Autumn really kicked in today with strong winds and heavy rain through out most of the afternoon, and did the predicted Sabine’s Gull or Grey Phalarope turn up…did it heck, but there’s still plenty of time for that. On Brownsea there were 28 Spoonbill, a newly arrived Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Little Stint, a minimum of 7 Spotted Redshank, 250+ Avocet and an increase in Wigeon numbers. At RSPB Lytchett Fields 1 Wood Sandpiper remained, also 2 Ruff, 3 Ringed Plover, 44 Dunlin, 8 Green Sandpiper, 20+ each of Lapwing, Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Whinchat, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 514 Teal and several Chiffchaff. Baiter saw some birds hunkered down during the strong winds, including 6 Sandwich Tern out on the playing field, also on the low tide 33 Ringed Plover, 8 Turnstone and 1 Dunlin.  

Last week we carried out our Dorset Discovery Autumn tour, our third tour this year in partnership with the Dorset RSPB team. The trip was a huge success and you can read the full trip report and species list HERE. We’ll be uploading information on next years tours in the next couple days, so watch this space.

Wood Sandpiper – RSPB Lytchett Fields

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The forecast for the coming week looks very tasty indeed with strong SW winds on Monday and Tuesday with the wind then swing SE on Wednesday. Always the optimist, these conditions are classic for species such as Sabine’s Gull and Grey Phalarope, so be sure to check any gull flocks or muddy pools for a wandering migrant. Back to the real world, RSPB Lytchett Fields was back to ists best this morning with 2 Wood Sandpiper, 3 Ruff, 7 Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpiper, 43 Dunlin, 5 Greenshank and 20+ of each Redshank, Snipe and Lapwing. Also around the site were 3 WillowChiff, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Whinchat and several Blackcap. On Brownsea yesterday there were 3 Ruff, 2 Little Stint, 28 Spoonbill, 1 Knot, 250 Avocet, 220 Dunlin and good numbers of both Green and Spotted Redshank. An Osprey was sat in a dead tree at Rempstone. 2 Redstart were seen along Soldiers Road. 

Poole Harbours purple patch continued today with a Red-backed Shrike that was discovered at Greenland’s Farm mid-afternoon. Unfortunately it didn’t hang around long and couldn’t be relocated after five hours searching. This is only the second record of this species since 2012. Also along Studland there were 10 Pintail, 16 Wigeon, 154 Teal, 1 Great White Egret, 3 Avocet, 4 Greenshank, 23 Dunlin, 1 Sanderling, 2 Turnstone, 5 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Wheatear at Brands Bay, whilst at South Haven there were 7 Sanderling. Late news of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at Sandford Heath earlier this week. An Osprey was seen catching a fish in Holes Bay north mid morning and there were still 4 Spotted Flycatcher on the Upton CP boarder and now up to 100 Wigeon there too. There were 4 Knot near the Holes Bay outflow. The Brownsea Lagoon now has 25 Spoonbill roosting on the high tide and at least 5 Spotted Redshank and 10 Greenshank. At RSPB Lytchett Fields there was still 1 Wood Sandpiper, 3 Ruff, 2 Knot, 1 Curlew, 21 Dunlin, 4 Greenshank, 8 Green Sandpiper, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Peregrine, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Yellow Wagtail and 2 Whinchat.

We’ve just ended our three day Dorset Discovery autumn tour for which I will write a trip report for soon, but sightings from the final day included 18 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Osprey, 1 Redstart, 1 Whimbrel and plenty of Siskins over at Greenlands Farm. At Brands Bay there were 3 Pintail and more Siskins over. The Brownsea Lagoon looked wonderful with 2 Little Stint feeding with Dunlin, 24 Spoonbill, 7 Spotted Redshank, 11 Greenshank, 200+ Avocet, 17 Ringed Plover, 5 Wigeon, Common Tern chicks still being fed and 3 Turnstone. On Shell Beach a Little Tern was resting with Sandwich Terns and there was also 6 Sanderling. Finally, at Challow Hill, Corfe we connected with 1 Hobby, 1 Whinchat, 2 Dartford and again….Siskins overhead. This movement of Siskin coincided with a big passage at South Haven, Studland where a total of 888 were counted in a few hours at dawn. Other species noted during the vis-mig watch included 1 Pied and 1 Grey Wagtail, 92 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 18 Sand Martin and 4 Goldfinch. At RSPB Lytchett Fields 3 Ruff, 8 Green Sandpiper, 44 Snipe, 3 Ringed Plover, 5 Greenshank, 1 Wood Sandpiper and 3 Knot were noted. 

