Another historic day for Poole Harbour, Dorset and the South Coast as our second Osprey chick (5H2) fledged the nest at 09:21 this morning, leaving the nest empty for the first time since 4th April. It’s been a real privilege to watch their development from our live webcam and there’s plenty more activity and action ahead of their migration south in a few weeks time when they depart for Western Africa.

Elsewhere, it’s always nice to nail down confirmed breeding records. This family of Gadwall were observed and photographed by Ian Ballam, and marks only the third confirmed breeding attempt for Lytchett Fields. A small flock of Crossbill passed over the Lower Piddle Valley mid afternoon and a stray Budgie got the heart racing briefly on Wareham Common early morning! In Brands Bay there were 4 Brent Geese (hangers on from last winter).

We’ve just announced our popular Bearded Tit Ringing Demo dates for this autumn! These events offer a unique insight into the ringing scheme and of course the chance to see Beardies in the hand. We’re running four sessions between late September and October at Lytchett Bay, more info can be found here.

Can’t wait until Septmeber to join a ringing demo? We’ve also partnered with Careys Secret Garden to deliver a couple of ringing demos in early autumn. These sessions will focus on identification and the importance of the ringing scheme, offering a unique opportunity to talk through key ID features up close. More info on these upcoming events can be found here…

Gadwall with 3 of 4 young in view – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam