With October now upon us it won’t be long before flocks of Redwing can be heard overhead on cold autumn nights and Fieldfare break the morning silence with mischievous chuckling as they arrive from the north. Talking of visitors from the north, the harbour saw a whacky if not slightly dubious arrival on Monday when a dead Red Grouse was washed up on the beach in front of the cottages on Brownsea! Where it came from is anyone’s guess, but the bird was relatively ‘fresh’ and easily identifiable so perhaps an unwanted bird from a local estate? The ringtail Hen Harrier was again present around the Middlebere/Hartland area. Brownsea is holding some really nice totals at the moment including a whopping flock of 39 Spoonbill which can be viewed on our Brownsea webcam. I’m pretty sure we’ll break the 40 mark this week, and who knows…could we possibly even see 50 by mid October? Also on Brownsea 17 Spotted Redshank, 3 Grey Plover, 4 Knot but only 150 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Avocet, indicating that a number of the new arrivals have already moved on to their Middlebere wintering area as there were 1029 Black-tailed Godwit and 354 Avocet at Middlebere yesterday. Also at Middlebere 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, 7 Greenshank, 7 Spotted Redshank, 15 Redshank, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 6 Med Gull, 3 Marsh Harrier and a Peregrine. Out in Brands Bay one of the Great White Egrets was present, also 34 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Osprey, 2 Grey Plover, 210 Black-tailed Godwit, 100 Redshank, 10 Pintail, 4 Whimbrel and 1 Kingfisher. In Holes Bay 5 Ringed Plover and 10 Turnstone were good records, also there 3 Kingfisher, 2 Grey Wagtail and a Common Buzzard. 

Incredible news today in that there was a new Great White Egret at Littlesea, Studland, meaning that there are now two birds choosing to roost in the Little Egret colony on a high tide. Both were seen together this morning, but weren’t seen again for the rest of the day, however chances are that they’ll hopefully be back again tomorrow… maybe even choosing to over-winter? We’ll have to wait and see. I mentioned Jays yesterday, well this morning I had a loose group of 21 high over my house in Lytchett Matravers in the space of a few minuets. Firstly a flock of 4, then 11, then 3 and then 3 again. On your way to work tomorrow, before you get in the car, just take a minute to look up and see if any are flying over your house. A Hobby was hunting over Arne Moors in amongst many, many hundreds of Swallow and House Martin. 

A ringing demo took place at Lytchett Heath, Lytchet Bay this morning which was joint event hosted by Dorset Wildlife Trust and carried out by Stour Ringing Group, of which I am a member of. The event was a brilliant success with all 30 places fully booked and superb range of species caught to show to the interested party. The species list consisted of Grasshopper Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, 4 Bearded Tit, Stonechat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting and Blue Tit. Over in Brands Bay the Great White Egret was found again before relocating to Littlesea to roost, also in Brands Bay 1 Osprey, 1 Hen Harrier, 20 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Pintail and 18 Little Egret. At Swineham, good numbers of Chiffchaff and Blackcap plus a few small parties of Bearded Tit. Jays are becoming quite obvious at the moment with numerous birds passing overhead at a number of places, consisting of either local movements or possible migrants from the continent. 

Middlebere was the place to be this morning for raptors with the harbours first Merlin of the autumn putting in an appearance, also the ringtail Hen Harrier along with Kestrel, Peregrine, Buzzard and Marsh Harrier. There was also a Hobby hunting over Arne Moors and a Sparrowhawk hassling hirundines making that pretty much a full sweep of likely raptors for this time of year.  The Great White Egret was seen briefly at Middlebere along with 2 Sand Marin and 2 Green Sandpiper. Lytchett Bay seemed quiet with just 9 Greenshank, 1 Dunlin and 1 Grey Wagtail, but a flock of 10 Jay was nice to see. Yesterday at South Haven saw 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 25 Chiffchaff and 10 Goldcrest while at Brands Bay there were 2 Greenshank, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Knot and 1 Whinchat.

