A wonderful array of waders and new wildfowl arrivals were observed at Holes Bay today. The star of the show was undoubtedly the Little Stint, a rare bird for the Bay! A grand total of 637 Black-tailed Godwit, 155 Redshank and 54 Curlew were all observed along with smaller numbers of Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Knot and Oystercatcher. Wildfowl numbers are increasing across the Harbour, and the same proved true for Holes Bay featuring 4 Pintail, 3 Shoveler, 49 Wigeon, 164 Teal, 1 Gadwall and 20 Mallard. And if that wasn’t enough species for you, a migrant Osprey was seen fishing in front of Stone Bench successfully catching a fish after four failed attempts.

Lytchett Fields also harboured its own fine selection of notable sightings including 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Ruff, and singles of Whinchat and juvenile Peregrine. The wintering Spoonbill flock is slowly building with 25 individuals was recorded from Shipstal Hide, Arne this morning and the colour-ringed White Stork was still present at Sunnyside along with 2 Wheatear.

A wonderful array of waders and new wildfowl arrivals were observed at Holes Bay today. The star of the show was undoubtedly the Little Stint, a rare bird for the Bay! A grand total of 637 Black-tailed Godwit, 155 Redshank and 54 Curlew were all observed along with smaller numbers of Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Knot and Oystercatcher. Wildfowl numbers are increasing across the Harbour, and the same proved true for Holes Bay featuring 4 Pintail, 3 Shoveler, 49 Wigeon, 164 Teal, 1 Gadwall and 20 Mallard. And if that wasn’t enough species for you, a migrant Osprey was seen fishing in front of Stone Bench successfully catching a fish after four failed attempts.

Lytchett Fields also harboured its own fine selection of notable sightings including 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Ruff, and singles of Whinchat and juvenilePeregrine. The wintering Spoonbill flock is slowly building with 25 individuals was recorded from Shipstal Hide, Arne this morning and the colour-ringed White Stork was still present at Sunnyside along with 2 Wheatear.

Although yesterday’s Little Stint did not hang around, Lytchett Bay once again featured impressive species diversity with singles of Spoonbill, Wheatear, Great White Egret, Curlew Sandpiper, Knot, Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper all observed. Other migrants present include pairs of Ruff, Ringed Plover, Spotted Redshank, Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit as well as 8 Greenshank, 2 Common Tern, 1 Sandwich Tern, Spotted Flycatcher and Whitethroat.

The Sunnyside colour-ringed White Stork was still present today. While over on Brownsea Lagoon notable sightings included 1 Spotted Redshank, 23 Avocet, 27 Spoonbill, 1 Curlew Sandpiper and 17 Curlew. Hartland Moor also received its fair share of passage passerines logging Spotted Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Whitethroat and Wheatear.

Although yesterday’s Little Stint did not hang around, Lytchett Bay once again featured impressive species diversity with singles of Spoonbill, Wheatear, Great White Egret, Curlew Sandpiper, Knot, Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper all observed. Other migrants present include pairs of Ruff, Ringed Plover, Spotted Redshank, Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit as well as 8 Greenshank, 2 Common Tern, 1 Sandwich Tern, Spotted Flycatcher and Whitethroat.

The Sunnyside colour-ringed White Stork was still present today. While over on Brownsea Lagoon notable sightings included 1 Spotted Redshank, 23 Avocet, 27 Spoonbill, 1 Curlew Sandpiper and 17 Curlew. Hartland Moor also received its fair share of passage passerines logging Spotted Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Whitethroat and Wheatear.

The rain today downed a nice selection of waders at Lytchett Fields including the autumns first Little Stint, along with 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 10 Ringed Plover, 9 Dunlin, 1 Common Snipe, 9 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, c50 Black-tailed Godwit, c80 Common Redshank, 6 Lapwing, 1 Curlew and 1 Oystercatcher, along with c100 Teal and 52 Yellow Wagtail this morning! Around Poole there were c15 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plover at Baiter and lots of Swallow feeding over the playing field and in Holes Bay NE the Wigeon count went up to 38 with 1 Common Sandpiper there too, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, c100 Black-tailed Godwit and c50 Redshank. There were 23 Spoonbill at Arne with another 3 on Brownsea and 1 in Middlebere. Along the track at Middlebere were Common Whitethroat, Wheatear and several Blackcap. The Knepp White Stork was still at Sunnyside and the Holton Lee Little Owl was active at dawn.

A calm day out in the Harbour today with 8mph winds and 19°C highs. Brownsea Lagoon recorded  12 Spoonbill, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, a Whimbrel, 4 Sanderling, 2 Knot, 4 Sandwich Tern, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Dunlin, c40 Redshank, 1 Avocet, unusually on its own, 3 Greenshank and a Water Rail was heard calling. On the heath on Brownsea there was 1 Pied Flycatcher, 14+ Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Redstart, 8 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 15 Chiffchaff and 6 Willow Warbler.

