An exciting day today with several highlights. The main one being the extraction of an Aquatic Warbler out of some ringing nets in Lytchett bay this AM. These are Europes rarest breeding passerine which sees their autumn migration take a Westerly route from central/eastern Europe back south into Africa. The westerly route often only goes as far as northern France, but with an easterly wind regularly drops a few into the UK each August. However, there hasn’t been a sniff of an easterly wind for several weeks so where todays juvenile came from is anyones guess. Still a great result though, and the first to be seen in the UK this year. Also in Lytchett Bay today was a Red-breasted Goose, which sadly was more likely to be an escapee from a local collection rather than a true vagrant from Arctic Siberia. If it had been seen mid-winter within a Brent Goose flock then the origin may be slightly different, but a lone individual in mid-August is rather questionable. Still lovely to see though. It was Osprey mania today with individuals seen in many areas. On the nest cam 022 made a rare appearance with a second bird passing over the top of the nest. There were 2 hunting in Lytchett Bay at dawn with another in Brands Bay Studland. At Middlebere 2 adult females were present with one sitting on the Middlebere nest platform eating a fish for most of the morning. We also think one of our recently fledged juveniles was in the Wareham Channel today too for the first time, although we couldn’t get a good enough look at the ring to confirm. Elsewhere there were 2 Marsh Harrier in the Wareham Channel, 3 Common Whitethroat were at Hartland, 3 Wheatear were on Ballard and Grasshopper Warbler were seen at PCW Drain and Lytchett Fields.

Aquatic Warbler – Lytchett Bay

Un-ringed adult female Osprey – Middlebere nest platform

Another good August day, with light northerly winds, dropping some more migrants our way. There were 3 Wheatear at Baiter and more up on Hartland, Lytchett Fields and at Coombe Heath. There were a minimum of 4 adult Osprey in the harbour with 3 around the Middlebere Channel including CJ7, and 2 were seen fishing in Lytchett Bay this morning. Also in Middlebere were 4 Knot, 11 Greenshank and an adult Yellow-legged Gull. On Brownsea there were 4 Spoonbill and 10 Avocet. A random lone Brent Goose in Middlebere was probably a hanger on from the summer (last winter) rather than a new arrival and at Lytchett Fields there were 7 Ringed Plover and a Marsh Harrier. At Baiter there were also 6 Ringed Plover and 15 Turnstone whilst at Holes Bay there were good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit with a fly over Grey Pover. More passerines were logged at Lytchett Bay with 1 Redstart, 1 Tree Pipit, 12 Willow Warbler, 3 Common Whitethroat, 10 Grasshopper Warbler, 65 Sedge Warbler and 16 Reed Warbler logged during a ringing session.

Wheatear – Baiter Park – Martin Adams

It was another Osprey day today, for a number of reasons. Firstly there were multiple sightings from around the Arne area with individuals seen over Middlebere and Hydes Heath. Then, this evening one was hunting out in Lytchett Bay. However, it could all get a bit busier with Osprey over the coming weeks as we announced today that we have now released all of our 2021 Osprey chicks as part of our Poole Harbour Translocation Project, meaning that by the latter part of August it could be Osprey-tastic around the harbour. For now they’ll stay close to the release site which is a private area, but over the coming weeks they’ll begin exploring places like the Wareham Channel and Middlebere. For more information click THIS LINK.

A rare visitor to Studland in the form of a Little Ringed Plover (juvenile) was found on the wet heath at South Haven and in Brands Bay there were 16 Ringed Plover, 3 Whimbrel, 1 Grey Plover and 1 Sanderling was at Shell Bay. On Brownsea 2 Peregrine were sparring and there were 2 Marsh Harrier again in the Wareham Channel.