Fairly quiet from the last few days but still some nice sightings. South Haven saw 1 Redstart, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Tree Pipit, 7 Blackcap, 50 Chiffchaff plus at least 3 Brent Geese entering the Harbour mouth. At Lytchett Bay 4 Bearded Tit, 1 Ruff, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Stonechat, 5 Sedge Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Yellow Wagtail and a whopping 917 Teal.  An Osprey was over Coombe Heath, Arne. 

The vis-mig (visible migration) season is now certainly upon us with a decent flurry of birds recorded from the top of Glebelands, Ballard today as our ‘BoPH’ surveyor Nick Hopper monitored migrating birds overhead. The definite highlights were a Lapland Bunting and then a male Ring Ouzel. Other birds from the overhead count included 1 Ringed Plover, 6 Grey Wagtail, 27 alba Wagtail, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 224 House Martin, 8 Sand Martin, 595 Swallow, 87 Linnet, 26 Chaffinch, 28 Goldfinch and 7 Skylark. On the ground 1 Whinchat and 4 Wheatear were present. At Lytchett Bay 9 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Little Stint, 5 Green Sandpiper, 40+ Snipe, 1 Dunlin, 7 Redshank, 1 Peregrine, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 3 Grey Wagtail. Holes Bay is now picking up too as the autumn progresses with 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 289 Redshank, 183 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Wigeon, 1 Common Tern and 1 Little Grebe. Brownsea is also looking great at the moment with 20 Spoonbill, 1 female Pintail (rare here) 10 Wigeon, 330 Avocet, 13 Spotted Redshank, 12 Greenshank, 8 Curlew Sandpiper, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit and a Great Black-backed Gull eating a Teal. The Great White Egret was again in and around the Brands Bay/Littlesea area. 

More autumn delight are starting to creep through with a lovely male Firecrest in a garden in the center of Poole yesterday. From now and into October is by far the best time to find these little beauties as they often hang out in Holly bushes to feed, sometimes hovering as they pick off insects from the underside of the leaves. Goldcrest numbers will also start to rise this time of year so try and teach yourself the differences between their two calls which will almost certainly be the best way of tracking them down. Below are two records of both an autumn migrant Firecrest and an autumn migrant Goldcrest featured in publication The Sound Approach to Birding.

Firecrest – Two autumn migrants – The Sound Approach to Birding

Goldcrest – Autumn migrant – The Sound Approach to Birding 

Elsewhere the Great White Egret is still playing around in the Little Sea/ Brands Bay area where there was also 260 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Greenshank, 109 Redshank, 9 Dunlin, 1 Osprey, 10 Pintail and 1 Kingfisher. Also at Studland a Pied Flycatcher was at Knoll Beach with a few Chiffchaff and Blackcap and 2 Sanderling were at the House Boats. At Lytchett Bay still 2 Little Stint, 1 Ruff, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 6 Greenshank and 5 Spotted Flycatcher. At Middlebere there was 1 Osprey plus 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 14 Knot, 3 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 180 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Peregrine, 1 Shoveler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Yellow-legged gull.

