What a glorious weekend with some really nice highlights, and more sure signs that birds are most definitely on the move. At Lytchett Fields on Saturday 2 early Yellow Wagtail flew over the viewpoints which are an early set of records for Dorset, especially Poole Harbour. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 47 Common Redshank back and 20 Dunlin along with 1 Common Sandpiper. In Holes Bay NE a surprise Wigeon was seen. Obviously these are normally autumn and winter birds however a Wigeon was also logged in Holes Bay in mid-May, suggesting that this is in fact a sick or injured bird left over from last winter rather than a really early returning bird this autumn. Also in Holes Bay were 63 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 128 Black-tailed Godwit and 52 Curlew with a Hobby also seen over Upton Heath. It was certainly a flying ant day with many thousands of gulls over Poole Town on Saturday and equally as many over Swineham, Keysworth and Wareham during Sunday evening. A specific egret roost count was made on Sunday evening, looking out across the Wareham Channel which logged 74 Little Egret fly into the Wareham Channel roost, but not the hoped for Cattle or Great White Egret sadly…there’s always the rest of the month!!! Also in the Wareham Channel area 11 Avocet arrived in high from the NW, which could either be staging birds moving through, or early returning over-winter birds…either way, they weren’t local! Also in the Wareham Channel area were c400 Black-tailed Godwit, 36 Curlew, 2 Hobby, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 18 Teal and an amazing c930 Sand Martin, all heading SSE before sunset, which really painted a picture of autumn seeing such large numbers of birds departing. Also a flock of c500 Starling roosted on the edge of the Wareham Channel. Also, at Lytchett Heath the first 2 Sedge Warbler of the autumn were ringed by the Stour Ringing Group.

Flock of 11 Avocet ‘arriving’ into Poole Harbour – Wareham Channel

Male Marsh Harrier – Wareham Channel