Watching a couple of our translocated juvenile Ospreys confidently explore the wider harbour, interacting with migrant adults filtering through the harbour was a very special addition to this morning’s Osprey cruise. Using the yagi to scan through their unique radio tag signals, we were able to confirm that birds 370 and 374 were exploring the Wareham Channel – this is such an important stage of the project as these young birds consolidate the imprinting process, mapping our the local area before embarking on their long 4,000km migration to West Africa! Other highlights from the boat trip included numerous Osprey interactions with Marsh Harrier, a Great White Egret on Arne Moors, 7 Spoonbill on Brownsea Lagoon and a Wheatear along the Lagoon seawall. Osprey sightings were also logged at Lytchtet Bay (2) and Middlebere (1), with the latter observed preening in the water. There was quite a scattering of ground autumn passerines across the harbour in the form of 5 Wheatear at Hartland Moor, Pied Flycatcher at Wytch and Common Redstarts along the Middlebere lane (1), harbour mouth (1) and 3 at Norden. Common Whitethroat were in numerous bushes around Hartland and there were 8 Spotted Flycatcher together at Arne. During our first WeBS count of the season, the sound of Whimbrel calling across the mud lflats from numerous sites along the south of the harbour was a real treat with 100+ in Brands Bay, and was a Wood Sandpiper that alighted near Wytch, calling rapidly as it headed north was a great finale.

Common Redstart – Middlebere – Aidan Brown