The cold snap really felt like it was kicking in today with clear sky’s and a northerly build up in the wind. A brief vis-mig session at the harbour mouth delivered the autumns first Brambling along with just a handful of 71 Siskin, 45 Goldfinch, 28 Chaffinch, 24 Meadow Pipit, 3 Skylark and 1 Reed Bunting. At Shipstal Point c60 Spoonbill were roosting, a Goshawk bombed through Middlebere, 3 different White-tailed Eagle were between RSPB Arne and the Wareham Channel. A Great White Egret was over Lytchett Fields, 4 Glossy Ibis went into the Swineham roost tonight.

Marsh Harrier – Poole Harbour south – Mark Wright

As autumn presses on, winter also begins to creep in with the seasons first Goldeneye settled in the Wareham Channel this AM in the form of a fine drake, plus there were 2 Red-breasted Merganser out in South Deep and a thin spread of Great Crested Grebes across the harbour. The Brownsea Lagoon was busy again with c400 Avocet, but only 13 Spoonbill with the rest over on Shipstal Point. Brownsea also held Dunlin, Ringed Plover, a few Greenshank, Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit, 30+ Turnstone, c200 Black-tailed Godwit and 10 Curlew. It was good for harriers again today with 6+ Marsh Harrier around the Swineham/Keysworth area and the recent juv male Hen Harrier was also bombing around Arne Moors seen from our Autumn Safari cruise this AM getting into frequent scraps with the local Carrion Crows and a the odd Marsh Harrier. This morning 6 Redwing passed over Seaview, Parkstone and 1 went over the Carey ringing station. There was a decent push of Swallow and a few House Martin over Swineham with what looked like a very late Common Swift all heading south. The small group of 5 Glossy Ibis were still out in the Wareham channel roosting at Keysworth, a Great White Egret was off Giggers Island, the lone juv Common Tern was still present off the Brownsea north shore and c15 Sandwich Tern were spread across the harbour. Up high above central harbour 2 migrant Sparrowhawk were following the migrating Meadow Pipit and 2 Red Kite were soaring over Holton Lee. later in the day a White-tailed Eagle was in Brands Bay.

Avocet flying towards Brownsea from this AMs Autumn Safari – Alison Copland

Based on how much we could see from the quay for most of the day, it was probably best to just imagine what was out there rather than try and find anything! Best was the lone Common Tern still bombing around the quay all day and a few Kingfishers. There was also the final departure of the Barfleur from Poole Quay this  morning.

Barfleur departing this morning 

Such a perfect day across the harbour with calm conditions and loads of good birds from east to west. Starting off with the Brownsea Lagoon which today held 71 Spoonbill, c500 Avocet, 25 Knot, 10 Grey Plover, c30 Turnstone, c80 Dunlin, 25 Ringed Plover, 8 Greenshank a handful of Bar-tailed Godwit and 200+ Common Redshank. The South Deep area is starting it’s mid-autumn interest with the first 8 Red-breasted Merganser off Furzey Island and 1 Common Scoter off Jerry’s Point. The White-tailed Eagle pair were spread between east and west with male G463 in the Wareham Channel and female G466 active off Green Island, and was seen trying to steal a fish from a Seals moth from this afternoons Autumn Safari. The sinensis Cormorant flock looks to be well over 1000 now with the whole flock out in central harbour this afternoon, chasing a fish shoal close to the shore of Furzey Island which attracted in 43 Little Egret into the feeding frenzy. We mentioned the other day that we didn’t think 1000+ Cormorant had ever been logged before, but have since been updated that DWT volunteer Martin Adams logged 1085+ together on Brownsea Lagoon 26/10/25. Around the Swineham, Keysworth, Arne Moors area a Barnacle Goose was at Swineham, 4 Spotted Redshank, 1 ringtail Hen Harrier (juv male), 5 Marsh Harrier, 6 Glossy Ibis, 5 Great White Egret and 6 Bearded Tit were around the fringes of the Wareham Channel and 4 Red Kite were over Keysworth. A fresh juv White-tailed Eagle was over Middlebere this morning and 5 Great White Egret flew high over Middlebere. At Bog Lane, near the Springfield Hotel 12 Cattle Egret were feeding in fields there and the autumns first Jack Snipe was accidentally flushed from an area of bog near Rempstone. A lone juv Common Tern was hunting of Poole Quay all day and a handful of Sandwich Tern were spread across the harbour.

Our Autumn Safari Cruise this AM as we passed the Brownsea Lagoon as viewed from the lagoon hide – DWT Warden Nicki Tutton

Jay – Seaview, Constitution Hill

October is obviously such a great month for migration, and if you’re lucky, a few rarities or two. The issue is, Poole Harbour is so vast, that rare or scarce birds can easily pass on through without detection. Thats when ringing efforts can really help pin point exactly whats in an area. We’re blessed here in the harbour with multiple ringing sites, which do an excellent job at monitoring migration through the harbour. Today, the ringing team at Lytchett Bay, being carried out by Stour Ringing Group were rewarded with years of ringing effort when a Radde’s Warbler appeared in the net just after dawn. A rare Dorset bird indeed with only a handful of previous records with this photo showing a couple of the main features including the apricot buff undertail coverts and the stout, thicker bill than Chiffchaff and you can also just make out the mottled ear covert.  Elsewhere things were a tad quieter with 5 Great White Egret and 2 White-tailed Eagle in the Wareham Channel, c65 Spoonbill were on the Brownsea Lagoon and a Merlin was on Hartland.

Radde’s Warbler – Lytchett Bay

A cool start to the morning, with a small amount of vis-mig, mostly Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtails. Interest came later in the day with the autumns first Hen Harrier over RSPB Arne Moors/Swineham/Keysworth, looking like a juv ringtail male, a Golden Plover flew over the Wareham Channel at lunch, 6 Glossy Ibis were also out in the Wareham Channel with 4 Great White Egret and 2 Curlew Sandpiper were out on Arne Moors, ‘scopeable’ from Slepe Heath with c150 Dunlin and 8 Grey Plover. A flock of 14 Spoonbill flew over Redhorn Quay, Brands Bay and a Goshawk was circling above Slepe Heath this afternoon. Our low tide cruise was busy and saw a White-tailed Eagle give a stunning close fly by, providing a truly wild experience, plus there were 4+ Marsh Harrier. 

Spoonbill over Redhorn Quay – Clive Hargrave