A promising rising tide Lytchett Bay late morning harboured 276 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Ringed Plover, 30 Curlew (including the returning colour-ringed bird from Hampshire), 7 Dunlin, Common and Green Sandpipers, 6 Greenshank, 4 Whimbrel, 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull and the hybrid Lesser Black-backed x Herring Gull. Later in the day, an incoming tide at Middlebere featured 4 Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank, 1 Spoonbill, 1 Whimbrel, 9 Curlew, 16 Oystercatcher and 17 Shelduck. A juvenile Cuckoo RSPB Arne was particularly showy at RSPB Arne and Ower Bay showcased both Curlew and Whimbrel.

Juvenile Cuckoo – RSPB Arne – @TACbirds (twitter account)

The strong winds (although westerly) saw a few seabirds moving through Poole Bay. A dedicated watch from Branksome Chine offered 1 Balearic Shearwater, 7 Manx Shearwater and 2 Fulmar. Time visits with strong winds, especially southeasterly, anytime between now and October for a chance to connect with passage skuas, petrels and shearwaters, all species you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere in the harbour area. The Holes Bay Common Redshank count halved on yesterday’s count totaling c.50, bolstered by 96 Black-tailed Godwit, 46 Curlew, 2 Whimbrel and 2 Common Sandpiper at low tide. Last night’s Nightjar walk on Slepe Heath wrapped up a magical end to our series for the year. Again, we were treated to numerous flybys, including one bird that briefly hovered in front of the group, allowing one of our guests to capture a photo of the action in very limited light!

Steve Grundy – Male Nightjar – Slepe Heath Nightjar Experience Walk

Still not much sign of any big passerine passage yet, but more juv Willow Warbler were seen at Arne, Hartland and Greenlands Farm. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 2 Spotted Redshank and 116 Common Redshank. The Arctic Tern was in the Browmsea Channel again first thing and in Brands Bay this evening there were 14 Turnstone, 1 Whimbrel and 8 Dunlin. There were 14 Turnstone back on Baiter and the Peregrine family were in and around the Adsa building. There were also 2 Common Sandpiper in Poole Park too.

Redshank flock – Holes Bay – Martin Adams

Another autumn arrival today with an Arctic Tern feeding with the Common and Sandwich Terns in the Brownsea Channel this AM. In Holes Bay the Common Sandpiper was still under the railway bridge and there were 45 Curlew and 78 Redshank out on the mud of the NE sector. At Arne a Great White Egret and 1 Spoonbill were in Middlebere and Ospreys CJ7 and 022 were out over the Wareham Channel again. The Wood Sandpiper was on Lytchett Fields again on the approach pools. On the Swineham Scrapes there were 3 Yellow-legged Gulls and a Common Sandpiper. In Brands Bay there were 7 Turnstone, 5 Ringed Plover, 1 Whimbrel and 2 Common Sandpiper.

Wood Sandpiper – Lytchett Fields – Peter Moore

The autumnal gathering of Spoonbill begun on Brownsea today with 2 birds settled on the Tamrisk Island, also logged was 1 Knot, 3 early returning Grey Plover, 45 adult Redshank, 70 Dunlin, 2 Avocet, 3 Ringed Plover, 2 Greenshank, 1 Curlew, 15 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Common Sandpiper. Ospreys CJ7 and 022 were active over the Wareham Channel, 022 seen intermittently displaying to CJ7 with a fish in his talons which was great to see.

Male Osprey 022 with fish over the Wareham Channel – Alison Copland

Lytchett Fields welcomed the first Ruff of the autumn, along with a Great White Egret, 10 Greenshank, 2 Whimbrel, Common and Green Sandpipers. Two Osprey were observed from Hyde’s Heath, RSPB Arne this morning. Quality over quantity has remained the overriding theme of these early autumn ringing sessions at Lytchett Bay with Stour Ringing Group, with this morning’s session featuring four Grasshopper Warbler‘s and a Reed Warbler that had previously been ringed in France! A couple of Willow Warbler‘s also moving through added some extra diversity. Last night’s Nightjar walk treated the group to close views of a male flying past the group, as well as late appearances from Kestrel, Hobby and 4 Glow Worms.

Osprey – from Hyde’s Heath – Alison Copland

Great White Egret (with Little Egret & Greenshank) – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Todays cool breeze definitely helped bring the temperature down, and make life a bit more comfortable. More birds appeared today with 2 Great White Egret in the Middlebere Channel with 3 Green Sandpiper in front of the hide and 5 Greenshank also in the channel. At Holes Bay there were 2 Common Sandpiper with another on Hamworthy Beach. Osprey’s CJ7 and 022 were both seen out in the Wareham Channel and juv Cuckoo were seen at Swineham and Hartland. Also at Swineham were 4 Yellow-legged Gull on the scrapes (3 adult and 1 juv) Hobby were logged over Middlebere, Hartland and Arne and there was a Spoonbill off Shipstal.

Great White Egret – Middlebere – Ken (PennHillMan)

Hobby – Middlebere – Ken (PennHillMan)