Autumn return passage certainly stepped a notch this morning with the first returning Spotted Redshank logged at Lytchett Fields. Not one, not two but three different individuals at different stages of moult were counted, along with 4 Green Sandpiper, indicating that wader passage has now well and truly got under way. Female Spotted Redshank are first to return as they leave the males to raise the chicks once they’ve hatched, and begin heading south almost immediately. Ok, so the bulk of wader passage won’t be until August and September but these early morsels of interest add a new exciting aspect to the normally quiet mid-summer birding scene. Also at Lytchett Fields were 29 Black-tailed Godwit and 15 Lapwing. At Swineham 2 Egyptian Geese were on the scrape and the female Marsh Harrier was off Swineham Point. A partial leucistic/albino Starling viewed distantly out on Arne Moors got hearts going for a bit, thinking it was a Rosy Starling, but alas….it wasn’t to be. Female Osprey CJ7 was seen out over the Wareham Channel and 2 Hobby were over Slepe Heath.

Spotted Redshank – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Spotted Redshank – Lytchett Fields – Purbeck Pilgrim (Twitter)