For the most part, today was pretty lovely, as the sun tried it’s best to hold on and provide an element of warmth. The still conditions also helped it feel rather spring like. Looking at the National bird info services, things are now already beginning to hot up with Sand Martin, Little Ringed Plover and Stone Curlew all logged out of county today, and having looked at next weeks forecast, a strong set of southerlies could easily deliver the first Wheatears in the coming days. It was more about White-tailed Eagles today though as the local Poole Harbour pair went for an urban wander, initially favouring an area north of Lytchett Matravers, before tracking south and being clocked over Lytchett Bay, before then providing a whole host of exciting encounters for Poole Town based birders as they proceeded to fly together over Constitution Hill, Ashley Road, Oakdale and then Fleetsbridge, before then later being seen over Wareham Forest and then Morden. These fine, early spring days often see them become really active, and todays large flight was almost certainly a territorial wander, asserting their dominance in the area and checking to see if there were any ‘intruding’ eagles about. Although we talk about them regularly, it still blows us away that folk can be in their gardens in urban Poole and have a chance of seeing wild White-tailed Eagles flying over. A key clue is to listen out for the gulls. If you hear them go bananas, then look up right away! It may just be in response to a Buzzard, or even a Red Kite, but after todays escapades, it could also just be a White-tailed Eagle. Towards the harbour entrance there were 2 Great Northern Diver, 2 Slavonian Grebe, 3 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Goldeneye and 23 Red-breasted Merganser off Jerry’s Point and in Brands Bay. There were 2 Spotted Redshank in Middlebere, 4 Spoonbill at Shipstal and 18 Cattle Egret on Wareham Common and a Goshawk was over Middlebere.

White-tailed Eagle G466 over Lytchett Bay before she headed off to ‘Poole’ – Alison Copland

Although Spring officially ‘arrived’ today, it really didn’t feel like it did!! A chilly wind whipped across the area, and the hail shower that arrived at dawn may have well been snow it was so cold! Best from today included 2 Spotted Redshank and a male Goshawk at Middlebere, with another Spotted Redshank in Holes Bay, 1 Black-necked Grebe out in Studland Bay, 3 pale-bellied Brent Geese in Brands Bay and 1 Slavonian Grebe off Redhorn.

Sparrowhawk eating Feral Pigeon – Daniel Nash

A rainy end to February today which is an apt finish for the wet winter we’ve had. Hopefully March will bring some spring weather with it as well as more sightings! At Lytchett Bay 1 Spotted Redshank and 1 Greenshank were visible from the Rock Lea View. In Holes Bay c500 Dunlin were present along with 13 Avocet. 1 Slavonian Grebe was off Redhorn Quay, Studland as well as 3 Knot in Brands Bay

The 2023 Holes Bay report is now available to view on our website and is a fantastic overview of all the records from this fantastic site last year. We would highly recommend giving it a read. Well done for putting it together – Steve Smith, Martin Adams, Jackie Hull, Nick Woods and Sally and Tony Grant. It is available to read on our website here.

Holes Bay 2023 Report

February’s almost over, and would be pretty much if it wasn’t a leap year, meaning we’ve got one more day to go until spring officially arrives. This morning actually felt quite pleasant and flat calm waters right around the harbour (and beyond) allowed for a decent scan out across Poole Bay which saw 10 Great Northern Diver, 1 Black-throated Diver, 8 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Razorbill, 1 Fulmar, 1 Common Scoter and 1 Gannet all out in the bay. There was another Black-throated Diver out in the centre of the harbour viewed from Shipstal where there were also 8 Spoonbill. A female Merlin zipped across Studland Bay and entered the harbour through the harbour mouth. There were 2 Spotted Redshank in Middlebere with a ringtail Hen Harrier. There was also a sighting of several large flocks of Brent Geese heading off high NE over the harbour entrance into the murk this evening. These could be either be local over-wintering birds heading off out into/towards Poole Bay/Christchurch Harbour to roost, or could even be some of our over-wintering birds departing?

Ringtail Hen Harrier – Middlebere Channel – John Thorpe

With the wind strength doing a complete u-turn this morning, having been blasting gales yesterday, this mornings calm start was a welcome and pleasant start to the day. With Osprey season fast approaching, we took advantage of the days settled weather and started work on nest and Osprey season prep for the coming year. Whilst scaling the main Osprey nest it was a thrill to have close fly-bys of several Mandarin Duck heading up and down the Piddle Valley, as well as 4 Lesser Redpoll and 3 Crossbill passing over, finished off with an adult male Goshawk hunting Wood Pigeons over the nest!!! As long as he sticks to Wood Pigeons. Elsewhere the White-tailed Eagle pair were doing the rounds with visits to Lytchett Bay, Brands Bay and the Wareham Channel. Lytchett Bay had a good raptor day with 3 Red Kite,  2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Hen Harrier and a Peregrine. Having been missing for several days (rather, hiding just outside our harbour boundary in Corfe Mullen), 8 Waxwing were in trees at Nuffield Industrial Estate this morning. The Peregrine pair in Poole were both roosting on the Asda flats. Both are definitely adults, so it looks as if they’ve shoved the younger bird from last years brood out of the territory. There’s still plenty of time for things to get interesting, but to our knowledge, they haven’t yet visited the new nest box installed by Dorset Raptor Group. There were 8 Spoonbill at Shipstal, RSPB Arne and a Spotted Redshank was still in Middlebere.

Adult Peregrine Falcon – Asda flats, Poole – Daniel Nash

Another wet one today, but it didn’t put off the Marsh Harriers displaying in the Wareham Channel this morning, with interaction and calling observed between individuals. A few other raptors were similarly unperturbed, including 2 Red Kite spotted over Rock Lea View in Lytchett Bay, however the Poole town Peregrines took a different view and could be seen hunkered down tight into the north face of the Asda building! Elsewere, from Jerry’s point at Studland there was 1 Black-necked Grebe, 16 Red-breasted Merganser, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit and 2 Grey Plover.

Marsh Harrier – Wareham Channel – @PlushieTumRs on Twitter

A fine day today with a typical harbour affair presenting it’s self. The White-tailed Eagle pair were over Middlebere, Brands Bay and in the Wareham Channel for most of the day, and yesterday younger (Christchurch Harbour resident) G818 was also in the Wareham Channel. This evening a Poole Harbour record count of 41 Cattle Egret went into the harbour roost, passing over Swineham, but alas, no Bittern tonight, despite near perfect conditions. There were 2 Spotted Redshank in Middlebere, a Black-necked Grebe was off Jerry’s Point. There was a ringtail Hen Harrier at Middlebere and Swineham, a Merlin at Greenlands Farm and 2 Red Kite over Hartland.

Full moon rising over Swineham – Adam Day

Our website is now back up and running, so we can return to posting sightings on here! Apologies for the technical difficulties over the past couple of days.

Finally some nicer weather in the harbour today allowing for lots of bird of prey activity with Peregrine sightings over Poole Town Centre and Shipstal Point. 2 White-tailed Eagle were seen flying over Arne RSPB, heading towards the Wareham Channel as well as 7 Spoonbill and 1 flyover Crossbill at Shipstal. A pair of Goosander were at Holmebridge this morning. In Lytchett Fields 1 Goshawk was enjoying the warm conditions, seen from the Rock Lea Viewpoint as well as 5 Greenshank and 3 Spotted Redshank on Sherford Pools. 1 Sandwich Tern was seen in Holes Bay sat on one of the marker buoys.

Peregrine Falcon – Poole – Tony Furnell