Finally the wind subsided and the sun even shone for most of the day. This prompted good numbers of finches to move across the harbour, north to south. Both South Haven and Ballard saw good totals with our ringing station ringing over 200 birds, including 58 Lesser Redpoll, 50 Goldfinch, 8 Bullfinch, 1 Firecrest, 6 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff and 19 Goldcrest. Nick Hopper whom is carrying out an 18 month ‘Herons of Poole Harbour’ study for us discovered 3 roosting Great White Egret. Off Shipstal Point, Arne the female type Velvet Scoter was in Arne Bay and Spoonbill totals were 56. A summer plumaged Great Northern Diver was in Studland Bay with 7 Black-necked Grebe. At Middlebere the Stilt Sandpiper was roosting with the Black-tailed Godwit, the Yellow-browed Warbler was in the wood around the hide and another Hawfinch was seen flying over the access track. Firecrests were still busy with 2-3 around the Villa on Brownsea, 2-3 in the Arne car park, 1 at Knowle Beach and 1 along Holes Bay.  On Lytchett Fields there were 2 Curlew Sandpiper, at Sunnyside 1 Green Sandpiper and as the day drew to a close, Redwing and Song Thrush passage picked up overhead during the night. 

Avocets ‘up-ending’ – Brownsea Lagoon – Hamish Murray

Goldcrest – Brownsea  – Hamish Murray