Today was the ‘BoPH’ launch walk at Arne  with a full account viewable here…http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/poole-harbour-news. 

Highlights were 16 Spoonbill at Shipstal, a Scaup off Shipstal Viewpoint, 500+ Avocet in the Middlebere Channel, Dartford Warbler up on Coombe Heath plus all the usual Red-breasted Merganser, Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe out on the water. On Swineham GP 50 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, 20 Pochard, 16 Tufted Duck and just 1 Teal and at Swineham Point a Water Pipit and 2 Snipe. Also around Swineham just one Marsh Harrier and two Hen Harrier and a male Merlin. Over towards Studland, Middle Beach saw 7 Black-necked Grebe, 4 Red-breasted Merganser and 7 Great Crested Grebe. Holmbridge could only produce a Greenshank and 5 Snipe. The Brownsea Lagoon webcam picked up 6 Greenshank and 3 Spotted Redshank very close in. The Hoopoe was again in/near Dawkins Road Hamworthy.  

First of all a comment regarding the recent occurrence of many seabirds being washed up Dorset beaches. At the moment it seems to be beaches in the west of the county that are experiencing most birds, however it was also stated that they are spreading east with birds also being found at Swanage and Lulworth. If you are out on any of the Poole, Sandbanks or Studland beaches and you do find a bird then please do not touch the birds as they are covered in an unknown substance. Please call the RSPCA and inform them of your find or contact us here and we will seek help. Anyway on to todays sightings…An incredible 3 Siberian Chiffchaff were found at the back of the PC world drain along with at least 20 ‘Common’ Chiffchaff. The Studland area saw Great Northern Diver, Black-necked Grebe and a healthy Razorbill. Creekmoor Ponds hosted a regular Firecrest, with another in Parkstone on Cotes Avenue. Holmebridge and High Tor saw the Whooper Swan and 4 Ruff. There are still large numbers of Red-breasted Merganser, Great Crested Grebe and Goldeneye out on the water best viewable from Evening Hill or Shipstal Point. There is currently a huge Brent Goose flock of around 250 birds using the Baiter Park area to feed and roost along with 2-3 Med Gulls in amoungst the Black-headed Gulls.The Starling roost put on another good show last night at around 17:15 again. Check out the video taken last night on our videos page. 

Another school bird boat went out this morning with a true spectacle to behold. As we were approaching the Brownsea Lagoon we noticed a flock of about 50-100 Black-tailed Godwit flying in off the sea over Sandbanks heading for the lagoon, and then another 100 and another and another until we had squadrons on Black-tailed Godwit flying over us like Spitfires returning home after a long term away from home. In total around 1000 Black-tailed Godwit, which we presume were the birds arriving back from the Avon Valley, came and landed on the lagoon, only to be instantly disturbed by a Peregrine. Another great spectacle was the Sterte Starling flock at about 17:15pm wheeling and twisting about the town. The flock consisted of several thousand birds, so if your in the area, its well worth a look. Other sightings from today include several Marsh Tit sightings from Rempstone, Little Sea and South Haven. Middle Beach had 1 Great Northern Diver and 8 Black-necked Grebe. A Golden Pheasant was seen on the slipway of Furzey Island. Holmbridge recorded the Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose and 3 Goosander at High Tor. 13 Spoonbill were on Shipstal Point.

With a howling gale blowing for most of the day many birds were sensibly keeping their heads down. A school bird boat ventured out around the harbour mid morning and was rewarded with 3 Great Northern Diver, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 10+ Spoonbill, 100+ Red-breasted Merganser, 10+ Goldeneye, as well as all the Brownsea Lagoon usuals, Avocet, Bar-tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Knot, Dunlin, Greenshank, Turnstone and Redshank. The Studland area received some coverage with South Haven seeing 4 Great Northern Diver, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 28 Sanderling and 3 Kittiwake and at Middle Beach 7+ Black-necked Grebe, 15+ Gannet, 2 Common Scoter, 1 Peregrine, 5 Kittiwake, 4 Razorbill and 1 Guillemot. Baiter Park was a haven for sheltering/feeding birds with 250+ Brent Geese, 8 Turnstone, 100+ Oystercatcher (including the very pale backed bird reported a week ago), 1 Med Gull plus many Herring, Black-headed and Great Black Backed Gull. Well worth scanning the gull flocks for potential Glaucous or Iceland Gulls this time of year.

The Hoopoe was a bit more obliging today being seen intermittently throughout the day around Dawkins/Galloway Road area of Hamworthy. A report of a Wheatear was submitted at Holes Bay which if confirmed would be the earliest ever ‘spring’ record for Dorset. Bittern have been a bit tough to catch up with this winter at Hatch Pond but this evening at least 1 bird, possibly 2 were seen at various places around reedbed. There was a single Sandwich Tern at Shore Road. Holton Lee received some attention today providing interest with Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Peregrine, 1 Kingfisher and 5 Siskin. Just 8 Chiffchaff in the PC World drain today and the Starling roost at Sterte is providing a truly magnificent spectacle at dusk. A quick stop off at Middle Beach, Studland produced 2 Great Northern Diver, 7 Great Crested Grebe and 2 Black-necked Grebe.

