There was a good candidate for a 2nd winter Caspian Gull on the Stilt Pools as Swineham this AM, found by Phil Bentley. Despite their growing presence in southern Britain in recent years, they’re an incredibly hard bird to find in Poole Harbour, even more so one that sticks around for longer than 10 minutes! Sadly this bird didn’t stick around either, but there’s every chance it may reappear over the coming days? There’s also currently a big arrival of Yellow-browed Warbler into the UK cu due to the strong easterly airflow thats been bed in for the last week. Although none have been seen in the harbour recording area yet, a couple have already reached Dorset (Abbotsbury and The Fleet) which is pretty unprecedented to have Dorset records so early in September. Traditionally ‘YBW’ were always a late autumn arrival with most records coming in October. These early Dorset records show there’s good numbers in the UK already with the east coast currently covered in them! The last big arrival was in 2016 and Poole Harbour had it’s fair share with 15-20 individuals logged. One of the easiest ways to locate them is by their call. Below is an example from Knoll Beach, Studland on the 31/10/14. Be careful though as Coal Tit have a very similar call which can be confused with Yellow-browed Warbler. Elsewhere today, Ospreys were recorded in Brands Bay, Middlebere and the Wareham Channel. The Brownsea Lagoon held 73 Spoonbill, 115 Avocet, 23 Greenshank, c100 Dunlin, 8 Bar-tailed Godwit and c50 Ringed Plover. At Lytchett Fields the Curlew Sandpiper remained along with the Spotted Redshank. A Great White Egret was in Middlebere with 2 Marsh Harrier.

Potential Caspian Gull – Swineham Stilt Pools – Phil Bentley

Current UK Yellow-browed Warbler distribution – Birdguides

Firstly, we’d just like to say a massive thank you to our team member Mya Bambrick who today, carried out a fundraiser for us, circumnavigating Poole Harbour on foot, covering 22 miles on her 22nd birthday. Leaving Poole Harbour entrance (Sandbanks side) at 6am, Mya then followed the inner shorelines of the entire harbour (bar a few tricky bits), before finally reaching Shell Bay at Studland around 8pm this evening. Along the route Mya encountered c70 species including Redstarts, Ospreys, Avocets, Whinchats and a good number of migrating hirundines. What a great effort and from all of us here at BoPH….a MASSIVE thank you!

Elsewhere, there was an Osprey and 1 Great White Egret in Brands Bay. Wigeon numbers in Holes Bay built up to 325 today and on the Brownsea Lagoon 65 Spoonbill were roosting all day hiding their spoons. At Lytchett Fields the 1 Curlew Sandpiper and 1 Spotted Redshank were still there and

Turnstones – Baiter – John Newman

Such another stunning day, we really don’t want it to stop. There seemed to be a definite arrival of wildfowl this AM, with double the amount of Wigeon in Holes Bay compared to yesterday with 280+ today compared to only 110 yesterday. The same goes for Lytchett Bay where 100 were loafing on the high tide. Lytchett Fields also had 1 Curlew Sandpiper and 1 Ruff and this evening a Little Stint was on the ‘Stilt Pools’ at Swineham, bringing the Swineham wader species for the year to 21, which is pretty incredible. There was at least 2 different Osprey in the harbour with 1 in the Wareham Channel and another in Lytchett Bay. A remarkable hirundine migration was going on over Ballard Down this AM where 15,680 birds passed over, the majority being House Martin (10,810). There was also a late Swift over too and a Hobby. In the PCW Drain c20 Chiffchaff were still present along with 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Reed Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 1 Kingfisher and 1 Common Sandpiper. 

A summer-vibe winter scene with Black-tailed Godwit and Wigeon this AM – Holes Bay – Martin Adams

The Indian summer continues although autumn migration was the feature of the day. Swallow, House Martin and to a lesser extent, Sand Martin were moving through all day, on a massive broad front right across the harbour. This afternoon at the Carey Secret Garden Garden ringing station a whopping c2000 House Martin were feeding/passing over the floodplain which resulted in 268 being ringed. Also ringed there this AM were 5 more Grashopper Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Nightjar and 18 Chiffchaff. This morning both White-tailed Eagles were in the Wareham Channel, the female being mobbed by a Marsh Harrier. An Osprey was over Arne Bay and on the DWT Brownsea Lagoon 64 Spoonbill were roosting, along with c160 Avocet also present. There was no sign of the Lytchett Fields Red-backed Shrike today, but there was a Curlew Sandpiper on the fields. A Spotted Redshank was in Holes Bay at the stone Bench and 107 Wigeon were logged, with more small flocks of Wigeon arriving in down the river valleys this morning. Plus, 4 more Spotted Redshank were in Middlebere. The Poole Quay Kingfishers are back, with several sightings of individuals sat on the sea wall ladder runs, off the Greenslades kiosk along the quay.

