Spoonbills were reported today from Lytchett Bay, Shipstal and Brownsea. Avocet totals seem to still be growing with c400 in Middlebere, c200 on Brownsea and several on Shipstal. A Merlin was seen dashing across Holes Bay. Red-breasted Merganser numbers continue to grow with c50 out in the Brands Bay/South Deep area along with a single Black-necked Grebe also there. Holes Bay NE is well worth a visit on the rising tide as good numbers of Wigeon, Teal, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank and Curlew get pushed close to the cycle path. 

At least once a month we like to try and do a full harbour survey via boat to gage arrival dates and building totals of species whilst getting into all those little nooks and crannies which can be difficult to reach via foot. This morning we carried out one of these surveys and managed a respectable 87 species from the boat. We headed up the Wareham Channel/River which allowed terrestrial as well as aquatic species to be monitored. Highlights included the first 7 settled Goldeneye of the winter in amongst the c75 Great Crested Grebe and c100 Red-breasted Merganser. 4 Goosander flew low over the mouth of the Frome and over Swineham. Merlin were noted at Shipstal, Arne and at Swineham. 2-3 Marsh Harrier were in the west of the Wareham Channel with another over the Brownsea Lagoon. Spoonbills were on Shipstal and on the Brownsea Lagoon and a Great White Egret was along the southern shores near Ower Bay. Later in the day a 1^st winter Caspian Gull dropped down onto Swineham GP where it had a quick wash before moving off east towards the Wareham Channel. Migration up on Ballard was strong again with highlights consisting of 3 Brambling, 1 Bullfinch, 14 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Firecrest, 2 Chiffchaff and 1 Blackcap. Its assumed that these late Blackcap are actually our over-wintering birds arriving into the UK from areas like Germany and Belgium rather than late summer migrants departing. Bearded Tits were active at Swineham and Lytchett Bay, along footpath 12. 

Brambling – Ballard Down – Olly Slessor

Firecrest – Ballard Down – Olly Slessor

Today was another beautifully crisp autumn/winters day with a cold bite in the NW wind. Reported sightings were few and far between though, maybe everyone was enjoying the sun too much. In Studland Bay there were 2 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Common Scoter and 3 Red-breasted Merganser. An evening roost check at Hatch Pond saw 138 Magpie settle in their favored roosting tree.  In Middlebere there were 400+ Avocet, 140+ Lapwing, 40+ Brent Geese and a single Marsh Harrier.

A brief update from today which included a Cattle Egret flying NW towards the Bakers Arms over Lytchett Bay. A Hen Harrier was seen on Hartland mid afternoon along with a Merlin. Lytchett Fields had 2 Ruff still.

Thick fog first thing didn’t look like it was going to clear anytime soon, but bang on 10am, just as our weekly school bird boat was going out it melted away and gave way to another beautiful autumn day. The school bird boat produced c50 Red-breasted Merganser, 60+ Great Crested Grebe and 2 Black-necked Grebe in central harbour, 50 Spoonbill on Shipstal and 60+ Brent Geese in Middlebere. A Cattle Egret flew NE across the Wareham Channel near dusk and there were 166 Brent Geese in the Wareham Channel too. The/a Great Grey Shrike was reported at Middlebere mid-morning and a Hen Harrier was seen at Arne. The most interesting occurrence today was during a ringing session at Lytchett Heath, which started slow but ended with some real early November fireworks. We talk about ‘vis-mig’ a lot, where finches, buntings, pipits and wagtails all move overhead in good numbers during October and Nov, but rarely do we get to find out where some of these birds come from. A regular ‘vis-mig’ species is Reed Bunting and today during the ringing session at Lytchett Heath a Reed Bunting was caught wearing a Norwegian ring. This was an incredible recovery on its own however not only 20 minutes before a Scandanavian (littoralis) Rock Pipit was also caught, also bearing a Norwegian ring, add in the 4 Firecrest, 1 Water Pipit, 8 Bearded Tit, 2 Blackcap and 25 newly ringed Reed Bunting, you could say it was a successful ringing trip. What was also great was that due to the wonders of Social Media, the original ringers of the Rock Pipit provided super quick info about its origins. There were also 3 Ruff at Lytchett Fields.

