Well, thats September done, and what a great way to end with a couple of season ‘firsts’ and the return of an old friend. This morning didn’t see hoards of displaced sea birds like we’d thought may happen….not even a Grey Phalarope (bit early still), but there were 7 early Red-breasted Merganser logged flying in to the harbour through the harbour mouth this AM. Then, a really strange (but great) record of a Short-eared Owl hunting along the sea wall of the Brownsea Lagoon, watched by the Brownsea Wardens where there were still c60 Spoonbill. Then, out of nowhere, this afternoon the Forster’s Tern thats been dropping in and out of Poole Harbour since April 2023 re-appeared in Holes Bay NW where it was mostly sat on the mud, but was also feeding occasionally. This is now this individuals 4th visit to Poole Harbour in the last 2-years, having first appeared in Lytchett Bay in April 2023 before dissapearing for the summer. It then reappeared and settled back in the harbour during July, Aug and Sept, Oct and early Nov 2023, mostly at RSPB Arne before heading off for the winter where it was found to be over-wintering on the NW coast of France. Then, this spring it was seen again in Poole Harbour for a few weeks where it mostly favoured Middlebere again before moving off somewhere new. Then, later in the summer photos emerged online of a Forster’s Tern in NE Ireland at a site called Soldiers Point in Louth. Expert photo analysis by bird ID guru Killian Mullarney highlighted (due to feather wear and pattern) that the Ireland bird was in fact the same individual as ours. Quite amazing! It didn’t seem to stay there too long before venturing off for the rest of the summer, not to be seen again. Until today, where it was quite happily resting in Holes Bay. Last winter it stayed well into November, so it could be around for a while yet! In fact, there was another returning bird today, in the shape of adult Scottish adult Osprey ‘511’. This particular individual actually staged here in the harbour at roughly the same time last year, so he obviously likes it here. Another Osprey was also reported over the Brownsea Lagoon today. Elsewhere today, 3 Spotted Redshank were in Lytchett Bay along with a juv Common Tern, 2 Marsh Harrier and 4 Goosander flew over Lytchett Fields. Holes Bay NW was teeming with birds, mainly Black-tailed Godwit, Teal and Redshank, but it was good to see 6 Pintail also.

Forster’s Tern – Holes Bay NW

                                           

Forster’s Tern – Holes Bay NW

A really interesting day today, despite the strong wind. In fact it was interesting because of the strong wind. Our Autumn Safari logged some pretty typical late September species including an Osprey which caught a fish in the Wareham Channel, 2 Great White Egret also in the Wareham Channel, a lone Little Tern off Giggers Island and a definite increase in Marsh Harrier with 4-5 around Swineham. The floodplain at Swineham was teaming with duck, mostly Teal, Shoveler and Gadwall and good numbers of feral Canada, Greylag and Egyptian Geese. The Brownsea Lagoon held c60 Spoonbill, 38 Avocet, c20 Ringed Plover, 4 Greenshank and 100+ Gadwall, along with smaller numbers of Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank and Oystercatcher. There still seems to be a good number of Sandwich Tern around with c30 logged across the harbour today. It wasn’t just Sandwich Terns though with 4 Black Tern together over Swineham Point this afternoon and another in Brands Bay, plus another (or the same) Little Tern was in Brands Bay with a juv Common Tern. Incredibly a Great Skua was in the Wareham Channel this afternoon harassing gulls and terns, and out in Studland Bay, 2 skua headed west (most likely Arctic Skua) and 2 Black-necked Grebe were also out in Studland Bay. Elsewhere 6 Spotted Redshank were in Middlebere this AM and then (probably) the same 6 were off Swineham Point this afternoon. Also in Middlebere this AM was 1 Goshawk, 1 Great White Egret, 2 Marsh Harrier, 4 Knot, 22 Avocet and 18 Pintail. 

