There seem to be good numbers of Avocet and Black-tailed Godwit building in Middlebere with 350 Avocet and up to 750 Black-tailed Godwit present this afternoon. At Hatch Pond a small selection of winter duck had returned with several Gadwall and Tufted Duck on the water. In the PC World Drain several Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Kingfisher were counted. At Sunnyside 3 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 4 Lapwing were around the pools. On Browsnea 11 Spoonbill were on the Tamarisk Island and 1 Spotted Redshank was out in front of the Lower Hide. Up on Ballard migration was rather slow but 18 Chiffchaff and 51 Blackcap were logged moving through the site.

Gadwall – Hatch Pond – Rene Goad

Today was a blissful autumn day where you could have easily been mistaken for it being an early spring morning with numerous Chiffchaff in full song. This is a regular occurrence mid-late autumn when fine weather hits us and Chiffchaff that are heading south start getting a bit confused. Migration really has been slow this autumn (and the rest of the year) and its times like these we’re glad we have plenty of ‘alternative’ areas of interest when migrants just aren’t present. With very little on the move the focus was more on a selection of species that had been arriving over the last couple of weeks. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were now 410 Avocet, 3 Spotted Redshank, 16 Greenshank and 24 Spoonbill. At South Haven there was a small passage of birds with just 2 Jays, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Skylark. At Holton Pools the Kingfisher was still performing well and there were 2 Greenshank and a passing Marsh Harrier there. On the Sunnyside Pool 5 Lapwing, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 17 Teal were logged.