A really nice arrival this morning of 50+ Barnacle Geese into the harbour, flying up the Middlebere Channel, before then heading out towards Round Island. Only a sporadic visitor to Poole Harbour and sightings of just ones and twos are presumed to be escapees from collections, often hanging out with mixed goose flocks. But when a big flock of Barnacle Geese arrives like this, they are likely to be from true wild populations in northern Europe/Svalbard/Greenland. 1 male Hen Harrier also came through the Middlebere Channel and 1 Great White Egret.

The 2 Velvet Scoter came in through the harbour entrance this morning along with 1 Great Northern Diver, 5 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Great-crested Grebe and 83 Shag. The Velvet Scoter were seen later this afternoon from Jerry’s Point along with now 2 Slavonian Grebe and 7 Black-necked Grebe. 16 Spoonbill were feeding in Holes Bay NW this afternoon. At Lytchett Fields RSPB there were 1 Ruff, 310 Lapwing, 309 Teal, 54 Dunlin, 45 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Marsh Harrier as well as small numbers of Avocet and Black-tailed Godwit.

Barnacle Geese – Middlebere Channel – Richard Stephenson

The 2 Velvet Scoter were still off Jerry’s Point this morning. Numbers of Red-breasted Merganser seem to be finally building, with more groups spread all across the harbour totalling c100. The Ruff was still on French’s Pool, Lytchett Fields RSPB, with 128 Lapwing. At Swineham this afternoon there was 1 Spoonbill, 1 Great White Egret, 1 Green Sandpiper, 4 Marsh Harrier, plus 8 Cattle Egret and 16 Little Egret came into the roost on the gravel pit.

From our School Bird Boat this morning, there was a juvenile Peregrine in the Wareham Channel taking on about everything it saw (unsuccessfully), going after Marsh Harrier, Great Black-backed Gull, Carrion Crow and Raven in just a couple of minutes. On the Brownsea Lagoon new Tern nesting islands are currently being installed, but still a surprising number of birds undisturbed by the work of the digger with, c400 Avocet, 5 Grey Plover, c50 Bar-tailed Godwit, 12 Greenshank and plenty of waterfowl. Fantastic work by the Dorset Wildlife Trust to be increasing the potential nesting habitat here for Terns and Waders, come next summer. 1 adult White-tailed Eagle was in the Wareham Channel this afternoon. In Holes Bay the 3 Spoonbill were feeding again and a possible Grey Phalarope was reported in the north-west. There were also 2 Glossy Ibis at Swineham this afternoon.

2 Velvet Scoter – Off Jerry’s Point from Wednesday’s Winter Safari – Elin Davies

It was such a stunning morning with sunrise seeing a hat-trick of divers entering the harbour with 2 Great Northern, 1 Black-throated and 1 Red-throated Diver all entering trough the harbour mouth, plus another single Great Northern Diver was in Shell Bay. A Goshawk was seen from the cordite way viewpoint this afternoon and 3 White-tailed Eagle were seen between the Wareham Channel and Middlebere. Holes Bay is hosting it’s usual good haul of early totals with 44 Knot today, plus 1 Spoonbill, 100+ Pintail, 1000+ Wigeon and c500 Dunlin.

Avocet – Middlebere 

That was more like it! Yesterdays grot had cleared by dawn, and although still a bit of a breeze, birding efforts were rewarded today with 2 Great Northern Diver and 2 Red-throated Diver in through the harbour entrance at dawn, with a total of 4 Great Northern Diver off Jerry’s Point by mid-morning. There was a single lone male Goldeneye in Brands Bay female White-tailed Eagle G466 was also tucked up in the corner of Brands Bay. At Swineham a Glossy Ibis was flying around the point, there were 4-5 different Marsh Harrier in that area and a Ruff was on RSPB Arne Moors and 2 Bearded Tit were in the mouth of the Frome. On Gold Point, 14 Spoonbill were roosting, 2 Red Kite were over Keysworth and there were c80 Red-breasted Merganser spread across the harbour. A juv White-tailed Eagle flew over Coombe Heath this morning and both adult Peregrines were sat on the Adsa building. A lone pale-bellied Brent Goose was with c300 dark-bellied Brent Geese at Shipstal Beach.

Great Northern Diver – South Deep – from this AM’s Winter Safari – Alison Copland

Marsh Harrier – Swineham – from this AM’s Winter Safari – Alison Copland

Glossy Ibis – Swineham Point – from this AM’s Winter Safari – Alison Copland

Another blisteringly cold day, but not too cold for our School Bird Boat that ventured out this morning up the Wareham Channel. Once again there were plenty of Marsh Harrier buzzing around Swineham Point, plus a Peregrine bombed through. A Black Redstart was on houses along Austin Avenue, Lilliput this morning and the Northern Wheatear was still on private land at Wallisdown Waterworks. Both adult Peregrines were on the Asda building this morning, with a Water Rail head found below the feeding ledge this afternoon having been blown off the cache area. Water Rail are common night migrants during October and November, many arriving with the Woodcock from eastern Europe. With the lights of Poole making hunting easier for the Peregrines, catching passing night migrating species such as Water Rail, Woodcock, Redwing, Fieldfare and Golden Plover isn’t uncommon for them. A strong wind ofen blows the Peregrines remains off the feeding ledge, giving a great insight into what our urban Peregrines are feeding on.

Water Rail head outside Asda flats, remains of a Peregrine kill – Tanya Hart