A vis-mig session up on Ballard seemed like it could be productive but as dawn approached a few Goldfinch, Linnet and Siskin flocks moved through followed by a handful of Crossbill and that was about it. The biggest movers were Meadow Pipit and alba Wagtails with the prior moving all day on a broad front across the whole harbour. Up on Ballard there was a single Redstart and an obvious moderate arrival of Chiffchaff and Goldcrest. Sadly, it was announced that a Great Skua was found exhausted on Shipstal Beach and had to be taken into care, which would have almost certainly bee the bird that was on the Brownsea Lagoon yesterday. On the rising tide today on Lytchett Fields the Lesser Yellowlegs was still present with 136 Dunlin, 200+ Redshank, 8 Greenshank, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 40+ Snipe and a Marsh Harrier. Up on Hartland there were 3 Merlin and 4 Marsh Harrier were in the west Poole Harbour roost. The Brownsea Spoonbill total was 40 with 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 8 Spotted Redshank and a whole suit of other commoners waders. An early evening Osprey drifting low over Lilliput was a nice end of day surprise. 

The Brownsea Lagoon was again given another good grilling today and the reward came in the shape of a juvenile Great Skua which came and pitched down next to a dead gull for around an hour before moving off again. Other totals from the lagoon included 43 Spoonbill, 5 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Ruff, 8 Knot, 25 Greenshank, 15 Spotted Redshank, 174 Redshank, 9 Sanderling, 4 Turnstone, 456 Dunlin, 58 Bar-tailed godwit, 191 Avocet, 33 Ringed Plover, 6 Grey Plover, 2 Snipe, 600+ Oystercatcher, 3 Common and 4 Sandwich Tern, 2 Kingfisher and 3 Water Rail. Up on Hartland 2 Merlin were seen interacting, a male and a female. At Lytchett Fields the Lesser Yellowlegs remained and a juvenile Marsh Harrier passed through and there were also 2 Knot on the fields. At Swineham there were Yellow Wagtail at the end of the lane, a Hobby dashed through and at Swineham Point 2 Skylark, 2 Snipe and a Kingfisher, along with a Wheatear at Bestwall and 6 Sand Martin feeding over the main pit. 

Today a school bird boat took place and a Great White Egret was seen feeding on the shoreline of Long Island and another (or the same) was later seen feeding on Lytchett Fields briefly before heading off to Rockley Park direction. The Lesser Yellowlegs was still on Lytchett Fields where the high tide count also produced 1 Knot, 1 Ringed Plover, c50 Snipe, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Little Stint and a good count of Redshank, Dunlin, Greenshank, Teal and Wigeon. Some passerine passage was also evident with 1 Woodlark, 1 Skylark, 1 Firecrest, 1 Treecreeper, 3 Goldcrest, 7 Chiffchaff and 30 Meadow Pipit over around Lytchett Fields too with Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel all passing through. Around the Hartland Moor, Soldiers Road area there were 11 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat, 2 Blackcap and a Woodlark.

As September comes to an end, the prime time for Wrynecks is almost over. However there was just enough time for one to turn up in a Parkstone garden.. I bet the lucky finder wasn’t quite expecting that! The Lesser Yellowlegs was still on Lytchett Fields with 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 3 Knot, 1 Little Stint, 150 Dunlin, 6 Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Hobby, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Sandwich Tern and 3 Reed Warbler. On the Brownsea Lagoon Spoonbill numbers remain at 37, also there 2 Curlew Sandpiper and 3 Spotted Redshank. A Firecrest was in Slough Lane, Upton with another 3 in the Arne car park. 

There was anice selection of rarities and scarcities today starting with the Lesser Yellowlegs which was on Lytchett Fields. Then at Arne, the weekly Wednesday walk came up trumps when a Wryneck flew over the group and landed in a pine tree near by and a Yellow-browed Warbler was seen in some scrub whilst the group were watching 2 Osprey in the Middlebere Channel. On Brownsea the 37 Spoonbill remained on the webcam for almost all of the day and at Lytchett Fields there was still 1 Ruff, 1 Curlew Sandpiper and c100 Dunlin. There was also a decent pulse of hirundines pulsing through all day, mostly Swallow, but a Swift also passed over Stoborough Heath mid-morning. 

