Sightings29/08/2024

Harbour Update – posted 29/08/24

It happened again! The White-tailed Eagles are well and truly leaning that migrating Ospreys are an easy target for a free meal. After yesterdays showdown during our morning Osprey Cruise, where a White-tailed Eagle chased down an Osprey and it’s catch for it’s breakfast, the exact same tactic was used again this afternoon/evening for the eagle to try and obtain it’s dinner. There were between 8-9 different Osprey active in the Wareham Channel, Middlebere and Lytchett Bay area today, and female White-tailed Eagle ‘G466’ seized upon the opportunity to nab another free snack by chasing down another, poor unsuspecting migrant Osprey this afternoon in an attempt to steal it’s fish, which would have been spectacular on it’s own. However, the pursuit and the fish snatch all happened in front of a back drop of Corfe Castle, which provided a scene which could have been dated back to 1066 when the castle, White-tailed Eagles and Ospreys were all in each others company the last time round! Just breath taking. Plus, this morning we were hosting one of our free ‘Pop Up’ watches at Ham Common nature reserve, when female White-tailed Eagle G466 flew right over head, much to the delight of the building crowd. On the Brownsea Lagoon today there were 26 Spoonbill, 1 Garganey, 17 Avocet, 4 Greenshank, 19 Sandwich Tern, c30 Ringed Plover and a Wheatear was on the wall. Up on Hartland Moor there were 3 Redstart, 3 Wheatear, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Hobby, 1 Osprey and a Green Sandpiper. The Brands Bay Great Crested Grebe roost has already climbed to 28 and there were 4 Spotted Flycatcher in Studland Village. The PCW Drain was jumping with birds this AM, next to KFC with c30 Chiffchaff, c10 Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 Common Whitethroat. At the Carey Secret Garden Ringing Station 16 Grasshopper Warbler were ringed along with 34 Sedge Warbler and an unexpected Water Rail. Yesterday there were 2 Whinchat on the Hartland tramway.

Water Rail – Carey Secret Garden Ringing Station – Matthew Scraggs

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