A grey cold, blustery day saw a few new additions to the Brownsea Lagoon including 5 Curlew Sandpiper which leapt to 13 individuals by mid afternoon. We also received some limited news back from the colour-ringed Redshank we saw on the Brownsea Lagoon last weekend which has been confirmed as being originally ringed in SW Norway at a site in Klepp, although we’re awaiting the full set of information. In Middlebere there were 36 Yellow Wagtail, 540 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Spotted Redshank, 21 Greenshank, 70 Dunlin, 7 Grey Plover, 3 Avocet, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Hobby. Highlights from Lytchett Fields included an adult Spotted Redshank.

We’re not quite sure what’s going on with Spoonbills at the moment. We should be (if trends over the last 7 years were to be followed) seeing an almost daily increase on the Brownsea Lagoon. On Saturday last week a peak of 21 was reached but the birds only stayed briefly before moving back to their now already favoured site of Shipstal Point, Arne which normally isn’t adopted until at least mid to late October. Like everything else, it may just be that they’re going to arrive late, but considering the harbour reached a peak of 75 last October we’ve got some serious catching up to do if the record is to be broken again for the eighth consecutive year. There were 3 Curlew Sandpiper again on the lagoon today with 12 Greenshank, c80 Avocet and smaller numbers of Dunlin, Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit. Migrant Osprey sightings are now definitely reducing although we still have three of our translocated juveniles hanging around. Our best guess is that the next break in the weather (likely Thursday) will see them depart for their first migrations south, although they seem quite settled and happy being fed twice a day still…typical youngsters!

Not many sightings reported today so we’ll just provide a nice selection of photos that have been sent to us instead. Sightings that were reported to us today included 3 Firecrest on Brownsea along with 16 Spoonbill, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, c250 Dunlin, 9 Knot, 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, 99 Avocet, 33 Shoveler, 16 Greenshank and a Peregrine. An Osprey flew over Swineham and another was in Lytchett Bay with 2 Hobby, 3 Knot, 1 Spotted Redshank and 38 Dunlin also on Lytchett Fields.

Kingfisher – Holton Pools – Clare Slade

Whinchat – Lytchett Fileds – Ian Ballam

Wheatear – Baiter Park – John Pick

Turnstone – Baiter Park – John Pick

Ringed Plover – Baiter Park – John Pick

It’s looking as if it could be another Cattle Egret winter with birds ‘popping up’ all over the county. Today at Lytchett Fields two appeared with the cattle at the end of Slough Lane and then a Great White Egret appeared later in the day, meaning Lytchett Bay experienced its first ever egret hat-trick (Little, Cattle, Great) in a single day. There was also another Great White Egret at Middlebere too and a Ruff on Lytchett Fields. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 3 Curlew Sandpiper, c250 Dunlin, 14 Greenshank, 9 Knot, 18 Spoonbill, 99 Avocet, 33 Shoveler and 1 Wigeon. At Sunnyside Farm there were 2 Whinchat, 3 Redstart, and 10 Yellow Wagtail. Osprey’s were seen at Coombe Heath, Arne and Lytchett Bay and a Marsh Harrier was at Holton Pools. On Baiter Beach during the low-tide Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Turnstone were feeding along the shoreline.

There were signs of some more arrivals today with a Ruff and Spotted Redshank fresh in on Lytchett Fields, also 8 Greenshank, 6 Dunlin, 1 Osprey and 3 Green Sandpiper. In Holes Bay NW there were 623 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Dunlin and a Common Gull. At Shipstal Point 13 Spoonbill were roosting and 5 were on Brownsea. In Middlebere there were 14 Knot, 1 Whimbrel, and 1 Curlew Sandpiper. A Little Stint and 2 Spotted Redshank were on the Brownsea Lagoon along with 15 Shoveler and the 1^stWigeon for Brownsea this autumn. At Holton Pools the Kingfishers were impressing again and there was a Spotted Flycatcher near the hide.

The sun continues to shine and at Lytchett Fields a newly arrived Cattle Egret commuted between the cattle heard and French’s Pools. An Osprey was active again in the bay throughout the day and 2 Marsh Harrier commuted through. On Lytchett Fields were 23 Dunlin, 7 Ringed Plover, 7 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper and 5 Greenshank also 20+ Yellow Wagtail and a 1 Whinchat were in the area. On Brownsea the Spoonbill population increased to 15 for a short while before most moved back to Shipstal Point, Arne. In Holes Bay NE the Wigeon total increased to 92 and up to 4 Osprey were seen over towards Arne.