The White Stork was been seen again at Sunnyside Scrape along with 3 Wheatear, a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a Spotted Flycatcher and Gadwall. Over at Holten Lee, unusually, a Canary was photographed but an adult.Osprey flew over mid morning with a big Mullet.

Several Osprey sightings today with an individual spotted eating a fish near Salterns Marina and another, likely to be a juvenile practicing fishing, was seen over the Wareham Channel. Another sighting was of an individual at the East lake on Brownsea and then drifting towards the Brownsea Lagoon and a forth record came in from Swineham with an unringed individual flying over the Gavel Pits towards the Channel. Also seen at Swineham were 2 Hobby, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Snipe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Yellowhammer, 4 Blackcap and Reed Bunting.

Holes Bay recorded 33 Curlew near Peregrins Island, c1000 Black–tailed Godwit and a Kingfisher.

A calm day out in the Harbour today with 8mph winds and 19°C highs. Brownsea Lagoon recorded  12 Spoonbill, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, a Whimbrel, 4 Sanderling, 2 Knot, 4 Sandwich Tern, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Dunlin, c40 Redshank, 1 Avocet, unusually on its own, 3 Greenshank and a Water Rail was heard calling. On the heath on Brownsea there was 1 Pied Flycatcher, 14+ Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Redstart, 8 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 15 Chiffchaff and 6 Willow Warbler.

The White Stork was been seen again at Sunnyside Scrape along with 3 Wheatear, a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a Spotted Flycatcher and Gadwall. Over at Holten Lee, unusually, a Canary was photographed but an adult.Osprey flew over mid morning with a big Mullet.

Several Osprey sightings today with an individual spotted eating a fish near Salterns Marina and another, likely to be a juvenile practicing fishing, was seen over the Wareham Channel. Another sighting was of an individual at the East lake on Brownsea and then drifting towards the Brownsea Lagoon and a forth record came in from Swineham with an unringed individual flying over the Gavel Pits towards the Channel. Also seen at Swineham were 2 Hobby, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Snipe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Yellowhammer, 4 Blackcap and Reed Bunting.

Holes Bay recorded 33 Curlew near Peregrins Island, c1000 Black–tailed Godwit and a Kingfisher.

The rain today downed a nice selection of waders at Lytchett Fields including the autumns first Little Stint, along with 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 10 Ringed Plover, 9 Dunlin, 1 Common Snipe, 9 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, c50 Black-tailed Godwit, c80 Common Redshank, 6 Lapwing, 1 Curlew and 1 Oystercatcher, along with c100 Teal and 52 Yellow Wagtail this morning! Around Poole there were c15 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plover at Baiter and lots of Swallow feeding over the playing field and in Holes Bay NE the Wigeon count went up to 38 with 1 Common Sandpiper there too, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, c100 Black-tailed Godwit and c50 Redshank. There were 23 Spoonbill at Arne with another 3 on Brownsea and 1 in Middlebere. Along the track at Middlebere were Common Whitethroat, Wheatear and several Blackcap. The Knepp White Stork was still at Sunnyside and the Holton Lee Little Owl was active at dawn.

The colour-ringed White Stork was still present on Sunnyside today. Few other birds are frequenting the scrape and a fox was observed prowling around early morning. Low wader numbers were observed at Lytchett Fields this morning despite the favourable water levels. Singles of Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper were all recorded along with 11 Greenshank, 4 Green Sandpiper, 32 Redshank, 2 Spoonbill, 2 Yellow Wagtail and c200 Teal.

Middlebere featured the first returning Pintail for the winter. A total of 3 eclipse males were logged together with 13 Spoonbill, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Avocet, 18 Yellow Wagtail. A grilling of Holes Bay this afternoon produced 11 adult Yellow-legged Gulls at Holes Bay, mostly loafing on the rooftops by Kerry Foods. A reasonable selection of passage passerines were observed at Hartland Moor including 3 Common Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warbler, 10+ Chiffchaff, 10+ Blackcap and singles of Lesser Whitethroat, Redstart and Wheatear.

Ruff – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

The colour-ringed White Stork was still present on Sunnyside today. Few other birds are frequenting the scrape and a fox was observed prowling around early morning. Low wader numbers were observed at Lytchett Fields this morning despite the favourable water levels. Singles of Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper were all recorded along with 11 Greenshank, 4 Green Sandpiper, 32 Redshank, 2 Spoonbill, 2 Yellow Wagtail and c200 Teal.

Middlebere featured the first returning Pintail for the winter. A total of 3 eclipse males were logged together with 13 Spoonbill, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Avocet, 18 Yellow Wagtail. A grilling of Holes Bay this afternoon produced 11 adult Yellow-legged Gulls at Holes Bay, mostly loafing on the rooftops by Kerry Foods. A reasonable selection of passage passerines were observed at Hartland Moor including 3 Common Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warbler, 10+ Chiffchaff, 10+ Blackcap and singles of Lesser Whitethroat, Redstart and Wheatear.

Ruff – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam