Southern Hawker Dragonfly – Peter Boardman

There were a few birds moving through the area this morning, including 490 Swallow, 140 House Martin, 200 Meadow Pipit, 9 Yellow and 4 Grey Wagtail, all mainly coasting in a westerly direction. Site total for Chiffchaff came to 65, with just 1 Willow Warbler. At Hengistbury, a Whinchat and 5 Wheatear were on the Barn Field, with a further 3 of the latter species seen at Stanpit and Mudeford Quay. Once again, waders were well represented at Stanpit this morning with a Curlew Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, 3 Grey Plover, 7 Bar-tailed and 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Knot, 4 Greenshank and 8 Snipe. A single Brent Goose was on South Marsh, together with 68 Canada Goose and the lone Pintail, while Common Sandpiper were logged on both sides of the harbour. This evening, a Whimbrel was seen leaving the harbour and a Peregrine successfully caught a small wader at Stanpit.  Of mammal interest, a pod of 6 or 7 Dolphin were observed from Mudeford Quay and Hengistbury.

Snipe – Scott Usher

Black–tailed Godwit – Scott Usher

The early morning mist and murk eventually cleared so most of the day was warm and sunny. There was an excellent selection of waders on both sides of the harbour, with 2 Golden Plover, 5 Greenshank, 4 Common Sandpiper and singles of both Green and Wood Sandpiper at or flying over Stanpit. The latter was lost in the mist, but might have landed on Priory Marsh. Meanwhile, a high tide visit to the Sandspit at Hengistbury returned 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 9 Sanderling, 41 Ringed Plover, 155 Dunlin and 3 Turnstone with a lone Black-tailed Godwit also on site. Wildfowl were represented by 3 Shoveler and 3 Tufted Duck. Overhead passerine movement included 2 Siskin, 80 Meadow Pipit and 3 Yellow Wagtail east at Hengistbury and Wick. A couple of Tree Pipit flew over Stanpit, where a Grasshopper Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher were settled around the golf course bank. Totals of grounded birds for the whole site came to 48 Blackcap, 70 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler and a dozen each of Sedge and Reed Warbler. Finally, after the first sighting of the autumn two days ago, 2 Brent Goose flew south over Double Dykes.

The early morning mist and murk eventually cleared so most of the day was warm and sunny. There was an excellent selection of waders on both sides of the harbour, with 2 Golden Plover, 5 Greenshank, 4 Common Sandpiper and singles of both Green and Wood Sandpiper at or flying over Stanpit. The latter was lost in the mist, but might have landed on Priory Marsh. Meanwhile, a high tide visit to the Sandspit at Hengistbury returned 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 9 Sanderling, 41 Ringed Plover, 155 Dunlin and 3 Turnstone with a lone Black-tailed Godwit also on site. Wildfowl were represented by 3 Shoveler and 3 Tufted Duck. Overhead passerine movement included 2 Siskin, 80 Meadow Pipit and 3 Yellow Wagtail east at Hengistbury and Wick. A couple of Tree Pipit flew over Stanpit, where a Grasshopper Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher were settled around the golf course bank. Totals of grounded birds for the whole site came to 48 Blackcap, 70 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler and a dozen each of Sedge and Reed Warbler. Finally, after the first sighting of the autumn two days ago, 2 Brent Goose flew south over Double Dykes.

Yellow Wagtail on the sandspit – Gary Foyle

Let’s start today’s post with waders – all at Stanpit, but viewed from both Fisherman’s Bank and around Stanpit Bight: a Little Stint, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 8 Knot, 6 Greenshank, 4 Sanderling, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Whimbrel, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, 12 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Turnstone and 4 Snipe; plus uncounted Ringed Plover and Dunlin. Moving to passerines, at least 22 Yellow Wagtail were returned from Stanpit, including some settled birds around Crouch Hill; while the sandspit also held some, but no numbers mentioned. Elsewhere, a Redstart was on the Batters, a Spotted Flycatcher was in the North Scrubs, a Whinchat was on the Barn Field and over 16 Wheatear were spread about. To finish; an adult Mediterranean Gull roosted on East Marsh; a Shoveler, 44 Wigeon and 18 Teal were on site; and a Great Crested Grebe was around Blackberry Point.

Curlew Sandpiper with sleeping Dunlin (upper) and with Sanderling – Chris Chapleo

Adult (upper) and juvenile Ringed Plover – Alan Crockard

After over ten days of easterly wind, a Balearic Shearwater off Hengistbury this morning was a major surprise; with two eastbound Common Scoter and 16 Gannet also being logged at sea. A minimum of 3 Spotted Flycatcher were in the North Scrubs, a Garden Warbler was on Wick and a Lesser Whitethroat was on Hengistbury; while around 30 Willow Warbler, 22 Chiffchaff, 6 Whitethroat and 6 Wheatear were across the site. Moving to waders: early morning on the sandspit saw a Curlew Sandpiper, 9 Sanderling, 122 Ringed Plover, 165 Dunlin and 5 Turnstone; then the afternoon at Stanpit added a Little Stint, 4 Greenshank, a very smart Grey Plover, 4 Knot, 2 Whimbrel, 6 Bar-tailed Godwit and 7 Black-tailed Godwit; plus a Common Sandpiper in Barn Bight. After a couple of blank days, the distinctively tailed Osprey visited morning and afternoon, and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was at Mudeford Quay in the early evening.

