We were planning on placing our night sound recording gear out last night as it looked as if a blanket of cloud cover would produce the goods and get birds moving. However, at dusk the clouds disappeared and a crystal clear (and very cold) night followed so we didn’t bother placing our gear out as these conditions in the past have been useless for recording night migrants. We made a mistake. As it transpired the drop in temperature further north prompted a large movement of birds and this morning good numbers of migrants were recorded at many sites. At the PC World drain there were singles of Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, c20 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 2 Kingfisher and 2 Jay. At Lytchett Heath an impressive 54 Blackcap, 24 Chiffchaff, 12 Sedge Warbler, 7 Reed Warbler and 2 Common Whitethroat moved through the site. On the Brownsea Lagoon a Great White Egret was present for a while and another (or the same) flew across the Studland Road towards Littlesea. In Middlebere there was Marsh Harrier, 1 Spoonbill, 5 Grey Plover and 16 Knot. On Lytchett Fields a Sanderling was a nice surprise.

Pied Flycatcher – PC World Drain (Fleets Corner) – Paul Morton

Pied Flycatcher – PC World Drain (Fleets Corner) – Paul Morton