After Friday nights incredible thrush passage we placed our recording gear out again on Saturday night and were again treated to an almighty passage of mainly Redwing, Song Thrush and Blackbird. There were so many calls throughout the night that the mear thought of counting them all sent shudders down our spine, but based on totals from Friday night our best estimates from Saturday night came to around 3400+ Redwing calls, 1300+ Song Thrush calls, 1000+ Blackbird calls, 60+ Fieldfare calls plus 15 Skylark calls and 1 Common Snipe. Both Friday and Saturday night saw low, thick dark cloud cover which would explain why the passage was so intense as birds were forced to call more and were flying at a lower altitude. With Sunday night being a brighter, clear, starlit night it will be interesting to if the passage is as intense and prolonged. Other highlights from around the harbour included a superb adult male Hen Harrier which quartered over Hartland Moor mid morning, followed by a ringtail Hen Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine and Kestrel. On Brownsea 32 Spoonbill were still roosting on the high tide, heading off to Fitzworth to feed on the low tide. At Lytchett Fields the Lesser Yellowlegs is still present along with a Jack Snipe that was flushed near one of the viewpoints, a Marsh Harrier over and a Grey Plover on the fields. 

To give you an idea of what the thrush passage was like over Friday and Saturday night we have provided just a five minuet section for you to listen to from midnight on the night of October 29th. Best listened to with headphones.

 Strong Redwing, Blackbird & Song Thrush passage – 00:00 29/10/16 Old Town Poole Listening Station