Another 20 degree day, and as we push towards the end of September there seems to still be no shortage of Osprey with 2 hunting in Holes Bay today, including a blue ringed left leg individual, plus at least another 2 or 3 around the Middlebere/Wareham Channel area. Although remaining elusive today, 3 different White-tailed Eagles paid the harbour a visit touring between Arne, the Wareham Channel and Lytchett Bay. At Lytchett Fields there were 5 Curlew Sandpiper including the Norwegian ringed bird and 1 juv Little Stint. At Holes Bay north the Wigeon numbers pushed up to over 530 and on the Brownsea Lagoon there were 72 Spoonbill which is a fantastic record. We’re now getting reports that Rock Pipit are now being seen at traditional wintering sites such as the Haven Hotel area and South Haven at Studland which is another indicator that winter is not that far away. A vis-mig (visible migration) count from South Haven produced 242 Meadow Pipit, 121 Linnet and 49 Goldfinch all heading north along with 333 House Martin. At Lytchett Bay, a whopping 111 Chiffchaff were ringed this morning along with 22 Blackcap, 7 Sedge Warbler and 1 Whitethroat. There were Firecrests at the PCW Drain, in Upton CP, Swineham and Arne.

Rock Pipit – Sandbanks slipway – Nick Gadenne