Today was the first ‘Osprey’ day of the autumn with multiple sightings during the peak time of between 9am and 11am. There was almost certainly 3 different individuals and possibly more with 2 seen over Lytchett Bay together and singles observed at Ridge, Middlebere, Morden Bog, Holton Lee and Brands By. How many bird were actually involved was hard to say, but a coordinated count early tomorrow morning may shed some light on that question. Migrants continued to push through with 2 Whinchat, 4 Wheatear, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Redstart, 12 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap and 2 Whitethroat at Ballard. At Middlebere there were 2 Peregrines (over Hartland Moor, 1 adult, 1 hungry juvenile), 4 Chiffchaff, 5 Shelduck, 4 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Common Gull, 3 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 37 Black-tailed Godwit & a steady stream of Swallow, with 1 Sand Martin. At Lytchett Fields there were 246 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Common Sandpiper. A Nightjar count on Slepe Heath saw only 3 individuals and very limited song, providing sad evidence that the Nightjar season is almost over and before long all the adults would have left although juveniles will linger on into September.

Un-ringed female Osprey – Morden Bog