It’s always worth doing a sea watch if possible during September and especially with a strong southerly wind. A quick check off Branksome Chine this afternoon produced Poole Harbour’s 4^th only record of Sooty Shearwater late afternoon. It arrived in from the east and did a couple of lengths of the waterline before being lost to the mist. There wasn’t much else moving other than a few Sandwich Tern and Gannet. In Whitley Lake, 28 Sandwich Tern were roosting on the jetty pylons of East Dorset Sailing Club. Off Knoll Beach another Brent Goose had arrived and an Osprey was again seen hunting in Lytchett Bay before the wind and rain kicked in. On Lytchett Fields there was a single Curlew Sandpiper also 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Ruff, 3 Ringed Plover, 12 Greenshank, 446 Teal and 24 Dunlin. On Holton Pools Greenshank and Kingfisher were seen from the hide along with 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Peregrine. At Baiter 31 Turnstone and 8 Ringed Plover were on the beach and a light passage of House Martin flew along the quay front at dawn.

Over the weekend the first wave of Yellow-browed Warbler hit the east coast, so it won’t be too long before the first Dorset/Poole Harbour record appears…we just need the forecast SW winds to ease off now and swing the other way.

Sooty Shearwater – Branksome Chine – Paul Morton

It’s always worth doing a sea watch if possible during September and especially with a strong southerly wind. A quick check off Branksome Chine this afternoon produced Poole Harbour’s 4^th only record of Sooty Shearwater late afternoon. It arrived in from the east and did a couple of lengths of the waterline before being lost to the mist. There wasn’t much else moving other than a few Sandwich Tern and Gannet. In Whitley Lake, 28 Sandwich Tern were roosting on the jetty pylons of East Dorset Sailing Club. Off Knoll Beach another Brent Goose had arrived and an Osprey was again seen hunting in Lytchett Bay before the wind and rain kicked in. On Lytchett Fields there was a single Curlew Sandpiper also 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Ruff, 3 Ringed Plover, 12 Greenshank, 446 Teal and 24 Dunlin. On Holton Pools Greenshank and Kingfisher were seen from the hide along with 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Peregrine. At Baiter 31 Turnstone and 8 Ringed Plover were on the beach and a light passage of House Martin flew along the quay front at dawn.

Over the weekend the first wave of Yellow-browed Warbler hit the east coast, so it won’t be too long before the first Dorset/Poole Harbour record appears….we just need the forecast SW winds to ease off now and swing the other way.

Sooty Shearwater – Branksome Chine – Paul Morton

A juvenile/1st winter Cattle Egret was skulking about Swineham GP floods. Brand’s Bay featured a juvenile Osprey perched up in the trees at the back. Another Osprey was seen over Lytchett Bay again and a Curlew Sandpiper was at New Pools, Lytchett Fields. A single Spoonbill was feeding off Gigger’s Island on the low tide in the Wareham channel.

Cattle Egret – Swineham GP floods

Today saw the last of the fine weather before a shift towards heavy rain and strong westerly winds. Osprey are still being logged about the harbour, particularly around the northern bays of the Harbour. However, Osprey sightings are likely to thin out come the changes to weather conditions. As well as featuring the migrant Osprey, Holes Bay harboured c200 Black-tailed Godwit, c180 Wigeon, 3 Knot, single Yellow Legged Gull and large flocks of Redshank and Curlew. A high tide at Lytchett Fields this morning produced 3 Spoonbill, 2 Spotted Redshank, 5 Green Sandpiper, 5 Greenshank, 4 Wigeon, 6 Yellow Wagtail with cattle. A Total of 37 Dunlin were flushed by a Peregrine hunting in the Bay, with 80+ Cormorants and a Little Grebe also observed.

 A fine spread of waders was also recorded at Middlebere Channel including singles of Bar-tailed Godwit and Grey Plover, as well as c550 Black-tailed Godwit, c60 Avocet, 1 Whimbrel, 20 Knot, 15 Dunlin, 3 Pintail and Spoonbill. Sparrowhawk, Peregrine and 2 Marsh Harriers also made appearances. Hobby were recorded from Ridgewarf and Slepe Heathamongst a flock of c100 Swallow.

Today saw the last of the fine weather before a shift towards heavy rain and strong westerly winds. Osprey are still being logged about the harbour, particularly around the northern bays of the Harbour. However, Osprey sightings are likely to thin out come the changes to weather conditions. As well as featuring the migrant Osprey, Holes Bay harboured c200 Black-tailed Godwit, c180 Wigeon, 3 Knot, single Yellow Legged Gull and large flocks of Redshank and Curlew. A high tide at Lytchett Fields this morning produced 3 Spoonbill, 2 Spotted Redshank, 5 Green Sandpiper, 5 Greenshank, 4 Wigeon, 6 Yellow Wagtail with cattle. A Total of 37 Dunlin were flushed by a Peregrine hunting in the Bay, with 80+ Cormorants and a Little Grebe also observed.

