Today saw a nice variety of species including a late Whinchat at Sunnyside Farm and a handsome male Merlin. At Lytchett Fields the Lesser Yellowlegs was still present and a redhead Goosander dropped into Lytchett Bay very briefly late afternoon before heading up the Sherford River. Also at Lytchett Bay 1 Firecrest, 1 Curlew Sandpiper and 1 Green Sandpiper. The Great White Egret was in Middlebere for most of the day. On the Brownsea Lagoon up to 24 Spoonbill were present and could be viewed on our Live Webcam for most of the day. There were other Firecrests at Middle Beach, Studland (1), Arne (3) and Holton Lee (1). A Black Redstart was on the farm buildings at Arne too. In Studland Bay 7 Black-necked Grebe were feeding with a single Red-breasted Merganser. At Middlebere there was a single Marsh Harrier and a decent sized flock of c200 Fieldfare heading west. 

Today was a fine spring…erm, we mean autumn day! As temperatures in the sun hit about 15 degrees. At Arne and night sound recording session produced 307 Redwing, 24 Song Thrush, several Barn Owl calls, 1 Common Snipe and a few Grey Plover. When collecting in our gear in the morning we also had 1 Brambling, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 6 Skylark and a few Linnet flocks passing over. On Arne Farm a Black Redstart was on the Autumn Watch studio roof. Spoonbills were mostly resident on Brownsea however moved over to Arne in the darkness to feed! In Studland bay the Black-necked Grebe total rose to 19. On Lytchett Fields the Lesser Yellowlegs returned after a few days absence and was hanging out with 5 Greenshank and also thee 4 Rock Pipit were present. A Puffin was reported to fly by Old Harry rocks. Finally, a Lesser Whitethroat was photographed at Middlebere cottages this morning, which is a really late record. An attempt to try and re-find it tomorrow will take place to try and obtain some sound recordings if possible. 

Lesser Whitethroat – Middlebere Cottages – Bryan Pinchen

With lighter winds from the east another vis-mig session was attempted at South Haven but passage was much lighter with just 12 Redwing, 4 Song Thrush, 3 Reed Bunting and 7+ Goldcrest in the bushes. A Merlin dashed over Studland churchyard, 3 Firecrest were in Knoll Beach car park and 6 Lesser Redpoll flew over as there were still up to 8 Black-necked Grebe off Middle Beach. A Black Redstart was on rooftops in Old Town Poole. On Brownsea there were up to 38 Spoonbill (will they venture over to Arne for Autumn Watch)?, with 5 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 6 Grey Plover and 1 Kingfisher. Best bird of the day goes to a Great Grey Shrike that was found on Hartland Moor although it was very mobile. At Arne there are still a minimum of 3 Firecrest in the car park  and 2 Marsh Harrier were in Middlebere. 

Fieldfare – Middlebere – Simon Kidner

The wind was still blowing strong from the NE, which encouraged some thrush passage over South Haven as 352 Redwings passed over with 9 Fieldfare, 1 Blackbird, 9 Song Thrush, 11 Meadow Pipit, 7 Siskin, 6 Swallow and 10 alba wagtail. At Arne the Great White Egret was in Middlebere, 2 Firecrest were in the car park, 2 Swallow passed overhead and there were flocks of 80+ Fieldfare and 50+ Redwing. At Lytchett Fields the Lesser Yellowlegs was STILL there and in Poole Harbour west a Merlin, 3 Marsh Harrier and a Peregrine were seen. A night lamping session in the Lower Frome Valley only saw 2 Common Snipe ringed, but 4 Jack Snipe were seen. 

Things were a bit quieter today as the wind was gusting pretty hard. Nonetheless, some decent coverage at Studland produced a Great White Egret in Brands Bay with 1 Black-necked Grebe, 5 Avocet, 9 Knot, 2 Grey Plover and 15 Dunlin. On Slepe Heath a ringtail Hen Harrier went over. On Lytchett Fields the Lesser Yellowlegs was still present with the usual spread of waders. In Middlebere the roosting wader spectacle is something you should try and experience as Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Brent Goose number continue to grow. A night sound recording session at Arne produced 214 Redwing calls, 87 Song Thrush calls, 1 Greenshank, 3 Dunlin and several Grey Plover. 

Marsh Harrier – Middlebere – Simon Kidner

Lytchett Bay got off to another good start when 3 Golden Plover flew over Lytchett Fields at first light. The Lesser Yellowlegs was also still on Lytchett Fields with several Redshank, 1 Knot, 2 Curlew Sandpiper and 100+ Dunlin. There were also 3 different Marsh Harrier that visited the site too. In Poole Harbour west there were 6 different Marsh Harrier that went into roost, also 1 Merlin and a ringtail Hen Harrier were present. Another lamping session in the Lower Frome Valley produced 2 new Jack Snipe ringed and 2 Common Snipe, with a Woodcock and further 2 Jack Snipe seen. The Great White Egret was in Middlebere again with c500 Avocet, c600 Black-tailed Godwit, c 300 Dunlin, 1 Spotted Redshank and a Grey Plover.