Even though things seemed to have slowed down a bit migration continues to pulse on through with some vis-mig even beginning. At South Haven, Studland there were 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Tree Pipit, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap and a Kingfisher. Vis-mig over the harbour mouth included 1 Hobby, 5 Tree Pipit, 3 Grey Wagtail, 8 Yellow Wagtail, 99 Meadow Pipit and a large House Martin and Swallow migration. At Lytchett Fields there were 2 Osprey, 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Knot, 12 Dunlin, 7 Greenshank, 5 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper and 1 Whinchat. At Middlebere an Osprey was in the dead trees and there were 14 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Greenshank, 1 Whimbrel, c300 Black-tailed Godwit and a Marsh Harrier. On Holton Pools there were 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Kingfisher and 3 Yellow Wagtail over.

Today was the second day of our Dorset Discovery tour and a migrant filled day it was too. Up on Ballard the huge House Martin and Swallow passage continued with birds head NE into the wind all morning also several Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and Blackcap also present. At Greenlands Farm there were c20 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Wheatear, 1 Redstart, c10 Stonechat, 1 Osprey and 1 Spotted Flycatcher with Brands Bay holding 3 Pintail, 2 Greenshank, c50 Black-tailed Godwit, c10 Great Crested Grebe and c20 Redshank. On Brownsea the juv Curlew Sandpiper was still there along with 8 Greenshank, 5 Spoonbill, 2 Common Sandpiper, both Common and Sandwich Tern and low numbers of Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Redshank. In Lytchett Bay the 2 Osprey were fishing again in the bay from 8:30am and visited several times during the course of the day and on the fields were 8 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover, 12 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper and 1 Greenshank.

During the autumn its always nice when you’re able to give an area ‘a real good going over’ and a full Brownsea Lagoon count produced 1 Little Stint, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 18 Avocet, 689 Oystercatcher, 150 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Spotted Redshank, 30 Common Redshank, 8 Greenshank, 20 Little Egret, 7 Spoonbill, 1 Peregrine and 1 Kingfisher along with a spread of Shoveler, Teal and Shelduck. At Lytchett Bay there were 2 Osprey hunting on and off through the day and a Red Kite and Peregrine passed on through with only 2 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plover, 3 Greenshank and 1 Avocet on the fields. At Arne it was the beginning of our Autumn Dorset Discovery Tour and our group had a huge House Martin passage overhead along with 2 Redstart, 1 Whinchat, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Swift, several Dartford Warbler and a Sand Lizard.

The Brownsea Lagoon was watch pretty intensively again today but totals weren’t as high as previous days. Only 2 Spoonbill were present for most of the day and a single Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 6 Greenshank, 3 Knot, 150 Dunlin, c400 Oystercatcher, 1 Peregrine and 2 Kingfisher were the main highlights. Also present on the lagoon (and also Brands Bay) were the first 8 returning Pintail of the autumn. Around Lytchett Bay there were 40+ Dunlin, 7 Ringed Plover, 3 Yellow Wagtail, a flock of 33 Little Egret over, 2 Osprey and 18 Wigeon out in the bay and 1 Wheatear near Lytchett Fields. Things seemed a bit quieter today on the migrant front with 19 Whitethroat, 1 Redstart, 4 Whinchat and 1 Reed Warbler logged up around Old Harry and in Brands Bay waders consisted of 81 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit and 113 Curlew along with a juv Osprey seen again. From Coombe Heath, Arne Ospreys commuted between the Middlebere nesting platform and the dead trees at the back of the channel and a Peregrine flew through several times as did a Marsh Harrier with Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Whimbrel, Ringed and Grey Plover all present in Middlebere. At Sunnyside a Hobby flew through and there were several Yellow Wagtail around. Wigeon numbers in Holes Bay increased to 17. Holton Pools is now seeing regular Kingfisher using the perching posts.

Greenshank – Nocturnal call of individual passing over Brownsea Lagoon – 01/09/18 @ 01:15am

Nocturnal Avocet flock arriving on to Brownsea Lagoon – 01/09/18 @ 01:37am