Thick fog first thing didn’t look like it was going to clear anytime soon, but bang on 10am, just as our weekly school bird boat was going out it melted away and gave way to another beautiful autumn day. The school bird boat produced c50 Red-breasted Merganser, 60+ Great Crested Grebe and 2 Black-necked Grebe in central harbour, 50 Spoonbill on Shipstal and 60+ Brent Geese in Middlebere. A Cattle Egret flew NE across the Wareham Channel near dusk and there were 166 Brent Geese in the Wareham Channel too. The/a Great Grey Shrike was reported at Middlebere mid-morning and a Hen Harrier was seen at Arne. The most interesting occurrence today was during a ringing session at Lytchett Heath, which started slow but ended with some real early November fireworks. We talk about ‘vis-mig’ a lot, where finches, buntings, pipits and wagtails all move overhead in good numbers during October and Nov, but rarely do we get to find out where some of these birds come from. A regular ‘vis-mig’ species is Reed Bunting and today during the ringing session at Lytchett Heath a Reed Bunting was caught wearing a Norwegian ring. This was an incredible recovery on its own however not only 20 minutes before a Scandanavian (littoralis) Rock Pipit was also caught, also bearing a Norwegian ring, add in the 4 Firecrest, 1 Water Pipit, 8 Bearded Tit, 2 Blackcap and 25 newly ringed Reed Bunting, you could say it was a successful ringing trip. What was also great was that due to the wonders of Social Media, the original ringers of the Rock Pipit provided super quick info about its origins. There were also 3 Ruff at Lytchett Fields.

Scandanavian (littoralis) Rock Pipit – 1464km, 1mnth + 22 days after ringing – Shaun Robson

Water Pipit – Lytchett Heath – Shaun Robson