Winter landed with a bang today! Gales force winds and driving rain. Despite the dire weather, it actually forced 4 Arctic Skua in to Poole Bay which were seen during a morning sea watch, then later in the day there were 3 harassing gulls off Shell Beach, Studland. The gap in the weather this morning allowed for Lytchett Fields/Bay to be watched adequately with 2 Knot being seen (the first for Lytchett Bay this year), also an Osprey over the bay, 1 Spotted Redshank and the 1st Wheatear of the autumn. In fact an Osprey was seen hunting in and around Lytchett Bay for most of the day. In the Wareham Channel a White-tailed Eagle and an Osprey had a minor spat above the gull islands and an Eider was off Pilots Point where there were 40 Sanderling on Shell Beach. The Forster’s Tern was again off Shipstal Beach, RSPB Arne, there were 4 Spoonbill in Middlebere and a Hobby was over Hydes Heath.

Arctic Skua chasing Common Tern – Shell Bay – James Leaver (OTBT Birder Twitter – @BirderOtbt)