A windy start to the day has seen gusts of 19mph and a high of just 18°C. Over at Sunnyside Scrape a White Stork was strutting about, which is one of the recently released birds from the Knepp Estate translocation project. Also there was a Hobby which took a meadow pipit on the ground and several Yellow Wagtail overhead. At Lytchett Fields a Wryneck was seen a couple of times briefly on the approach track down to the viewpoints, but darted into cover both times and couldn’t be relocted. Out on the fields were 1 Ruff, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper and the usual spread of commoner waders. A Hobby was chasing a lone Swallow over Wareham Town Centre this AM and 3 Marsh Harrier including the really dark juvenile left the West harbour roost and a fourth flew over at dawn. 

Sightings were limited on Brownsea with just 4 Black–tailed Godwit and large numbers of Oystercatcher but an Osprey did fly over.  Bog Lane/ Frome Flood fields logged a collection of 13 Lapwing and a pair of Buzzard. A Marsh Harrier was seen cruising at Middlebere, along with a Green Sandpiper. Little Egret and Spotted Redshank were recorded at Holten Pools and at Baiter Park; c30 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, c30 Turnstone, 2 Wheatear (1 juv), 4 Meadow Pipit and a Sandwich Tern. Finally Holes Bay recorded 27 Wigeon and a Wheatear. 

Finally, some sad, but great news….ALL OUR OSPREY CHICKS HAVE LEFT! We received a final signal at 9:15am yesterday morning from chick 019, and by 11:30am there was no signal at all, meaning that the final six left yesterday morning. We’ll write a full 2019 overview in due course but to know they’ve now all left (apart from poor 025 which was predated by a Fox just days, maybe even hours before leaving on migration), and are all heading south for their first winter in Africa is such a great feeling and we really can’t now wait until spring 2020 to see what exciting updates follow.

White Stork – Sunnyside Farm – Nick Mudge

A windy start to the day has seen gusts of 19mph and a high of just 18°C. Over at Sunnyside Scrape a White Stork was strutting about, which is one of the recently released birds from the Knepp Estate translocation project. Also there was a Hobby which took a meadow pipit on the ground and several Yellow Wagtail overhead. At Lytchett Fields a Wryneck was seen a couple of times briefly on the approach track down to the viewpoints, but darted into cover both times and couldn’t be relocted. Out on the fields were 1 Ruff, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper and the usual spread of commoner waders. A Hobby was chasing a lone Swallow over Wareham Town Centre this AM and 3 Marsh Harrier including the really dark juvenile left the West harbour roost and a fourth flew over at dawn.

Sightings were limited on Brownsea with just 4 Black–tailed Godwit and large numbers of Oystercatcher but an Osprey did fly over.  Bog Lane/ Frome Flood fields logged a collection of 13 Lapwing and a pair of Buzzard. A Marsh Harrier was seen cruising at Middlebere, along with a Green Sandpiper. Little Egret and Spotted Redshank were recorded at Holten Pools and at Baiter Park; c30 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, c30 Turnstone, 2 Wheatear (1 juv), 4 Meadow Pipit and a Sandwich Tern. Finally Holes Bay recorded 27 Wigeon and a Wheatear. 

Finally, some sad, but great news……ALL OUR OSPREY CHICKS HAVE LEFT! We received a final signal at 9:15am yesterday morning from chick 019, and by 11:30am there was no signal at all, meaning that the final six left yesterday morning. We’ll write a full 2019 overview in due course but to know they’ve now all left (apart from poor 025 which was predated by a Fox just days, maybe even hours before leaving on migration), and are all heading south for their first winter in Africa is such a great feeling and we really can’t now wait until spring 2020 to see what exciting updates follow.

White Stork – Sunnyside Farm – Nick Mudge

A Cattle Egret spent the day sulking about the River Frome Flood Fields, Wareham accompanied by 13 Lapwing (4 immatures). A White Stork drifted south-west over Corfe Castle late-afternoon. Middlebere featured c40 Yellow Wagtail and a modest selection of waders totalling 1 Greenshank, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Green Sandpiper and 1 Hobby.

A similar wader assemblage from yesterday was on show at Lytchett Fields today with highlights of 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 5 Knot and 3 Ringed Plover. A stunning dark form Marsh Harrier was also quartering the fields this morning, observed at Middlebere yesterday. Sunnyside also picked up a Marsh Harrier and a pair of Wheatear.

