The day started off with a huge amount of promise with what seemed like a pretty decent coastal fall of common migrants. At dawn a good number of Wheatear were up around Old Harry and Ballard Down with 29 counted, along with 2 Whinchat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Redstart, 15 Common Whitethroat, lots of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler and a Swift came in off the sea. However the star bird appeared just after dawn with a Red-rumped Swallow seen coming in off the sea at Ballard and seen pushing straight through north. Sadly it seemed the fall didn’t make it’s way further in land with very few reports of other migrants from elsewhere around the harbour. That said the Red-spotted Bluethroat was still giving superb views at Swineham GP and the Forster’s Tern, which has now nearly acquired it’s full black cap was on the Brownsea Lagoon this morning. There were multiple sightings of White-tailed Eagle with juvs seen over Lytchett Bay and Brownsea and an adult over Middlebere. A Common Snipe was heard drumming near Hartland this AM, a Cuckoo was at Hydes Heath and a Willow Warbler was at Shipstal, RSPB Arne. This morning a lone Cattle Egret was in Lytchett Bay roosting on a boat and a full summer plumaged Great White Egret was in Middlebere.

There was high drama at the Osprey nest site on and off during the day with several visits from intruder Osprey(s) just after first light, mid-morning and late this evening. Sadly on no occasion did the visiting Osprey(s) land on the nest, so we couldn’t see who they were and whether they were any of our returning birds looking to annoy their parents from years gone by. The roaming Ospreys were also seen out in the harbour too, with our local male 022 seen quietly escorting one of them along the Middlebere Channel. Hopefully if it (or they) stick around then they could be seen over the next couple of days and be photographed, or they could decide to land on one of our other platforms which also have cameras on them. Knowing that 2-year old 5R0 is already back, it would be great for 5H3 to appear, who knows….there could be more!!

Summer plumage Great White Egret – Coombe Bog – Mark Wright

Mystery visiting Osprey – Over Coombe Heath – Mark Wright