Migrants were certainly on the move this morning and a ringing session at Lytchett Heath proved very fruitful. In a 3-hour ringing session 137 birds were ringed including 80 Sedge Warbler, 24 Reed Warbler, 13 Willow Warbler, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Bearded Tit, several Chiffchaff and most bizarrely of all a fresh juvenile Common Redstart. Where this bird has come from is totally un-known as Redstart isn’t known to breed in the harbour. It’s likely to have moved from Wareham Forest, which has the nearest breeding population, but there is plenty of suitable habitat in-between so it could be from an un-known site? There was also 2 juvenile Little Ringed Plover on RSPB Lytchett Fields and a good number of common waders across the site. On Brownsea 3 Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank and 4 Dunlin were present. 

Fairly quiet today with just 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 2 Greenshank and 36 Black-tailed Godwit at RSPB Lytchett Fields. No sign of the Osprey around Arne but 2 Spoonbill were in Middlebere and the Barn Owls have been really active out in front of the hide.

I’ve finally managed to get round to doing some more night recording, this time from my garden again. Last night produced 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Redshank, 1 possible Ringed Plover and a passerine species I can’t identify. The recording below is one of the Common Sandpipers that passed over my garden, this one at around 3:30am.

 Common Sandpiper – Calls of a night time migrant – Lytchett Matravers 29/07/15

Today we launched our trial student grant scheme, which you can learn more about HERE. But in a nutshell, we’re after reports of all sightings of Osprey from in Poole Harbour (including Wareham Forest) between now and October. Brittany Maxted, a student from Parkstone Grammar School will be compiling all data for this project and details of the information she requires and how to report your sightings can be found HERE. We would like to thank-you in advance for any support and information you can provide for this project.

I have today also published a study we commissioned back in the spring, which looks at the populations of Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls in Poole Harbour. This census was due to be part of a larger breeding gull survey of the entire harbour but due to unforeseen natural circumstances the study didn’t quite provide us with the information we were hoping for. You can read Dave Chowns excellent write up of the census HERE.

Sightings today included another Osprey that was seen over the Arne peninsular and then watched fishing out in the Wareham Channel. A ringing session in the north of the harbour near Holes Bay produced the autumns first ringed Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler, as well as 9 juvenile Blackcap, bringing the total of juvenile Blackcap from that one site to 29 in just 4 ringing sessions. At RSPB Lytchett Fields a Common Sandpiper, 1 juv Little Ringed Plover, 1 Greenshank, 7 Green Sandpiper and 18 Black-tailed Godwit were present.

Finally a few passerine arrived in the harbour today with the first Garden Warbler and juvenile Willow Warbler in scrub at Holes Bay north accompanied by several juvenile Blackcap and Chiffchaff from surrounding woodlands. At Middlebere this evening there were 4 returning Avocet, 1 immature Spoonbill, 10 Oystercatcher, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 3 Greenshank, 1 Kestrel, 8 Stonechat and 1 Dartford Warbler. At RSPB Lytchett Fields another Common Sandpiper was on Sherford Pools, several Green Sandpiper were in amongst the pools along with the usual Redshank and Lapwing.

Still not many passerines coming through yet, but waders are holding up the fort at present. At South Haven a Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin and 1 Curlew were counted and in Brands Bay there was 1 Ringed Plover, 2+ Whimbrel, 62 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit and 1 Dunlin. There were 3 Spotted Redshank on the Brownsea webcam showing off beautifully for a good couple of hours, along with Common Redshank giving a nice comparison. On RSPB Lytchett Fields there were 40 Lapwing, 1 Green Sandpiper, 5 Greenshank, 73 Redshank, 68 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 adult Dunlin, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Snipe, 1 juv Marsh Harrier and a female Peregrine.  

