Today was another interesting day with some more rarities/scarcities turning up. Star bird today was Poole Harbours only second ever Caspian Gull which was on the edge of the Wareham Channel, with the first appearing on Corfe Mullen tip back in 2003. This species should be more regular and to be quite honest could feasibly be a weekly/monthly visitor to the harbour, but with Poole Harbour being so vast and the Wareham Channel gull roost quite hard to monitor, pinning them has proved to be quite difficult over the years. Another great bird today was a Turtle Dove that was seen on wires along Slough Lane, Lytchett Bay. Sadly this is only the second record for the year of what used to be a fairly regular autumn migrant.  Then, as the day was drawing to a close a report of a possible Nutcracker was sent through, seen in flight over Knowle Beach car park entrance. Now this really would be an exceptional end to what’s been an exceptional year of birding in Poole Harbour. Sadly, the bird in question flew deep in to the woods and couldn’t be re-found. At Lytchett Fields there were 5 Spoonbill, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Ruff, 1 Merlin, 12 Skylark and 1 Lesser Redpoll with the female Common Redstart still at Holton Pools. A juvenile Hen Harrier appeared in Poole Harbour west at Slepe Heath this afternoon and 2-3 Merlin have been favoring Hartland Moor this October, often venturing towards Middlebere. There are still only 3-4 Marsh Harrier frequenting the Poole Harbour west roost. In Middlebere the Stilt Sandpiper was still present in the company of 2 Spoonbill, 3 Greenshank, 6 Knot, 1 Green Sandpiper and c200 Avocet.

Caspian Gull – Wareham Channel – Marcus Lawson

Caspian Gull – Wareham Channel – Marcus Lawson

Common Redstart – Holton Pools – Richard Stephenson