It seems summer made a dramatic comeback this weekend with temperatures almost reaching 20 degrees. Despite the great weather, reports were a bit thin on the ground.

The Grey Phalarope was again showing well on the Brownsea Lagoon out from the lower hide and another count of 32 Spoonbill was reached from the Shipstal Hide at Arne. Also

A report from the Hartland Moor area produced 1 Peregrine Falcon, 2 Raven, 8 Dartford Warbler, 2 Stonechat, 3 Reed Bunting, 1 Buzzard, 2 Bullfinch, 100 Meadow Pipit over and 4 Skylark migrating overhead.

Out on Arne Moors 3 juvenile Hobby were harassing a pale morph Common Buzzard also there 1 juvenile Marsh Harrier, 1 Wheatear,  1 Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel.

In and around the Studland area, good numbers of Chiffchaff and Blackcap and at Brands bay 42 Great Crested Grebe and a Marsh Harrier.

A late report of a Pectoral Sandpiper came in from the NT Middlebere hide, but the bird seemed to be showing some odd characteristics in the dimming light. By no-means was the observer claiming it could be the exceptionally rare equivalent species, a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper but stranger things have happened! Well worth keeping an eye out for a small Redshank sized wader with a clear ‘Pectoral Band’ across the breast. Also from Middlebere yesterday there were 4 Marsh Harrier together.

Today was the first day of the first ever Dorset Birdfair weekend and it was a great success. The day comprised of a great mixture of walks, talks and exhibitions and if you get a chance to make it over tomorrow then I highly recommend it. Plus lots of birds around too with stacks of Meadow Pipit, Swallow, Goldfinch, Siskin, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch and Skylark passing overhead.

Back to Poole Harbour news and a staggering 17 species of wader were out on the Brownsea Lagoon today. 1 Grey Phalarope, 3 Little Stint, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 13 Spotted Redshank, 15 Greenshank, 18 Knot, 418 Avocet, 52 Curlew, 20 Bar-tailed Godwit along with decent sized roosts of Black-tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher and Dunlin. Also present Snipe, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover and Redshank.

Out on Arne moors a Whinchat, 1 Wheatear, 3 Stonechat and a Kestrel were making use of the large hay bales.

An early visit to Hatch Pond produced 31 Gadwall, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Reed Bunting and 2 Grey Heron. 

In the west of the harbour yesterday a raptor count of 3 Marsh Harrier, 1 sub-adult Hen Harrier, 2 Hobby and a Merlin was counted.

Finally, a quick survey at Lytchett Bay produced a group of 9 Greenshank, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 5 Green Sandpiper and 20 Wigeon.

Not much news reported in today, but the snippets of info that were sent this way were well worth a mention this evening.

Firstly the Grey Phalarope was again feeding on the Brownsea Lagoon, busily feeding in tight circles to the far right of the ‘Lower Hide’. It’s not often these birds can be seen in one spot for any period of time, as normally it’s just a snippet of a view as it dashes past out at sea, so if you get the chance to get over to Brownsea to witness the spectacle of many hundreds of birds, be sure to try and find this little beauty before it disappears. About 500+ Avocet on the lagoon today.

The second report of the day came from the guys at RSPB Arne where a whopping 32 SPOONBILL congregated out on Shipstal Point mid morning. This is a Poole harbour and almost certainly a Dorset record. There were also 7 in Weymouth meaning that there were 39 in Dorset today. If anyone manages to get any photos of all or most of these birds together we’d really like to see them. 

The arrival of the harbours first Hen Harrier, a stunning male on Hartland Moor marks the sign that winter isn’t that far away as it played and jostled with both a Merlin and Peregrine Falcon.

A guided walk around the Sunnyside Farm/Soldiers Road area for the Dorset Bird Week saw some great birds with a flock of 6 Woodlark with another 2 seen separately, also 3 Whinchat, 4 Stonechat, 2 Dartford Warbler, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Snipe, many Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit and Swallow passing overhead, Teal, Wigeon a Grey Heron.

There were 10 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon which made a welcome appearance on the Lagoon webcam, giving us great footage of them feeding. It also seem there was a large arrival of Avocet on the Brownsea Lagoon with about 500+ present.

At Lytchett Bay there was 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 5 Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank, 4 Stonechat and a marked increase of Reed Bunting with 30+ present.

