We welcomed back autumn today with cold showers and blustery wind, just the kind of weather that could drop one or two new North American waders our way. Not that we’re bored with the Pectoral Sandpipers, but a Buff-breasted would do just nicely right about now. One of the Pectoral Sandpipers was still on the Swineham Scrape today, but most noticeably so was an early returning Jack Snipe, which is a great September record. We don’t tend to see the first until at least the second week of October. Also at Swineham were 2 Cattle Egret, 1 Spotted Redshank, 34 Black-tailed Godwit, c30 Dunlin, 4 Curlew, 1-2 Yellow-legged Gull and a few Wigeon and Pintail. Lytchett fields was looking fantastic with a Great White Egret present all day, along with 203 Dunlin, 115 Black-tailed Godwit, 120+ Redshank, 9 Greenshank, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 300+ Teal, 2 Marsh Harrier and 1 Peregrine. Holes Bay north saw c350 Wigeon, c80 Teal, c350 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Pintail. Finally there were 16 Sandwich Tern on the spit opposite Shipstal Bay, Arne.

#RSPBLytchettFields very lively this morning. 203 Dunlin, 115 Black Wit, 120+ Redshank, 9 Greenshank, 300+ Teal, Great White Egret, 2 Marsh Harrier and more. Here is a little taste (sound on for full rain acompanyment) @ianballam @harbourbirds @DorsetBirdClub @RSPBArne pic.twitter.com/ajcFsXwQQY

— Lytchett Bay Nature (@LytchettP) September 24, 2020