbrel and 1 Wheatear. In Brands Bay still 1 Brent Goose, 3 Grey Plover, 3 Whimbrel, 1 Greenshank, 6 Dunlin and a Turnstone and at the Arne triangle a Hobby. At Swineham the Osprey was spotted over the Wareham Channel again, also there a ringtail Hen Harrier, Common Sandpiper, many Swift, 4 Whitethroat, 5 Sedge Warbler and 5+ Cetti’s Warbler.

April 29^th was fairly quiet for sightings. On Upton Heath 3 Dartford Warbler territories were noted on a small section of the heath. At Fleets Corner, there was a singing Lesser Whitethroat and also still plenty of Whitethroat and Blackcap. In Lytchett Bay the mega bird of the week a Coot was seen with a mate! Probably the best sighting of the day was of a singing Wood Warbler in Slepe Copse, which eventually showed really well.

It’s safe to say that the last few days have been spring migrant days, with various areas around Dorset reporting incredible numbers of birds…700 Wheatear alone at Portland, not to mention 500 Blackcap. The Harbour didn’t fair too badly either with the following sightings….

Friday 26^th April saw some of the best weather conditions for migrants, a clear moonlit night followed by a wall of rain heading in from the north just before dawn. In and around Holes bay there were 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 10’s of Whitethroat, Blackcap and Willow Warbler, good numbers of Reed Warbler and a few Sedge Warbler. The female Marsh Harrier in the Wareham Channel is still very active. At Lytchett Bay the 1^st Winter Little Gull was still present along with a cracking male Whinchat, 6 Whitethroat and 3 Whimbrel. Some fantastic records from Swineham included Blackcap 4, Hobby 2,Sand Martin 69, Swallow 6, Linnet 4, Teal 4, Gadwall 15, Chiffchaff 7 , Whitethroat 4, Cetti’s 7, Reed Warbler 16, Red-throated Diver 1 on main pit then flew into harbour at 14:30, Sedge Warbler 11, Wheatear 1, Siskin 3, Common Sandpiper 1, Swift 47, Grasshopper Warbler 1 flushed from beside path and showed well in a bush for a minute or so, Greenshank 1, Med Gull 1, Whimbrel 36, Peregrine 1, Shelduck 108, Skylark 1, Scaup 2 female on west of main pit, Bearded Tit 1, Willow Warbler 1, Cuckoo 1 and a Marsh Harrier. An evening gull count was conducted on Brownsea where an incredible 1500+ Herring Gull came into roost, also an Arctic Tern came into roost. Also on Brownsea 3 Little Ringed Plover, Lesser-spotted Woodpecker, a pair of Golden Pheasant, 1 Common Redstart, 6 Spotted Redshank (some in full summer plumage), 12 Turnstone, still 9 Avocet, 4 Greenshank, 2 Ringed Plover and 8 Knot.

Saturday 27^th April was cold and clear but still a few migrants hung around. Nice to hear that a pair of Dartford Warbler are back on territory on Lytchett Heath. Also at the Bay the Red-throated Diver is still hanging around, 13 Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, Little Gull and Cetti’s Warbler numbers seem to be doing better. AT Holton Lee a possible Spanish Wagtail was located, also there a Jack Snipe and Common Sandpiper. An Osprey was seen again out in the Wareham Channel. Migrants in and around Fleets Corner included Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler and Reed Warbler. Sandwich Tern numbers seem to be increasing on the Brownsea Lagoon webcam, best viewed around 08:30 in the evening.

Spring is still rolling along nicely with new birds turning up everyday. Spring migrants are popping up at many locations around the harbour so keep you eyes peeled for your first Swift or even Spotted Flycatcher…

Wednesday 24^th was a bit overcast and cold to begin with but soon evolved into a pleasant spring day. Lytchett Bay produced a 1^st winter Little Gull, 1 Common Swift, 2 Sandwich Tern, 2 Cetti’s Warbler, 1 Cuckoo, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 2 White Wagtail, 2 Whimbrel, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 5 Reed Warbler and the Red-throated Diver is still hanging around out in the bay. There was a great report of a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker calling on Brownsea near the vinery. At Middlebere there were 2 Swift, 1 Spoonbill, 3 Ringed Plover, 2 Whimbrel, a Ringtail Hen Harrier and 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling. At Sunnyside there was a Ringtail Hen Harrier, 1 Peregrine, 1 Lapwing and 1 Snipe.