At Holes Bay slightly unexpected were 2 Grey Plover and 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, two species you seldom see in this part of the harbour.

Despite the grey overcast sky’s for most of the day, the discovery of a Grey Phalarope on the Brownsea Lagoon at around 15:00 brightened things up, especially when it was picked up on the Brownsea Lagoon webcam for about 20 minutes. The lagoon is holding really good numbers of birds at the moment with 300+ Avocet, 12 Spotted Redshank, 6 Greenshank, 300+ Black-tailed Godwit along with nice counts of Dunlin, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Wigeon, Shoveler and 1 Little Stint.

At Middlebere today more of the same with Wigeon, Teal, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Greenshank, Spoonbill, 1 juv Marsh Harrier, Yellow-legged Gull and a Kingfisher.

Lytchett Bay is still producing good birds with 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 6 Greenshank, 30+ Snipe, 1 Pintail, 2 Woodlark, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Wheatear 3 Stonechat and a Kingfisher.

A ‘Vis Mig’ watch at South Haven on the 30/09 produced 502 Swallow, 80 House Martin, 43 Goldfinch, 33 Siskin, 16 Linnet, 3 Greenfinch, 30 Alba Wagtail, 14 Song Thrush, 7 Redwing, 1 Sparrowhawk and the 1^stRed-breasted Merganser of the winter.

On Holes Bay 2 Wheatear and 2 Common Sandpiper were on rocks south of the railway line. 

Ok, so the title sounds a bit dramatic, but the harbour saw it’s first 5 Redwing of the autumn this morning as a ‘vis mig’ session took place around the Studland/South Haven area. Also counted during the visible migration session were 1000+ Swallow, 37 Linnet, 15 Goldfinch, 6 Greenfinch, 59 Chaffinch, 59 Siskin, 12 Meadow Pipit, 39 Alba Wagtail, 31 Pintail, 34 Wigeon, 4 Brent Geese and 7 Chiffchaff and a Redstart present.

In Brands Bay there were 31 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Brent Geese, 35 Pintail, 31 Wigeon, 116 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Knot, 6 Turnstone, 4 Dunlin, 6 Sandwich Tern, 1 Wheatear and 1 Whitethroat.

Lytchett Bay reported a small arrival of common migrants of 40+ Chiffchaff, 1 Stonechat and 5 Blackcap were in the hedgerows, also there 6 Green Sandpiper, 4 Greenshank, 26 Snipe, 29 Lapwing, 4 Wigeon and a flock of 25 Cormorant over the bay.

Finally, a Grey Phalarope was spotted from the chain ferry area and later reported on the Brownsea Lagoon.

As the easterly winds continue this keeps the arrival migrants just ticking over with many Chiffchaff and Blackcap filling the hedgerows at the moment. Portland Bird Obs have already recorded their first Redwing and Brambling of the autumn meaning we should hopefully follow suit any day now.

The Sunnyside/Soldiers Road area produced very little, but not surprising as it was raining the whole time I was there! Best was juvenile Marsh Harrier over Sunnyside, 3 Stonechat and many Swallow and Meadow Pipit passing overhead. Another Marsh Harrier was noted over Swineham proving to be the 5^th different Marsh Harrier to be seen in the area during September.

At Lytchett Bay 2 Curlew Sandpiper were feeding with 15 Dunlin, 36 Black-tailed Godwit, 50+ Snipe, 6 Green Sandpiper, 2 Kingfisher and 2 Sedge Warbler.

At Upton CP a decent flock of 500-600 Black-tailed Godwit flew in to feed, also there both Common and Sandwich Tern, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Mediterranean Gull plus many hundred of Teal, Wigeon and Mallard.

Near Swineham a small migrant flock containing 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Chiffchaff and 1 Blackcap was noted, along with 1 Common Sandpiper near Swineham Point, 1 Snipe and 2 Skylark.

The Brownsea Lagoon produced 3 juvenile Little Stint, 360 Avocet, 14 Greenshank and 12 Spotted Redshank.

There are still places available for the next ‘BoPH’ Walk at Greenlands Farm on the 19^th of October. For full details and to book on, follow this link –

http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/early-autumn-walk-greenlands-farm

Plus, don’t forget it’s Dorset Bird Week this week with the first Dorset Bird Fair next weekend at Durlston Country Park. Check out all the details here –

http://www.durlston.co.uk/index.php?nid=8&id=4&evnt_id=1064

A nice sweep of sightings from right across the harbour today, with a number of sure-fire signs that winter isn’t that far away. The first Brent Geese were reported with 2 on the Brownsea Lagoon, 15 out on the sea at Middle beach and another 7 flying over Brands Bay. Also out in Brands Bay was a reasonably early Black-necked Grebe in full winter plumage along with 8 Great Crested Grebe.

