It’s always nice when a surprise bird ‘pops up’ out of nowhere and today a photo was sent to us by Debbie Derrick that was titled: Golden Plover, Redhorn. However, Golden Plover in Poole harbour are scarce enough, let alone in the middle of summer, so it was an even bigger shock when we open the email and the bird in the photo looked to be an likely American Golden Plover, a first for Poole Harbour. Apparently it had been present since June 18^th-22^nd, but the bird was looked for today but sadly couldn’t be relocated. There’s a chance it could still be around somewhere so well worth keeping an eye out around Brands Bay, the Brownsea Lagoon, Middlebere and Lytchett Fields. There was also a good total of birds out on Lytchett Fields indicating that some birds really have given up for the summer already as 5 Ringed Plover dropped onto the fields whereas the first juv Little Ringed Plover joined 4 adults also on the move south. There were also 51 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Green Sandpiper, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Greenshank, 57 Redshank, 23 Lapwing (all adults) and 1 Curlew. Late afternoon saw a Great White Egret pass over Middlebere in heavy wing moult which is the first since the early spring and in Middlebere there were 109 Curlew which for mid-June doesn’t bode well for a successful breeding season. Barn Owls are active at Arne, Lytchett Fields, Greenland’s Farm, Swineham and Middlebere. Along Soldiers Road there was a Cuckoo still, 2 Willow Warbler and 1 Hobby. In Studland Bay a Gannet was feeding close into Shell Bay.

Presumed American Golden Plover – Redhorn/Brands Bay – Debbie Derrick

Gannet – Richard Stephenson – Studland Bay