A stunningly calm day again today, but no sign of yesterdays 11 Eider that were in Studland Bay, although a ‘new’ Common Scoter was off Jerry’s Point, Studland. It seems some of the 116 Spoonbill that were around last week have now already moved off with ‘only’ 75 logged on the lagoon today, along with 13 Ringed Plover, 1 Spotted Redshank, 25 Bar-tailed Godwit and c100 Avocet, however there were also 42 Ringed Plover on Baiter this morning too. At Lytchett Fields there was another Spotted Redshank, this morning 97 Shag entered the harbour mouth and once again good numbers of Lesser Redpoll were moving around in flocks of various sizes with another c100 over Carey Secret Garden. It seems theres a national influx of Redpoll with some ringing sites further north catching many hundreds already, so if your garden feeders attract finches during the winter theres a high chance Redpoll will start making a visit soon.

Lesser Redpoll – Lower Piddle Valley – Ed Betteridge

A nice early record and the first of the winter, of 1 Black-throated Diver from South Haven that flew into Poole Harbour. Hopefully it’s still hanging around somewhere in Brands Bay or off Salterns Marina, but it hasn’t been resighted yet. A small group of 14 Crossbill also flew north over the harbour entrance. On the fast rising tide this morning in the Middlebere Channel there were 7 Curlew Sandpiper, 20 Knot, 1 Spotted Redshank, 480 Avocet, 240 Black-tailed Godwit, 16 Pintail, 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Great White Egret and 1 Peregrine. 1 Great White Egret was also in Holes Bay. At Lytchett Fields there were an impressive 5 Spotted Redshank along with 13 Greenshank. 15 Cattle Egret were between East Holme floodplain and the village ford with cattle. From our Autumn Safari Cruise this morning we saw a flock of 12 Greenshank in the Wareham Channel along with 1 White-tailed Eagle, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and at Swineham, Stilt Pools, 2 Ruff and 2 Green Sandpiper. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were at least 100 Spoonbill, 3 Knot, c20 Bar-tailed Godwit, 12 Greenshank and c200 Avocet. A Merlin was at Middlebere, 14 Crossbill passed over the harbour entrance.

Dark-bellied Brent Goose – Off Hamworthy Beach from our Autumn Safari – Alison Copland

A stunning, flat calm morning for our first School Bird Boat of the season. Over 60 children were treated to stunning views of 2 Marsh Harrier in the mouth of the River Frome and 2 adult White-tailed Eagle (G466 and G463) sat along the Arne shoreline in the Wareham Channel. The Brownsea Lagoon was packed full with birds including over 100 Spoonbill, c300 Cormorant, c250 Avocet, 6 Bar-tailed Godwit, c200 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Kingfisher, and 1 Rock Pipit sat on the lagoon wall. Elsewhere in the harbour, 1 juvenile Hobby and 2 distant White-tailed Eagle were seen from the Rock Lea Viewpoint. At RSPB Lytchett fields there was 1 Spotted Redshank present and in Holes Bay there was 1 Yellow-legged Gull.

Spoonbills – Brownsea Lagoon – Nicki Tutton

94 Spoonbill were back on the Brownsea Lagoon today after some disturbance from kite surfers yesterday. In the Middlebere Channel there were 2 Marsh Harrier and c100 Avocet. 16 Cattle Egret were in Lytchett Bay this evening. The Forster’s Tern was reported again flying past Rockley Park towards Shipstal point from Ham Common. At the Piddle Valley ringing site there was a decent movement of birds and the Chiffchaff just keep coming with 91 ringed along with, 12 Goldcrest, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Grey Wagtail, 19 Blackcap, 8 Meadow Pipit and 3 Reed Bunting.

Lesser Redpoll – Piddle Valley Ringing Site – Ed Betteridge

Although the grot had gone through by this morning and the sun broke out, the consistent wind strength remained between 35-40mph for most of the day making birding efforts largely rewardless. The only reports all day were an autumn high count of 75 Shag through the harbour entrance at dawn, 7 Curlew Sandpiper were in Middlebere this morning, 100+ Spoonbill were on the Brownsea Lagoon and an adult Yellow-legged Gull was in Holes Bay. It seems the grotty weather signalled the BTO to carry out some overdue admin, as local Stour Ringing Group received some interesting news today, albeit 10 years late, in that a Eurasian Curlew that was ringed by the ringing group in Feb 1987 at Fitzworth, Poole Harbour was sadly shot in NW Russia in April 2015, some 2486km away c28 years later! Now that pretty incredible.

Ringing and life end locations of Eurasian Curlew ‘ FCO71OO’

Spoonbill squadron – Brownsea Lagoon – Nicki Tutton

Rule number one….never be put off by the weather. Despite the various rain showers and the building wind, there were loads of great birds spread out across the harbour today. The biggest surprise was that the Forster’s Tern was located again, feeding above the sinensis Cormorant flock out in the Wareham Channel seen from our Autumn Safari this afternoon with 8 Sandwich Tern. This is the latest its been seen in the harbour, and although it’s likley to leave at some point, there is a chance it may decide to stay all winter considering 5-10 Sandwich Tern also decide to stay. There was also a lone Glossy Ibis feeding on the low tide out in the Wareham Channel this afternoon along with 2 Spotted Redshank, 5 Greenshank, 2 Kingfisher, 3 Little Grebe, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 3 Marsh Harrier and male White-tailed Eagle G463 was also sat on the edge of the salt marsh before being seen flying across Middlebere. The autumns first Red-breasted Mergansers were also recorded today with 3 in Ower Bay, and once again the Spoonbill ‘mega flock’ record total was broken again with 116 counted by DWT volunteer Martin Adams this afternoon.

Spotted Redshank – Wareham Channel from this afternoons Autumn Safari Cruise