Its ‘great’ that Great White Egrets are now an annual visitor to the harbour (or have been for the last 3 years at least) with the autumns first bird arriving today at Middlebere. In 2014 and 2015 the first birds didn’t actually arrive and settle until October so whether todays Middlebere bird is just a one off lone wanderer or is it a sign of things to come? The Great White Egret was actually hanging out with 19 Little Egret, giving a good size comparison, also there an adult Yellow-legged Gull and 2 Woodlark. Again, most reports came from Lytchett Fields today with a Marsh Harrier over, also 6 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Knot, 4 Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 1 Whimbrel, 2 Dunlin, 21 Black-tailed Godwit, 35 Curlew (in the Bay) and 10 Redshank. The Arne nightjar was in its usual tree.

Knot – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam