A fresh juv Ruff at Lytchett Fields was new in which was feeding along side 5 Ringed Plover, 11 Dunlin, 7 Green Sandpiper and 2 Common Sandpiper whilst passerine migrants included 1 Whitethroat and 5 Willow Warbler. In Holes Bay north a big flock of mixed Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff moved through the scrub and out on the mud 2 Common Sandpiper were near the bridge, 200+ Black-tailed Godwit were again feeding in the center of the bay and 3 Yellow-legged Gull were on the mud. There were 2 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon with 4 also reported at Shipstal Point, Arne.  Night recording was a dead loss with absolutely nothing passing over all night other than just a few distant Oystercatcher.

Ringed Plover – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

Greenshank – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

Ruff – Lytchett Fields – Paul Morton

Well, you wait so long for a Little Stint then like buses two come along at once. With yesterdays bird at Lytchett Fields another was quickly found today on the Brownsea Lagoon which although seen twice, unfortunately didn’t show for the crowds. There were also 2 Spoonbill on the lagoon and 6 Spotted Redshank. At Lytchett Fields there were 300 Black-tailed Godwit, 22 Dunlin, 4 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper and 2 Bearded Tit. In Holes Bay there were 215 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Redshank and 4 Yellow-legged Gull.

Dunlin – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

 Whilst it seemed everywhere was getting decent waders apart from Dorset we finally managed to produce some a bit of class when a Little Stint arrived out in Lytchett Bay. This is quite an early record for this species at this site so hopefully more will arrive and stay on the fields over the coming weeks and the Brownsea Lagoon should see some arrive in due course. Also on Lytchett Fields there were a whopping 860 Black-tailed Godwit on the fields including some nice new freshly arrived juveniles plus 11 Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, 10 Common Snipe, 17 Dunlin, 2 Green Sandpiper and the usual Lapwing and Redshank which were then all put up by a Marsh Harrier and Peregrine late afternoon. In the Wareham Channel 2 new adult male Marsh Harrier arrived and played around for a short while. A night recording session from our listening station in Old Town Poole was really productive and produced 2 Green Sandpiper, 6 passing of Dunlin, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Redshank and several Oystercatcher.

In Christchurch a White Stork and Great White Egret arrived early evening on Cowards Marsh so its well worth keeping your eye’s to the sky looking out for species like Storks, Osprey and other birds of prey as august progresses and eventually gives way to September. 

 Dunlin – Calls of a night time migrant – Old town Poole 08/08/16

Ringed Plover – Calls of a night time migrant – Old town Poole 08/08/16

Black-tailed Godwits – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Today saw Arne host its second ever Hen Harrier Day, a demonstration that saw around 300 people rally together and voice their anger at the illegal persecution of Hen Harriers and other raptors on the hills of northern England and in Scotland. Birds of prey are killed in these areas to protect the grouse that rich folk then come and shoot. This year in England only THREE pairs of Hen Harrier bred…there is enough suitable habitat to maintain 320+ pairs. Speakers included us (Birds of Poole Harbour), Mark Thomas from the RSPB investigations team, Nick Bruce-Write the RSPB SW regional director and TV presenter and naturalist Lolo Williams. Each speaker spoke with passion and heart about different aspects of their work that sees them combat this issue. There is currently a petition to Ban Driven Grouse Shooting, the supposed main cause of raptor decline across the UK. If you want to see this illegal activity stopped you may like to sign the petition HERE.

Bird news, at Swineham the first 3 Lesser Whitethroat of the autumn were seen is scrub around the pits with a Spotted Flycatcher, 7 Willow Warbler, plenty of Chiffchaff, 1 Hobby, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Cetti’s Warbler and a Stonechat. At Lytchett Fields there were 28 Dunlin, the first 3 Ringed Plover of the autumn, a Marsh Harrier passed over and 500+ Black-tailed Godwit. At Middlebere a winter plumage Grey Plover was in front of the hide with 2 Yellow-legged Gull and the Barn Owl passed early evening and a Redstart was along the track. On Upton Heath a Spotted Flycatcher was near the Old Railway. At Slepe Heath a Hobby was hunting over the ridge. 

Hen Harrier Day at Arne

Another Osprey made its way towards the harbour mid afternoon as it approached from Stoborough direction. At Holton Heath 2 Spotted Flycatcher were feeding on the edge of the wood. On Brownsea 3 Spotted Redshank remained with 1 Knot, 8 Ringed Plover and good numbers of Dunlin and Redshank. At Middlebere a Barn Owl has been active again near the hide and a juvenile Cuckoo was along the approach track to Middlebere Farm. 