Kingfisher – Poole Quay, from Autumn Safari Cruise this AM – Alison Copland

Avocet (abover & Spoonbill (below) – DWT Brownsea Lagoon, from Autumn Safari Cruise this AM – Alison Copland

What another brilliantly beautiful day with lots on offer. There were two classic mid-September species in the harbour today, firstly with the Red-backed Shrike still present at Lytchett Fields for it’s 3rd day, then this afternoon a Wryneck was in the Godlingston Gap, on Godlingston Heath, Studland. A new White-tailed Eagle also arrived today in the shape of one of this years translocated individuals from the Isle of Wight project, this one named ‘G603’. It was hanging around in the SE of the harbour for a while before venturing off high heading off NE. There was a small but building passage of Meadow Pipit and Swallow total with 226 Meadow Pipit logged over Lytchett Fields by early afternoon, and Swallows pulsing through on a broad front all day. There were at least 3 different Osprey in the harbour today moving between Middlebere and the Wareham Channel. There were a few Northern Wheatear knocking about with 2 in Holes Bay, 4 on Hartland and 2 in Middlebere. Amazing the Grasshopper Warbler passage continues with another 6 ringed at the Carey Secret Garden ringing station this AM, bringing the autumn total so far to 241 ringed at that site!!

Northern Wheatear – Holes Bay – Rene Goad

Transiting juvenile White-tailed Eagle G603 – Brands Bay – Mark Wright

Red-backed Shrike – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

There was a great start to the day when Ian Ballam found a juv Red-backed Shrike at RSPB Lytchett Fields this AM. It hung around for most of the day but travelled around the site, often disappearing for long periods of time. In the Lower Piddle Valley, there was still 1 Wood Sandpiper, plus 2 Ruff. On Hartland Moor the autumns first Merlin was seen and a few Wheatear, Redstart and Whinchat were along the tracks, plus 5 Cattle Egret were still present and 8 Woodlark were feeding there. Holes Bay wildfowl numbers are building nicely with 117 Teal, 48 Wigeon 10 Shoveler and 1 Pintail. There’s still a good number od Osprey around with 3-4 still moving between Lytchett Bay, Wareham Channel and Middlebere, with 1 at Morden Bog too and another seen in Holes Bay south this AM. There was also another White-tailed Eagle, Osprey chase today with another Osprey having to give up it’s breakfast for the sake of peace and quiet! The Great White Egret was in fields at Sandford again and the 2 moulting Mandarin Duck were still in Poole Park.

Red-backed Shrike – RSPB Lytchett Fields – Peter Moore

Another picture perfect day across the harbour. A few new migrants were around including a Pied Flycatcher on Hartland Moor where there was also an incredible 34 Cattle Egret. On the Brownsea Lagoon c50 Spoonbill remained and there were 548 Teal which is a really decent September count for Brownsea. On the small Poole Park lake, next to the play area there were 2 Mandarin Duck and in the PCW Drain a decent total of c60 new migrant Chiffchaff were along the channel. A few Northern Wheatear were dotted around Middlebere and Hartland with a Whinchat at Greenlands Farm, 3 Osprey were over the Wareham Channel and one was in a dead tree at Morden Bog. A Ruff remained in the Lower Piddle Valley and a Great White Egret flew over Sandford. This evening a Tawny Owl was ringed at the Carey Secret Garden ringing station, a first for the site.

Tawny Owl – Carey Secret Garden Ringing Station – Matt Scraggs

It looks and feels as if an Indian summer may be on the horizon, with some beaut weather on the cards next week. Despite the early morning chill, today was a stunning mid-autumn day. There was a high of 11 Whinchat on Hartland Moor this afternoon and 7 Osprey were soaring together over the Wareham Channel mid-morning. Finally, the first decent arrival of Avocet this autumn occurred when 118 were on the Brownsea Lagoon. This is odd, as there are usually around 500+ by now. Its good to see the Spoonbill flock continue to grow with 52 now present. In Holes Bay there was also an Osprey and a Common Sandpiper. In the Lower Piddle Valley 2 Ruff were still present and 5 Knot were in the Middlebere Channel.

Sanderling – Studland – Mark Wright