The day started off with promise as a blanket of cloud and very light rain welcomed us at dawn, almost perfect conditions to down some migrants. however, that wasn’t to be the case with very little found out and about at first light. Up on Ballard the only returns were 5 Chiffchaff and a Swallow through, plus a light passage of Linnet and Meadow Pipit. A Yellowhammer was found on territory which is a blimming good record these days, with hardly any singing around the harbour fringes. A pair of Marsh Tit were found nest building in woods along the Studland Road, which may constitute the only Poole Harbour pair as far as we’re aware, with no other confirmed breeding sites for several years. The Forster’s Tern was on the Brownsea Lagoon again and a couple of Osprey (separate to the local pair) were moving about between Middlebere and the river valleys. On Wareham Common, c35 Cattle Egret were feeding in a couple, several now coming in to nice orange breeding plumage. The Little Gull was on Swineham GP, 3 Little Ringed Plover were on the Lower Piddle Floods and there was 1 Ruff. the Pink-footed Goose was seen again this afternoon and was off Swineham Point this evening and on Brownsea 2 Common Tern were new in. So although the day started pretty slowly…..it was actually a pretty good day!

Yellowhammer – Ballard Down