Another gorgeous day in the harbour with plenty of good thermals for the birds of prey on our Osprey Cruise this morning. We had 6-7 Osprey throughout the trip, interacting in close proximity. 1 caught a fish off the Holton shoreline and one of the juveniles was practising his hovering technique! Also in the Wareham Channel was 1 White-tailed Eagle, 3 Marsh Harrier (including a juvenile and adult male), 1 Peregrine and c300 Black-tailed Godwit. Numbers of Avocet are finally starting to grow in the harbour as the autumn gets going with 7 on the Brownsea Lagoon, along with 21 Spoonbill, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Wheatear, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, c20 Ringed Plover and c50 Dunlin. The second passage Wood Sandpiper of the Autumn was at Middlebere this morning, giving a quick flyby. Hopefully it’ll stick around and be re-found somewhere in the harbour. There were also plenty of Osprey as well at Middlebere with 5 this evening including two of the juveniles interacting with an adult bird. Also present were 7 Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 2 Whimbrel, c50 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Goshawk, hunting the waders. Multiple Osprey sightings in Lytchett Bay throughout the day including our male 022, along with 2 Marsh Harrier and 1 Spotted Redshank. Finally, in Brands Bay on the rising tide this afternoon there were 3 Grey Plover, 10 Ringed Plover, 160 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Whimbrel, 1 Greenshank, 86 Curlew, 1 Common Sandpiper and 26 Dunlin.

Juvenile 5R2 and unringed female Osprey – Middlebere Channel – Aidan Brown