The day started pretty much the same as it ended yesterday, with the 8 Common Crane that were seen arriving late yesterday evening being found from our Autumn Safari Cruise over on the private Keysworth Estate. For a brief magical moment, female White-tailed Eagle G801 flew low over the cranes, to which they took no notice. Also from our Autumn Safari were 3 different Marsh Harrier (9 came out of the west harbour roost this AM) around Swineham, and later in the day a full adult male Marsh Harrier was active in the mouth of the Piddle near Swineham. There 5 Bearded Tit off Swineham Point and the sinensis Cormorant flock in the Wareham Channel has grown considerably to c350 birds. The Brownsea Lagoon had 72 Spoonbill, 38 Avocet, 8 Grey Plover, 11 Greenshank, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 12 Knot, 22 Ringed Plover and 5 Sanderling. Lytchett Fields didn’t see too much change from yesterday but it was still amazing with 2 Little Stint, 8+ Curlew Sandpiper, c200 Dunlin, 2 Spotted Redshank, 7 Greenshank, c80 Black-tailed Godwit, 100+ Common Redshank and 1 Ruff. Out in Lytchett Bay a Peregrine took a Redshank and in Holes Bay north a Common Sandpiper was near the PCW outflow. In Poole Town centre a male Common Redstart was in a tree just outside the Barclays building. Chiffchaff’s were once again on the move with decent numbers (20+) in the PCW Drain and 70+ ringed at Lytchett Bay. Another White-tailed Eagle arrived this afternoon around 16:30 with the 3-year old female G318 being seen over Rockley Park. An Osprey was hunting in the Wareham Channel mid-morning but soon disappeared. The Pectoral Sandpiper was on the Piddle floods again, north of Swineham GP.

Marsh Harrier – Swineham, from Autumn Safari Cruise – Mark Wright

Common Cranes – Wareham Channel, from Autumn Safari Cruise – Mark Wright

Common Cranes – Wareham Channel, from Autumn Safari Cruise – Mark Wright