It really is feeling like autumn now with a chilly nip in the air and both dewy dawns and dusks as crane flys bounce their way over garden paths. And with October just around the corner (and therefore the first Redwings being only a few weeks away), it feels like these may be the last few days of summer. It’s great to still see so many Osprey around with at least 3 still around today, including one that was happily hunting along the Holes Bay cycle path this afternoon in the SE sector, giving a fantastic display to any commuters driving past. There were several sightings in Lytchett Bay throughout the day and others seen in Middlebere, the Wareham Channel and Brands Bay. This afternoon 2 White-tailed Eagles were seen over Ham Common viewpoint and a few Hobby were still off Hydes Heath with 2 Marsh Harrier in the mouth of the Frome. At Lytchett Fields there were 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Greenshank, 40 Dunlin, 1 Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Whinchat. On Brownsea there were still 61 Spoonbill, c50 Avocet, c40 Dunlin, c50 Ringed Plover and 2 Kingfisher. There was a Whinchat on Hartland and big numbers of hirundines, mostly Swallow, were on the move again with several thousand high over Frome and Piddle Valley around lunchtime. The Barnacle Goose was on Holme Lane GP again with 7 Egyptian Geese.

Reed Bunting (left) and Whinchat (right) – Hartland Moor – Garry Hayman