Today heralds the start of our ‘full on’ series of Osprey cruises as we host 47 boat trips over the next four and a half weeks. The reason we host so many now is because there are multiple Osprey dynamics playing out all at the same time. The local breeding families are moving around the harbour currently, often providing stunning views of this years fledged juveniles, plus, there are new pairs establishing with what seems like two newly drawn in females this summer (Scottish female 6J8 and new a mystery un-ringed adult female), plus the four new males of ours that arrived earlier this spring. Plus, as August presses on, multiple migrant Osprey from further north will be passing through adding to the mix. Todays first cruise of the season didn’t disappoint with no less than 7 seen from this mornings trip including 5 circling together at one point, plus 3 successful fish catches. In addition to the Osprey-fest there were a decent haul of 27 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon with 19 Avocet, plus 2 Peregrine, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Red Kite were also logged. 3+ Osprey were also logged at Middlebere and Lytchett Bay, where there were 3 Ringed Plover.

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Elsewhere, on top of Hartland/Scotland Farm, there was a good mix of common autumn migrants with 2 Common Redstart, 10 Common Whitethroat, 2 Wheatear, 6 Willow Warbler and 1 Whinchat, with another Whinchat out on Wareham Common. A Swift over Holes Bay seemed to be a decent mid-August record considering there’s been a mass exodus of Swift since late July, plus there were 5 Common Sandpiper in the Holes Bay too. There were 20+ Cattle Egret next to the Stoborough causeway with the cows and 1 Great White Egret was in Middlebere. A Ruff was on the Brownsea Lagoon.

Adult female Osprey CJ7 – Wareham Channel from our Safari Cruise – Brandon Storey