Lytchett Bay is the site that just keeps on giving at the moment as a Whooper Swan showed up this morning, hanging out with 2 Mute Swan. Then later in the day a small stint-type wader was found out on Lytchett Fields, which annoyingly disappeared and couldn’t be relocated. The description and views possibly suggested a Baird’s Sandpiper, and the way things are panning out at Lytchett Bay at the moment it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise if it was one! Up on top of Hartland a Ring Ouzel was feeding with Blackbirds along the road and a Hen Harrier was up on Slepe Heath late afternoon. Up on Ballard a short vis-mig session produced 1 Merlin, 2 Common Snipe, 2 Mistle Thrush, c100 Linnet, c 150 Goldfinch, c50 Siskin and 5 Stonechat along with a steady trickle of Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail. The Middlebere channel was brimming with birds on the rising tide with c550 Avocet, 1000 Teal, good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit and smaller numbers of Bar-tailed godwit, Dunlin and Lapwing. 

Whooper Swan – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

Whooper Swan – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam