It’s a great time to be out birding in the harbour at present, with birds of many species turning up right across the area. Highlights from the last 4 days include…

Thursday 20^th August

Four Osprey were feeding in the Wareham Channel which seemed to consist of three adults and one juvenile. A Knot arrived on RSPB Lytchett Fields and joined 5 Wood Sandpiper, 3 Ruff, 20 Ringed Plover, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 41 Dunlin, 6 Greenshank, 8 Common Sandpiper, 10 Green Sandpiper, 42 Lapwing and 10 Snipe, plus 2 Osprey were out in the Bay. Off Pilots Point, Studland a Balearic Shearwater was a great record also there 15+ Gannet, 4 Common Scoter, 3 Whitethroat and 7 Ringed Plover. From the House Boats looking towards Middlebere revealed an Osprey and 1 Spoonbill, whilst in Brands Bay 10 Ringed Plover, 1 Greenshank, 1 Knot and 3 Turnstone were the highlights. There was also a Balearic Shearwater noted from Branksome. At Middlebere there were 8 Spoonbill, 1 Osprey, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Spotted flycatcher, 2 Spotted Redshank,, 1 Greenshank and 2 Yellow-legged gull.

Friday 21st August

4 Osprey were again noted in the Middlebere channel at dawn along with a whopping count of 47 Little Egret. Three Marsh Harrier were also counted coming out of their roost. Another Osprey was seen fishing out near Newton Bay and another Balearic Shearwater was noted from Pilots Point, along with an Arctic Skua. RSPB Lytchett Fields had 4 Wood Sandpiper, 3 Ruff, 17 Ringed Plover, 45 Dunlin and 1 Knot, also 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Hobby.

Saturday 22st August

On RSPB Lytchett Fields 4 Wood Sandpiper, 3 Ruff, 1 Knot, 40 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover, 8 Green Sandpiper, 6 Common Sandpiper, 15 Snipe and 2 Greenshank. 3 Osprey were again in the Wareham Channel plus a new Marsh Harrier came out of the roost, which has involved 6 different birds over the last month. On the Brownsea Lagoon the Spoonbill total rose to 11 and there were 5 Spotted Redshank. Middlebere saw a good range of birds too with 2 Osprey, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Hobby and 2 Kestrel, wader-wise 1 Whimbrel, 4 Knot, 1 Ruff, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank, 5 Spotted Redshank and a good count of 12 Yellow-legged Gull.

Sunday 23rd August

Sunday saw the arrival of the first 2 Little Stint on Lytchett Fields, also 4 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Ruff, 1 Knot, 11 Green Sandpiper, 6 Common Sandpiper and 4 Yellow-Wagtail. A ringing session here also saw 8 Grasshopper Warbler. A Pied Flycatcher was in a private garden in Upton and a Garden Warbler and Hobby were seen from Lytchett Bay view.