Autumn migration seems to be building really early this year, with some species moving in big numbers already, most notably Grasshopper Warbler. The full time ringing station in the Lower Piddle Valley last year didn’t catch it’s first Grasshopper Warbler until July 27th, which to be honest is a fairly typical date for the first ‘Gropper’. However, this morning another 27 were ringed meaning a total of 50 new Grasshopper Warbler have been ringed already this season at the ringing station in the last three days….and its only July 18th! The peak passage for these shy, cryptic birds isn’t until mid-August, so if things carry on at this rate it could easily be a record breaking year! The Purple Heron at Little Sea, Studland was seen again a few times at the southern end. Both adult White-tailed Eagles were in the Wareham Channel during the course of the day, a female Honey Buzzard drifted over Lytchett Matravers at midday and a Whinchat was out on Wareham Common. Spoonbill numbers have risen again from 6 at the start of the week to now 8 and this morning several groups of Common Crossbill were logged flying over Carey Secret Garden.

Grasshopper Warbler – Lower Piddle Valley Ringing Station