It seems a lot of keen birders were out in force this weekend with the number of sightings reported it. The arrival of some un-settled weather certainly seemed to bring a lot more migrants as they dropped down to take shelter from the intermittent showers.

It was the ‘Birds of Poole Harbour’ guided walk on Saturday, aptly names ‘Late summer at Middlebere’. An excellent range of species were seen including Osprey, 2 Whinchat, 2 Redstart, 2 Wheatear, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Tree Pipit, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, 4 Pintail, 6 Greenshank, Water Rail. It was also the Arne Raptor weekend this weekend where Osprey were the stars of the show with a max count of 3 at once. Also seen there was a Cuckoo, Black Redstart and Whinchat with another 6 Whinchat, 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Redstart, Hobby and Sparrowhawk out on Arne Moors. At Lytchett Bay this weekend a Curlew Sandpiper was present along with 1 Osprey, 3 Pintail, 1 Whinchat, 12 Greenshank, 8 Green Sandpiper, 30+ Snipe, 6 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper and 2 White Wagtail, along with a record breaking 504 Teal. Up on Hartland Stud 19 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, Red-legged Partridge and 2 Tree Pipit. Off Rockley viewpoint another Osprey was seen along with a Marsh Harrier and 37 Little Egret roosted in the channel. At Swineham an Osprey was feeding out in the Wareham Channel, also there 50+ Sand Martin, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Buzzard. On Brownsea 8 Spoonbill remained, 5 Curlew Sandpiper, 200+ Black-tailed Godwit, 100+ Avocet, 2 Knot, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Turnstone, 200+ Redshank, 500+ Oystercatcher, 2 Common Sandpiper and 6 Shoveler.