There was a great start to the day when Ian Ballam found a juv Red-backed Shrike at RSPB Lytchett Fields this AM. It hung around for most of the day but travelled around the site, often disappearing for long periods of time. In the Lower Piddle Valley, there was still 1 Wood Sandpiper, plus 2 Ruff. On Hartland Moor the autumns first Merlin was seen and a few Wheatear, Redstart and Whinchat were along the tracks, plus 5 Cattle Egret were still present and 8 Woodlark were feeding there. Holes Bay wildfowl numbers are building nicely with 117 Teal, 48 Wigeon 10 Shoveler and 1 Pintail. There’s still a good number od Osprey around with 3-4 still moving between Lytchett Bay, Wareham Channel and Middlebere, with 1 at Morden Bog too and another seen in Holes Bay south this AM. There was also another White-tailed Eagle, Osprey chase today with another Osprey having to give up it’s breakfast for the sake of peace and quiet! The Great White Egret was in fields at Sandford again and the 2 moulting Mandarin Duck were still in Poole Park.

Red-backed Shrike – RSPB Lytchett Fields – Peter Moore