Another strong morning of autumn passage for passerines with excellent numbers of birds ringed in the Lower Piddle Valley this AM, this included 22 Grasshopper Warbler, 53 Sedge Warbler, 28 Reed Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler and 2 Willow Warbler. These will all be southward passage migrants which is incredible as it’s only June 16th. As for Grasshopper Warbler, it’s currently thought that none (or very, very few) breed in Dorset now, so the fact that exactly 60 have already been ringed at the ringing station already shows it’s likley to have been a good breeding season this year.

On Brownsea Lagoon the Spoonbill count remains at 8, the Spotted Redshank was still at Lytchett Fields, an adult White-tailed Eagle and Osprey were seen from Middlebere this morning, 2 Cattle Egret flew over Wareham this evening plus 32 Swift were over Wareham too and c50 over Upper Parkstone.