A busy September WeBS count in the Wareham Channel

It was a beautiful late September day, and it was no surprise that after a few days of bad weather there was a big push of some species, especially Common Chiffchaff recorded in good numbers rights across the harbour with 132 ringed at Lytchett Heath and 106 ringed at Carey Secret Garden. It was also a big Meadow Pipit day with multiple flocks passing over the whole harbour area, dropping down on to multiple suitable feeding areas, including various heathlands, floodplains and farm fields. There were 143 ringed at Carey Secret Garden today. Elsewhere the adult male Marsh Harrier was in Middlebere again with an Osprey present too, along with 1 Great White Egret, 4 Spotted Redshank and both White-tailed Eagles were over Shipstal. There were a few Wheatear dotted around including 2 at Baiter, 3 at Greenlands Farm and 2 at Ballard. Other odds and sods included a Spotted Flycatcher at Bestwall and 1 Whinchat, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 15 Blackcap, 25+ Chiffchaff and 2 Whitethroat at Godlingston.

Wheatear – Baiter Beach

The forecast rain didn’t hit until much later in the day, allowing for some ‘Ok’ birding this morning. Our first School bird boat of the year produced a juvenile Osprey in the Wareham Channel and 36 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon, as well as 36 Avocet. The Wood Sandpiper, Ruff and 4 Green Sandpiper were on the Lower Piddle Floods again and the Curlew Sandpiper and Spotted redshank were still on Lytchett Fields. There was definitely a fall of Chiffchaff this AM, with c50 in the PCW Drain along with 4 Blackcap and 1 Common Whitethroat, plus another 20 Chiffchaff in trees next to Baiter where there were also 5 Wheatear and 28 Ringed Plover on the Fishermans Dock sea wall. Local sound recorder David Foster had his gear out in Oakdale last night and managed to record a night migrating Wood Sandpiper which is a decent bird to log over urban Poole.

Managed to get a few hours #nocmig in last night (Oakdale, Poole) before the power bank ran out! However, nice Wood Sandpiper (happy to be corrected) call just after 10;15pm last night (24th).@harbourbirds @msabirder @SoundBirder @MartinWood14 @Lytchettbirder @SoundApproachUK pic.twitter.com/8GE4Ey8xEI

— David Foster (@dfozzie68) September 25, 2024

Wheatear – Baiter Park

It was another day of visible passage today, most notably Meadow Pipit, which were migrating on a broad front across the harbour pretty much all day, also with lesser numbers of Swallow. There was an amazing number of Great White Egret in the harbour today too with 7 feeding together in Middlebere, 2 in the Wareham Channel and 1 at Brands Bay. It will be interesting to see if these new ones stay, as Great White Egret tend to depart pretty quickly after their arrival, with only ones and twos opting to over-winter. Up on Hartland there were just 6 Cattle Egret today, and another was at Swineham. On the Brownsea Lagoon 74 Spoonbill were actively feeding this afternoon and this morning there were good numbers of Dunlin (c200) and Ringed Plover (c60) with 4 Greenshank, 1 Grey Plover, 6 Knot, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit and 11 Avocet. In the Wareham Channel 2 Marsh Harrier were quartering over Keysworth and strangely there was a mini passage/movement of Kestrel with 1 in high over Poole Quay and a ‘flock’ of 4 moving over Giggers out towards Keysworth. The Lower Piddle Floods was still holding good birds including, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 7 Green Sandpiper, 1 Hobby and 6 Yellow Wagtail. The Curlew Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank were still at Lytchett Fields with a Ruff new in and both White-tailed Eagles were soaring over RSPB Arne, out towards the Wareham Channel. Having been such a heavy feature of the last 2 months, but not so much lately, it was good to have 2 Osprey logged over Brands Bay where there were newly arrived Pintail dropping in and a decent record of 4 Golden Plover, plus, the first 2 dark-bellied Brent Geese of the autumn/winter, although they seemed to circle Brands Bay and then leave again! It’s no surprise, with Holes Bay having been such an important over-wintering site over the last few years that numbers of birds are already beginning to build up with 672 Black-tailed Godwit, 377 Wigeon and 10 Pintail this morning plus plenty of Common Redshank and Teal

