This morning we hosted our first Winter Safari of the season, and the trip title certainly lived up to it’s name with a chilly easterly wind whipping across the harbour. The bird list also fitted the bill as more winter birds begin arrive into the harbour. In Ower Bay a Slavonian Grebe was feeding with 4 Red-breasted Merganser and in the Wareham Channel 5 Black-necked Grebe were off Shag Looe. The Brownsea Lagoon held 31 Spoonbill and another 8 were off Fitzworth on the mud banks, plus there were 12 Greenshank, c50 Avocet, c30 dark-bellied Brent Geese, c15 Bar-tailed Godwit and c200 Dunlin also on Brownsea.  Swineham was Marsh Harrier central with a minimum of 6 moving between Swineham, Giggers Island, Keysworth and Arne Moors and up on the Stilt Pools at Swineham, 2 Ruff were feeding with the Lapwing flock and a 1st winter Peregrine was also hunting Shelduck off Giggers island. There was an amazing FOUR White-tailed Eagles in Brands Bay too, which consisted of our local pair G466 and G463 plus two new arrivals in the shape of two 2-year olds from the IOW project named (confusingly) G644 and G641. Elsewhere male Osprey ‘511’ continued his long stay in the harbour by eating another large flatfish in Middlebere. A ringing session at Lytchett Bay this morning produced a really late Reed Warbler which was checked and double checked to make sure it was nothing rarer, plus a Yellow-browed Warbler. A Black Redstart was in a Parkstone Garden this morning which isn’t a surprise as there seems to be good numbers along the Dorset coast this late Autumn, and there’s a good chance there are more out there to be found! At Holmebridge an amazing 59 Cattle Egret were feeding just west of the bridge and a Great White Egret was feeding on the floodplain next to the road along the Wareham bypass. On the Asda building at Holes Bay 2 Peregrine were on the block of flats, including what looks like a new colour-ringed individual, with a red ring (and white lettering?) on the left leg. It would be good to try and confirm the ring number if anyone’s in town shopping over the next few days/weeks.

Slavonian Grebe – Ower Bay – Alison Copland

Reed Warbler – Lytchett Bay – Shaun Robson

Yellow-browed Warbler – Lytchett Bay – Shaun Robson

The grey, overcast conditions prevailed today, in fact, it loomed even lower over the harbour for most of the day. The forecast does suggest there could be some sun early next week which may tempt male Osprey ‘511’ to head off, as he was still in Middlebere this morning, breaking the record for the longest staying Osprey for the Poole Harbour recording area.  At the Carey Secret Garden Ringing Station a Siberian Chiffchaff was ringed this morning, at Lytchett Fields 3 Spotted Redshank were on the fields and another 2 were on the Swineham scrapes with 2 Ruff, 2 Great White Egret and 2 Green Sandpiper. The Brownsea Lagoon held 41 Spoonbill and the White-tailed Eagle pair were in Brands Bay.

Male Osprey ‘511’ still lording it up in Middlebere – Mark Wright

Siberian tristis Chiffchaff – Carey Secret Garden Ringing Station – Matthew Scraggs

As the firework bangs ease off and the smoke drifts away, it seemed like there was a lot of ‘zeeping’ in between the whizz, pop’s and bangs tonight as good numbers of Redwing passed over Poole Town Centre. Male Osprey ‘511’ equalled the Poole Harbour record today for the latest Osprey to be present within our Poole Harbour recording area, and with the weather forecast to remain the same over the coming week, there’s a good chance he could remain a while longer yet. There are currently several others in the UK too, so this isn’t the latest UK record so far this autumn/winter, but ‘511’ seems very settled and seems to now be in a daily routine, so is he gearing up to stay? There was another incredible late ‘summer’ bird today when a juvenile Hobby was found out on Hartland by local harrier watcher Peter Hadrill. On the Brownsea Lagoon c40 Spoonbill were on the Tamerisk Island this morning, 4 Marsh Harrier were at Swineham and the White-tailed Eagle pair were seen over Purbeck golf course. A Spotted Redshank was on Lytchett Fields and a Rock Pipit was colour-ringed there this AM. Just outside the recording area a male Black Redstart was at Lytchett Matravers recreation ground. With the weather so settled no divers or sea duck have been dumped into the harbour yet, and the best out in Poole Bay this morning were just 3 Razorbill about 3 miles off shore!!!

Black Redstart – Lytchett Matravers rec – David Foster

Autumn was clinging on with it’s fingernails today with not only the long-staying Osprey in Middlebere but also 4 Swallow there too and another at the harbour mouth. A Black-necked Grebe was off Jerry’s Point and 4 were in the Wareham Channel again. Great White Egret were in Middlebere and another was at Swineham. At South Haven Studland, there was some limited vis-mig with 442 Goldfinch the highest totalling species and 2 Common Scoter were on the water off shore with another flying off south. A Ruff was on Lytchett Fields and the White-tailed Eagle pair were in the SE of the harbour near Brands Bay.

Male Osprey ‘511’ cruising over the Middlebere Avocet flock – John Thorpe

Great White Egret cruising over the Middlebere Osprey – John Thorpe

Apologies, for our website being down due to IT issues and any inconvenience this has caused. It is now back up and running, so here are yesterday’s belated sightings.