A fine spread of waders was also recorded at Middlebere Channel including singles of Bar-tailed Godwit and Grey Plover, as well as c550 Black-tailed Godwit, c60 Avocet, 1 Whimbrel, 20 Knot, 15 Dunlin, 3 Pintail and Spoonbill. Sparrowhawk, Peregrine and 2 Marsh Harriers also made appearances. Hobby were recorded from Ridgewarf and Slepe Heath chasing a flock of c100 Swallow.

With the howling south-easterly wind that had built by mid-afternoon it made birding a tad tricky however Osprey continue to be seen at several sites. It really has been one of the best Osprey autumns on record with a likely three different birds still in the harbour with 2 juveniles in and around the Holes Bay area/Lytchett Bay area and an adult at Middlebere. Spoonbill seem to be multiplying by the day with 42 now in the harbour with the entire flock feeding out in the Wareham Channel on the low tide this morning. Also out in the Wareham Channel were c50 Wigeon, 4 Pintail, 8 Knot and a huge number of gulls also 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Peregrine. At Swineham the Cattle Egret was again in the fields behind Curlews Cottage. At Holton Lee 2 Spotted Flycatcher were out on the heath with another 2 at the PCW Drain. At Lytchett Fields 2 Ruff, 8 Dunlin and 2 Greenshank were feeding. From the ‘Stone Bench’ at Upton CP 503 Black-tailed Godwit, 30 Teal, 4 Shoveler and 2 Pintail were counted.  Just outside the harbour a White Stork was reported flying over Sturminster Marshall.

Adult Osprey – Middlebere – Simon Kidner

With the howling south-easterly wind that had built by mid-afternoon it made birding a tad tricky however Osprey continue to be seen at several sites. It really has been one of the best Osprey autumns on record with a likely three different birds still in the harbour with 2 juveniles in and around the Holes Bay area/Lytchett Bay area and an adult at Middlebere. Spoonbill seem to be multiplying by the day with 42 now in the harbour with the entire flock feeding out in the Wareham Channel on the low tide this morning. Also out in the Wareham Channel were c50 Wigeon, 4 Pintail, 8 Knot and a huge number of gulls also 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Peregrine. At Swineham the Cattle Egret was again in the fields behind Curlews Cottage. At Holton Lee 2 Spotted Flycatcher were out on the heath with another 2 at the PCW Drain. At Lytchett Fields 2 Ruff, 8 Dunlin and 2 Greenshank were feeding. From the ‘Stone Bench’ at Upton CP 503 Black-tailed Godwit, 30 Teal, 4 Shovelerand 2 Pintail were counted.  Just outside the harbour a White Stork was reported flying over Sturminster Marshall.

Adult Osprey – Middlebere – Simon Kidner

Migrant Osprey continue to frequent the Harbour with an unringed juvenile observed over Lytchett Bay, Holes Bay and Brownsea Island by the afternoon. Holes Bay NE bird activity continues to build on the low tides day on day with c500 Black-tailed Godwit present surrounded by 203 Wigeon, 2 Knot, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Yellow-legged Gull and a surprisingly low Redshank count of only 8 individuals logged. Singles of Kingfisher and Wheatear were also recorded within the Bay. Other passage migrants found across the Harbour include Whinchat and Wheatear on Nine Barrow Down.

A Marsh Harrier was seen quartering over Lytchett Fields this morning, flushing the waders and gulls present. Pintail are slowly building in numbers too, with 11 eclipse males recorded over Middlebere Channel this morning and a Great White Egret was located in Bramble Bush Bay early morning, before flying over to Brownsea Island north shore.

Pintail – Middlebere – Simon Kidner

Migrant Osprey continue to frequent the Harbour with an un-ringed juvenile observed over Lytchett Bay, Holes Bay and Brownsea Island by the afternoon. Holes Bay NE bird activity continues to build on the low tides day on day with c500 Black-tailed Godwit present surrounded by 203 Wigeon, 2 Knot, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Yellow-legged Gull and a surprisingly low Redshank count of only 8 individuals logged. Singles of Kingfisher and Wheatear were also recorded within the Bay. Other passage migrants found across the Harbour include Whinchat and Wheatear on Nine Barrow Down.

A Marsh Harrier was seen quartering over Lytchett Fields this morning, flushing the waders and gulls present. Pintail are slowly building in numbers too, with 11 eclipse males recorded over Middlebere Channel this morning and a Great White Egret was located in Bramble Bush Bay early morning, before flying over to Brownsea Island north shore.

Pintail – Middlebere – Simon Kidner

There was no sign of yesterday’s Common Crane at Keysworth today. However, a single Cattle Egret was with a herd on Arne Moors and 22 Spoonbill were observed in the channel early morning. West Poole Harbour also produced 4 Marsh Harrier, 1 Osprey and 2 Hobby – a fine morning for birds of prey. Osprey were also logged several times over Lytchett Bay and Holes Bay today with 2 individuals recorded in the morning and an additional sighting in the afternoon.

PC World Drain contained a splattering of passage migrants including several Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Spotted Flycatcher. Large Black-tailed Godwit movement was seen moving from Wareham Channel direction towards Holes Bay totalling 800+ birds. Godlington Heath picked up a single Hobby hunting and Red Kite passing over while over on Brownsea Island 2 Curlew Sandpiper were observed late morning.

Spotted Flycatcher – PC World Drain – Ian Ballam

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