With a cold air flow now dominating much of Britain there were more signs that winter is just around the corner when 2 Scaup arrived into the harbour this morning, one off Goathorn, near Brands Bay and a second in the Wareham Channel. The seasons first flock of Fieldfare also flew through Middlebere just after lunchtime with a group of c100 seen heading up the channel. There was some limited visible migration at the harbour mouth with 3 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Brambling, 7 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing, c20 Skylark and a few tens of Chaffinch and Siskin with 441 Wood Pigeon. There were 7 Great White Egret with 1 in Brands Bay and 6 around the Swineham area and 6 Glossy Ibis were present with 1 on the island at Swineham GP and 5 feeding on the mud in the Wareham Channel. At Shipstal Point, RSPB Arne the Spoonbill flock of c50 were feeding on this mornings low tide, and there were another 7 on the Brownsea Lagoon. RSPB Arne Moors held 3 Spotted Redshank and 7 Greenshank, viewed from a survey boat and 5 Marsh Harrier and 4 Red Kite were around the Keysworth area, with another Marsh Harrier seen arriving in over Studland/Ballard. Up to 4 different White-tailed Eagle were moving around the harbour during the day. A Goldeneye flew into the harbour entrance at dawn a late Wheatear and a punctual Merlin were up on Ballard.

Fieldfare – Middlebere – Mark Wright