A remarkable recovery for birds of prey in Dorset
By Sam Ryde, Birds of Poole Harbour.
Article first published in Love It Local magazine December 2024
In and around Poole Harbour in Dorset, you’re likely to find wildlife that we could not imagine seeing in the south coast of England in our lifetimes. You can explore our local habitats and see birds, insects, plants and, importantly, natural processes that haven’t been present for centuries.
The best and most noticeable example of this must be the dramatic return of our birds of prey. Just 75 or even 50 years ago, your chances of seeing Buzzard, Sparrowhawk or Peregrine Falcon were slim. Now these birds are regularly seen in our area – something we should never take for granted when you consider their once dismal populations.
For centuries, birds of prey were perceived as ‘pests’ and relentlessly persecuted – shot, trapped and poisoned – leaving their populations in tatters. The hobby of egg-collecting and impact of pesticides accumulating in the food chain were the final nail in the coffin for many of these birds in our area, including the Marsh Harrier.
A chance for the people to see birds of prey in Dorset that were not around just 50 years ago
Reintroduction of Birds of Prey including Ospreys
Remarkable recovery for Ospreys and white tailed eagles
However, we’ve since seen a remarkable recovery thanks to better understanding and protection, with bird of prey numbers slowly returning to more natural levels. Although illegal raptor persecution sadly still happens, populations of Peregrines, Marsh Harrier, Raven, Buzzard and many more have bounced back significantly.
Nonetheless, species recovery takes time and many of these birds took 50 years or more to make a comeback. Majestic birds like Ospreys and White-tailed Eagles, which were made extinct by people in southern England around 200 years ago, have needed a helping hand to return. Reintroduction projects for each have been taking place in our area with Ospreys being translocated by our charity Birds of Poole Harbour and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation from Scotland.
As a result, we now have the first pair of Ospreys breeding on the south coast of England for 180 years, at Careys Secret Garden near Wareham. Similarly, White-tailed Eagles have been reintroduced to the Isle of Wight by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and a pair has now set up in the harbour. The return of ospreys and eagles to the south coast is a stunning development that few thought possible. Seeing both fit in so well to our environment, find plenty of natural food and amaze people is inspiring to see.
Just as encouraging has been the gradual collapse of the misconceptions about these species. Most notably the diet of White-tailed Eagles – there has not been a single instance of livestock being taken since the reintroductions.
Seeing Birds of Prey on a Boat Trip
'Shifting Baseline Syndrome'!
How boat trips are helping a new generation to shift their expectations as to what Birds of Prey and other species should be present in the local area
During our events, we often talk about people’s awareness in terms of ‘Shifting Baseline Syndrome’. This is where perceptions of how the environment ‘should’ look (or what species should be present) changes across generations. We assume that how the environment looks during our lifetime is how it should be and so any change can seem wrong or unsettling. This explains why some people did not think these species could or should be brought back.
Birds of Poole Harbour take out up to 1200 local school children free of charge on boat trips each year, thanks to Lush Cosmetics, to see birds like eagles thriving and nature recovery in action. Now, there is a new generation of people growing up and understanding that birds like White-tailed Eagles and Ospreys can and do fit into this landscape and, in fact, belong here.
This area of South Dorset is fast becoming a flagship area for nature restoration with so many species reintroductions, landscape-scale habitat works and engagement projects being carried out by the many fantastic local organisations. All of this is helping to provide a model for successful nature recovery and is demonstrating that we can have real hope for the restoration of thriving biodiversity – if we readjust those ‘shifting baselines’!
Birds of Poole Harbour have lots useful information on their website about the best locations to go birdwatching in the local area.
You can also read details on the Poole Harbour Osprey Project as well as find out about the event they run throughout the year including their very popular (regularly sold out!) boat trips. These trips are accompanied by knowledgeable guides, making them an enjoyable and informative trip whether you are a bird enthusiast or simply want to enjoy some fantastic views of Poole harbour.
