What an absolutely pristine day, and with the sun and switch in wind direction, a delivery of birds was observed at multiple sites across the harbour. After sustained southerly wind for several weeks, last night suddenly saw a clear night and a northerly airflow properly kick in which meant birds from further north took advantage of the tail wind and ended up on the south coast. The main arrivals today consisted of Common Chiffchaff, Swallow and House Martin. Common Chiffchaff were everywhere and with 163 ringed in the Lower Piddle Valley alone highlights that many thousands would have been spread right across the harbour this morning. Swallow and House Martin were on the move all day, with high totals (but un-counted) logged across the entire Poole Harbour airspace from sunrise to sunset. The first arrival of Ring Ouzel also dropped down with 1 in the Ulwell Gap and 2 at Ballard logged. A late Swift was over Ballard Down. There were only 4 of Glossy Ibis seen today at Lytchett Bay in the pools field next to Rock Lea view but there was a Little Stint on Lytchett Fields with 2 Spotted Redshank. At South Haven, Studland the Chiffchaff arrival was also much in evidence with c150 logged in bushes around the point plus 605 Siskin passed over and a Whinchat and Wheatear were also there. At Slepe Heath a Tree Pipit, 5 Crossbill and a random Ringed Plover passed over. At lunch time 4 White-tailed Eagle were circling over Stoborough with 4 Raven and 460 Cormorant entered the Piddle Valley roost and 5 Spoonbill flew up the Piddle Valley. The Brownsea Lagoon still had 70+ Spoonbill, will we reach 80 by the end of September?

Knot – Brownsea Lagoon – Nicki Tutton

It’s back! The long-returning Forster’s Tern was seen today from our Autumn Safari Cruise on a post, off of Ham Common Nature Reserve. Having been originally seen in 2023, as the 2nd ever for Dorset and 22nd ever for the UK, this long-returning, mega rare, north American Tern has reappeared. It was last seen in March this year and has not been seen since, although there was an unconfirmed report a few weeks ago. Last summer it spent time in Ireland, before making it’s way back to Poole Harbour, to eventually overwinter in Brittany, France. It’s likely it will do the same again this winter, but hopefully it will stick around in the harbour for a few more people to see. In the past it’s favoured marker bouys off Moriconium Quay, Shipstal Beach, the Brownsea Lagooon and occasionally Lytchett Bay.

The 6 Glossy Ibis reapearred again today at Lytchett Fields this morning, having been favouring the river Frome and Swineham areas. This afternoon 2 Ruff and 6 Curlew Sandpiper were in the Middlebere Channel on the falling tide this afternoon. The PC World Drain was jumping with birds first thing this morning: 40+ Common Chiffchaff, 10+ Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Cetti’s Warbler, 2 Kingfisher, 3 Jay 

From our Autumn Safari Cruise we also saw 2 White-tailed Eagle, neither of which were our local pair. 1 was an adult 4-year old female G486 and the other a 2nd calendar year youngster G717, both in the Wareham Channel. 2 Osprey were also in the Wareham Channel along with 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Peregrine, 3 Kingfisher, 2 Common Sandpiper and 2 Green Sandpiper. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were c200 Avocet, 1 Kingfisher, 5 Curlew Sandpiper, 20 Greenshank and 70+ Spoonbill making Poole Harbour, and specifically the Brownsea Lagoon the most important staging site in the UK for this species as numbers will continue to build until mid-October, when many then leave to destinations beyonds, including one sat-tagged individual last summer which staged in Poole Harbour during September but ended up in Senegal by Christmas!

 Forster’s Tern – Wareham Channel, off the Ham Common Nature Reserve – Alison Copland

