An exciting day today with several highlights. The main one being the extraction of an Aquatic Warbler out of some ringing nets in Lytchett bay this AM. These are Europes rarest breeding passerine which sees their autumn migration take a Westerly route from central/eastern Europe back south into Africa. The westerly route often only goes as far as northern France, but with an easterly wind regularly drops a few into the UK each August. However, there hasn’t been a sniff of an easterly wind for several weeks so where todays juvenile came from is anyones guess. Still a great result though, and the first to be seen in the UK this year. Also in Lytchett Bay today was a Red-breasted Goose, which sadly was more likely to be an escapee from a local collection rather than a true vagrant from Arctic Siberia. If it had been seen mid-winter within a Brent Goose flock then the origin may be slightly different, but a lone individual in mid-August is rather questionable. Still lovely to see though. It was Osprey mania today with individuals seen in many areas. On the nest cam 022 made a rare appearance with a second bird passing over the top of the nest. There were 2 hunting in Lytchett Bay at dawn with another in Brands Bay Studland. At Middlebere 2 adult females were present with one sitting on the Middlebere nest platform eating a fish for most of the morning. We also think one of our recently fledged juveniles was in the Wareham Channel today too for the first time, although we couldn’t get a good enough look at the ring to confirm. Elsewhere there were 2 Marsh Harrier in the Wareham Channel, 3 Common Whitethroat were at Hartland, 3 Wheatear were on Ballard and Grasshopper Warbler were seen at PCW Drain and Lytchett Fields.

Aquatic Warbler – Lytchett Bay

Un-ringed adult female Osprey – Middlebere nest platform