Birds of Poole Harbour

Birds of Poole Harbour Charity aiming to boost the profile of bird conservation, observation & education in Poole Harbour
(1)

With so many birds to see and so many places to look for them, 'Birds of Poole Harbour' is here to help guide you around some of the well-known and not so well known sites of this large harbour. With regular events and day by day updates we aim to make Poole Harbour a focus for bird watchers from across the country. Whether you're an avid beginner or experienced naturalist there’s something for everyone.

Last callout for our Young Birders Club New Forest Residential this October! Applications close on the 4th September📣Joi...
01/09/2026

Last callout for our Young Birders Club New Forest Residential this October! Applications close on the 4th September📣

Join us at Cameron's Cottage at RSPB Franchises Lodge between the 16-18th October for a weekend of birding, attending a bird ringing demonstration, looking for fungi, and exploring the reserve.

Free event for 13-17 year-olds. Sign up to our Young Birders Club to access upcoming events and the application form: https://www.birdsofpooleharbourbookings.co.uk/young-birders

The Cameron Bespolka Trust RSPB England Visit-Dorset

We'll be talking at the RSPB Arne and Weymouth Wetlands Bird Fest this weekend at 11:30am, where we'll be highlighting t...
01/09/2026

We'll be talking at the RSPB Arne and Weymouth Wetlands Bird Fest this weekend at 11:30am, where we'll be highlighting the exciting evolution of the Poole Harbour Osprey Project and the developing new chapter!

Full details from the RSPB Arne social media channels:

Meet the Speaker at RSPB Arne's Bird Fest Paul Morton – Birds of Poole Harbour
We are delighted to welcome Paul Morton , one of the co-founders of the Birds of Poole Harbour charity, to Bird Fest 2026 at RSPB Arne on 5–6 September.
Paul will be talking about an exciting new chapter in the recovery of Ospreys in Dorset. After breeding success was recorded for the first time in Dorset in 2022, Ospreys are now re-established in the county. The project continues to evolve year on year, with new breeding opportunities looking increasingly likely in the coming years – potentially including right here at RSPB Arne! 🦅
If you are fascinated by Ospreys and want to discover more about their remarkable return to Dorset, this is a Spotlight Talk not to miss. Start time: 11:30 Saturday 5
Paul is one of a fantastic line-up of speakers joining us across the weekend, including our special guest BBC Springwatch presenter Jack Baddams.
🎤 Hear from expert speakers throughout the weekend, including: Jack Baddams (BBC Springwatch) • Peter Robertson (RSPB) • Rob Farrington (Dorset Wildlife Trust) • Helen Likes Plants • Emily Henwood (BARI) • Brian Cresswell & Terry Elborn (Dorset Nightjar Study Group) • Tony Dobbs (RSPB South Dorset Local Group) • Gen Crisford (national trust)
🔭 Try our free binocular and telescope demonstrations, with our friendly team on hand to offer expert advice.
🎨 Browse beautiful wildlife-inspired art, jewellery, glass and metalwork from talented local artists and makers.
🍎 And don't forget to enjoy some delicious cider tasting in our café!
🎟️ Book your Bird Fest talk tickets today and join us for a weekend celebrating birds, wildlife and conservation. Your tickets also give you free entry to the reserve for the whole weekend! We have a few tickets still available for our Spotlight Talks, so book now to avoid disappointment!
📅 5–6 September 2026 📍 RSPB Arne
One weekend. One reserve. Countless wildlife experiences.
To book click here:
https://events.rspb.org.uk/browse?fbclid=IwY2xjawUDjtRwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMTBDUXBSa0xBcjVBOXhSemxzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEebQEdnSL4lySQLBIM4JBhprVVUH5f2uQF2Huo4ozKWRLCieBCFYl0hupU7P4_aem_hGygfV8FP91Ui6qlA1BahQ&filter%5Bschedule%5D=9428

We've just published the Carey Ringing Station 2025 Annual Report on our website.The Carey Ringing Station is located in...
31/08/2026

We've just published the Carey Ringing Station 2025 Annual Report on our website.

The Carey Ringing Station is located in the Lower Piddle Valley near Wareham, Dorset, on the floodplain of the river Piddle. The habitat is dominated by sedge, with Alder and Willow growing along ditches, and the area is bordered by mixed woodland. The land is in the early stages of rewilding to improve the habitat for wildlife.

This was the second year of intensive ringing at the site as part of a project monitoring bird migration through the area, with a special focus on targeting Aquatic Warblers; a rapidly declining species for which the Lower Piddle Valley is on the migration route. The aim is to collect valuable data on bird movements through the site, contributing to the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) Bird Ringing Scheme, with the additional benefit of revealing how bird populations respond to habitat changes at Carey.