Six of the seven Great White Egret in Middlebere this AM – Kate Plater

What a great wet birding day it was today. Rule number 1, never be put off by the weather. There was loads going on across the harbour recording area despite the early morning down pours. Starting off with a Pectoral Sandpiper which was found on the Stilt Pools at Swineham. This is now the 24th species of wader found in the Swineham area this year which just goes to show how important fresh water wetland sites are in and around the harbour. Also at Swineham, but on the north side on the Lower Piddle Floods, there was 1 Ruff, 1 Wood Sandpiper and 4 Green Sandpiper. The most bizarre Swineham find today was a full adult drake Common Scoter on the main pit. Elsewhere a Great White Egret was on Round Island, opposite Shipstal Beach and on Hartland, behind Scotland Farm the Cattle Egret flock were still feeding in amongst the cows. The Brownsea Lagoon was bustling today with c70 Spoonbill, c200 Dunlin, c50 Ringed Plover, 5 Knot, 24 Sanderling, 17 Bar-tailed Godwit, c250 Avocet, 7 Greenshank and loads of newly arrived Teal and smaller numbers of Wigeon. At Lytchett Fields the single Curlew Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank were still there, with another 8 Spotted Redshank at Middlebere along with 11 Greenshank. Pintail numbers are building slowly with 17 in Middlebere, 7 over Swineham and 12 in the Wareham Channel. On the Brownsea north shore 3 Common Sandpiper were still feeding. Marsh Harrier numbers still seem a bit on the low side, but 2 were present along the Keysworth shoreline today and juv male Peregrine was hunting gulls and waders in the mouth of the Frome. The White-tailed Eagle pair were even observed mating today over by Studland, which must have been an incredible sight. This doesn’t mean imminent breeding is upon us, or that this is a chosen nesting site as pairs will often ‘practice’ for long periods (years) before actually settling down to breed, but it’s a good sign and could indicate our resident pair may take things a bit more serious next spring?!?

Pectoral Sandpiper – Swineham, Stilt Pools – Sam Levy

Female White-tailed Eagle G466 flying past Autumn Safari Cruise this AM – Alison Copland

Female White-tailed Eagle G466 flying past Autumn Safari Cruise this AM – Alison Copland

There was a good candidate for a 2nd winter Caspian Gull on the Stilt Pools as Swineham this AM, found by Phil Bentley. Despite their growing presence in southern Britain in recent years, they’re an incredibly hard bird to find in Poole Harbour, even more so one that sticks around for longer than 10 minutes! Sadly this bird didn’t stick around either, but there’s every chance it may reappear over the coming days? There’s also currently a big arrival of Yellow-browed Warbler into the UK cu due to the strong easterly airflow thats been bed in for the last week. Although none have been seen in the harbour recording area yet, a couple have already reached Dorset (Abbotsbury and The Fleet) which is pretty unprecedented to have Dorset records so early in September. Traditionally ‘YBW’ were always a late autumn arrival with most records coming in October. These early Dorset records show there’s good numbers in the UK already with the east coast currently covered in them! The last big arrival was in 2016 and Poole Harbour had it’s fair share with 15-20 individuals logged. One of the easiest ways to locate them is by their call. Below is an example from Knoll Beach, Studland on the 31/10/14. Be careful though as Coal Tit have a very similar call which can be confused with Yellow-browed Warbler. Elsewhere today, Ospreys were recorded in Brands Bay, Middlebere and the Wareham Channel. The Brownsea Lagoon held 73 Spoonbill, 115 Avocet, 23 Greenshank, c100 Dunlin, 8 Bar-tailed Godwit and c50 Ringed Plover. At Lytchett Fields the Curlew Sandpiper remained along with the Spotted Redshank. A Great White Egret was in Middlebere with 2 Marsh Harrier.

Potential Caspian Gull – Swineham Stilt Pools – Phil Bentley

Current UK Yellow-browed Warbler distribution – Birdguides