The Hoopoe made a very brief appearance this evening in Carters Avenue, Hamworthy for only one lucky observer. Out of the 40 or so individuals that have attempted to see this bird on three occasions only about five people have actually seen it so far! The Brownsea Lagoon webcam was very busy this morning giving fantastic views of 4 Greenshank, 4 Spotted Redshank, 200 Avocet and 3 Turnstone. At Holmebridge the Whooper Swan was still there with 600+ Lapwing and 2 Chiffchaff. Swineham had a Red-throated Diver in the Wareham Channel, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Peregrine, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 15 Snipe, 2 Pintail, 24 Pochard, 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Cetti’s Warbler. The Starling flock over Sterte (near Poole train station) is beginning to look quite spectacular. Interestingly there were 8 different Hen Harrier recorded in county today with at least 3 of them in Poole Harbour.

After 3 days of searching the elusive Hamworthy Hoopoe was re-found on Turlin Moor for around twenty minutes before disappearing never to be seen again. A School bird boat was out on the water this morning, which recorded both Razorbill and Guillemot off Poole Quay, 5 Great Northern Diver scattered around the main channels, 2 Spoonbill feeding off Arne, 1 Long-tailed Duck between Arne and Brownsea, the Brownsea Lagoon had a Peregrine sat on the seawall over looking the Knot, Dunlin, Avocet and Grey Plover, there were also still many Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser out on the water.

Many birds from the cold weather movement still hanging around with 6 Golden Plover on Baiter and an amazing 34 on Hartland Moor with 200 Lapwing, 2000+ Fieldfare and 500+ Redwing. There are still many thousands of Redwing, Fieldfare and Lapwing in nearly every field surround the harbour, and even venturing into many gardens. There was a count of 20+ Waxwing in Symes Road, Hamworthy. Best of Lytchett Bay was 104 Avocet, 3 Water Rail , 4 Tufted Duck (surprisingly scares there), 148 Lapwing and a good scattering of Fieldfare and Redwing. Coverage at Swineham produced 83 Gadwall, 72 Shoveler, 8 Cetti’s Warbler, 9 Water Rail, 25 Pochard, 26 Golden Plover (overhead), 140 Avocet, 7 Spoonbill, 1 Barn Owl, 1 male Hen Harrier, 2 female Marsh Harrier and 1 Spotted Redshank.

Over the last two weeks there have been various reports of a Hoopoe touring the Upton/Hamworthy area, but with mixed descriptions, no-one was really sure if it was a Hoopoe, a Waxwing or even just Jay? That is until today the bird was spotted on a grass verge in the middle of an industrial estate in Hamworthy and then subsequently photographed about an hour later. This is a very peculiar record as Hoopoe in Dorset is more normally associated with being a scares spring and even scarcer autumn passage migrant at coastal sites. What one is doing in the middle of Hamworthy, in the middle of winter in the snow is anybody’s guess! However this isn’t the first winter visit from a Hoopoe in Dorset, individuals have also been found in Bournemouth and at Longham Lakes in the last 7 years during very cold snaps. Rest of today’s sightings included the very obliging Black Redstart at Upton CP. There were 6 Golden Plover at Baiter, 1 at Greenland’s Farm, 2 at Fitzworth and 1 at Upton CP. 2 Woodlark flew over Lytchett Bay. From the houseboats at South Haven there was 1 Great Northern Diver, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Slavonian Grebe and 3 Avocet. There are still at least 6 Ruff about with 4 at Fitzworth and 2 at Upton CP. The Bestwall/Swineham held 2 Brambling, 3 Marsh Harrier, 2 Hen Harrier and a Barn Owl. Holes Bay held 14 Spoonbill.

Coverage over the last two days came from various places starting with Lytchett Bay yesterday, which first had a report of 8 White-fronted Geese fly over. Also there a Spoonbill, 3 Goldeneye, 3 Red-breasted Merganser, 8 Golden Plover, 60 Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe, 200 Fieldfare and 2 Brambling. The Pink-footed goose was still at Holmebridge. Also 5 Golden Plover at Baiter and the mass Fieldfare, Redwing and Lapwing movement continued, with Fieldfare and Redwing probably in their tens of thousands . There was 2 Golden Plover in fields at Rempstone and a total of 7 Ruff in the harbour with the 2 at Upton CP, 1 at Greenland’s and another 4 at Fitzworth. The Black Redstart was still at Upton CP. Just outside the area 31 Waxwing were counted in Lytchett Matravers.