A Cattle Egret spent the day sulking about the River Frome Flood Fields, Wareham accompanied by 13 Lapwing (4 immatures). A White Stork drifted south-west over Corfe Castle late-afternoon. Middlebere featured c40 Yellow Wagtail and a modest selection of waders totalling 1 Greenshank, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Green Sandpiper and 1 Hobby.

A similar wader assemblage from yesterday was on show at Lytchett Fields today with highlights of 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 5 Knot and 3 Ringed Plover. A stunning dark form Marsh Harrier was also quartering the fields this morning, observed at Middlebere yesterday. Sunnyside also picked up a Marsh Harrier and a pair of Wheatear.

Today’s blustery weather has seen 17mph winds from the west, with birds getting blown about by the occasional strong gust here and there. Brownsea Lagoon has recorded 1 Shovler, 8 Curlew, 3 Little Egret, 4 Black–tailed Godwit and large numbers of Oystercatcher, c400, again.

It’s been quiet over at Lytchett Fields on the low tides, only recording 1 Ruff early this morning but on the high tide 4 Curlew Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 5 Dunlin, 126 Redshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 14 Greenshank, 1 Knot, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, c40 Black-tailed Godwit, 26 Lapwing and c150 Teal were present

At the Coombe Heath hide a fair few Birds of Prey reporting 1 Osprey, 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Buzzard, a Peregrine and also 40 Dunlin. Middlebere recorded a Juvenile Marsh Harrier and 35 Knot and over at Sunnyside Scrape a Green Sandpiper was spotted.  Holes Bay also logged 2 Knot and 1 Bar–tailed Godwit.

Over at Studland a Pied Flycatcher, 22 Mistle Thrush, 17 Stonechat, 1 Redstart and 4 Chiffchaff were logged.

Mistle Thrush – Studland 

Pied Flycatcher – Studland  

Today’s blustery weather has seen 17mph winds from the west, with birds getting blown about by the occasional strong gust here and there. Brownsea Lagoon has recorded 1 Shovler, 8 Curlew, 3 Little Egret, 4 Black–tailed Godwit and large numbers of Oystercatcher, c400, again.

It’s been quiet over at Lytchett Fields on the low tides, only recording 1 Ruff early this morning but on the high tide 4 Curlew Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 5 Dunlin, 126 Redshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 14 Greenshank, 1 Knot, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, c40 Black-tailed Godwit, 26 Lapwing and c150 Teal were present

At the Coombe Heath hide a fair few Birds of Prey reporting 1 Osprey, 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Buzzard, a Peregrine and also 40 Dunlin. Middlebere recorded a Juvenile Marsh Harrier and 35 Knot and over at Sunnyside Scrape a Green Sandpiper was spotted.  Holes Bay also logged 2 Knot and 1 Bar–tailed Godwit.

Over at Studland a Pied Flycatcher, 22 Mistle Thrush, 17 Stonechat, 1 Redstart and 4 Chiffchaff were logged.

Mistle Thrush – Studland 

Pied Flycatcher – Studland  

A mostly cloudy day today with a high of 20°C. Brownsea Lagoon has seen a variety of species  including; 22 Spoonbill, 4 Black–tailed Godwit, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 6 Avocet, 7 Greenshank, 12 Dunlin, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Peregrine, Redshank, c3 Curlew and 1 Kingfisher.

A Great White Egret was seen at Brands Bay and 37 Yellow Wagtail with the cattle by the road to Stoborough

An Osprey fishing, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Hobby, Green Sandpiper, 1 Whimbrel, a Yellow Wagtail were logged  in the Wareham Channel and Lytchett Bay recorded 3 newly arrived Cattle Egret, fresh in from somewhere, 8 Spoonbill, 4 Curlew Sandpiper and a Knot whilst over at Lytchett Fields a Ruff was seen.

At Middlebere there were 2 unringed Osprey and 2 different Marsh Harrier.

2 House Martin, 1 Swift, many Sand Martin and a few Swallow were all seen at Swineham Gravel Pit whilst 1 Whinchat and 8 Stonechat were seen in Fields near Swineham Farm.

Unusually A flock of 17 Grey Heron were moving down the Piddle from Carey in the direction of Swineham and the Harbour.

A mostly cloudy day today with a high of 20°C. Brownsea Lagoon has seen a variety of species  including; 22 Spoonbill, 4 Black–tailed Godwit, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 6 Avocet, 7 Greenshank, 12 Dunlin, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Peregrine, Redshank, c3 Curlew and 1 Kingfisher.