Out in the harbour still a number of Sandwich Tern and to a lesser extent Common Tern can be seen fishing in the channels. 14 Spoonbill were out on Shipstal and a raft of 60+ Cormorant were feeding out in the mouth of Middlebere. 7 Pintail flew over Arne.

On the Brownsea Lagoon 150-200 Avocet, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Black and Bar-tailed Godwit, 300+ Oystercatcher and a handful of Dunlin.

At Lytchett Bay a detailed count included 1 Grey Plover, 118 Black-tailed godwit, 46 Redshank, 45 Curlew, 33 Dunlin, 12 Oystercatcher, 3 Lapwing, 1 Greenshank, 4 Wigeon and a Kingfisher.

At Greenlands Farm 1 Wheatear, 4 Whinchat, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Redstart, 1 Hobby, 1 Peregrine, 8 Mistle Thrush and about 40 grounded Meadow Pipit.

An eclipse drake Red Crested Pochard was on Creekmoor Ponds yesterday.

There’s still time to book onto the next ‘Birds of Poole Harbour’ walk where we’ll be exploring the Greenland’s Farm area. For more information and to book on follow this link –

http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/early-autumn-walk-greenlands-farm

Today also saw the first RSPB/Birds of Poole Harbour School birdboat  trip with Lytchett Matravers Primary school braving the weather for a fantastic first trip. For a trip overview follow this link –

http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/first-season-schools-bird-boat-–-26-sep-2013

A welcome return after four days away, and a nice list of Poole Harbour sightings had been reported to me. Highlights include likely return of the Semipalmated Sandpiper, which was seen on the Brownsea Lagoon on the 19^th and 23^rd, but with views being so distant it couldn’t be 100% confirmed. A Wryneck on Shipstal Point, Arne was the first for the reserve in quite a while. Other highlights in chronological order included….

Friday 20^th – At Lytchett Bay a Spotted Redshank, 300+ Teal, 6 Wigeon, 5 Sedge Warbler, 20+ Meadow Pipit and 4 Chiffchaff. At Swineham 1 juv Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank, 1 Snipe, 2 Water Rail, 1 Skylark, 1 Mistle Thrush, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Cetti’s Warbler and 8 Reed Bunting.

Saturday 21^th– Again some coverage at Lytchett Bay with 3 Green Sandpiper, 4 Greenshank, 1 Wheatear, 200 Teal and an adult Osprey. On the Brownsea Lagoon, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 18 Greenshank, 8 Spotted Redshank, 120 Avocet, 9 Knot, 22 Bar-tailed Godwit, 190 Dunlin and 2 Ruff near the harbour entrance in the morning.  At Brands Bay 1 Brent Goose, 2 Pintail, 25 Wigeon, 40 Teal, 3 Greenshank and 1 Turnstone

Sunday 22^st – At Swineham 3 Marsh Harrier around in the afternoon plus 2 Bearded Tits, 3 Sandwich Tern and 6 Reed Bunting. A Wryneck was at Shipstal Point, Arne.

Monday 23^rd – Very little reported other than huge numbers of hirundines moving over the Dorset coast mainly Swallow with a few House Martin and Sand Martin mixed in. In some location exceeding 15,000 in one morning! Meadow Pipit have also been moving in big numbers over the last few days.

Tuesday 24^th – Again, little reported but 800+ Black-tailed Godwit, 200+ Redshank, 1 Whimbrel,1 Spotted Redshank, 50+ Wigeon, 1 Sandwich Tern, and 1 Common Gull were noted at Holes Bay.

There is a constant easterly flow over the next 4 days, so a really good chance of some ‘different’ birds turning up. Yellow-browed Warblers are tracking their way across the country and species like Barred and Melodious Warbler have been recorded at Portland in the last couple of days. Not to mention the first Redwings of the autumn that turned up at Spurn, Yorkshire and Central London today!

Just got back from 4 days away, so sorry for lack of news but will give full round up of last few days later…best was a Wryneck at Shipstal Point Arne, very nice!