Newly released Osprey chicks 370 and 373

Today it seemed ‘Osprey Season’ started with 3-4 Osprey present around the Arne area. This consisted of the resident pair CJ7 and 022, plus an un-ringed individual in the Middlebere Channel and a possible different 4th individual. We’re now entering peak Osprey migration time, with more and more likely to being arriving and staging in the harbour over the next 3-4 weeks. Last year there was a peak of 9 seen in a single day at Arne towards the latter part of August which was just an incredible sight. Hydes Heath and Middlebere at Arne, and Ham Common viewpoint at Rockley Park are all great vantage points to try and see Osprey within the harbour. More migrants were on the move with another ringing session held in the Lytchett Bay area and saw 49 Sedge Warbler, 19 Reed Warbler, 1 Grasshopper Warbler and 5 Willow Warbler ringed. At Lytchett Fields the Curlew Sandpiper was back again and there were 8 Green Sandpiper. The female Pochard was at Holme Lane GP again and there was a single Marsh Harrier in the Wareham Channel. Up on Ballard there were 2 Wheatear and at Greenalnds Farm 2 Garden Warbler and 10+ Willow Warbler. 

Juvenile Sparrowhawk – PCW Drain (Fleets Corner)

Some decent returns today with ventures out in the field including 4 new freshly arrived migrant Wheatear on top of Hartland with 10+ Willow Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Common Whitethroat around Brands Bay with 21 Ringed Plover and 2 Sanderling in Brands Bay. At Holme lane GP a female Pochard was present with 7 Egyptian Geese and 7 Gadwall. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 3 Curlew Sandpiper with 2 Spoonbill and increasing Dunlin, Avocet and Black-tailed Godwit numbers. At Sunnyside there were 2 Common Whitethroat in the scrub with 4 Willow Warbler and 2 Blackcap.

Sandwich Tern – Brownsea Lagoon – Clare Slade

Autumn presses on with waders continuing to arrive or pass through, settling at sites around the harbour. Lytchett Fields was packed this morning with the rising tide, with totals consisting of 508 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 105 Redshank, 7 Ringed Plover, 6 Dunlin, 9 Greenshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper and 60 Lapwing. In Brands Bay the last couple of days Common Gull numbers have been building (a tad earlier than normal) but there’s also been a selection of returning common waders including 2 Ringed Plover, 3 Whimbrel, 44 Black-tailed Godwit, 56 Redshank and 10 Dunlin. These strong winds have been keeping small passerines at bay, but we’re sure when these winds ease the more Wheatear, Redstarts etc will begin appearing. On Brownsea 5 Avocet were present (their numbers seem down so far this August) and Holes Bay also had a good selection of common waders including 115 Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Curlew, c30 Redshank and 20 Little Egret roosting on Pergins Island. At Holme lane Gravel Pit there was a juvenile Mandarin Duck.

Dunlin – Brownsea Lagoon – Clare Slade

This unsettled spell is gradually coming to an end and by Tuesday some decent calmer weather will be us, hopefully encouraging some more migrants to pass through. Some new arrivals did appear today with 2 Cattle Egret appearing on Lytchett Fields, where the adult Curlew Sandpiper was still present along with 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 55 Redshank and c30 Lapwing. At Swineham there were 2 adult Yellow-legged Gull on the scrape, an adult moulting Marsh Harrier was over the reed bed and 2 adult Osprey, assumed to be CJ7 and 022 were out over the Wareham Channel. At Middlebere there were 5 Spoonbill still, 1 Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank. The Brownsea Team also announced today that despite a poor early start to the breeding season, the Sandwich Tern colony still managed to fledge 40 youngsters this year, which is quite amazing considering at one point in mid-May it looked like none were going to nest or fledge.

We also reported the recent shenanigans of our now resident pair of Ospreys, 022 and CJ7 who went missing from the nest-cam about a month ago. There seemed to be an air of concern about their disappearance, and whether they were still showing signs of wanting to nest. Well, we can confirm that the pair are still firmly togther, but have in fact spent the last month building (well adding to) another nest platform in the harbour. This isn’t unusual so late in the season, especially for a pair of Osprey that didn’t successfully breed, and it could be that the pair have been building whats called a frustration nest, or they’re simply looking to keep their options open for next year? Either way, they’re still very much into one another, and really haven’t gone far.

CJ7 and 022 on their new (temporary?) nest platform elsewhere in the harbour