It was a pretty windy (and damp) summer Safari Cruise this AM, but the rewards were out there. Sadly no Eagles or Ospreys, but there was an adult and juvenile Marsh Harrier in the top end of the Wareham Channel along with c300 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Greenshank, 5 Common Sandpiper and 2 Common Seal, along with smaller numbers of Curlew and Common Redshank. There was also 4 Common Sandpiper on the rocks just off Poole Quay before we set off. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 5 Spoonbill, 2 summer plumaged Knot, 6 Greenshank, 10 Dunlin, c200 Black-tailed Godwit and 8 Teal back. At Lytchett Fields today the first Wood Sandpiper of the autumn was present, albeit briefly with 4 Green Sandpiper. In Holes Bay there were 222 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Common Sandpiper and up on Ballard the first migrant Wheatear of the autumn was on the high ground. In Brands Bay the 4 dark-bellied Brent Geese were still there along with 3 Whimbrel.

Common Buzzard – RSPB Arne