Thursday 25^th started off really foggy but soon cleared. Reed Warbler numbers around Upton CP seem to be increasing in good numbers. There were an interesting count of 8 Great Crested Grebe out in Holes Bay with 4 Sedge Warbler, 6 Blackcap and 3 Whitethroat along the Holes Bay outfall drain. Lytchett Bay saw it’s first ever Blue-headed Wagtail, also there 3 Yellow Wagtail, 4 White Wagtail, 2 Whitethroat, the 1^st Winter Little Gull, Red-throated Diver, 360 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Dunlin and a Cuckoo was heard over at Holton Lee. 

Highlights from the last few days include….

Monday 22^nd April where at Greenland’s Farm there where 28 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Common Whitethroat and a number of Swallows north. Out on Grange heath a pair of Woodlark singing, a Tree Pipit and a Cuckoo. There seemed to be a drop in Dartford Warbler numbers with only a single bird present. 

Tuesday 23^rd April  saw the Osprey sat on the feeding post at Middlebere at around 8am.  The harbours first Swift of the year went over Parkstone and there were a handful of Whitethroat and Blackcap in the PC World Drain.

A slightly nippier day today, but pleasant all the same. Again some good coverage was received from around the harbour starting with Greenland’s Farm where there 1 Cuckoo, 21 Wheatear, 2 Whinchat, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler and 5 Chiffchaff. In Brands Bay 1 Brent Goose remains and 2 Pintail there. At Swineham an Osprey was touring the Wareham Channel for 45 minutes, also there 6+ Cetti’s Warbler, 6 Sedge Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Water Rail and a drake Garganey on one of the freshwater Pools near the cottage named ‘Curlews’. At Lytchett Bay a 1^st winter Little Gull was present, also a sky-watch produced a Marsh Harrier, Ringed Plover and a Snipe. In woods between Corfe and Nine Barrow Down there was 1 Lesser and 3 Common Whitethroat, 2 Nightingale and a few Willow Warbler. In Slepe Copse a Wood Warbler sang very briefly. There seemed to be a movement of Red Kite across the county too so keep your eye’s to the skies over the next few days.

Today was a glorious spring day with some nice sightings from around the harbour. Starting with Sunnyside/Soldiers Road where there were 2 Cuckoo, 4 Wheatear, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Peregrine, 5+ Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap and a scattering of resident birds. At Swineham there was 1 female Marsh Harrier, 1 Greenshank, 100+ Black-tailed godwit, 15 Sedge Warbler, 8 Reed Warbler, 6 Blackcap and 11 Chiffchaff, 1 Spoonbill and a Yellow Wagtail. At Ballard a Peregrine, 2 Red-legged Partridge, 3 Whitethroat and a few Yellowhammer back on territory. At Studland Church there was a Black Redstart and at Brands Bay a Whimbrel and Greenshank were present. Lytchett Bay produced another Little-ringed Plover and the Red-throated Diver remained. The PC World drain seemed much quieter today, but still Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat and Blackcap all present. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 41 Sandwich Tern (still yet to visit their nesting islands), 1 Spoonbill, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, 33 Avocet and 6 Knot. There was a Whimbrel in Holes Bay with a clam attached to its foot. An Osprey flew south over Holton Lee heath at 5pm

If you didn’t already know the Brownsea Lagoon webcam NOW HAS SOUND, so you can listen to all the chaos and mayhem live as it happens.

Spring is well and truly here with lots of nice birds around. Highlights from the last few days include…

Wednesday 17^th April had 15 Whimbrel in Shell Bay, along with 2 Common Sandpiper in the area. At Lytchett Bay the Bittern was seen again along with the Red-throated Diver where a sparse scattering of migrants included Blackcap, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler and 9 Whimbrel roosted up on the Turlin Shore.

Thursday 18^th April was a wild and windy day, where birds were certainly keeping low. However Reed Warbler were seen back at Upton CP. At the PC World drain there was 6 Whitethroat, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 20+ Willow Warbler and 10+ Chiffchaff. In and around Swineham the usual suspects of Cetti’s Warbler, Swallow, House Martin, Great spotted Woodpecker and a few wildfowl out on the lake. There was a report that a Nightingale was back on territory near Corfe. At Lytchett Bay there was a 1^st year Little Gull, 1 Common Sandpiper and the Red-throated Diver put in appearance.

Friday 19^th of April was a real treat when Poole Harbours first Subalpine Warbler was discovered at the east end of the PC World drain. Unfortunately it was only seen by 2 lucky observers and wasn’t seen since. Also in the area a Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler, lots of Blackcap and Willow Warbler. At Middlebere there were 3 Spoonbill, 9 Wheatear at Greenland’s Farm and 3 at Soldiers Road. On Brownsea 53 Avocets, 5 Greenshank, 3 Spotted Redshank, 3 Common Sandpiper. A Nightingale was singing at Corfe again this evening.