                                                    Spotted Redshank on Brownsea Lagoon webcam

The last two days couldn’t have been more different with yucky, heavy rain all day yesterday, and blissful sun blessed day today, needless to say that most bird news comes from today. On the Brownsea Lagoon toady there were 99 Redshank, 11 Greenshank, 3 Spotted Redshank, 25 Dunlin, 9 Common Sandpiper, 2 Whimbrel, 1 Sanderling, 2 Spoonbill and 2 Arctic Tern. It was also stated that Sandwich Tern had a good breeding season with 145 fledged young. Yellow-legged Gull bred for the 20^th consecutive year and Brownsea also fledged its first Med Gulls as three pairs bred. At Swineham a single Common Sandpiper was on the point. Out in Brands Bay there was 6 Whimbrel, 67 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Common Sandpiper, 1 Knot and 1 Dunlin. On RSPB Lytchett Fields there were 6 Greenshank, 6 Green Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 56 Redshank and the usual Lapwing and handful of Black-tailed Godwit. 

Now the fields have been cut at RSPB Lytchett Fields it seems to already be attracting some new arrivals. Within minuets 2 Spoonbill ventured out onto French’s Pools, there were also 3 Greenshank, 1 adult Little Ringed Plover, 5+ Green Sandpiper, and the usual Redshank, Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwit. On Lytchett Heath Dartford Warbler were confirmed to have bred. At Arne, the first of the autumn Willow Warblers appeared with 3 on Coombe Heath, also a juvenile Peregrine over with 1 Common Snipe, 2 Spoonbill were in Middlebere and there were juvenile birds EVERYWHERE. Mostly common breeding species such as Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, Blue Tit and Wren. A juvenile Whitethroat at Lytchett Heath was likely to be a local migrant.

RSPB Lytchett Fields are looking great now they have been cut and are already attracting a good number of birds. Of note, there was 1 juv Little Ringed Plover, 1 Dunlin, 6 Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank, 30+ Lapwing, 20+ Redshank, 10+ Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Whimbrel and 1 Kingfisher. In Holes Bay there were 163 Black-tailed Godwit, 30+ Curlew, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Common Gull. On the Brownsea Lagoon there was 1 summer plumaged Knot, 4 Spotted Redshank, 1 Turnstone, 75 Redshank and 3 Greenshank. Middlebere held 3 Spoonbill in the afternoon and the Barn Owls were out hunting out across the marsh at Middlebere.

NOTICE: The fields at RSPB Lytchett Fields are being cut this week so excessive disturbance is likely. The work is due to be finished on Wednesday.

In between the cutting of the fields RSPB Lytchett Fields held 14 Green Sandpiper, 56 Black-tailed Godwit, 40 Redshank, 32 Lapwing, 11 Teal and 3 Greenshank. Lytchett Bay held 1 Spoonbill, 1 Whimbrel and 2 Bearded Tits were is a reed bed on the shoreline. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 3 Greenshank, 26 summer plumaged Dunlin, 50+ Redshank, 150 Black-tailed Godwit and still a good number of Common Terns yet to fledge. A Common Sandpiper and Greenshank were heard migrating over Slepe Heath at night too by a group setting up Moth traps. It’s a good time to be watching Nightjars too, as although the churring activity has slowed down there are now plenty of juveniles around which are really inquisitive and often fly around quite close as you walk along a dry sandy heathland paths. 

There were signs of passerine movement this weekend when a weekend ringing session at Lytchett Bay produced the fist juvenile Sedge Warblers of the autumn. We know these are migrants as Sedge Warbler don’t breed at Lytchett Bay, so would have come from further afield. Also caught during the ringing session was the seasons first juvenile Kingfisher and a good number of juvenile Reed Warbler. General birding at the site provided 6 Greenshank, 11+ Green Sandpiper, 1 Spoonbill, 4 female Shoveler, 48 Redshank, 18 Lapwing, 1 Snipe and good numbers of juvenile Reed Bunting. In Brands Bay there were 3 Common Sandpiper, 5 Whimbrel, 62 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Bar-tailed Godwit and 29 Med Gulls. The Osprey was again, this time from the Holton Lee viewpoint.