Sanderling (upper), Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Turnstone – all enjoying the sanctuary at the end of Mudeford sandspit – Gary Foyle

Presumably it’s the over-a-week-long spell of easterlies which continue to bring Pied Flycatcher to the area – another today in the No Dogs Field. Also, a Redstart there with 10 Willow Warbler and 6 Chiffchaff. Meanwhile, a Whinchat and half-a-dozen Wheatear were west of the Barn Field, towards Whitepits; a Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap and 2 Wheatear were at Stanpit, mostly in the North Scrubs; and a remarkable 16 Yellow Wagtail and 11 Wheatear were in the fenced area at the end of the sandspit. Not just waders benefitting from that project! Speaking of waders, the best was a Green Sandpiper over Wick in the afternoon, while Stanpit held: a Curlew Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, a Whimbrel, at least 3 Sanderling, a Grey Plover, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 110 Ringed Plover and 150+ Dunlin. For those planning to attend the ringing demonstration on Saturday, please note above the change of venue.

Snipe – Clinton Whale

Ruff – Scott Usher

Kingfisher – Clinton Whale

For the area, the most notable record of the day was certainly a doubling of Nuthatch – to two birds – in the Nursery; while a Garden Warbler was on the adjacent Long Field, 7 Wheatear were about and 5 Yellow Wagtail passed over. The pick of the waders was a juvenile Ruff that appeared at Stanpit late in the afternoon; where, earlier, 3 Greenshank, 3 Common Sandpiper, a Grey Plover and 4 Bar-tailed Godwit were logged. Meanwhile, the returning wildfowl came to: a Shoveler, 10 Wigeon and 12 Teal.

Whinchat – Alan Hayden

Stonechat – Alan Hayden

Reed Bunting – Alan Hayden

Sedge Warbler – Alan Hayden

The Osprey’s two visits today were at 11:30 and 15:40 with a successful catch at the earlier visit.  Reasonable numbers of migrants were logged, mainly this morning, including 200 Swallow north-east over Hengistbury plus site totals of 18 Willow Warbler,16 Whitethroat, 15 Sedge Warbler, 9 Wheatear, 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Whinchat and a Redstart; also a Nuthatch in the Nursery.  With so much exposed mud in the harbour the waders were difficult to count accurately but amongst the birds present were 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Knot, 2 Sanderling, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe and singles of Greenshank, Grey Plover, Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwit. The Tufted Duck was still around together with 22 Wigeon, 7 Teal and 2 Shoveler; also a Kingfisher was on Stanpit.

Osprey with attendant Lapwing – Roger Tidball

The three Curlew Sandpiper with a Redshank – Alan Hayden

Adult Grey Plover – Alan Hayden

… and a juvenile Black–tailed Godwit – Alan Hayden

Save for a few Yellow Wagtail and Willow Warbler, passerines were few and far between; wader variety, however, made for a reasonably decent day. This morning, three juvenile Curlew Sandpiper appeared in Stanpit Bight and during the afternoon the Little Stint was again on Blackberry Point. In addition, there and on the Flats, a Ruff, 2 Knot, 3 Greenshank, 2 Whimbrel, a Grey Plover, 5 Sanderling, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a juvenile Black-tailed Godwit, 85 Ringed Plover and 90 Dunlin were all logged. The Osprey visited around 10:30 and 15:30, both times successfully, a Peregrine hunted and 45 Sandwich Tern loafed.

Grasshopper Warbler – Leo Pyke

One of the Yellow Wagtail ringed today – Kevin Sayer

In addition to the pictured Grasshopper Warbler by the HHC, there were 3 Pied Flycatcher and a Lesser Whitethroat briefly at Stanpit this morning; while; more settled, across Wick and Hengistbury, as far as the Nursery, were: 5 Redstart, 5 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Whinchat and a Garden Warbler; plus around thirty each of Willow Warbler and Whitethroat; with ten or so Wheatear spread across the site. Overhead, singles of Tree Pipit and Grey Wagtail passed, as well as 40 Yellow Wagtail – a further twelve of the latter grounded at by Mother Siller’s Channel in the evening. An adult Little Stint was on Blackberry Point during the afternoon, with other waders in and around Stanpit Bight coming to: 3 Greenshank, 4 Sanderling, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Whimbrel, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 26 Ringed Plover, 83 Dunlin and 2 Turnstone. There were three Osprey moments – around 9:30, 14:30 and 15:30 – the latter definitely resulting in a catch. On that occasion, the bird left so low over the Recreation Ground that it was possible to hear its wingbeats. Common Gull are now creeping back – adults seen passing to the west and one loafing on South Marsh. The same can be said of wildfowl – a Pintail, a Wigeon and 13 Teal all returned today; along with the drake Tufted Duck. To finish, a Peregrine was about.

A couple of Little Stint, a Curlew Sandpiper and an over-flying Little Ringed Plover were at Stanpit this morning, along with: 3 Knot, 6 Sanderling, 2 Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, 3 Whimbrel, a Bar-tailed Godwit and 15 Turnstone; the latter a notable, in-harbour number. Passerine-wise, there was a brief Grasshopper Warbler at Stanpit, but two each of Whinchat and Redstart were more amenable, as were up to 10 Wheatear. Meanwhile, on the other side of the area, a Spotted Flycatcher was on the Long Field, a Lesser Whitethroat was by the HHC, and twos of Yellow Wagtail and Tree Pipit passed over. Early on, a Great White Egret was about the marsh, as were two juvenile Mediterranean Gull – a species that is a bit scarce this late-summer – as well as a Tufted Duck. To finish, this evening, between 6:30 and 7:30, at least 22 Yellow Wagtail headed towards the harbour over the Two Riversmeet football pitches.