A promising easterly wind started to blow throughout the day bringing in an adult Little Tern to the harbour mouth that was fishing first thing this morning. Also at South Haven a single Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler. Up on Old Harry 16 Siskin headed NE and migrant wise 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 11 Whitethroat and 7 Blackcap were noted. In Brands Bay, no Osprey but 2 Pintail, 7 Wigeon, 1 Wheatear and 25 Siskin north. On RSPB Lytchett Fields 1 Wood Sandpiper, 9 Green Sandpiper, 3 Ruff, 27 Dunlin, 2 Knot, 4 Greenshank, 2 Ringed Plover, 15 Snipe and 1 Redstart. The (A) Great White Egret was seen out in the Wareham Channel a couple of times, favouring to hug the Arne Moors boarder where 4 Hobby were feeding. 2 Spotted Flycatcher were at Holton Lee with 1 Marsh Tit and 40+ Yellow Wagtail were on top of Hartland Moor with cattle. 

Migrants are still popping up everywhere with 4 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Spotted flycatcher, 2 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat, 2 Redstart, 3 Whitethroat, 10 Blackcap and a good mix of Willow/Chiff all at Greenlands Farm. In Brands Bay there were 8 Pintail, 1 Osprey 1 Whimbrel, 90 Black-tailed godwit, 1 Greenshank and 12 Dunlin. On RSPB Lytchett Fields there were 3 Ruff, 10 Green Sandpiper, 45 Snipe, 3+ Knot, 2 Ringed Plover and 38 Dunlin. Ane was busy with 4 Curlew Sandpiper in the Middlebere Channel from the viewing screen on Coombe Heath, 11 Knot from the same spot, 1 Osprey, 2 Hobby, 1 Peregrine, 3 Redstart, 1 Whinchat, 10+ Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Whitethroat and 2 Greenshank. 

RSPB Lytchett Fields was flavour of the month again with 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Ruff, 33 Dunlin, 2 Knot, 6 Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank, 1 Ringed Plover, 20+ Yellow Wagtail and 1 Sedge Warbler. At South Haven 8 Shoveler flew into the harbour, also 3 Ringed pLover present, 2 Sanderling, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Redstart, 1 Wheatear and a handful of Willow/Chiff. In Brands Bay 7 Wigeon have now arrived, 2 Pintail, 2 Osprey, 14 Spoonbill (distantly) 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Hobby, 1 Ringed plover, 81 Black-tailed godwit, 1 Greenshank, 89 Redshank, 1 Wheatear and 1 Kingfisher. 1 Curlew Sandpiper was in Middlebere and 3 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Tree Pipit, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Redstart and numerous Dartford Warbler and Stonechat present. 

The low cloud and still conditions allowed a few migrants to feed, especially around Slepe Heath where our monthly Birds of Poole Harbour field trip took place. Highlights from the walk included 1 juvenile Cuckoo, a flock of 12 Woodlark, 5+ Redstart, 5+ Spotted Flycatcher, 5+ Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, 2 Whitethroat, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 50+ Siskin in a single flock, 1 Osprey in the Wareham Channel plus good numbers of Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Dartford Warbler, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat and a Kestrel. At RSPB Lytchett Fields there were 2 Ruff, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 32 Dunlin, 3 Greenshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, 1 Knot and only a few Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank and Lapwing.

The Osprey theme continued with 2 more in the Wareham Channel first thing along with 4 Marsh Harrier leave the roost and 13 Spoonbill flying up channel and then back east. A ringing session at Lytchett Heath produced 3 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Whinchat and a definite increase in Blackcap and Chiffchaff along with a few Sedge and Reed Warbler. At RSPB Lytchett Fields were 1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 2 Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 Greenshank. At Upton CP there were 16 Knot, 300+       Black-tailed Godwit and 50+ Wigeon. Across the Studland area three were 5 Gannet, 2 Common Scoter and 1 Lesser Whitethroat at South Haven. At Brands Bay 3 Osprey were milling around (2 adults and 1 juv), 115 Teal, 5 Pintail, 11 Ringed Plover, 95 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Greenshank and 36 Dunlin.

More goodies today when a Great White Egret arrived at Studland, finally settling in Brands Bay for most of the morning. A co-ordinated Osprey count was conducted this morning too and it was found that are no less than 4 at present with 3 seen over Middlebere at once, with another in Brands Bay at the same time. One even sat on the Middlebere nesting platform for 30 minutes this afternoon, which is the first time an Osprey has sat on that platform since being transformed from the original perching post. Other Ospreys noted included a bird fishing out in the Wareham Channel and two sightings of birds over the Arne Road. Also at Arne today 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 5 Whitethroat, 2 Redstart, 1 sub-adult Marsh Harrier, 1 Hobby and 1 Sparrowhawk. At RSPB Lytchett Fields today 2 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 22 Dunlin, 15 Snipe, 3 Ringed Plover, 15 Knot, 1 Redstart, 2 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Whinchat. Up on Old Harry 3 Whinchat, 2 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 Yellow Wagtail were counted. At Greenlands Farm there were 8 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 Wheatear on Ballard. Late news of a Cuckoo at Arne on saturday.  

Great White Egret – Brands Bay – Steve Smith