A beautiful crisp, cold September morning gave way to a perfect warm (and at times hot) autumnal afternoon. Thankfully the Baird’s Sandpiper that was found on Brownsea yesterday but not relocated during an evening search was eventually re-found this afternoon. Heat haze proved tricky initially but as cloud cover descended, picking out the correct features became easier. Also on the Brownsea Lagoon were 30 Spoonbill, 1 Little Stint and a Garganey. At Lytchett Fields the harbours first Curlew Sandpiper of the autumn appeared, the Wood Sandpiper was still present along with 290 Dunlin, 42 Ringed Plover, 10 Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Osprey, 1 Peregrine, 30+ Yellow Wagtails and 1 Spotted Flycatcher. A ringing demo at Lytchett Heath provided 3 Grasshopper Warbler, 45 Sedge Warbler, 16 Chiffchaff, 8 Willow Warbler and 1 Cetti’s Warbler. Up on Ballard migrants were thin on the ground with just 1 Tree Pipit, 8 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Sedge Warbler and 2 Reed Warbler. At Swineham an Osprey flew up the Frome Valley early morning, there were also 10 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Raven, 1 Kingfisher and a small trickle of Swallow through the area. This morning was also the date for our September field trip, and for this month it was hosted at Slepe Heath. Despite the cold start things picked up and we ended on a good tally of birds including 1 Cuckoo, 3 Tree Pipit, 3 Redstart, 3 Whinchat, 15 Stonechat, 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 10 Dartford Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 31 Mistle Thrush in a post breeding flock, 1 Osprey, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Spoonbill.

Lytchett Fields Reminder – Large Wessex Water tankers need constant access through the locked gate at the end of Slough Lane, Upton. Can visitors to the site refrain from blocking the gate. Many thanks for your co-operation. 

Wood Sandpiper – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam