A calm and quiet day out in the harbour with 7mph SE winds and not a great deal of sightings reported. The Brownsea Webcam recorded Avocet, Curlew, Dunlin, Redshank and various duck species including Teal and Shoveler. A Peregrine also spent the majority of its day sat on one of the islands surveying the area.

Lytchett Fields logged a Fieldfare whilst a Firecrest was caught at Arne.

Mid to late October is such an exciting time with the expectation of something ‘juicy’ turning up and big numbers of birds on the move. Arne had a flavour of that excitement today with 5 Common Crane reported over Coombe Heath. There were also 3 Great White Egret in Middlebere and a Yellow-browed Warbler in the Arne car park. Also in Middlebere were c300 Avocet, c200 Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Spotted Redshank, 2 Grey Plover, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 juv Spoonbill, 1 Firecrest and 1 Merlin. At Lytchett Fields there was a single Jack Snipe. In Broadstone another Yellow-browed Warbler was in Pine Springs Wood with a Long-tailed Tit flock. In Poole Harbour West there are now up to 6 Marsh Harrier in the Wareham Channel area along with a female Merlin near Swineham and a single Hobby remains over Arne Moors. Redwing were passing over last night along with Song Thrush and a few Fieldfare.

A good day for ducks on Brownsea Lagoon with, 5 Gadwall, 2 Wideon, 62 Shoveler, 210 Teal. 3 of the Spoonbill flock dropped in briefly in the morning but soon departed.   41 Avocet were dispersed across the lagoon and intergrated amongst the 40 or so Black–tailed Godwit. Also present were c 20 Curlew, 20 Redshank, 145 Dunlin, 14 Knot a Sparrowhawk, a Peregrine, who spent most of the day preening on one of the islands.

Visible Migration has finally picked up with counts from Ballard Down and South Haven. With a a cold Northerly wind on Ballard Down this morning a variety of species were logged including; 3 Brambling, 30 Redwing, 30 Song Thrush, 80 Pied Wagtail, 100 Linnet, 200 Goldfinch, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Bullfinch, 6 Reed Bunting, 9 Swallow, 200 Meadow Pipit, 17 Stonechat, 2 Wheatear, 11 Skylark and 15 Goldcrest…And at South Haven, Studland there 453 Goldfinch, 1 Brambling, 6 Lesser Redpoll, 199 Linnet, 3 Bullfinch, 30 Greenfinch, 2 Woodlark, 12 Reed Bunting, 5 Song Thrush, 16 alba Wagtail and 1 Swallow were logged. At Littlesea Studland there were 3 Great White Egret logged. There was also a Wheatear and 2 Turnstone recorded at Baiter Park.

With temperatures peaking at 14°C it has certainly felt like winter is on its way.  A 13mph WSW has brought through a few showery downpours too.

Scouting around the lagoon on the Brownsea webcam picked up 13 Avocet, Ringed Plover, Black–tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Curlew and Redshank.

Over at Sunnyside 13 Lapwing, 1 Little Egret, Stonechat and 4 Linnet have logged whilst on Poole Quay the Kingfisher has been sighted again on the opposite side of the Quay to BOPH HQ.

Middlebere has seen big flocks with c1000 Black–tailed Godwit, c200 Avocet, c40 Lapwing, Wigeon, Teal, Redshank and Curlew recorded. A spotter at Holton Lee also saw a Bearded Tit and a pair of Pied Wagtail and a Peregrine and a Marsh Harrier from Holton Pools.

A Yellow-browed Warbler was also an excellent spot at Fleetsbridge. 

With temperatures peaking at 14°C it has certainly felt like winter is on its way.  A 13mph WSW has brought through a few showery downpours too. Scouting around the lagoon on the Brownsea webcam picked up 13 Avocet, Ringed Plover, Black–tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Curlew and Redshank.

Over at Sunnyside 13 Lapwing, 1 Little Egret, Stonechat and 4 Linnet have logged whilst on Poole Quay the Kingfisher has been sighted again on the opposite side of the Quay to BOPH HQ. Middlebere has seen big flocks with c1000 Black–tailed Godwit, c200 Avocet, c40 Lapwing, Wigeon, Teal, Redshank and Curlew recorded. A spotter at Holton Lee also saw a Bearded Tit and a pair of Pied Wagtail and a Peregrine and a Marsh Harrier from Holton Pools. A Yellow-browed Warbler was also an excellent spot at Fleetsbridge.

With torrential rain hitting the harbour throughout the day, birding was a tad tricky, but with a survey boat out this AM, we managed to avoid most of the down pours. Despite the rain there was a great selection of birds out around the harbour with a distinct wintery vibe kicking in. In the Wareham Channel off Swineham Point there was a flock of 10 Spotted Redshank, 1 Great White Egret, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 89 Dunlin, 82 Avocet, c1000 Black-tailed Godwit, 38 Spoonbill, 120 Lapwing, 3 Marsh Harrier and 1 Merlin. At Swineham a flock of c20 Bearded Tit were in the reedbed and on the gravel pit there were 110 Coot, 1 Pochard, 5 Tufted Duck, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 3-4 singing Cetti’s Warbler, 2-3 Rock/Water Pipit and numerous Reed Bunting. On the Swineham Scrapes 432 Canada Geese were settled with 8 Greylag Geese and 38 Curlew. Out in central harbour a flock of 520 sinensis Cormorant were feeding in a pack with 11 Sandwich Tern hunting above. Kingfishers were seen from Poole Quay and up the River Frome. The Brownsea Lagoon was looking good with 24 Grey Plover, c50 Knot, c100 Dunlin, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, c50 Avocet, 12 Shoveler, 83 Wigeon and 1 Peregrine. Off Green Island there were 4 Red-breasted Merganser with another 2 in south deep and a second Great White Egret was in Newton Bay again. There are currently only around 30-40 Brent Geese back so far with another 10 off Studland Beach. A total of 10 Swallow went south low across the water near Hamworthy Beach and a few Meadow Pipit and Grey Wagtail were on the move before the rain kicked in. On the marina sea wall at Poole Quay 6 Ringed Plover were roosting on the high tide.      

With torrential rain hitting the harbour throughout the day, birding was a tad tricky, but with a survey boat out this AM, we managed to avoid most of the down pours. Despite the rain there was a great selection of birds out around the harbour with a distinct wintery vibe kicking in. In the Wareham Channel off Swineham Point there was a flock of 10 Spotted Redshank, 1 Great White Egret, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 89 Dunlin, 82 Avocet, c1000 Black-tailed Godwit, 38 Spoonbill, 120 Lapwing, 3 Marsh Harrier and 1 Merlin. At Swineham a flock of c20 Bearded Tit were in the reedbed and on the gravel pit there were 110 Coot, 1 Pochard, 5 Tufted Duck, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 3-4 singing Cetti’s Warbler, 2-3 Rock/Water Pipit and numerous Reed Bunting. On the Swineham Scrapes 432 Canada Geese were settled with 8 Greylag Geese and 38 Curlew. Out in central harbour a flock of 520 sinensis Cormorant were feeding in a pack with 11 Sandwich Tern hunting above. Kingfishers were seen from Poole Quay and up the River Frome. The Brownsea Lagoon was looking good with 24 Grey Plover, c50 Knot, c100 Dunlin, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, c50 Avocet, 12 Shoveler, 83 Wigeon and 1 Peregrine. Off Green Island there were 4 Red-breasted Merganser with another 2 in south deep and a second Great White Egret was in Newton Bay again. There are currently only around 30-40 Brent Geese back so far with another 10 off Studland Beach. A total of 10 Swallow went south low across the water near Hamworthy Beach and a few Meadow Pipit and Grey Wagtail were on the move before the rain kicked in. On the marina sea wall at Poole Quay 6 Ringed Plover were roosting on the high tide.