As we hit the mid-September point, the mix of autumn and winter across the country starts to merge. Whilst we still have Swallows and Ospreys here down south, up t’north today saw the first Fieldfare, Yellow-browed Warblers and Pink-footed Geese of the winter hit the northern isles of Scotland, which means it’s only a couple of weeks until we hear the first ‘zeets’ of arriving Redwings just after dark. That said, ther’s still plenty of ‘summer’ left to enjoy with 2 Hobby over Middlebere today, a minimum of 3 Osprey are still around, including our 2-year old male 5H6 who arrived mid-May this year, and who was also in Christchurch Harbour today. At Sunnyside there were 4 Yellow Wagtail still, a Common Redstart was at RSPB Arne and a Spotted Flycatcher was in the PCW Drain. At Lytchett Fields there were 400 Black-tailed Godwit plus 13 Greenshank and 16 Lapwing. A Glossy Ibis was in the Wareham channel yesterday morning, 9+ Cattle Egret were on Wareham Common where there were also 2 Whinchat. On Brownsea the Spoonbill count reached 62 and there were 50+ Redshank, 21 Greenshank, 17 Curlew, 16 Bar-tailed Godwit, 12 Black-tailed Godwit and increase to 228 Avocet.

2-year old male Osprey 5H6 – Settled briefly on old harbour nest platform today

Despite the murky conditions today, there was still some good birding action to be had. Multiple Osprey were seen throughout the harbour, with 1 seen from the Lookout at Upton Country Park flying over Holes Bay south west. 1 adult and 1 juvenile Osprey were also seen from the Middlebere NT hide, as well as 3 Great White Egret, and 1 adult White-tailed Eagle carrying a fish. 54 Spoonbill were counted on Brownsea Lagoon. A quieter session today at the Carey Ringing station in the Lower Piddle Valley, with 44 birds ringed included 1 Spotted Flycatcher.

Osprey with fish – Middlebere NT hide – Alison Copland

Adult White-tailed Eagle carrying a fish – Middlebere NT Hide – Alison Copland

Today was the last of our 47 Osprey Cruises and what a cracking season it’s been! Although the Osprey action was slightly quieter today, with 1 Osprey seen in the Wareham Channel during this morning’s trip, we still ended up with a brilliant species list. Highlights included 1 Whinchat, 8 Green Sandpiper, and 5 Greenshank on the Arne Moors, 2 Hobby over the River Frome hunting Meadow Pipits, and, 3 Marsh Harrier. Over on the Brownsea Lagoon were 6 Shoveler, 54 Spoonbill, c120 Avocet, 6 Bar-tailed Godwit, and c10 Dunlin. Later on this afternoon, 2 distant Osprey were seen over Newton Cove from Brands Bay hide and there were over 30 Cattle Egret seen with the cattle at East Holme.

Greenshank – Mark Wright

The Kielder Forest juvenile Osprey 2B9 is still here after nearly 4 weeks! First seen in the harbour on 16th August, the longstayer was logged today at the RSPB Arne Saline Lagoon (a favourite haunt). Last year, Carey breeding male Osprey 022 was last seen 2nd September (2025), so it was also interesting to record him in the harbour today as well! Two Ospreys were also perched in different dead trees in Lytchett Bay rounds off the Osprey sightings for the day.

Turning to passerines, Stour Ringing Group ringed 83 new birds at Lytchett Heath, with Blackcap and Chiffchaff numbers now dominating the totals, however the session was most notable for breaking the sites annual Sedge Warbler record (exceeding 900). Elsewhere in the field 30-40 Blackcap and 20+ Chiffchaff were moving through PC World Drain this morning along with singles of Whitethroat, Reed Warbler & Spotted Flycatcher. Other notables across the day included one Spotted Redshank at Holes Bay and 15 Spoonbill on Brownsea Lagoon.

Kielder Forest juvenile Osprey 2B9 – RSPB Arne Saline Lagoon

Less movement of birds today after the big push yesterday, but 2 passage Nightjar were still caught at the Lower Piddle Valley Ringing Station along with a smaller number of common migrants including Blackcap and Chiffchaff. The 9 Goosander were still in Brands Bay along with 1 Knot, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Greenshank, 3 Pintail and 1 Osprey. In Middlebere there good numbers of Knot with 30+ noted. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 80 Avocet and 25 Spoonbill. Plenty of Osprey sightings from all parts of the harbour including in the Wareham Channel, Lytchett Bay, Studland and RSPB Arne. Impressively an adult Osprey was seen catching a fish off Long Island (from Middlebere Lookout Hide at Arne) before then diving in again immediately to catch a second fish(!) 1 in each talon!4

Osprey with 2 fish after 2 separate dives – Long Island from Middlebere Lookout – Alison Copland

Calm conditions this morning for the first time in a few days allowed for an excellent movement of migrants at the Carey Ringing Station with notable totals including 4 Nightjar, 85 Blackcap, 11 Whitethroat, 45 Sedge Warbler, 13 Willow Warbler, 10 Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Garden Warbler and 24 Chiffchaff. Our Osprey Cruise this AM logged 3 Osprey, 3 White-tailed Eagle and 1 Glossy Ibis in the Wareham Channel, 2 Hobby hunting hirundines over RSPB Arne Moors, 47 Spoonbill and 131 Avocet on the Brownsea Lagoon and this morning a Spoonbill dropped down onto Lytchett Fields briefly.

