A day full of beautiful weather and birds. Lots to talk about, firstly a Whooper Swan was seen entering the harbour entrance at dawn, and was then seen a short while later in Middlebere. This is a great early October record, with most passage Whooper Swan records occurring during the latter part of October. Arriving with the swan were the winters first 4 Red-breasted Mergansers which were off the Brownsea southern shore (South Deep) along with 8 Great Crested Grebe and 7 dark-bellied Brent Geese were on ‘Stoney Island’ on the low tide near the harbour entrance. On the falling tide this afternoon 66 Spoonbill remained faithful to Brownsea as did c100 Avocet. In the Frome Valley 12 Cattle Egret were between Holmebridge and East Stoke. Female White-tailed Eagle G801 was active in the Wareham Channel this AM, and was joined by 3-year old G318 who then lured her away to north Dorset later afternoon! This morning for our Bearded Tit ringing demo 15 Bearded Tit were ringed in total along with 5 Cetti’s Warbler. In Middlebere there were still 8 Spotted Redshank and c300 Avocet. At Lytchett Fields there were 7 Curlew Sandpiper on the rising tide with 1 Little Stint. A nice variety of different plumaged Marsh Harriers were on show around the Wareham Channel, Middlebere, Lytchett Bay and Arne area.

Whooper Swan – Middlebere – Mark Wright (Twitter – @markwright12002)

After yesterday’s record high of 84 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon, we participated in a co-ordinated count at 10am across the harbour to confirm numbers. Interestingly, however, only the lagoon produced any Spoonbill, with just 52 counted. It’s likely that the remaining numbers may have been feeding at the top of the Wareham Channel, taking advantage of the brief low-tide at that time. With WeBS on Sunday, we will have a second attempt at establishing numbers, with all areas covered.

Despite the lack of Spoonbill, the Middlebere Channel was teeming with activity. Numbers of 371 Avocet were active in the channel, along with c. 65 Teal, c.300 Black-tailed Godwit, c.60 Redshank, 8 Spotted Redshank, 1 Knot and plenty of Shelduck, Little Egret, Wigeon and low numbers of Pintail. It’s always a rush of excitement when a bird of prey comes through, flushing the waders and wildfowl into a flight response which is referred to as a “dread”. This morning, the ringtail Hen Harrier was seen again, along with a large female Peregrine and Marsh Harrier.

At Lytchett Fields during the early afternoon, there were highlights of Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper and Cattle Egret reported, as well as 2 Knot, 3 Curlew Sandpiper and 1 Sandwich Tern in Lytchett Bay. A short scan over Studland Bay in hope of picking up the first Black-necked Grebe of the winter were not so fruitful, although the sighting of 2 Dark-bellied Brent Geese over the bay marked the changing of the season, along with 2 colour-ringed Mediterranean Gull, which we are now looking into to establish their origins. On Hartland 6 Crossbill flew over and several parties of Siskin, Linnet and Chaffinch were also passing on low numbers, suggesting there was some vis-mig movement going on. Finally, we still have Osprey activity in the harbour, with one seen hunting in Brands Bay this afternoon.

Spotted Redshank – Middlebere Channel – Paul Morton

It’s been 4 years in the making, but we finally have a new Spoonbill record for the harbour, with a total of 84 individuals counted on the Brownsea Lagoon this morning. The previous highest record was in 2018, when 80 birds were counted. There seems to have been a decent breeding season this year, not only in the UK but also on the continent, likely contributing to this record. 1 individual Spoonbill was also sighted in Lytchett Bay this morning, potentially taking the total to 85. Noting specific details of timings is so important when co-ordinating counts across the harbour to get an accurate count. It will be interesting to see how many individuals are logged this weekend during the next WeBS count of the season, with a harbour-wide co-ordinated count of all wetland species.

From Coombe Heath this morning, 3 Spoonbill were also counted amongst growing numbers of Avocet and Black-tailed Godwit. There was also plenty of raptor activity, including the highlight of a ringtail Hen Harrier, along with Marsh Harrier, Peregrine and Kestrel seen. Elsewhere, sightings of note included 1 Little Stint still present at Lytchett Fields.

We also have our first Low Tide Cruise of the season coming up this Saturday, and there are still spaces available. With numbers of wildfowl and waders rising each day, as well as record numbers of Spoonbill, it should be great. You can find tickets here.

