It was a wet and windy start for our Ham Common Pop-Watch this morning, but in between the showers we had great views of 3 adult Osprey and 1 distant adult White-tailed Eagle. The first one appeared at about 8:15 and flew in and landed on a low post, and as the tide rose it was forced to fly to a slightly taller post, before heading off over towards Arne Bay. We also had 1 juvenile Sparrowhawk being harassed by a Carrion Crow, 2 Raven, and 2 Dartford Warbler calling from the viewpoint. Earlier this morning on the rising tide at Brands Bay, there were building numbers of Winter wildfowl and waders including 57 Teal, 6 Wigeon, the first Pintail of the Winter, 91 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank, 23 Turnstone, and 1 Common Sandpiper. 1 Wryneck was reported at RSPB Arne, seen in the field past the farm. Brownsea Lagoon was treated to more stunning passage waders including 1 Whimbrel flying overhead, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, and 1 juvenile Ruff. All 5 Glossy Ibis were still around in the Frome Valley in the field just west off the Wareham Bypass, alongside 28 Cattle Egret this morning.

Adult Osprey – Wareham Channel – Alison Copland

Curlew Sandpiper – Nicki Tutton – Brownsea Lagoon

Juvenile Ruff – Nicki Tutton – Brownsea Lagoon