An absolute stunner of a day, reaching 24 degrees and quite a contrast to recent weeks. It got birds on the move and all day Meadow Pipit were passing over in small numbers across many parts of the harbour. There were 3 Osprey in the Wareham Channel this morning including Scottish ringed 251(?) plus a juvenile and another adult. Female White-tailed Eagle G466 was sat on a tall snag on Arne Hill at RSPB Arne and there were 3 Hobby also in the Wareham Channel plus the autumns first Merlin was logged on Hartland Moor this morning. The Brownsea Lagoon was still busy with Spoonbill and saw 60+ roosting on the Tamerisk Island, where 5 Curlew Sandpiper were feeding in amongst their name-sake, plus 250+ Avocet, 5 Greenshank, 3 Common Sandpiper and 200+ Black-tailed Godwit were also present. At RSPB Arne 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Pied Flycatcher and 1 Redstart were along the shipstal track near Arne Farm. We also got some exciting news this morning that our female Osprey from this years ‘nest 2’, female 1H1, was sighted down in Portugal yesterday at the Reserva Natural do Estuário do Sado. She was last seen at her nest site on Sept 11th at 14:00, so she’s made good time! Plus, upon inspection of photos of a ‘Buzzard’ we saw over Brownsea during yesterdays Autumn Safari we’ve managed to confirm the ID was a juvenile Honey Buzzard.

Female Osprey 1H1 from ‘nest 2’ – Sado Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal yesterday – Carlos Miguel

Scottish ringed Osprey 251(?) from this mornings Autumn Safari – Wareham Channel – David Turner

Juvenile Honey Buzzard – over Brownsea Island during yesterdays Autumn Safari – Ed Betteridge

Despite the yucky start to the day, the birding was actually ok today. A Wryneck was along the track leading down towards Shipstal Point at RSPB Arne with a Pied Flycatcher, 1 Redstart and 2 Spotted Flycatcher and an Osprey was hunting in Shipstal Bay. Male White-tailed Eagle G463 was on Patchins Point, Arne this morning, and at the top end of the Wareham Channel 2 juvenile Marsh Harrier were moving around as several Common Snipe arrived in over Swineham Point and 5 Bearded Tit were off Swineham Point. On the Brownsea Lagoon 7 Curlew Sandpiper were spread across the site, 62 Spoonbill were roosting, 200+ Avocet were feeding and 2 Common Sandpiper were still along the lagoon beach. There were 2 Kingfisher along Poole Quay, an eclipse male Pochard was on the main gravel pit at Swineham and a Hobby was there too.

Male White-tailed Eagle G463 from our Autumn Safari this AM – Harry McBride

Kingfisher on Poole Quay from our Autumn Safari this AM – Harry McBride

Sparrowhawk at Swineham from our Autumn Safari this AM – Harry McBride

Wryneck – Shipstal track at RSPB Arne – David Turner

The mixture of weather seems to have potentially slowed Osprey migration across the country with more sightings across Poole Harbour. One individual was seen attempting to catch fish off Shipstall before then giving up and heading towards the Wareham Channel. Another was seen in Lytchett Bay, for a while two Marsh Harriers sat close by to it.

Lytchett Bay also had it’s first Garganey of the autumn, found amongst the flock of Teal. Two Snipe and a single Hobby also seen here.

Earlier in the day, Arne had two fly over White-tailed Eagles. Probably the local pair, however, there is a four year old female also frequenting the harbour at the moment.

The harbour’s less glamorous site, ‘PC World drain’, adjacent to Holes Bay, is a magnet for migrant and over wintering birds due to the mild conditions and plenty of insects close to the water. No fewer than 11 Chiff Chaff and singles of Blackcap and Grey Wagtail were present during the day.

Curlew – Arne – David Turner

Another decent early autumn day, with all the feel of a chilly mid-September morning for our first Autumn Safari of the season this morning. There were loads of mid-September goodies on the Brownsea Lagoon including 1-2 Little Stint, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 59 Spoonbill, 2 Common Sandpiper, c40 Dunlin, c200 Avocet, 2 Sanderling, c100 Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Sandwich Tern, 1 Med Gull and small numbers of Gadwall and Shoveler. We were also in for a real surprise when we learnt that one of our Carey Osprey chicks from this summer, male 5R4, who hasn’t been seen for about a month, suddenly appeared in Middlebere and then ventured to the Wareham Channel where we saw him from the cruise. Where he’s been over the last few weeks is anyones guess, but he’s obviously doing well and fending for himself already! This is the first time a Poole Harbour fledged Osprey chick has stayed and taught it’s self how to fish before departing on migration. Long staying ‘Poole male’ Osprey 5H3 was also around this morning, and was seen fishing in Lytchett Bay. It really looks like he’s eyeing the harbour ready for next spring. At Swineham 2-3 Marsh Harrier were moving around and yesterday morning 10 came out of the west harbour roost. The river valleys are now brimming again and saw 5 Glossy Ibis drop onto RSPB Arne Moors this afternoon, and the scrapes at Swineham are filling with Teal, Gadwall, a few Wigeon and Shoveler and masses of Egyptian Geese. This afternoon female White-tailed Eagle G466 was hanging out in the Wareham Channel and wandering 2021 female G486 visited the Wareham Channel this morning too. Elsewhere a Pied Flycatcher was at Hatch Pond, and another was in the PCW Drain, opposite KFC. This afternoon 3 different Osprey were in Brands Bay and a Great White Egret was in Middlebere.

