I planned to go looking for an Eastern migrant on the Purbeck coast this AM, but early morning rain changed that plan. When the rain stopped, it was clear it was only going to be a brief interlude, so I opted for the last of the rising tide in Brands Bay hide as Plan B. The mud had just been covered by the time I arrived, but there were still a reasonable selection of typical Waders and Wildfowl in the Bay. Some were feeding, but others were hiding in the marshes, but the rising tide forced them to show as they moved locations.
The first highlight of the visit was a party of four Spoonbills flying in high from Ower. They circled the Bay, but didn't stop & left in the direction of Littlesea. I wondered if they were new in, as the Ower & Middlebere Spoonbills generally return directly to Brownsea as the tide rises in Poole Harbour. While there have been up to 81 on Brownsea this Autumn, this is the first Spoonbills that I have seen in Brands Bay this Autumn. They are always an erratic visitor to Brands Bay.
The other highlight was a Great White Egret that dropped in at 10:30. Typically, it was a long way out on the marshes in the middle of the bay. However, after fifteen minutes there, it flew & dropped in just to the left of the hide on the near bank: which is the closest I've seen a Great White Egret in Brands Bay.
These days in Poole Harbour, none of the local Birders are surprised to hear of a Great White Egret or two at any of the waterside parts of the harbour between the Autumn and late Winter. It's hard to remember that when I bumped into one at the Middlebere end of the Wytch Channel on 7 Sep 14, it was first easily twitchable individual for the Poole Harbour Birders. It lost its quality reputation within a few days.
It had been a good visit to Brands Bay.