A great Autumn Safari Cruise this morning provided a good diversity of species in different parts of the harbour. Around Swineham 2 Marsh Harrier were quartering the reeds as well as plenty of waders on the mud at the top of the Wareham Channel during low tide. This included 5+ Greenshank, 2 Common Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, c200 Black-tailed Godwit and c50 Curlew. The Forster’s Tern was still visible at Shipstal from the boat amongst Sandwich Terns. By the time we reached the Brownsea Lagoon it was now high tide and the Spoonbill were all roosting here with the total building up to 77 for the harbour. There were also 3 Avocet, 10+ Dunlin, 1 Turnstone, 3 Greenshank, c300 Oystercatcher and many more. One Osprey was also seen very distantly on the Holton shoreline.

Elsewhere in the harbour at Middlebere it was another good day for birds of prey with 1 Peregrine being seen again as well as 1 Osprey. Good numbers of Avocet building here with 25+ being seen as well as 9 Spoonbill and 1 Great White Egret. In Lytchett Bay there were 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 19 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Great White Egret and 1 Peregrine.

Peregrine Falcon – Coombe Heath – Kate Plater

Avocet and Common Redshank – Middlebere Channel – Kate Plater