An early morning visit to Hartland Moor during this time of year is great for seeing autumn migrants. This morning didn’t disappoint with 5 Whinchat, 3 Wheatear, 2 Redstart, 2 Willow Warbler, 5 Dartford Warbler and 1 Whitethroat.

Brands bay also showed signs of migration with the first returning Wigeon, 3 Whimbrel, 21 Ringed Plover and 1 Ruff.

Ospreys were visible across the harbour with a mixture of adults and juveniles. Two were seen from Coombe Heath, one with a fish. An adult and juvenile were seen during the morning in the Wareham channel with the adult briefly mobbing female White-tailed Eagle, G466 and forcing her to leave her vantage point on a post and take shelter amongst the salt marsh. She then took flight and deftly picked up a dead fish from the shoreline and headed to a tree to eat it.

One of the juvenile Ospreys from the Carey nest, female 5R3, visited the Middlebere nest platform during the morning.

Spoonbills were spread across the harbour during low tide with three in the Wareham channel providing close up views and a further 16 seen off Coombe heath. A single Green Sandpiper, Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk (mobbing the Marsh Harrier) and 200 Black-tailed Godwits were feeding in the channels.

Whinchat – Hartland Moor – Gary Hayman

Wheatear – Hartland Moor – Gary Hayman