It’s so hard to tell how many Osprey there are in the harbour currently, they seemed to be just everywhere this morning with multiple birds in Lytchett Bay, the Wareham Channel and Middlebere all at the same time. Our best guess is between 8-12 but it could be more, and with more migrants due to arrive over the coming weeks that number will rise. This time of year is always our favourite though, as it’s when the local juveniles venture to the harbour, and this morning both 6T6 and 6T9 were seen in the harbour, and from our Summer Safari Cruise. Also from the cruises today there were 19 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon, 15 Turnstone, 1 Knot, 1 Barnacle Goose at Swineham with 2 Bearded Tit and 2 Marsh Harrier, the 2 White-tailed Eagles were also seen this morning over RSPB Arne. The roving flock of Cattle Egret were up the river Frome Valley with c20 counted, plus 2 Great White Egret in the Wareham Channel. Elsewhere the Wood Sandpiper was at Sunnyside, Ridge, a few Whinchat were out on the south harbour heathlands, a random Marsh Tit was ringed at the Lower Piddle Valley ringing station.

Wood Sandpiper – Sunnyside Farm, Ridge – Peter Moore

Juvenile Osprey 6T9 from this AM’s Summer Safari – Alison Copland