This morning produced an agonising situation when a potential Pacific Golden Plover was seen briefly at Sunnyside Scrape. This is a species that’s never been recorded in Poole Harbour before, so when a long-legged, summer plumaged Golden Plover species was seen on the ground at Sunnyside this AM the finders pulse began to rise as we never tend to get European Golden Plover in Poole Harbour at this time of year. Sadly the bird only remained on the ground for around 30 seconds before flying off NE, but not before calling twice which also seemed to indicate a possible Pacific Golden Plover. Despite its departure it’s possible it could still be in the harbour somewhere so anyone birding Lytchett Fields, Brownsea Lagoon, Sunnyside and Holton Pools should keep an eye out for this bird.

A ringing session at Lytchett Heath produced a decent pulse of early autumn Willow Warblers along with a handful of passage Sedge Warbler and Blackcap. Just outside our recording area 2 Osprey were seen at Morden Bog as was a single Grasshopper Warbler and 1 Redstart. At Lytchett Fields there were 23 Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpiper, 8 Greenshank, 70+ Common Redshank, 2 Spotted Redshank and 1 Whimbrel. The Holton Lee Little Owl was on show briefly behind the main cottage and the Asda Peregrine was present on the flats balcony yesterday with it’s dinner nonchalantly tossed to the floor below, only for the public to have to step around.  

Sedge Warbler – Lytchett Heath

Willow Warbler – Lytchett Heath

 Peregrine Falcon – Asda, Holes Bay – Rene Goad

 Discarded dinner below