A stiff SW breeze kicked in fairly early yet the sheltered northward side of Studland stayed fairly sheltered as numerous finch flocks tried to get moving. Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch and Lesser Redpoll were all moving in small number as were a few Skylark and about 200 Swallow. 2 Ring Ouzel were up on the Ballard Ridge. A school bird boat also went out this AM and a nice surprise was the years first Velvet Scoter in Arne Bay alongside a drake Common Scoter. There were also still just 2 Red-breasted Merganser, c40 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Sandwich Tern, 11 Brent Geese around the rest of the harbour and 25 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon. The Stilt Sandpiper was again in Middlebere this time with 2 legs. We’ve given up on this drama and have just accepted that there is a Stilt Sandpiper in Poole Harbour which is good enough for us. If it wants to play about taking its leg on and off just to confuse birders than its more than welcome to, but we’ve now stopped caring 😉 There was also 1 Curlew Sandpiper in Middlebere. Brownsea was still looking busy with good variety including 2 Little Stint, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 15 Spotted Redshank, 25 Greenshank, 1 Knot and 2 Kingfisher along with 300+ Avocet. At Lytchett Fields there were 3 Curlew Sandpiper and 1 Little Stint. 

Lesser Redpoll – Ballard Down – Paul Morton