This morning heralded the first proper Redwing arrival of the autumn with flocks ranging between 20 -200 individuals passing over multiple sites during the course of the morning. Initially, as dawn broke, the flocks were heading south as freshly arrived birds from further north continued their southward journey. However, by around 8:30am, the flocks were all then heading north, preferring to head back in land to find food and feed for the day rather than attempt an open water crossing in broad daylight. Redwing weren’t the only birds moving this AM with a Hawfinch also heading north over Holes Bay NE this morning. Up on Ballard there were plenty of newly arrived Blackbirds in the scrub plus 2 Ring Ouzel plus 15 Chiffchaff. Around the harbour there were 2 Osprey along the southern shores this morning, with one then later being seen in Middlebere. The White-tailed Eagle pair were circling together over the Wareham Channel, being beaten up by 2 Raven and there were 3 Marsh Harrier at Swineham. The Brownsea Lagoon looked great and had c60 Spoonbill, c400 Avocet, 2 Grey Plover, 11 Bar-tailed Godwit, c300 Dunlin, c20 Ringed Plover, 8 Turnstone, c300 Black-tailed Godwit and 5 Greenshank. There were a further 2 Spoonbill on the ‘Curlew’s Cottage’ pools at Swineham. At the PCW Drain 2 Firecrest were in scrub opposite KFC and c30 Chiffchaff were actively feeding. The Middlebere track Ring Ouzel was still there this morning feeding with 3 Mistle Thrush. 

Ring Ouzels – Ballard Down – Nick Hopper

It seems the harbour managed to avoid the worst of the weather today with torrential rain just north of us this morning, whilst the harbour even bathed in brief sunlight and warmth. Our Autumn Safari jammed in on great views of female White-tailed Eagle G466 who was perched up in Brands Bay but decided to go off hunting just as we passed, giving great flight views just off the side of the boat, before she then u-turned and flew back past us again. We then later had nice views of male White-tailed Eagle G463 sat out on the gull islands. The Brownsea Lagoon was busy due to the high tide and saw 61 Spoonbill, c300 Avocet, c40 Dunlin, c150 Black-tailed Godwit, 11 Bar-tailed Godwit, 13 Greenshank and 5 Knot. A Kingfisher was on the sea wall of Poole Quay with other individuals seen on the Brownsea sea wall and Goat Horn Quay. At Swineham 3 different Marsh Harrier were logged and on the Stilt Pools at Swineham c80 Shoveler, c100 Teal and c150 Black-tailed Godwit. There were Great White Egrets in Middlebere and Lytchett Bay with 1 Spotted Redshank at Lytchett Fields. A Black-necked Grebe was out off Jerry’s Point and c20 dark-bellied Brent Geese were in Middlebere. At Wareham Common 10 Cattle Egret were feeding with cows and 29 Swallow were out on the floodplain there feeding.

Black-tailed Godwits and Teal – Swineham Pools 

Despite being a fairly grey, murky day there were more new arrivals, including the 3rd Yellow-browed Warbler to be ringed at the Carey Secret Garden ringing station within the last two weeks. An occurrence that would have been unheard of 20 years ago. Almost equally unheard of is the fact that you can now see all three egret species quite easily at semi-urban sites around the harbour during the course of the year with all three present at urban sites today. A Great White Egret was off the Turlin Moor shoreline, a Cattle Egret was in Upton CP and Little Egret were…well, everywhere. The Middlebere track Ring Ouzel still hasn’t moved off yet, and was feeding in the Rowan tree again, joined by four other thrush species (Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Blackbird and Redwing) meaning at times there were five of the possible six UK thrush species feeding in just one bush, with Fieldfare being the notable absentee. There were c45 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon, a Spotted Redshank was in Lytchett Bay, the White-tailed Eagle pair were in the Wareham Channel all day and there were 5 more Cattle Egret at Holmebridge.

Great White Egret – Lytchett Bay – Alison Copland

Cattle Egret – Upton CP – Nick Woods

Ring Ouzel – Middlebere Track – Peter Moore

Blackbird – Middlebere Track – Peter Moore

Song Thrush – Middlebere Track – Peter Moore

Mistle Thrush – Middlebere Track – Peter Moore

Redwing – Middlebere Track – Peter Moore

With super calm conditions all day and yesterdays obvious arrival of birds, it was no surprise multiple Yellow-browed Warblers were logged today with a minimum of 3 seen including singles at South Haven at Studland, Middlebere and yesterdays Broadstone bird was still at Hillborne Copse. At Middlebere the Ring Ouzel was still feeding in Rowan along the Middlebere track and a Brambling was also there. From our Autumn Safari this AM we had a good mix of summer and winter birds with a juvenile Osprey fishing in the Wareham Channel and a flock of c100 Swallow feeding over Swineham Point, whilst there were 5 Red-breasted Merganser off the Brownsea western shore, 3 Marsh Harrier at Swineham and weirdly both White-tailed Eagles were seen bombing off fast over Poole Town centre, heading towards Tower Park, quite possibly in a territorial response to female White-tailed Eagle G818 being over towards the Bournemouth area. The Brownsea Lagoon held 44 Spoonbill, c200 Avocet, c40 Ringed Plover, 6 Greenshank and c100 Dunlin. The PCW Drain was still busy with Chiffchaff with c40 feeding along the channel plus 1 Firecrest and 3 Blackcap. At Lytchett Fields there were 3 Spotted Redshank plus 4 Redwing and the first dark-bellied Brent Geese of the year with 4 off of Rock Lea View.

Red-breasted Merganser – Central Harbour – Alison Copland

Osprey – Wareham Channel – Alison Copland

This morning heralded the first ‘semi-decent’ winter thrush arrival of the season with Redwing, Blackbird and Song Thrush all arriving overnight. Only semi-decent because it was several flocks of a few hundred birds passing over a few sites this morning. However through the rest of October and into early November these totals will grow, and on a few ‘perfect’ mornings, the total number of Redwing, Song Thrush and Blackbird could actually reach several thousand arriving (with a few Ring Ouzel thrown in for good measure). Talking of Ring Ouzel, a lone individual was feeding on berries along the Middlebere track this morning and this afternoon, but we’re now in ‘peak Ouzel’ time, so there will definitely be more about…they just need to be found. The Yellow-browed Warbler arrival continues, this time with the first urban individual of the season with one in Hillborne Copse, Broadstone this morning. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were only 16 Spoonbill today, and a tiny number of Avocet, but there were 203 in Middlebere so they’re not totally absent. This is a very low total of Avocet for the time of year considering as we had c600 this time last year. We’ll just have to wait and see if and when any more turn up, but hopefully they’ve just been delayed. The White-tailed Eagle pair were in the Wareham Channel up until midday at least, an Osprey was high over the Arne road with a fish, a Red Kite drifted over there too and a Merlin was on Greenlands Farm, Studland.

Ring Ouzel – Middlebere – Mark Wright

Blimey, the temperature certainly ‘dipped’ today. It felt like we were all needing to moult into our own winter plumage this morning. The harbour though was flat calm and pristine and picture perfect in every way. Another Yellow-browed Warbler was logged today, this time at RSPB Arne near the Shipstal Hide. This is the harbours 3rd already this October and we’re not even half way through yet. In the Wareham Channel the White-tailed Eagle pair were loafing around all day and up to 3 Marsh Harrier were milling around Swineham Point where there were also 10+ Bearded Tit in the reed beds. The sinensis Cormorant flock is now up to around c400 individuals, but the flock seems to be split up currently with one group favouring the Wareham Channel and the other the southern shores. There also seems to be a lot of Jays around currently, and although it doesn’t quite seem like an irruption year, it will be worth keeping an eye out high on clear, cold mornings, especially with winds from the north. In autumn 2010 there was a great influx of Jays with flocks of 15+ (even up to 30) arriving in high from the north in the latter part of October. On Brownsea 47 Spoonbill were roosting this morning. There was a good vis-mig passage of birds across the mouths of both the River Piddle and Frome as multiple small flocks of between 20-40 Linnet, Siskin and Meadow Pipit, as well as smaller numbers of Skylark, Rock Pipit headed north. A Kingfisher was on the steps of one of the Poole Quay marina ladders and there are still up to 30 Sandwich Tern spread across the harbour, some even still feeding young which are in tow. A Redwing passed over an Upton garden this AM.

Avocet – Middlebere – Kate Plater

Thats more like it! A near perfect October day with plenty going on compared to yesterday. The autumns first Brambling was at Shell Bay, Studland in the wet scrub near the board walk and 3 Ring Ouzel were up on Godlingston Heath. In Middlebere 2 Osprey were in dead trees at the back of the saltmarsh and there were Great White Egrets in Middlebere, the Wareham Channel and on the Brownsea Lagoon. The White-tailed Eagle pair were in the Wareham Channel this morning, with male G463 taking a disliking to a passing Grey Heron as he darted off to pursue it in a half-hearted attempt to catch it. The Grey Heron was too manoeuvrable and soon made a hasty escape! Bearded Tits were active off Swineham Point, with a small group of 7 lifting out of the reed bed, before then heading off high west. A Bittern was seen dropping into the end of Swineham GP this afternoon and was seen again this evening leaving the GP and heading over into the Piddle Valley. There were 2 different Ruff, one on the Lower Piddle floods and another on floods behind Curlews Cottage, Swineham. A flock of 7 Spotted Redshank were in the mouth of the Frome, before lifting off high north and there were 2 at Lytchett Fields and 2 on the Stilt Pools at Swineham. The Spoonbill flock was split between Shipstal, RSPB Arne and the Brownsea Lagoon. The PCW Drain at Holes Bay was jumping with birds, mostly Chiffchaff (c50) and Blackcap (c20). A few more dark-bellied Brent Geese have started to arrive with small groups of 10-20 now milling around the harbour entrance and in Studland and Brands Bay. This evening 2 Merlin were on Hartland Moor

Great White Egret (left) and Little Egrets – Brownsea Lagoon – Nicki Tutton

There was some pretty wild weather today, including some massive hail this afternoon, bringing winter a few steps closer. The first ‘in harbour’ Black-necked Grebe was in Brands Bay this evening along with 7 dark-bellied Brent Geese and 46 Great Crested Grebe. 48 Spoonbill and a Peregrine were on the Brownsea Lagoon, a Spotted Redshank was on Lytchett Fields and 4 Marsh Harrier were at Swineham. The weather improves tomorrow, so hopefully better birding conditions!

Kingfisher – Middlebere