There was a very autumn ‘vibe’ today, with the first calm, still morning for several days, which was always guaranteed to see a big movement of birds at dawn. This was most evident at the ringing station in the Lower Piddle Valley which logged 333 birds caught this morning including a late surge of 106 Sedge Warbler, 33 Grasshopper Warbler, 77 Blackcap and 37 Willow Warbler. Osprey numbers seem slightly lower with 5+ logged across the area during the day plus female White-tailed Eagle G466 dropped down into the channel this afternoon. Other highlights included 4 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Little Stint, 18 Spoonbill, 109 Avocet, 201 Dunlin, 93 Ringed Plover, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Knot, c100 Sandwich Tern and 10 Greenshank all on the Brownsea Lagoon. In Middlebere a Ruff flew over, plus there was a Great White Egret with another in the Wareham Channel. At Lytchett Fields some migrants included 3 Whinchat in arable field, also 1 Spotted Flycatcher in same area plus 2 Tree Pipit, and at RSPB Arne Farm the Pied Flycatcher was still near the Shipstal track along with several Spotted Flycatcher and 1 Redstart.

Great White Egret over Middlebere – BlueSky @dizzygirl66.bsky.social

Ruff over Middlebere – BlueSky @dizzygirl66.bsky.social