Although most of Storm Darragh passed through last night, the wind was still peaking at between 40mph – 50mph during the course of the day, and the wind chill made it feel pretty nippy. It wasn’t about divers today, rather a day of ducks! Best duck was a drake Green-winged Teal which was found in Brands Bay this afternoon by Phil Saunders. Whether it’s the same individual thats been at Cowards Marsh over the last few days is unknown, but in the past, Green-winged Teals often stay for long periods of time once they arrive. The Long-tailed Duck thats been entering the harbour over the last 4 days flew in again this morning at dawn. It’s yet to be found in the harbour yet, but no doubt it will get pinned down at some point. There were 4 Goldeneye on Poole Park boating lake again today and there were just 7 Common Scoter off Middle Beach, Studland along with 2 Slavonian Grebe, 8 Black-necked Grebe, 3 Great Northern Diver and 1 Black-throated Diver. A small flock of 6 Kittiwake flew up Middlebere this morning and Holes Bay saw big totals of birds with 1510 Black-tailed Godwit and 600+ Dunlin. There’s been up to 16 Marsh Harrier in the west harbour roost this last week and a male Hen Harrier was seen in Middlebere again. Finally there were 15 Spoonbill in Lytchett Bay viewed from Rock Lea View.

Masses of birds at Holes Bay – Martin Adams

Green-winged Teal – Brands Bay – James Leaver

More diver news today, although on a sad note, the Black-throated Diver which was close in on Studland Beach a few days ago seems to have perished sadly. We’re not surprised as it looked pretty poorly upon its discovery a few days ago. We’re not sure what the cause was, but its behaviour on Wednesday seemed unusual for Black-throated Diver, drifting so close to the shoreline. The other Black-throated Diver seemed to be fighting fit though this morning in Holes Bay SW as it fed happily off Cobbs Quay. Elsewhere there was a Slavonian Grebe off Jerry’s Point, 10 Black-necked Grebe off Middle Beach and 1 off Jerry’s Point. Great Northern Diver totals included 3 off Middle Beach,. Studland and 2 in Shell Bay. A big total of 62 Cattle Egret were logged feeding in fields in between Holmebridge and Wool which is another Poole Harbour record.

Cattle Egret – Frome Valley – James Leaver

Cattle Egret – Frome Valley – James Leaver

It was all about the divers again today, with the Black-throated Diver in Holes Bay again this morning, 2 Red-throated Diver in South Deep and a Great Northern Diver off Jerry’s Point. A Cattle Egret was in the field next to the car park at Upton CP, and at last night ringing demo at Sunnyside, despite the driving rain we managed to still catch 5 Woodcock, 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Skylark and 1 Meadow Pipit.

Sanderling Studland Beach – David Camp (yesterday)

Black-throated Diver-  Studland Beach – David Camp (yesterday)

It was a proper winter scene across the harbour this morning, not so much with snow or frost, but just the sheer number of birds around. However a late Swallow flying around Studland Beach spoilt the wintery vibe (poor thing). There were potentially 3 Black-throated Diver around with one showing well in Holes Bay this morning, then another was off the Brownsea south shore this afternoon with a third (sickly) individual close in off Middle Beach. There were also 2 Great Northern Diver off the houseboats in Bramble Bush Bay and 2 Red-throated Diver, one in South Deep and another in central harbour. Central harbour also had 6 Black-necked Grebe with 2 in South Deep and off Middle Beach, Studland the Surf Scoter was distant as was the flock of 12 Common Scoter. At Swineham 4 Marsh Harrier were hunting, 25 Spoonbill were roosting off Fitzworth. The Brownsea Lagoon was teeming and held c2000 Dunlin, c300 Avocet, c60 Bar-tailed Godwit, c300 Black-tailed Godwit, c50 Grey Plover, 1 Spoonbill and lots of wildfowl. In Middlebere there were 2 Spotted Redshank with another in Lytchett Bay and 1 in Holes Bay south, 4 more Black-necked Grebe were out in Studland Bay.

Black-throated Diver – Middle Beach, Studland – James Leaver

After yesterdays very brief Velvet Scoter which disappeared almost as fast as it was found off Jerry’s Point, there was an even briefer Long-tailed Duck this evening which also appeared and then disappeared off Jerry’s Point. Maybe this is becoming Poole Harbours equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle, where all good birds just vanish for eternity. It’s a good job the Surf Scoter hasn’t entered the harbour yet then, having remained off Middle Beach, Studland for all of it’s stay so far, where it was still present today along with 1 Black-throated Diver, 1 Great Northern Diver and 12 Common Scoter and 2 Black-necked Grebe. Off Jerry’s Point there were 2 Great Northern Diver, 40 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Goldeneye, 28 Red-breasted Merganser and 11 Spoonbill were off the Furzey foreshore. It’s been a great winter so far for variety of open water, diving species with all 3 species of diver, 3 species of scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Goldeneye, Eider and Goosander all logged between Nov 1st and Dec 3rd, plus 4 of the 5 grebe species with Red-necked Grebe being the only absentee for the list. Elsewhere the White-tailed Eagles were seen in Brands Bay and later in the day in the Wareham Channel. A Purple Sandpiper was on a groyne directly off the Sandbanks main beach car park and an over-wintering Common Sandpiper was seen in Lytchett Bay with a Spotted Redshank. 

Avocet – Middlebere 

With another drop in temperature there were two nice hat-tricks in the area today, firstly with Black-throated Diver, Red-throated Diver and Great Northern Diver all feeding out in Studland Bay this morning. Then, there was the ‘scoter hat-trick’ with 1 Surf Scoter and 15 Common Scoter out in Studland Bay and a drake Velvet Scoter which was initially off the Studland houseboats which then seemed to fly towards Brands Bay, but couldn’t be relocated. With the Surf Scoter were 6 Black-necked Grebe and 5 Mediterranean Gull out in Studland Bay too. In Lytchett Bay a Spotted Redshank was still about and 5 Marsh Harrier and 1 Great White Egret were at Swineham.

Reed Buntings – Near Norden sewage works

Reed Buntings – Near Norden sewage works

Sadly there was no sign of the Surf Scoter today, despite much looking from various birders. The Arctic Skua put in another appearance again, this time around the old Lifeboat station on the quay, where again, it was getting harassed by gulls, before moving off towards Baiter. Off Middle Beach, Studland there were 6 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Great Northern Diver, 11 Common Scoter and 1 Red-throated Diver. There were also 2 Great Northern Diver off Jerry’s Point. This morning a Short-eared Owl was flying around the east end of Hartland Moor and an adult male Hen Harrier was seen bombing around Middlebere several times today. A Ruff was on the Lower Piddle Floods and a male Goldeneye was in Holes Bay, which is actually a good record these days with Goldeneye having become almost non-existent in the northern bays (Lytchett and Holes) in recent years. There were also 15 Spoonbill reported in Holes Bay this afternoon. Last night we hosted our first Sunnyside ringing demo of the winter in partnership with Stour Ringing Group and the season got off to a great start with 2 Woodcock, 1 Common Snipe and 2 Jack Snipe caught, with one of the ‘Jacks’ being a re-trap of our from the same site but originally ringed in February 2022, proving winter site fidelity again for Jack Snipe at this site.

Jack Snipe – Sunnyside Ringing Demo – Alick Simmons

Common Snipe – Sunnyside Ringing Demo – Alick Simmons

Woodcock – Sunnyside Ringing Demo – Alick Simmons