Scandanavian (littoralis) Rock Pipit – 1464km, 1mnth + 22 days after ringing – Shaun Robson

Water Pipit – Lytchett Heath – Shaun Robson

With autumn evenings drawing in now and darkness hitting before most of us are even home from work, weekday sightings are becoming less and less. Amazingly, having disappeared for several days and assumed gone, the Stilt Sandpiper re-appeared in Middlebere, therefore seeing it into its third month within the harbour. We also carried out a night Woodcock and Jack Snipe survey, but only a single Woodcock was seen and zero Jack Snipe, although c75 Common Snipe was a reasonable total. Other encounters included a Redwing and a Skylark both of which we ringed. There was a serious gripe today though which involved a drone being flown over/across the Middlebere Channel, therefor flushing absolutely everything, both feeding and roosting birds. Can anyone who’s out birding that see’s other such occurrences please either photograph or film the incident. The birds didn’t return for the rest of the afternoon. 

Redwing – Lower Frome Valley – Fabian Harrison

Skylark – Lower Frome Valley – Fabian Harrison

We were treated to another beaut of a day today and finally; a settled Hawfinch was photographed in the village of Ridge, just before Arne. All our Hawfinch this autumn have been ‘fly overs’ so it was great when Brain Whally managed to get a photo of one sat up in a tree. The crisp, clear weather made watching from numerous vantage points extremely pleasant and from Slepe Heath a Great White Egret was seen feeding along the southern edge of the Wareham Channel, a Hen Harrier was flying over the Swineham/Keysworth area, a single male Merlin was out on Arne Moors, 2 Fieldfare flew over, 2-3 Marsh Harrier commuted between Arne Moors and Swineham, 1 Woodlark passed overhead and out in the Wareham Channel an impressive c220 Brent Geese were settled. This is interesting in its self as Brent Geese don’t normally use the Wareham Channel due to the lack of Eel Grass present, and we’re beginning to understand how important the Channel is as a staging site for many water birds. Even when we were watching, several flocks of Brent Geese took flight and continued on east out of the channel. Over the course of the year we’ve seen the same behavior from Black-necked and Great Crested Grebe that had settled out in the center of the channel before continuing with their onward journey. Out off the southern shore of Brownsea a Slavonian Grebe and a Black-necked Grebe were feeding, an adult drake Velvet Scoter was in central harbour and a good number of Red-breasted Merganser were back out in the Brands/Bramble Bush Bay area. In the Shell Bay car park, 3 Firecrest and a Brambling were in the tree line and 2 Sandwich Tern were feeding in Shell Bay. At Lytchett Fields a Jack Snipe was flushed, and there was a report of still 50+ Spoonbill present between Shipstal and Brownsea.   

Hawfinch – Ridge – Brian Whally

Hawfinch – Ridge – Brian Whally

Today was another fine day, but a large office move prevented us from getting out, but a new BoPH HQ project on the horizon is an exciting project we’ll be telling you about soon! Highlights from today involved 1 Great White Egret, 400+ Avocet, 12 Spotted Redshank, 20+ Greenshank, 1 Little Stint and 8 Spoonbill. In Studland Bay a flock of 14 Black-necked Grebe had congregated and on Shell Bay just a single Sanderling is back so far! In Brands Bay Turnstone, 11 Grey Plover, Pintail and Brent Geese were logged along with the usual species. There were still 2 Ruff on Lytchett Fields, a Hen Harrier was out over Swineham and 2 Merlin were on Hartland. Night recording from our listening station in Old Town Poole produced a steady stream of Redwing, Song Thrush and Blackbird all night along with 26 Fieldfare calls.  