Spoonbill – Middlebere Channel from Coombe Heath – Kate Plater

Bit grim today, but a perfect crisp autumn evening by the end with a couple Redwing ‘zeeping’ over Slepe Heath at dusk. A Marsh Tit was on feeders near the Piddle Valley, and White-tailed Eagle G801 was seen sheltering out on the salt marsh of the Wareham Channel. On the Brownsea Lagoon 66 Spoonbill arrived in at dawn having been feeding out on the early (and dark) morning low tide. A sea watch at Branksome returned 3 Brent Geese arriving into the harbour as well as low numbers of Gannet and Kittiwake passing by. The fist Jack Snipes of the autumn were also found with 1 at RSPB Arne and 2 at Sunnyside.

Mediterranean Gull – Studland Beach

These south-westerlies are not what we daydream about in the lead up to autumn, however they did serve to hold back the tide at Lytchett Bay, retaining enough mud to tempt in a Ruff which was feeding between French’s Pools and the Approach Field. The falling tide earlier in the morning also featured a Curlew Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank. Out towards East Holme on the finges of the harbour boundary, at least 7 Cattle Egret were kicking about in with the cattle and the afternoon drizzle kept the remaining hirundines (House Martin and Swallows) low over Lower Piddle Valley while a Mandarin flew up the valley. This evening 16 Cattle Egret flew into roost towards the Wareham Channel area and there was also an un-ringed juvenile Osprey in Brands Bay.

Avocet – Middlebere – Mark Wright

Marsh Harrier – Middlebere – Mark Wright

It was still pretty mild this morning but the still dawn, and light wind meant some more Redwing got through last night with 3 ringed at Lytchett Bay this morning along with a late Willow Warbler, 44 Chiffchaff and 24 Blackcap. Female White-tailed Eagle G801 was once again active in the Wareham Channel and there were 4 Marsh Harrier at the Swineham end of the channel. At Lytchett fields there was 1 Little Stint, 1 Ruff and 7 Curlew Sandpiper. Holes Bay continues to be productive with 540 Wigeon, 271 Teal, 6 Shoveler and 5 Pintail with 1 Greenshank (NE), 534 Black-tailed Godwit, 100+Redshank, 39 Curlew, 6 Knot, 118 Dunlin, 19 Ringed Plover and 11 Grey Plover (almost certainly a Holes Bay high count)! The Brownsea Lagoon oddity today was a Cattle Egret, but also there were 44 Spoonbill, 1 Little Stint, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 10 Greenshank and 20 Grey Plover.

Common Chiffchaff – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

Despite it being the weekend, very few reports came in today other than a juvenile Osprey was in Middlebere and a White-tailed Eagle was seen in the Wareham Channel. Another Osprey (an adult) was in Brands Bay and there were 72 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon with at least 1 Curlew Sandpiper and 1 Spotted Redshank. Holes Bay saw a really decent sized Ringed Plover flock with 42 present as well as 17 Knot and 8 Grey Plover, three species that have traditionally been scarce in Holes Bay. From Middlebere there were 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Peregrine, 3 Spoonbill and c100 Avocet. Strangest find of the day was a Dartford Warbler that got trapped in WHSmiths in Poole, but then safely caught and released.

Curlew Sandpiper – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Another day with lots more decent mid-Autumn birds. The day started off well with 10 Cattle Egret on the Swineham floodplain with the cattle and 2 White-tailed Eagle (females G801 and G318) in the Wareham Channel. Lytchett Fields saw a site record breaking 13 Curlew Sandpiper plus a whole suit of other waders including 1 Little Stint, 1 Ruff, 1 Grey Plover, 2 Spotted Redshank, 351 Dunlin, 89 Redshank, 79 Black-tailed Godwit, 45 Lapwing, 15 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpiper and 4 Common Snipe. This morning 11 Marsh Harrier came out of the west harbour roost and a Goshawk was seen over Slepe Heath. There were lots and lots of Chiffchaff and Blackcap passing through again this morning and last night, some Common Crane were heard calling over Poole. The Piddle floods had 4 Ruff, 1 Wood Sandpiper and 2 Marsh Harrier over with the Pectoral Sandpiper only being seen earlier in the day.

Dunlin (above) and Little Stint (below) – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam