It was nice to finally feel a bit of squelchy mud under foot over the last couple of days with it having been so dry over the last few months. When out and about, we rarely see Moles, in fact hardly ever, but in the last couple of weeks have seen several, manoeuvring their way across the surface of the ground. Wondering why we’re suddenly seeing these seekers of the darkness so often recently, it occurred to us that with the ground being so dry, perhaps they’re being forced above ground in search of food with earthworms becoming harder to find? We’d be interested to hear whether anyone else has suddenly begun seeing more moles in recent weeks? Bird-wise, it’s pretty much of a much-ness although more signs of autumn are beginning to creep in with the first Spotted Redshanks logged on the NE coast heading south, with Poole Harbours surely due over the next week or so. Lytchett Fields or the Brownsea Lagoon is typically where you’d expect to see one of these early returners south, but until then Lytchett Fields was only able to offer 2 Green Sandpiper, 21 Lapwing, 38 Black-tailed Godwit, 11 Redshank, 1 Dunlin and 1 Hobby…..not bad! The Brownsea Tern islands are now ‘stuffed’ with chicks which is great to see, and you’re able to watch them live on our Brownsea Lagoon webcams HERE. Female Osprey CJ7 is still about, but not visiting any nest platforms, but has been changing her behaviour slightly, even beginning to sit on channel markers out in the Wareham Channel….not something we’ve seen her do before. At Arne 2 Spotted Flycatcher were seen feeding young near the car park which is great news. After the rain today, a mass of hirundines began feeding in the river valley’s including the highest recorded total of Sand Martin so far this year with c120 in the Piddle Valley along with c30 House Martin.

Kestrel brood about to fledge – Edge of Wareham Forest