It was the waders that stole the headlines again today with a wonderful range of species and some great totals. The Brownsea Lagoon was just magnificent and thanks to James Phillips for a full species count and log. Totals from the Brownsea Lagoon today included 25 Spoonbill, 7 Curlew Sandpiper, 6 Ruff, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Little Stint, 315 Dunlin, 51 Ringed Plover, 1 Sanderling, 11 Knot, 14 Turnstone, 6 Spotted Redshank, 18 Greenshank, 123 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 846 Oystercatcher, 178 Avocet, 202 Black-tailed Godwit, 21 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Snipe, 24 Curlew, 3 Grey Plover, 7 Common Tern, 2 Sandwich Tern, 8 Wigeon, 312 Teal, 12 Shoveler, 7 Gadwall and 2 Kingfisher, also 8 Yellow Wagtail, 1 White Wagtail and 2 Wheatear in the vicinity too. Lytchett Fields held its own too with 1 Wood Sandpiper, 4 Ruff, 1 Common Sandpiper, 9 Dunlin, 158 Redshank, 1 Whinchat, 1 Wheatear and another trickle of 15+ Meadow Pipit. The (a) Great White Egret was in the Lower Piddle Valley late afternoon and was present in and around the Ridge Flood Meadows early morning. Swallows and Meadow Pipits were certainly on the move with many small flocks making heir way low across the harbour. 1-2 Osprey were hanging out in the Middlebere area again. 

Curlew Sandpiper – Brownsea Lagoon – Phyl England

Kingfisher – Middlebere – Phyl England