A look ahead to next week reveals a whole series of easterly winds (which actually kicked in today) and as a result a Red-backed Shrike was found on St Aldhelms meaning there could be another lurking in the harbour somewhere. This is also classic time for Barred Warbler and Wryneck, the latter being a regular, but scarce autumn migrant, the prior being an incredibly scarce bird in Poole Harbour with only 1 Poole Harbour record in 1981. The only rareity around today was the long staying Forster’s Tern which was originally on the Brownsea Lagoon this morning but then moved back to Shipstal at RSPB Arne by the afternoon. From our Osprey Cruise’s today there were 6+ Osprey still about with male 022 giving a good close fly by on this morning cruise. The White-tailed Eagle pair were moving around the Wareham Channel, Middlebere and Piddle Valley area and there was a stunning full adult Marsh Harrier at Swineham this AM along with an adult female. At Swinham on the scrapes a decent count of 5 Ruff were on the ‘Stilt Pools’ and a 6th was on Arne Moors where there was also a Wood Sandpiper which later moved to the Swineham Scrapes. The Brownsea Lagoon was still busy on the high tide with a surprising 41 Knot, plus 10 Grey Plover, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 42 Spoonbill, 61 Ringed Plover, c100 Dunlin, 12 Greenshank, 11 Bar-tailed Godwit, 8 Sanderling and c300 Oystercatcher. Other ‘bits and pieces’ from across the harbour today included 8 Yellow Wagtail at Swineham Point, 5 Wheatear, 2 Whinchat and a Redstart at Greenalnds Farm, Studland,
What started off as a promising day, with overcast sky’s and an easterly air flow, soon descended into…
Find out moreDespite the rain, which ended up lasting aaaallllllll day, there was still plenty of great birding top be…
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