It was good to finally see a bit of rain today which seemed to deliver a few extra goodies in the form of a Garganey on the Brownsea Lagoon and a decent count of 14 Curlew Sandpiper also on the Brownsea Lagoon. An early watch of the Wareham Channel also produced a Glossy Ibis arriving, before it soon departed east towards RSPB Arne. There were also 48 Spoonbill on the lagoon and with the 7 in Middlebere that equals the recent high count of 55, although we’re not sure if any more were lurking anywhere? In Middlebere there were 3 different Osprey during the afternoon with 2 different adults and a juvenile which landed in the dead trees with a fish. Also in Middlebere were 2 Green Sandpiper, a fresh juvenile Marsh Harrier and 1 Hobby. There were 2-3 Osprey in Lytchett Bay during the course of the day. The Forster’s Tern was on Shipstal Beach again. Small numbers of Wigeon are now popping up at all traditional over-wintering spots but Pintail are still pretty limited with just a few in Holes Bay. The Chiffchaff rush looks like it’s about to begin with numbers now well exceeding sightings of Willow Warbler, most of which have now passed through. Chiffchaff numbers build and build as they pass through all the way through September and into October with them soon fast becoming the most prominent migrating passerine. There were still small numbers of Yellow Wagtail around Hartland, Middlebere and Arne, 2 Whinchat were on Hartland, a Redstart was at Greenlands Farm and 5 Spotted Flycatcher were up on Ballard.

Juvenile Common Ringed Plover – Studland – Mark Wright