Another busy day with a good range of species encountered. On the Brownsea Lagoon totals included 297 Oystercatcher, 16 Ringed Plover, 1 Turnstone, 1 Sanderling, 152 Dunlin, 2 Knot, 2 Common Sandpiper, 5 Spotted Redshank, 14 Greenshank, 188 Redshank, 14 Curlew 16 Avocet, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 8 Med Gull and 3-4 Firecrest near the Mac Hide entrance. At Lytchett Heath 10+ Bearded Tit were in the reedbed along with 2 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 20+ Willow Warbler and 5+ Chiffchaff were in the scrub around the fringes of the heath. Out on Lytchett Fields 22 Green Sandpiper were recorded with 4 Common Sandpiper, 14 Dunlin, 1 Whimbrel and 8 Greenshank. A night sound recording session from our listening station in Old Town Poole produced 5 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover and 1 Water Rail.

Bearded Tit – Lytchett Heath

Knot – Brownsea Lagoon via webcam

Again Brownsea held some nice birds as the Black Tern remained moving from one resting spot to another for most of the day. 2 Knot, 2 Spotted Redshank and the Ruff were all viewable from the lower hide on the lagoon too. At Lytchett Fields a Yellow Wagtail passed over and an early male Merlin dashed through with other falcons including a Hobby and a Peregrine passing over too also 17 Green Sandpiper, 53 Lapwing, 8 Greenshank, 17 Dunlin, 668 Black-tailed Godwit and the usual Redshank, Black-headed Gulls. At Arne a Marsh Tit has been visiting the feeders for the last few days, which is nowadays quite a rare occurrence! 

The Brownsea Lagoon catered for nice range of species today which were all at some point over the course of the day viewable on our Lagoon Webcam. The Black Tern was settled on ‘The Boomerang’ sand bar in the center of the lagoon for part of the afternoon. Down in front of the lower hide 2 Knot, 1 Ruff and 1 Curlew Sandpiper were feeding and roosting with 20+ Redshank, 30+ Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank and 2 Spotted Redshank. In Holes Bay there were 3 Garden Warbler again in scrub and at the Twin Sails Bridge the Wheatear was present again. At Lytchett Fields 500+ Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Common Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper, 12 Dunlin, 7 Greenshank, 1 Marsh Harrier, 8 Sedge Warbler and 10+ Willow Warbler were noted. At Hamworthy Park 8 Turnstone were on the Pier and 14 Swift passed overhead. 

Curlew Sandpiper – Screen grab from Brownsea Lagoon webcam

Black Tern – Screen grab from Brownsea Lagoon webcam

These constant SW winds aren’t doing us any favors in terms of bringing migrating birds in off the continent with no species like Wood Sandpiper recorded in the harbour yet so far. However our first Osprey of the autumn passed over Sandford mid afternoon heading towards the harbour so keep an eye out around the Wareham Channel area. The Black Tern was again on the Brownsea Lagoon moving about with Common Tern group and 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Avocet, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Turnstone, 3 Greenshank and 2 Knot were also on the lagoon. A co-ordinated count at Lytchett Fields for Green Sandpiper hit 20 which is a new site record and a Knot was also on site with 4 Common Sandpiper, 9 Greenshank, 10 Dunlin and 536 Black-tailed Godwit. In scrub at Holes Bay north a Garden Warbler and 4 Willow Warbler were feeding with 5+ Blackcap.

Green Sandpiper – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

There was a nice little run of autumn migrants this morning with 3 Garden Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 3 Willow Warbler and a Common Sandpiper in Holes Bay north. At the Twin Sails bridge the first Wheatear of the autumn was playing on the road. Night recording last night from our Old Town Poole Listening station revealed 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover and a Redshank. From Hamworthy Park 7 Turnstone were back on the Old Pier at the western end, 20+ Swift passed overhead and plenty of Common and Sandwich Tern feeding out in central harbour. At Lytchett Fields there were still high numbers of Black-tailed Godwit with around 500 on Sherford Pools along with 9 Greenshank, 9 Snipe, 8 Green Sandpiper, 11 Dunlin and 1 Common Sandpiper.

Wheatear – Twin Sails Bridge, Poole

Garden Warbler covered in Blackberry juice! – Poole Harbour north

Autumn juvenile Willow Warbler (Top) and Chiffchaff (Bottom)