Juvenile Osprey 5R4 – Middlebere – Kate Plater

Wigeon – Lytchett Bay

Osprey sightings continue to be made across the harbour with an individual seen over Lytchett Bay. Data from other sites across the UK suggests more Ospreys will follow after the recent unsettled weather . No doubt our Autumn Cruises, starting tomorrow, will have further Osprey sightings in the coming weeks.

Lytchett Bay had a good range of waders, 15 each of Redshank and Greenshank, 6 Oystercatcher, 10 Curlew and 75 Black-tailed Godwit. Wigeon numbers are at 25, more than 150 Black-headed Gull and a migrant Whinchat and 2 Grey Wagtail were also a bonus.

Three Peregrine Falcons are still using the Asda building in Poole. The adult pair and one juvenile, a male, ring ‘HG’.

With the recent Atlantic storms, it’s worth while keeping eyes peeled for Grey Phalarope in the coming days. These small, Arctic breeding waders have just started their migration south and some get driven towards coastal areas during periods of high wind.

Peregrine Falcon (Juvenile male) – Asda Building – R Goad

With todays storm coming through later than originally planned, it actually allowed for some migration last night, which included the first large wave of Common Chiffchaffs of the autumn. It’s pretty standard for late July and all of August to play host to Willow Warbler migration, however, by early/mid-September nearly all Willow Warbler have moved through and the first migrant Common Chiffchaff start to move. By mid-September large numbers begin to migrate which was much in evidence this morning with high numbers across the  harbour including 81 that were ringed at Wild Woodbury, 40 in the Lower Piddle Valley, 50 at Lytchett Bay and lots in various hedgerows across the harbour. This period of the autumn also sees large numbers of Blackcap start to move, and this was also obvious this morning as multiple individuals bumbled through blackberry and elderberry bushes. Elsewhere a few Osprey are still ‘kicking about, and before this afternoons rain blue ringed male ‘442’ was fishing in Lytchett Bay and another was fishing in the Wareham Channel this morning. Male White-tailed Eagle G463 was over Middlebere this morning and 31 Spoonbill were at Shipstal Point. There are still Sedge Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler moving through with 22 and 6 respectively ringed in the Lower Piddle Valley this morning. Autumn (and winter) really are progressing with 72 Wigeon and 4 Pintail now back in Holes Bay.

Spoonbill – Middlebere – David Turner

Our Young Person’s bird ringing demonstration on the Lower Piddle Valley got off to a good start despite the rain showers. The next generation of conservationists and birders learnt about the science of bird ringing, close up identification and ageing features of species such as Chiff Chaff, Willow Warbler, Tree Pipit and Grasshopper Warbler.

Further along the next river valley, 6 Glossy Ibis are still present, often seen later in the afternoon from the side of the Wareham Bypass along the edge of the River Frome.

At Swineham this morning, 19 Egyptian Geese are enjoying the rising water levels along with 70 Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Little Egret, 6 Coot and 5 Lapwing.

Teal are increasing at Lytchett Bay with at least 120 observed. 25 Lapwing, a single Bar-tailed Godwit alongside 199 Black-tailed Godwit, 60 Redshank and 18 Greenshank.

Brownsea Island lagoon also had a good range of the usual wader species with 5 Curlew Sandpiper and 4 Avocet being the highlights. An Osprey overhead momentarily disturbed the feeding and roosting birds below.

Spoonbill – Arne – dizzygirl66@bsky.social