With the weather settling down quite a bit, it made for some tolerable and comfortable birding today, especially from our 2 Osprey Cruises this morning and this afternoon. To Book CLICK HERE Combined highlights were 6+ Osprey in the Wareham Channel with a couple of spectacular fish catches close to the boat followed by some close fly by’s as they grappled with their fish. Both trips today got to see the Forster’s Tern off Shipstal Point, at RSPB Arne and the White-tailed Eagles in the Wareham Channel, with a new arrival (G486) high over Middlebere. We also lucked in on a Wood Sandpiper on the Swineham Scrapes where there were 2 Yellow-legged Gull, a latish Swift, and 2 Egyptian Geese. On the rising tide of this mornings boat 6 Spoonbill were in the mouth of the Frome and there were also 2 Common Sandpiper. All day c800 Black-tailed Godwit resided on the mud near the mouth of the Frome and there was a Spotted Redshank off Shipstal Beach with the Forster’s Tern. Sightings from elsewhere saw 4 Osprey and a White-tailed Eagle in Lytchett Bay/Fields along with 15 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 3 Tree Pipit, 1 Whinchat, 1 Marsh Harrier and a Cattle Egret. There was also a Cattle Egret in Brands Bay along with the over-summering dark-bellied Brent Goose (not too long until his mates come back now)!, 29 Teal, 7 Grey Plover, 3 Whimbrel, 27 Ringed Plover, 49 Black-tailed Godwit and 8 Bar-tailed Godwit. In Middlebere there were also sightings of 2+ Osprey, 2 Spoonbill and a Marsh Harrier. 

Wood Sandpiper – Swineham scrapes from Osprey Cruise this AM – Dorothy Widall

Female Osprey CJ7 in Wareham Channel from Osprey Cruise this AM – Clare Slade

Forster’s Tern at Shipstal Point from Osprey Cruise this PM – Alison Copland