View the full report here:
https://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/surveys/crs-2025/

Another lovely morning up on Ham Common running our free Osprey and Eagle Watch in partnership with BCP Council. The pop...
27/08/2026

Another lovely morning up on Ham Common running our free Osprey and Eagle Watch in partnership with BCP Council. The pop-up enjoyed 4+ Osprey, including CJ7 perched at Arne and a migrant thermalling to stratospheric heights before departing SE on migration. Welcome appearances also came from the Dorset breeding White-tailed Eagle pair and a Dartford Warbler, plus our favourite interaction of the day with a family showing their daughter eagles for the first time. The doodles of the landmarks nearby helped to spot the birds in the scope 🖍

Upcoming Osprey Watches
Fri 28 Aug - Ham Common 9am-12pm
Tue 1 Sep - Ham Common 9am-12pm
Wed 2 Sep - Rock Lea View 9am-12pm
Wed 9 Sep - Ham Common 9am-12pm
Thu 10 Sep - Ham Common 9am-12pm
Tue 15 Sep - Ham Common 9am-12pm

More information about our free events and how to attend here can be found here 👇
https://www.birdsofpooleharbourbookings.co.uk/home/walks-id-courses/category/walks-and-id-courses

Tickets still available for tomorrow afternoon's Osprey Cruise! Last minute call out for tickets. On yesterday's trips w...
27/08/2026

Tickets still available for tomorrow afternoon's Osprey Cruise! Last minute call out for tickets. On yesterday's trips we saw over 10 Ospreys, 3 White-tailed Eagles, Goshawk, 2 Glossy Ibis, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Hobby, 2 Red Kite and much more!

https://www.birdsofpooleharbourbookings.co.uk/event/osprey-cruises-2026

📸 by Brandon Storey from yesterday afternoon's Cruise of Osprey CJ7 and White-tailed Eagle G463

26/08/2026

Two utterly brilliant Osprey Cruises today. We can't believe how much has changed in such a short space of time. Our trips today logged 10+ Osprey including multiple fish catches, multiple close fly by's and views of the local pair, 3 White-tailed Eagles some right over the boat, often having fights with passing Ospreys, 2 Glossy Ibis, 1 Goshawk, 2 Marsh Harrier, the first mixed Wigeon, Pintail and Shoveler flock of the 'winter', 2 Red Kite, 2 Hobby and 8 Greenshank.

We still have tickets for our trips this weekend and next week:
https://www.birdsofpooleharbourbookings.co.uk/event/osprey-cruises-2026

Greenslade Pleasure Boats Limited
The Guardian
BCP Council
Bournemouth Daily Echo

What an incredible weekend of Osprey Cruises! It's turning out to be one of the best seasons yet, with up to 10-12 Ospre...
25/08/2026

What an incredible weekend of Osprey Cruises! It's turning out to be one of the best seasons yet, with up to 10-12 Osprey in Poole Harbour each day currently, including migrants, our local breeding birds, and juveniles from other nests across the country.

We've also had multiple occasions of the Dorset pair of White-tailed Eagle mobbing Osprey for fish, as well as great views of juvenile Marsh Harrier, Goshawk, Spoonbill, Avocet, and Great White Egret.

There's still a few tickets left for our upcoming Osprey Cruises. Book here before they're all sold out: https://www.birdsofpooleharbourbookings.co.uk/event/osprey-cruises-2026

Keep up-to-date on the Osprey action by reading our Osprey diary here: https://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/osprey-news/osprey-diary-2026/

Photos 1 & 3 by Mike Kirby

Visit Purbeck Dorset Visit-Dorset Love Poole

On Friday morning's Osprey Cruise we saw this wing-tagged Marsh Harrier in the Wareham Channel. With help from the North...
24/08/2026

On Friday morning's Osprey Cruise we saw this wing-tagged Marsh Harrier in the Wareham Channel. With help from the North West Norfolk Ringing Group we know that this bird 'J7' is a juvenile female from Suffolk near Southwold. She was tagged on 5th June 2026 along with her two siblings. Her brother has since been resighted at Belvide Reservoir in Staffordshire this year.

'J7' is only the third ever wing-tagged Marsh Harrier to be seen in Dorset, so it's great to have this data to show where our passing Marsh Harriers are coming from. Hopefully she's goes on to continue her travels safely. Keep your eyes peeled to provide valuable data to the project with previous tagged birds having travelled as far as Spain or even Senegal. Thanks to the North West Norfolk Ringing Group for the info.

📸- Dale Franklin

Upcoming free event for 13-18 year-olds! Join us for a moth trapping session and bird ringing demonstration at Careys Se...
21/08/2026

Upcoming free event for 13-18 year-olds! Join us for a moth trapping session and bird ringing demonstration at Careys Secret Garden on Saturday 19th September 9am-12pm.

A great opportunity to learn more about the bird ringing scheme, improve your moth and bird identification skills, and take part in citizen science as we go through the moth trap with experts.

To learn more and book your free place sign up to our Young Birders Club: https://www.birdsofpooleharbourbookings.co.uk/young-birders

Address

Carey House
Wareham
BH207PG

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Birds of Poole Harbour posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to Birds of Poole Harbour:

Shortcuts

Share