Fantastic birding to be had across the harbour today. Always a pleasure to observe, a juvenile Little Stint was found on Brownsea Lagoon, among 3 Sanderling, c50 Ringed Plover and c80 Dunlin. Two Cattle Egret were skulking around the Swineham area while 2 Osprey were fishing over the Wareham. And among the Coot on Swineham Gravel Pits were 4 Tufted Duck and a Pochard.

Winter landed with a splash as the first 3 newly-arrived Pintail dropped down onto Middlebere this afternoon. From Coombe Viewpoint, RSPB Arne the channel was also graced with a feeding Osprey on the Middlebere platform for much of the morning. Also in the Middlebere Channel were 6 Spotted Redshank, 73 Common Redshank, 7 Greenshank, 1 Ringed Plover, 2 Green Sandpiper and 3 Whimbrel.

Lytchett Bay featured 1 Spotted Redshank, 6 Common Sandpiper, 134 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Greenshank, 13 Curlew, 18 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin, 78 Teal, a male Marsh Harrier hunting over Otter Island and 2 Sandwich Tern. To top that all off, an Osprey made an appearance in the bay late afternoon. Yesterday’s Ruff appears to have relocated to Lytchett Fields, joining the (very elusive) Wood Sandpiper this morning.

Osprey – Middlebere platform – Alison Copland

Cattle Egret – Swineham area