Lytchett Bay is the site that just keeps on giving at the moment as a Whooper Swan showed up this morning, hanging out with 2 Mute Swan. Then later in the day a small stint-type wader was found out on Lytchett Fields, which annoyingly disappeared and couldn’t be relocated. The description and views possibly suggested a Baird’s Sandpiper, and the way things are panning out at Lytchett Bay at the moment it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise if it was one! Up on top of Hartland a Ring Ouzel was feeding with Blackbirds along the road and a Hen Harrier was up on Slepe Heath late afternoon. Up on Ballard a short vis-mig session produced 1 Merlin, 2 Common Snipe, 2 Mistle Thrush, c100 Linnet, c 150 Goldfinch, c50 Siskin and 5 Stonechat along with a steady trickle of Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail. The Middlebere channel was brimming with birds on the rising tide with c550 Avocet, 1000 Teal, good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit and smaller numbers of Bar-tailed godwit, Dunlin and Lapwing. 

Whooper Swan – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

Whooper Swan – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

The harbour is beginning to see some big totals now as early calculations show that on Sunday(16^th) around 15,000 wetland birds were counted in the harbour as part of the monthly WeBS counts, consisting mainly of Black-tailed Godwit, Avocet, Dunlin, Redshank and Curlew . A Great White Egret was off Shipstal Point at Arne and a Common Scoter was off out in central harbour. On Brownsea there were 34 Spoonbill. At Lytchett Fields the Lesser Yellowlegs was of course still on the fields with 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 3 Knot, 2 Green Sandpiper, 120+ Dunlin and a Marsh Harrier passed over. Brent Geese numbers are now building with birds appearing at Shore Road, Sandbanks, Middlebere, off Middle Beach and on the Brownsea Lagoon.

We’re also please to announce that a new viewing mound that was part funded by us and the other half by Lytchett Minster and Upton Town Council is now fully complete and ready to use. The new large vantage point can be found at the eastern end of Lytchett Bay, just off Boarder Road. It gives great views out across the reedbeds and bays and also doubles up as a great ‘vis-mig’ vantage point throughout September and October. We hope you enjoy using it, and look forward to receiving your feedback. 

New viewing mound at Boarder Road, Lytchett Bay

Although not within the Poole Harbour boundary, a Great Grey Shrike was at Morden Bog today, which gives perfect reason to keep an eye out for others out on the heaths around the southern shore of the harbour, especially the Hartland Moor and Soldiers Road area.  On Brownsea there were still 37 Spoonbill along with 4 Turnstone, 8 Grey Plover, 12 Spotted Redshank, 3 Knot, 6 Brent Geese and 1 Kingfisher. At Lytchett Fields the Lesser Yellowlegs is still present with 2 Knot, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 male Marsh Harrier and good numbers of Snipe, Lapwing, Redshank and Teal. Another ringing session for Jack Snipe and Common Snipe in the lower Frome valley 4 of the latter and 2 of the former ringed, including a re-trap Jack Snipe from earlier in the week. 

Jack Snipe – Lower Frome Valley

Lesser Yellowlegs – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Brownsea was the place to be with the big high tides at the moment it pushed big numbers of birds on to the lagoon. Totals included 39 Spoonbill, 7 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Little Stint, 15 Spotted Redshank, 28 Greenshank, 8 Knot, 10 Grey Plover, 611 Dunlin, 196 Redshank, 8 Turnstone, 4 Ringed Plover, 2 Snipe, 38 Curlew, 11 Bar-tailed Godwit, 411 Avocet, 778 Oystercatcher, 2 Sandwich Tern, 325 Cormorant, 4 Med Gull, 2 Kingfisher and 567 Teal. Some vis-mig from the end of Brownsea produced 23 Chaffinch, 1 Brambling, 10 Crossbill, 16 Siskin, 9 Linnet, 5 Song Thrush and an adult male Merlin, whilst near the Mac Hide, there was yet another Yellow-browed Warbler with 4 Firecrest, 12+ Chiffchaff and 2 Blackcap. At Middlebere the Great White Egret was present again. At The PC World Drain there were up to 20 Chiffchaff and 2 Blackcap. At Lytchett Fields the highlights from a high tide count included the Lesser Yellowlegs, 4 Curlew Sandpiper, 300+ Dunlin, 200+ Redshank and nearly 1000 Teal. There was late news of a Bittern at Swineham on Friday afternoon.