A Great White Egret was seen at Brands Bay and 37 Yellow Wagtail with the cattle by the road to Stoborough

An Osprey fishing, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Hobby, Green Sandpiper, 1 Whimbrel, a Yellow Wagtail were logged  in the Wareham Channel and Lytchett Bay recorded 3 newly arrived Cattle Egret, fresh in from somewhere, 8 Spoonbill, 4 Curlew Sandpiper and a Knot whilst over at Lytchett Fields a Ruff was seen.

At Middlebere there were 2 unringed Osprey and 2 different Marsh Harrier.

2 House Martin, 1 Swift, many Sand Martin and a few Swallow were all seen at Swineham Gravel Pit whilst 1 Whinchat and 8 Stonechat were seen in Fields near Swineham Farm.

Unusually A flock of 17 Grey Heron were moving down the Piddle from Carey in the direction of Swineham and the Harbour.

There was a definite cold, crispness to the air this morning, with more than just a hint of autumn creeping in. More arrivals included 30+ Wigeon in Holes Bay, 21 Turnstone on Baiter and c75 Avocet on the Brownsea Lagoon heralding the start of colder days yet to come.

Yesterday’s sunny sky and gentle breeze was also all it took for some of our juvenile Osprey from this year’s project to up and leave with the sighting of 022 from our Osprey cruise being the last sighting of him before he headed south for the very first time. Other departures have included chicks 015, 016 and 018 meaning it won’t be long now before all of this years birds move on. A very sad but also very rewarding time. We’ve also seen our happy couple CJ7 and LS7 leave, with no sightings since late on Aug 28^th meaning they probably left early on the morning of Aug 29^th . We really do wish them both well and look forward to their safe return next spring!

There was plenty more on offer today including a rich looking Lytchett Fields which saw 4 Curlew Sandpiper, 12 Knot, 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Ruff, 12 Greenshank, 264 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Green Sandpiper, 4 Ringed Plover, 100+ Redshank, 40+ Lapwing and 3 Spoonbill, along with 2 Marsh Harrier and 1 Kingfisher. At the PC World Drain there were c15 each of Blackcap and Chiffchaff with 1 Common Whitethroat. On the Brownsea Lagoon the Spoonbill count had reached 25 and there was an adult Peregrine there. Marsh Harrier numbers keep increasing/decreasing regularly with a new bird in today that joined the (current) resident male and female, but some recent newbies have moved on already. In Middlebere an Osprey was very active hunting, catching a fish close to the Middlebere hide before taking it to the nest platform and a flock of c300 Black-tailed Godwit were spooked by a Peregrine.

Wheatear – Coombe Heath – Rene Goad

There was a definite cold, crispness to the air this morning, with more than just a hint of autumn creeping in. More arrivals included 30+ Wigeon in Holes Bay, 21 Turnstone on Baiter and c75 Avocet on the Brownsea Lagoon heralding the start of colder days yet to come.

Yesterday’s sunny sky and gentle breeze was also all it took for some of our juvenile Osprey from this year’s project to up and leave with the sighting of 022 from our Osprey cruise being the last sighting of him before he headed south for the very first time. Other departures have included chicks 015, 016 and 018 meaning it won’t be long now before all of this years birds move on. A very sad but also very rewarding time. We’ve also seen our happy couple CJ7 and LS7 leave, with no sightings since late on Aug 28^th meaning they probably left early on the morning of Aug 29^th . We really do wish them both well and look forward to their safe return next spring!

There was plenty more on offer today including a rich looking Lytchett Fields which saw 4 Curlew Sandpiper, 12 Knot, 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Ruff, 12 Greenshank, 264 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Green Sandpiper, 4 Ringed Plover, 100+ Redshank, 40+ Lapwing and 3 Spoonbill, along with 2 Marsh Harrier and 1 Kingfisher. At the PC World Drain there were c15 each of Blackcap and Chiffchaff with 1 Common Whitethroat. On the Brownsea Lagoon the Spoonbill count had reached 25 and there was an adult Peregrine there. Marsh Harrier numbers keep increasing/decreasing regularly with a new bird in today that joined the (current) resident male and female, but some recent newbies have moved on already. In Middlebere an Osprey was very active hunting, catching a fish close to the Middlebere hide before taking it to the nest platform and a flock of c300 Black-tailed Godwit were spooked by a Peregrine.