The drizzle lifted this morning for our Autumn Safari Cruise, starting off the trip well with a Great White Egret flying over Poole Quay. A second Great White Egret was also in the Wareham Channel, as well as 1 White-tailed Eagle on the Arne shoreline. Near the mouth of the River Frome, 2 Marsh Harrier and 1 Peregrine were active, and we watched 6 Bearded Tit lift high out of the reed bed before heading north. On Brownsea Lagoon during the late morning were 35 Spoonbill, c.100 Avocet, 200 Dunlin, 300 Black-tailed Godwit and 30 Grey Plover. Reported from the Middlebere Channel today were 5 Spotted Redshank, 1 Great White Egret, 2 Marsh Harrier and 1 ringtail Hen Harrier. There was 1 Great White Egret, 11 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 85 Wigeon, 1 Red-Breasted Merganser, 4 Grey Plover, 14 Lapwing, 98 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Greenshank in Brands Bay also this morning. An impressive count of 11 Ring Ouzels were feeding at Godlingston Gully early in the morning. The Glossy Ibis was seen again over Arne Moors this evening.

Ring Ouzel – Godlingston – Garry Hayman