Nothing beats a ‘pure’ autumn day, and by this we mean not a breath wind, a warm sun but still with a snap of cold in the air. This morning saw our first frost of the year and a 6:30am start on Shipstal Point, Arne saw a flock of 12 Barnacle Geese arrive in from the north in the twilight before circling high above Middlebere and Ower Bay before eventually settling in Arne Bay next to 41 Spoonbill. The geese were then re-found a bit later at Swineham GP where a 13^th individual joined them. Also at Swineham were 11 Bearded Tit, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Pochard, 3 Little Grebe, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Ruff , 37 Black-tailed Godwit and small numbers of Teal, Tufted Duck, Wigeon and Shoveler. Overhead Bullfinch were passing over in good numbers across the harbour and a Marsh Harrier was over Long Island. The harbour was like a Mill Pond so the Velvet Scoter was easy to pick out, out in central harbour. There were also 27 Red-breasted Merganser out in central harbour with 35 Great Crested Grebe. It looked as if Woodpigeon migration was going to get going again but in never really mounted into much with c3500 going west. Up at Glebelands, Ballard a good passage of finches were counted with 4 Hawfinch over at dawn, also 33 Brambling, 87 Bullfinch, 688 Goldfinch, 121 Lesser Redpoll, 163 Chaffinch, 39 Siskin along with 13 Reed Bunting, 2 Yellowhammer, 186 Starling, 22 alba Wagtail, 5 Skylark and 6 Swallow. A male Brambling was ringed at our Ballard ringing site along with 1 Firecrest, 1 Blackcap, 12 Goldcrest, 15 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Bullfinch and 20 Goldfinch. The Ruddy Shelduck was on the Brownsea Lagoon again and 1-2 Merlin were on Hartland late afternoon. Last night, our listening station was much quieter as a bright, clear moonlit night made it easy for birds to migrate, therefor not needing to call as frequently. We did record another Hawfinch though, our 9^th in just three nights, also 3 Goldcrest and a spread of Fieldfare, Blackbird, Song Thrush and Redwing over the course of the night. Its amazing to think that a bird as small and delicate as a Goldcrest is able to navigate through the hours of darkness in 0 degree temperatures. Such hardy little birds.

Goldcrest – Call of a night migrant – Old Town Poole Listening Station 30/10/17 @ 01:44

 Barnacle Geese – 12 arriving at dawn over Shipstal, Arne – 30/10/17 @ 07:21

Barnacle Geese – Swineham GP – Paul Morton

Brambling – Ballard Down – Olly Slessor

A cold steely grey morning gave way to a picture perfect autumn afternoon, as October moon, rusty skies and ever changing feelings faded to brisk, crisp sub zero temperatures. Autumn did its best to turn into winter today with the presence of a Great Grey Shrike on Slepe Heath but summer grappled back as the late Hobby dashed through Arne Moors for its second day. There was also a Hen Harrier in Middlebere, 1 Merlin and 4 Marsh Harrier over the Wareham Channel reed beds. A Ruddy Shelduck turned up on the Brownsea Lagoon mid afternoon although sadly the origins of these handsome birds are always questioned as feral populations occur here in the UK as well as through France. It seems a shame though to rule out genuine vagrancy when the time of year is correct and the bird acts in a wild manner. Regardless of its origins it’s not a bird we see in the harbour often and it’s a pleasure to have it here. A comedy moment at Lytchett Bay today when the sites first Pochard since Nov 2012 flew in and landed briefly before moving off but then was quickly followed 30 minuets later by a second….talk about waiting for buses! There were also 2-3 Red Kite over Lytchett Bay today with others over Stoborough and Hatch Pond. There were 5 Ruff on Lytchett Fields plus 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Peregrine and a few Swallow through. Ringing at Ballard was a little slower today, probably due to the early wind strength but the sites first Redwing was ringed along with 16 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff and 1 Bullfinch. 

Pochard with Pintail – Lytchett Bay – Shaun Robson