Unfortunately, no sightings of the Long-eared Owl today at Swineham, hopefully it will be seen again in the next few days. However, still good sightings of 3 Marsh Harrier, c15 Bearded Tit, 1 Merlin, 107 Curlew, 93 Gadwall, 1 Brambling and 3 Cetti’s Warbler at Swineham.

Highlights from a visit to to Jerry’s Point include 3 Common Scoter, 1 Great Northern Diver and Black Necked Grebe. Other records include 25 Wigeon, 4 Gadwall and 1 Pintail at East Holme, and 20 Pintail, 80 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Common Sandpiper and 110 Brent Geese recorded in Brands Bay.

A Long-eared Owl at Swineham was the showstopper today. The species remains very rare in Dorset and extremely rare in the Harbour, with only a couple of records confirmed within the Harbour this century! Our school bird boat today logged 2 Velvet Scoter seen in the central harbour area this morning. Other highlights from the trip included 2 Spoonbill on Brownsea Lagoon and building numerous of Red-breasted Merganser in the Central Harbour.

A high tide visit to Coombe Viewpoint offered c200 Lapwing, c250 Avocet, Wigeon, Black-tailed Godwit & a female Marsh Harrier and a brief visit to the Holton Lee pool early afternoon produced 4 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 3 Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper and a Kingfisher.

Amigrant Red Kite passing over Upton Heath early afternoon was a pleasant highlight today. Coombe Heath Viewpoint this morning provided views of 2 Marsh Harrier and a Peregrine along with a mobile Avocet flock, several Curlew, Shelduck, Black-tailed Godwit and numerous Teal and Wigeon.

A Great Northern Diver and 2 Black-necked Grebes remained visible off Middle Beach today. Jerry’s Point featured c40 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Common Scoter, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 6 Brent Goose, 56 Oystercatcher, 2 Grey Plover, 8 Dunlin & Ringed Plover. While Brand Bay produced 1 Great White Egret, c110 Brent Goose, 1 Spotted Redshank, 40 Lapwing, as well as abundant Pintail & Curlew, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Shelduck, Great Crested Grebe, Teal and Wigeon.

Another nice autumnal day brought in good reports from around the Harbour. Shell Bay provided several sightings including 7 Brent Geese, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 4 Meadow Pipit, 1 Rock Pipit and 2 Stonechat. Bramble Bush Bay harboured a similar assemblage as well as 28 Turnstone and a single Redshank.

Off Middle Beach a maximum of 9 Black-necked Grebe were reported, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Razorbill and 2 Great Crested Grebe. Brands Bay was also productive with 700 Wigeon, 50 Pintail, 10 Avocet, 170 Brent Geese, 5 Grey Plover, 3 Common Scoter, 2 Dartford Warbler, 15 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, 20 Turnstone, 300+ sinensis Cormorant, 11 Shelduck, 45 Curlew, 1 Great White Egret, 3 Black-necked Grebe and a Knot.

Jerry’s Point featured 1 Long-tailed Duck, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 3 Common Scoter, 3 Black-Necked Grebe and 15 Red-Breasted Merganser, 35 Oystercatcher, 1 Great Northern Diver and 5 Great Crested Grebe this afternoon. Other highlights include 1 Great White Egret at Littlesea, 50+ Avocet at Stonebench, 2 Spotted Redshank and 3 Green Sandpiper seen at Lytchett Fields and 70 Avocet at Upton Country Park. Swineham recorded upwards of 50 Lapwing, 21 Curlew, 2 Grey Plover, 2 Raven, 2 Green Sandpiper and 23 Black-tailed Godwit.

Sightings a little thin today despite the improvement in weather conditions. Poole Park produced a single Goldeneye on Poole Park Boating Lake. While Holes Bay NW held its fair share of waders and wildfowl today. Numerous Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit were seen along with Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and 8 Little Grebe.

Today saw a minimum count of 8 Water Pipit on The Pool Field, Lytchett.

Last night’s trip to Hartland (the first visit this autumn/winter) to survey for nocturnal feeders delivered a hattrick with 2 Woodcock, 1 Jack Snipe and 1 Common Snipe ringed, with c15 Woodcock seen. Woodcock will begin arriving in numbers (coinciding with the first full moon in the month – 12^th November) and a study commissioned by Birds of Poole Harbour during winter 2013/14 estimated approximately 650 Woodcock over-winter within the Poole Harbour area each year.

Woodcock – Hartland

Jack Snipe – Hartland

Common Snipe – Hartland

A Velvet Scoter was seen off Red Horn Quay before heavy rain this morning. Later in the day 6 Turnstone, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Common Seal and numerous Curlew and Brent Geese. While over at Lytchett Fields a colour-ringed Lapwing was recorded, probably ringed in Holland.

A decent haul from a watch from Middle Beach, Studland produced 2 Black-necked Grebe 2 Great Crested Grebe and 16 Brent Geese.

Meanwhile, 6 Woodcock were seen on a walk around Morden bog this afternoon.