Holes Bay

Holes Bay is an intertidal embayment off Poole Harbour in the county of Dorset on the south coast of England.

Holes Bay lies on the south coast of England within the Borough of Poole, apart from its northwestern shore which is part of Upton.

Access to Holes Bay for vessels with a draft greater than 2 metres (6.6 ft) is only possible when the bridges are lifted, which occurs at several fixed times daily and sometimes on request.

[1][2] Holes Bay is the location of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) training school, attached to their Poole headquarters.

[3] Holes Bay is home to numerous wetland bird species including avocet, black-tailed godwit, curlew, kingfisher, little egret, oystercatcher, red-breasted merganser, redshank, spoonbill, teal and widgeon.

[2] The mudflats of Holes Bay were rapidly colonized by cordgrass during the 20th century, covering 63% of the intertidal zone between 1901 and 1924,[4] before receding again between 1924 and 1980 due to erosion and die-back.

Holes Bay marshes with the Purbecks in the distance
Birds at the southeast corner of Holes Bay
Spoonbill in Holes Bay