Another great day for birds of prey in the Harbour following the Goshawk sighting two days ago. A total of 3 migrant Osprey were observed enjoying varied success fishing. Towards Arne Moors 3 Marsh Harrier were logged while 3 Hobby (including 2 juveniles) were seen on the wing over Slepe Heath. A Peregrine Falcon was also located perching on the ASDA supermarket overlooking Holes Bay. Holes Bay is beginning to bustle with activity day on day featuring a minimum of 500 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Great White Egret, 4 Knot, 17 Little Egret, and c78 Wigeon along lower numbers of Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Dunlin, Curlew, Pintail, Shoveler, Teal, Cormorant, Common Gull, Kingfisher and a flock of 16 Goldcrest.

Although fewer hirundines were observed today compared to the previous few days, the recent passage continued throughout the day with good numbers of Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin recorded over the River Piddle near Swineham.

Lytchett Fields logged several species of passage passerine including Wheatear, Whinchat, Whitethroat and several Spotted Flycatcher. The first Wigeon have returned to Lytchett Bay with a flock of 10 arriving today, accompanying the 2 Ruff still present. Avocet and Black-tailed Godwit are also beginning to return to the Harbour in numbers for the winter with at least 50 and 110 individuals observed respectively at Arne today.

With mild 5mph winds it’s felt warmer than the high of 19°C in the Harbour today. There has been a continued passage of Meadow Pipit and Hirundines (Swallows, Sand Martin and House Martin) passing over the harbour in large numbers.

Spectators at Holten Lee were lucky enough to watch 2 Osprey hunting over the pools and 2 Marsh Harrier were also quartering over the area.  Osprey were also logged at Middlebere and Lytchett Fields. Singles of Little Stint, Little Ringed Plover, Spotted Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper and some Greenshank 3 Whinchat and a pair of Ruff were also seen at Lytchett Fields.  

Brownsea Lagoon is seeing increased numbers of Autumn waders with 29 Spoonbill, c45 Avocet, 32 Greenshank recorded in addition to 4 Little Egret, a Green Woodpecker and several Shoveler.

A Cattle Egret is still present over at Swineham in addition to a Sedge Warbler, Reed Warblers, Chiffchaff and Swallows. A Merlin was also recorded flying over Lytchett Matravers.

With mild 5mph winds it’s felt warmer than the high of 19°C in the Harbour today. There has been a continued passage of Meadow Pipit and Hirundines (Swallows, Sand Martin and House Martin) passing over the harbour in large numbers.

Spectators at Holten Lee were lucky enough to watch 2 Osprey hunting over the pools and 2 Marsh Harrierwere also quartering over the area.  Osprey were also logged at Middlebere and Lytchett Fields. Singles of LittleStint, Little Ringed Plover, Spotted Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper and some Greenshank 3 Whinchat and a pair of Ruff were also seen at Lytchett Fields.

Brownsea Lagoon is seeing increased numbers of Autumn waders with 29 Spoonbill, c45 Avocet, 32 Greenshank recorded in addition to 4 Little Egret, a Green Woodpecker and several Shoveler.

A Cattle Egret is still present over at Swineham in addition to a Sedge Warbler, Reed Warblers, Chiffchaffand Swallows. A Merlin was also recorded flying over Lytchett Matravers.

What a day to be out and about with a high of 22°C and a warm NNE 12mph wind, perfect conditions for a Poole Harbour bird survey to be conducted.

Some of our team spent the day out on a survey boat around the harbour including a trip up the Wareham River and then over to Brownsea which saw an excellent range of species and autumn migration in full swing. The highlight in terms of a visual spectacle was the constant passage of Meadow Pipit, Swallow, House Martinand Sand Martin that pulsed north for the majority of the day. Over the hours we were on the boat several thousand must have passed through the harbour, which was an incredible sight to see. There seemed to be plenty of other birds on the move too with numerous Wheatear in open pasture fields and Chiffchaff abundant in hedgerows. There were plenty other highlights from across the harbour too with a large female Goshawkseen over Slepe Heath, a Great White Egret at Lytchett Bay and a Cattle Egret on the Swineham floodplain. An Osprey passed very close to the Survey boat at the mouth of the Frome and one caught a fish in Lytchett Bay and headed over Holton Lee. A mixture of 18 Pale Bellied and Dark-Bellied Brent Geese were also recorded in Ower Bay, on the South side of the Harbour which is a great early autumn count.

The Spoonbill were seen early over at Shipstal Point, Arne with 22 recorded and 30 were later seen back at Brownsea Lagoon. Also seen at the Lagoon were; c400 Oystercatcher, 12 Black–tailed Godwit, 12 Avocet, 5 Little Egret, 30 Spoonbill, 4 Greylag Geese, c20 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Whinchat and 1 Peregrine.  Over Arne Moors 2 Marsh Harrier were logged with another in the mouth of Middlebere.

A fair amount of activity at Lytchett Fields with 3 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little stint, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 8 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Wheatear, 1 Little Ringed Plover and 2 Marsh Harrier logged.

Holton Pools saw Whinchat, Wheatear, Stonechat, Marsh Harrier and Kingfisher whilst Yellow Wagtail were seen heading over Poole Quay and Swineham GP.

Along numerous sandy shorelines around Arne and Furzey Island migrant Bar-tailed Godwit hunkred up with the roosting Oystercatchers and Great Crested Grebe numbers are increasing with a raft on 35 in Brands Bay.