Sparrowhawk – Lytchett Bay – Mark Wright

Another great day. Not too much new in but still a good spread of birds across the harbour. The 2 Glossy Ibis were still in the Wareham Channel all day, up to 6 different Osprey were spread across the Wareham Channel, Lytchett Bay and Middlebere, female White-tailed Eagle G466 was also active around the channel and male G463 was seen over Middlebere, 3 Great White Egret were on the edge of RSPB Arne Moors, 2 Curlew Sandpiper were on the edge of the Wareham Channel and another was in Middlebere. Last night 120 Yellow Wagtail went into roost at Swineham, there are now 35+ Wigeon back in Holes Bay north, Wareham Common held 3 Whinchat and 2 Wheatear and 2 Spotted Redshank were at Lytchett Fields. There was a decent push of hirundines through today, mostly Swallows but a sprinkling of House Martin and Sand Martin too. The 9 Goosander were still in Brands Bay and Brownsea held 44 Spoonbill.

Glossy Ibis – Wareham Channel from this AM’s Osprey Cruise – Mark Wright

Juvenile (presumed female) Osprey – Wareham Channel from this AM’s Osprey Cruise – Mark Wright

Juvenile (presumed male) Osprey – Wareham Channel from this AM’s Osprey Cruise – Mark Wright

With this mornings persistent and rather welcome (but unwelcome) rain, there wasn’t much birding to be had before lunch, but bang on 13:30 the sky’s cleared and a brisk north-westerly kicked in. Most intriguing was a gathering of 9 Goosander in Brands Bay which is highly unusual for September, and for Brands Bay. A single Curlew Sandpiper was in Middlebere briefly this morning, a Glossy Ibis was in the Wareham Channel along with 5 Great White Egrets and 2 Marsh Harrier. Still no real shortage of Ospreys with 4 in the Wareham Channel this afternoon, 2-3 in Lytchett Bay, 2 in Brands Bay and 2 over Middlebere, although there will be a bit of overlap. Female White-tailed Eagle G466 was also in the Wareham Channel this afternoon. A few more winter birds were about with 4 Pintail in Brands Bay and there are now 49 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon.

Marsh Harrier – Lytchett Bay – Alison Copland

After all the Osprey madness in recent weeks it’s nice to talk about a few scarcities this evening. Firstly, an Ortolan Bunting was sound recorded during a noc-mig session on Sat night into Sunday morning at 02:41 over Oakdale. Just over 10 years ago now we learned that this species can be a frequent nocturnal migrant over urban Poole, despite its immense scarcity during daylight hours. This is the first autumn record for a few years now, but this is likely down to reduced noc-mig efforts rather than decreased movements of birds. A juvenile Honey Buzzard passed over Lytchett Bay this afternoon, seemingly a dark-morph youngster. This evening 7 Glossy Ibis were in Middlebere which were initially assumed to be the same 7 that were at Lodmoor yesterday, but according to the info services those 7 are still there, which suggests theres currently another Glossy Ibis arrival occurring, which it did this time last year. Elsewhere there were 2 Spotted Redshank at Lytchett Fields and another in Middlebere, 3-4 Osprey were in the Wareham Channel, 12 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon and a White-tailed Eagle over Middlebere.

Ortolan Bunting over Oakdale – Early hours of Sunday morning – David Foster

Sonagram of Ortolan Bunting tew call over Oakdale

Another big push of Osprey through the harbour today with 10+ active throughout the day across the Wareham Channel, Lytchett and Middlebere, including Carey 2-year old 5H6, an unringed adult male and female and unringed juvenile. The White-tailed Eagle pair caught their own huge fish in the Wareham Channel today and although interested in the Ospreys never quite found the opportunity to give chase. They were joined by a 2025 immature G607 from the Isle of Wight who was soaring over the Wareham Channel before heading towards Longham Lakes. 1 Glossy Ibis was on the Keysworth shoreline. In the Wareham Channel on the low tide there were 14 Greenshank, 4 Knot, c80 Dunlin, c200 Black-tailed Godwit and 15 Avocet. With the rain we’ve had there’s a few more pools forming on Arne Moors and here there were 3 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank and 1 Common Sandpiper in the River Frome.  On Wareham Common there were 2 Whinchat, 1 Wheatear and 3 Spotted Flycatcher.

White-tailed Eagle pair G466 (left) and G463 (right) sharing a huge fish that G466 caught – The Wareham Channel from our Osprey Cruise – Alison Copland