Another fine day, although a stronger NNE breeze had kicked in by late morning. For the first time in a while there were 2 Osprey in the Wareham Channel this morning, one being 022 on his morning fishing rounds, and a second which seems to be moulting it’s P1 (First primary feather) on both wings, which may make it distinctive over the next week or, so and it was likely to be one of our ‘new’ local males (5R0, 5H3 or 5H6), however it won’t be long, probably only a couple of weeks, before we start to see first migrant female Ospreys passing through on their way south which heralds the start of the end of another fascinating and potentially successful breeding season. At Swineham 21 Cattle Egret were roosting on the island in the middle of the gravel pit, the Wareham Channel Marsh Harrier family were also active with 2 juveniles moving around in the west of the channel. The Brownsea Lagoon held 7 Spoonbill, 3 Avocet and 200+ Common Tern with 5 Common Sandpiper on the north shore. An adult White-tailed Eagle was high over RSPB Arne and later in the afternoon 2 were in the Wareham Channel.

Male Osprey – Wareham Channel – Alison Copland