We’re now half way through the month and the goodies keep on coming. Apologies for the lack of reports from the weekend, but I didn’t have access to a computer. Bird of the weekend has to go to the Melodious Warbler that was found at Greenlands Farm on Saturday afternoon. This is the 6^th Poole harbour record and the 3^rd for Studland and a bird I’m desperate to see in the harbour, but unfortunately it didn’t hang around…surely there’s another one out there somewhere?  The Great White Egret is also still hanging around the Littlesea/ Studland area, which makes it almost a week the bird has been present. There are still plenty of migrants around with 2 Redstart, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Tree Pipit, 4 Whitethroat, 3 Pintail and 2 Dartford Warbler along the western track of Littlesea. At Greenlands Farm there were also 5 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 8 Chiffchaff and 1 Willow Warbler whilst in brands Bay 38 Great Crested Grebe and 14 Knot were present. More signs of winter with the first Black-necked Grebe being found off Middle Beach. At Lytchett Bay 2 Little Stint, 1 Ruff, 250 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Spotted flycatcher, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 15 Yellow Wagtail, 10 Blackcap, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Little Grebe. In Middlebere 1 Osprey, 2 Marsh Harrier, 10 Redshank, plenty of Blackcap and Whitethroat, 1 Wheatear and 1 Green Sandpiper. On the Brownsea Lagoon a stunning 18 Spoonbill, also 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Little Stint, 350 Avocet and 650+ Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Spotted Redshank, 21 Greenshank, 1 Grey Plover and 28 Bar-tailed Godwit. At Swineham 2 Ruff were on the flooded pool next to the GP, also 1 Whinchat and a Pintail. At Holes Bay 2 Spotted Redshank. 2 Brent Geese were at South Studland. 

More signs of autumn progressing as 3 Brent Geese arrived in the harbour and circled the Brownsea Lagoon.  This is particularly early but seeming as they’ve had a decent tail wind up their chuff for the last few weeks, maybe its speeded them on a bit? Also on Brownsea today there were 17 Spoonbill, 1 Lapwing (odd for Brownsea), 374 Avocet, 164 Dunlin, 21 Curlew, 19 Knot, 1 Little Stint. 4 Curlew Sandpiper, 13 Greenshank, 8 Spotted Redshank, 640 Black-tailed Godwit and 31 Bat-tailed Godwit. An Osprey was over Arne and a Hobby hunted over Arne Moors. Along Soldiers Road there were 3 Spotted Flycatcher and a Whinchat and 3 Woodlark over head. In Middlebere counts included 477 Teal, 3 Pintail, 36 Wigeon, 1 Spoonbill, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Greenshank, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Redstart, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Reed Warbler.  Three Osprey remained in the Wareham Channel and Marsh Harrier totals increased to three. 

If you can get out at the moment, then I highly recommend it as many more migrants are currently passing through, and Poole harbour is also now starting to see some scarcities. The Great White Egret was showing well in the Little Egret roost on Little Sea, Studland and I even managed to get some pretty dire heat hazy video footage, which you can view HERE. Thanks Steve Smith (http://birdingpooleharbourandbeyond.blogspot.co.uk/) for the photo of the bird in flight showing a peculiar orange tinge to the wing coverts, possibly pointing to it being a juvenile? It seems this bird is fairly settled and may hang around a while, so to try and view it scan from the High Hide which is up the track, opposite the entrance to Greenland’s Farm, or like today out in Brands Bay where it spent some time. Another stunning bird from today was Poole Harbours second White-winged Black Tern in two years! Seeming as there has only ever been one previous Poole Harbour record going back to 1961, this is quite something. It was found feeding by Graham Armstrong along the Brownsea shoreline, viewed from the House Boats at Studland where it quite happily fed for around an hour before heading up over Brownsea Castle and then disappearing towards Shore Road. I also hosted a guided walk this morning for Dorset Bird Week around the Soldiers Road, Slepe/Hartland area where my group and I were treated to a real migrant spectacle. The focus was migrants of Purbeck and they certainly didn’t let us down with 1 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Redstart, 1 Wheatear, 3 Whitethroat, 1 Whinchat, 1 Tree Pipit, 5 Woodlark, 6 Dartford Warbler, 100’s of Swallow, 100’s of Meadow Pipit and to top it off 2 Osprey feeding out in the Wareham Channel with one getting mobbed by a Peregrine. At Little Sea, Studland there were 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Redstart, 2 Whitethroat and 5 Stonechat. At Lytchett Bay 7 Wigeon were present also 2 Ruff, 50 Yellow Wagtail, 77 Black-tailed Godwit and 6 Green Sandpiper.