Today was our penultimate Osprey cruise of the season, with out last being this coming Wednesday due to a cancellation mid-week. The wind had eased off somewhat and made the birding that much easier. There was another nice list of highlights that corresponded with the rest of the trips this week which included 3-4 Osprey with one (almost certainly CJ7) sat on its favoured perching post, with 2 seen together over the SW corner of the Wareham Channel and other hunting along the Holton Shoreline. There were 2 different Marsh Harrier, a fresh juvenile and a sub-adult male and in the mouth of the river Piddle 2 Common Seal were basking again. We had a decent low tide with c560 Black-tailed Godwit out on the mud and 11 Spoonbill flew by which were later seen well on the lagoon. The Brownsea Lagoon had been drained again meaning the smaller waders were feeding close to the sea wall which allowed for views of c200 Dunlin, c80 Ringed Plover, 4 Sanderling, 2 Knot, c300 Oystercatcher, 4 Avocet and 4 Greenshank. Elsewhere in the harbour there were 2 Ruff at Lytchett Fields along with 2 Spotted Redshank, 4 Knot the Wood Sandpiper. Other Osprey sightings included 3 around Middlebere, 1-2 over Lytchett Bay and 1 at Morden Bog. Along the Sunnyside track (screen still closed) there were finally some Yellow Wagtails to report with 9+ and 3 Spotted Flycatcher and several more Yellow Wagtail at Hartland Meadow along with 12 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat and 13 Woodlark. Along the North Walls of Wareham leading to Wareham Common there was a single Redstart, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Wheatear, and Whitethroat. Finally, at Asda the Peregrine was again seen roosting on the tall section of the building.

Wood Sandpiper – Lytchett Fields – 23/08/20

Osprey (likly CJ7) – Wareham Channel – Rene Goad

Little Grebe – Wareham Channel – Rene Goad

Common Seal – Wareham Channel – Rene Goad