Having just returned from a week in France it was excellent to see a whole inbox of emails reporting lots of interesting sightings from around the harbour in the last week. I’m sorry I couldn’t report for you while I was away, but below is a summary from the last week.

I would also like to apologise for the lack of coverage on the webcam. This is an issue we are aware of and are trying to rectify it as soon as possible.

Don’t forget it’s our next ‘Birds of Poole Harbour’ guided walk this Saturday the 7^th – Late Summer at Middlebere, a guided walk with Paul Morton looking for autumn migrants including Osprey, Harriers, Warblers and Chats. For more info follow this link – http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/late-summer-middlebere

As the summer warmth continued through the week, migrants of all shapes and sizes arrived and passed through the area at various spots. In date order…

August 24^th – 3 Grasshopper Warbler at Lytchett Bay, along with 1 Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and a Whitethroat at Turlin Moor and 242 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Sandwich Tern out on the mud. At Sunnyside Farm 2 Whinchat and 3 Wheatear. 

August 25^th – A Red Kite drifted along the A35 near Holton Lee. A Black Tern was fishing in the stretch of water between Arne and Hamworthy shore. On the Brownsea Lagoon – 85 Teal, 1 Shoveler, 1,043 Oystercatchers, 110 Dunlin, 32+ Avocet, 12 Greenshank, 3 Spotted Redshanks, 6 Turnstone, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Sanderling, 4 Med Gulls, 40 Sandwich and 14 Common Terns.

August 26^th – At Lytchett Bay 1 juv Marsh Harrier, 10 ringed plover, 7 Dunlin, 10+ Greenshank, 200+ Black-tailed Godwit, 14 Yellow Wagtail a few Wigeon and the 1^st Wheatear for the autumn at this site.

August 27^th – 2 Osprey commuting between Arne, Lytchett Bay and the Wareham Channel, also in Lytchett Bay 4 Curlew Sandpiper.

August 28^th – No sightings

August 29^th – At Middlebere 7 Spoonbill, 21 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank, Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Teal. 1 Osprey again in Lytchett Bay.

August 30^th – 2 Osprey in Lytchett Bay and 1 in the Wareham Channel with a juv Marsh Harrier. A juv Ruff out on the mud at Lytchett Bay with 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper and 10+ Green Sandpiper. At Middlebere 7 Spoonbill again, 2 Barn Owl, 3 Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 6 Ringed Plover, seven Yellow Wagtail and a Hobby.

August 31^st – 1 Osprey sat on the post at Middlebere for 2 hours, 20+ Ringed Plover, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Whinchat, 30+ Yellow Wagtail, 2 Yellow-legged Gull and large numbers of Swallow.