With ESE winds forecast over the weekend the harbour will surely offer another mouth watering array of birds, so don’t start that long over due painting or decorating just yet and make sure you get out there and explore. Its perfect conditions for a Wryneck or Red-backed Shrike to drop in so don’t leave any bush un-checked because you never know what you could find.

Cattle Egret – Swineham – Paul Morton

PC World Drain was swimming with migrants passing through with 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Common Whitethroat, 7 Blackcap, c10 Chiffchaff and 2 Goldcrest. However, Lytchett Fields was the day’s talking point which featured a Black-winged Stilt observed briefly on Sherford Pool before heading towards Holton Pools. The last sighting in the Harbour dates back to May 2016 at the same location! The site also exhibited a respectable mixture of migrant waders including singles of Little Stint, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, a pair of Ruff and 14 Greenshank. A Marsh Harrier wasalsoseen quartering around Middlebere this morning.

The Osprey migration season is now winding down with the final individuals still drifting though. A single Osprey was spotted today over Holes Bay. However, never fear as the summer migrants are leaving us the winter migrants are just warming up. Numbers of wildfowl in Holes Bay are really beginning to build.

PC World Drain was swimming with migrants passing through with 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Common Whitethroat, 7 Blackcap, c10 Chiffchaff and 2 Goldcrest. However, Lytchett Fields was the day’s talking point which featured a Black-winged Stilt observed briefly on Sherford Pool before heading towards Holton Pools. The last sighting in the Harbour dates back to May 2016 at the same location! The site also exhibited a respectable mixture of migrant waders including singles of Little Stint, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, a pair of Ruff and 14 Greenshank. A Marsh Harrier wasalsoseen quartering around Middlebere this morning.

The Osprey migration season is now winding down with the final individuals still drifting though. A single Ospreywas spotted today over Holes Bay. However, never fear as the summer migrants are leaving us the winter migrants are just warming up. Numbers of wildfowl in Holes Bay are really beginning to build.

A wonderful array of waders and new wildfowl arrivals were observed at Holes Bay today. The star of the show was undoubtedly the Little Stint, a rare bird for the Bay! A grand total of 637 Black-tailed Godwit, 155 Redshank and 54 Curlew were all observed along with smaller numbers of Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Knot and Oystercatcher. Wildfowl numbers are increasing across the Harbour, and the same proved true for Holes Bay featuring 4 Pintail, 3 Shoveler, 49 Wigeon, 164 Teal, 1 Gadwall and 20 Mallard. And if that wasn’t enough species for you, a migrant Osprey was seen fishing in front of Stone Bench successfully catching a fish after four failed attempts.

Lytchett Fields also harboured its own fine selection of notable sightings including 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Ruff, and singles of Whinchat and juvenile Peregrine. The wintering Spoonbill flock is slowly building with 25 individuals was recorded from Shipstal Hide, Arne this morning and the colour-ringed White Stork was still present at Sunnyside along with 2 Wheatear.

A wonderful array of waders and new wildfowl arrivals were observed at Holes Bay today. The star of the show was undoubtedly the Little Stint, a rare bird for the Bay! A grand total of 637 Black-tailed Godwit, 155 Redshank and 54 Curlew were all observed along with smaller numbers of Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Knot and Oystercatcher. Wildfowl numbers are increasing across the Harbour, and the same proved true for Holes Bay featuring 4 Pintail, 3 Shoveler, 49 Wigeon, 164 Teal, 1 Gadwall and 20 Mallard. And if that wasn’t enough species for you, a migrant Osprey was seen fishing in front of Stone Bench successfully catching a fish after four failed attempts.

Lytchett Fields also harboured its own fine selection of notable sightings including 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Ruff, and singles of Whinchat and juvenilePeregrine. The wintering Spoonbill flock is slowly building with 25 individuals was recorded from Shipstal Hide, Arne this morning and the colour-ringed White Stork was still present at Sunnyside along with 2 Wheatear.

Although yesterday’s Little Stint did not hang around, Lytchett Bay once again featured impressive species diversity with singles of Spoonbill, Wheatear, Great White Egret, Curlew Sandpiper, Knot, Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper all observed. Other migrants present include pairs of Ruff, Ringed Plover, Spotted Redshank, Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit as well as 8 Greenshank, 2 Common Tern, 1 Sandwich Tern, Spotted Flycatcher and Whitethroat.

The Sunnyside colour-ringed White Stork was still present today. While over on Brownsea Lagoon notable sightings included 1 Spotted Redshank, 23 Avocet, 27 Spoonbill, 1 Curlew Sandpiper and 17 Curlew. Hartland Moor also received its fair share of passage passerines logging Spotted Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Whitethroat and Wheatear.

Although yesterday’s Little Stint did not hang around, Lytchett Bay once again featured impressive species diversity with singles of Spoonbill, Wheatear, Great White Egret, Curlew Sandpiper, Knot, Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper all observed. Other migrants present include pairs of Ruff, Ringed Plover, Spotted Redshank, Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit as well as 8 Greenshank, 2 Common Tern, 1 Sandwich Tern, Spotted Flycatcher and Whitethroat.

The Sunnyside colour-ringed White Stork was still present today. While over on Brownsea Lagoon notable sightings included 1 Spotted Redshank, 23 Avocet, 27 Spoonbill, 1 Curlew Sandpiper and 17 Curlew. Hartland Moor also received its fair share of passage passerines logging Spotted Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Whitethroat and Wheatear.