The surprisingly mild weather for November continued yesterday, alongside the overcast conditions. A single Hawfinch was found in a Yew Tree in the south-east corner of the Lytchett Matravers recreation ground. Hopefully the first of many to stick around during this ‘irruption’, so keep checking those yew trees and listening out for them overhead!

Osprey ‘511’ was still hanging around the Middlebere area and still favouring a flatfish diet. At least 1 Great White Egret was also present in Middlebere, alongside the growing flock of Avocet and Black-tailed Godwit. 1 Great White Egret was  also in Lytchett Bay, along with the first Fieldfare for the site this winter with 21 flying over. Also present were 8 Greenshank, 4 Marsh Harrier, 1 Peregrine, 1 Merlin and 1 late Sandwich Tern. The 1 Barnacle Goose was still frequenting the Swineham area with the Canada Goose flock. Also present were 3 Ruff in Stilt Pools, 1 Great White Egret, 1 Cattle Egret, 4 Marsh Harrier and in the Lower Piddle Flood, 5 Spotted Redshank and 1 Ruff. In the Wareham Channel, both White-tailed Eagles were present during parts of the day along with 3 Greenshank and 15 Grey Plover flying over

Barnacle Goose with Canada Goose – Swineham Bestwall Floods – Clive Hargrave

Osprey ‘511’ with Flatfish – Middlebere Channel – John Thorpe

Another really grey day with the sun apparently not due to re-appear for several days yet. So we start November in a typically grey, wintery manner. What wasn’t so typical though was the setting of mist and murk surrounding Corfe Castle with an Osprey flying past, which was a scene captured perfectly by local photographer Alison Copland. There were 2 Black-necked Grebe in the harbour mouth this morning, and this evening the ‘Harrier Watchers’ logged 14 Marsh Harrier entering the west harbour roost. At Swineham 2 Ruff were still on the Stilt Pools, plus 35 Cattle Egret and 1 Great White Egret. The lone Golden Plover was seen again over Swineham with the Lapwing flock.

Osprey flying past a wintery Corfe Castle – Middlebere – Alison Copland

We were wondering whether it would happen, but today it did with the current long-staying male Osprey ‘511’ residing in the harbour into November. He was first seen hunting in the Wareham Channel, and was later in Middlebere eating a fish. This is an incredibly rare occurrence, although this same individual did something similar last year, but ended up leaving on October 28th. It was odd he didn’t leave over last weekend as the weather was stunning, and perfect for him to disperse. Maybe we’re just about to see the first UK over-wintering Osprey ever? Probably not, as he’ll have an established over-wintering site somewhere, but you never know?! Yesterday’s Barnacle Goose that was in Brands Bay arrived in to Swineham with it’s Canada Goose chums this morning where there were also 2 Ruff, 3 Great White Egret, c40 Cattle Egret on Keysworth, a Peregrine over Gigger’s, 3-4 Marsh Harrier at Swineham, 5 Black-necked Grebe in the Wareham Channel and a Golden Plover went over with c50 Lapwing. There were 21 Red-breasted Merganser in South Deep, the White-tailed Eagle pair were in the SE of the harbour in and around Brands Bay/Goathorn and then later over Middlebere and 3 Kingfisher were along Poole Quay. In Lytchett Bay a Common Sandpiper and a Spotted Redshank were logged.

Osprey ‘511’ – Middlebere – Kate Plater

Well, here we are a few hours before November and there was still an Osprey in the harbour this morning, there were a few crickets/grasshoppers still ‘chirping’ last night, plenty of bats were out hunting at dusk this evening and this afternoon a few small dragonflies were out on the wing, most likely Common Darter. With the mild weather set to continue is there a chance we could have November records for each of the taxa mentioned above, potentially making November the new September?! Thankfully there was an element of autumn/winter today with a Barnacle Goose in Brands Bay this evening and now 23 Red-breasted Merganser there too with 21 Great Crested Grebe and now 121 Pintail. A Common Sandpiper was in Holes Bay this morning, suggesting it’s likely to over-winter there seeing as the passage period for this species finished about a month ago. There were 3 Firecrest in scrub below Constitution Hill viewpoint and Short-eared Owl flew over Purbeck Golf Course this evening. The White-tailed Eagle pair were moving between Brands Bay and the Wareham Channel and a Great White Egret was in Middlebere. Early this morning a Brambling was sound recorded over Oakdale, Poole.

Avocet – Black-tailed Godwit and Pintail – Middlebere – Kate Plater

There was lots of good birding to be had today with quality throughout the day. The day started with the 6th Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn being ringed at the Carey Secret Garden ringing station and the 2nd Water Pipit of the season ringed at Lytchett Bay, plus another was on site. There were Great White Egret in Lytchett Bay, 2 in Middlebere, 2 in the Wareham Channel and 1 roosting on Swineham GP. The Black-necked Grebe flock in the Wareham Channel has risen from 4 to 6 and both White-tailed Eagles were in the Wareham Channel all day. This evening a Bittern flew in over Slepe Heath heading south, calling as it headed towards Corfe and 2 Merlin went into roost on Hartland Moor. This afternoon 2 Black Redstart were in Upton on roofs at Tree Hamlets, including a cracking adult male. On Wareham Common 12 Cattle Egret were with the cows and 45 Spoonbill were on the Brownsea Lagoon and 4 flew into the Piddle Valley to roost this evening whilst 7+ Marsh Harrier were also going into roost.

Great White Egrets – Middlebere – John Thorp