Lesser Yellowlegs – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Lesser Yellowlegs – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Much of the same at the moment with the Lesser Yellowlegs staying for its tenth day on Lytchett Fields with 54 Snipe, 100+ Dunlin, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Curlew, 1 Ringed Plover, 6 Green Sandpiper, 4 Greenshank and 1 Yellow Wagtail also on the fields. On the Brownsea Lagoon 37 Spoonbill remain and can be viewed during the mornings on our Brownsea Webcam, until around 2pm when the tide drops and they go off to feed.

We have also just uploaded our new events schedule on the website, including our new Family Birding for Beginners boat trips. For our full events schedule CLICK HERE

It was also announced yesterday that BBC Autumnwatch will be hosted at RSPB Arne this October which is great news for local environmental awareness. There are several local topics they’re interested in featuring and we’ll hopefully be able to help when and where we can. Autumn in Poole Harbour is a magical time of year so they’ll hopefully be able to showcase one of the countries most beautiful spots and help build a local environmental interest.

The long-staying Lesser Yellowlegs remained at Lytchett Fields for its ninth day and was joined by 4 Knot, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Ringed Plover, c80 Dunlin, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Wheatear, 5 Chiffchaff and 2 Blackcap. On the Brownsea Lagoon the Spoonbill total remained at 37 and there were still a handful of Curlew Sandpiper around. At Arne there were 3 Firecrest, 4 Blackcap, and 2 Chiffchaff in the car park. There was also late news of a great Poole Harbour record when a Little Owl was seen along Soldiers Road on Sept 19^th. This is likely to be a dispersing juvenile from somewhere, but we have no idea where as Little Owl has been absent from Poole Harbour as a breeding bird for many years.  

Lesser Yellowlegs – Lytchett Fields – Shaun Robson

Lesser Yellowlegs – Lytchett Fields – Shaun Robson

Today was a busy day for sightings as it was the first Poole Harbour WeBS count of the winter. Highlights included a Great White Egret in Brands Bay with another (or the same) feeding off Long Island, opposite Arne and 18 Sandwich Tern roosting on the Long Island sand spit. At Lytchett Bay/Fields the Lesser Yellowlegs was a nice addition to the WeBS list also 1 Ruff, 8 Green Sandpiper, 7 Greenshank, Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit were recorded. On Brownsea the Spoonbill total reach 37 and there were also 12 Curlew Sandpiper, 3 Ruff, 1 Knot, 4 Grey Plover, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 176 Black-tailed Godwit, 23 Curlew, 13 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 183 Redshank, 1 Sanderling, 138 Dunlin, 2 Turnstone, 13 Ringed Plover, 22 Avocet, 2 Snipe, 73 Wigeon, 16 Shoveler, 6 Sandwich Tern , 1 Common Tern, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Wheatear and a Peregrine. From the Coombe Heath hide at Arne there were 36 Knot, 250 Dunlin, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, 7 Grey Plover and an Osprey in the dead trees. Up on Stoborough Heath there were still a few passerines around with 3 Whinchat, 2 Whitethroat, 6 Chiffchaff and 11 Stonechat with another c30 Stonechat and 6 Whinchat in the lower Frome Valley. 

Whinchat – Bestwall – Paul Morton

Great White Egret – Long Island (viewable from Arne) – Paul Morton

Lesser Yellowlegs – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Reports from around the harbour were pretty limited today with a Great White Egret and Osprey in Middlebere the highlights. At Lytchett Fields there was just a Ruff, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Curlew Sandpiper and c80 Dunlin. 

After a bit of a wait for several birders the Lesser Yellowlegs finally arrived onto Frenche’s Pools at Lytchett Fields today and was seen on and off throughout the day. Also present was a single Curlew Sandpiper, c80 Dunlin, 3 Green Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Firecrest and a single Kingfisher. At Arne an Osprey was on the nesting platform with a fish, there were 2 Firecrest and a Spotted Flycatcher in the car park and 19 Black-tailed Godwit and 6 Bar-tailed Godwit from the Shipstal Hide. On the Brownsea Lagoon Spoonbill totals were at around 35 and there were 6 Curlew Sandpiper a Spotted Redshank and 4 Greenshank.