You know things are getting birdy when you get excited about the possibility of hearing Tree Pipit calling at night. Ok, that sounds a bit OTT, but no more than going outside and experiencing Redwings on a cold, overcast October night. What many people don’t realise is that Tree Pipit move in big numbers in the latter part of August and early September, and by standing outside on an overcast night during this time period you can hear the high pitched flight calls of many Tree Pipit as they pass overhead through the dark. The reason we’re talking about this now is because we set our sound recording gear up last night in the Corfe Gap and recoded the first 2 Tree Pipit of the autumn. This is a low number, but at some sites like Ballard and Portland, these sites can sometimes reach over 1000 calls in a single night in late August which is quite an audible spectacle. Also through the Corfe Gap last night was a Common Sandpiper, 1 Nightjar and a mystery wader which sounded like it could have been an Avocet. At the PC World Drain there was also a decent flurry of migrants with 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Common Whitethroat, 8 Blackcap, 7 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff and 1 Kingfisher. At Lytchett Fields wader totals consisted of 121 Redshank, 74 Black-tailed Godwit, 14 Green Sandpiper, 9 Dunlin, 8 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Common Sandpiper and 1 Ringed Plover. In Holes Bay north there was a great count of 3 Ruff along with 387 Black-tailed Godwit, 69 Redshank, 1 Whimbrel, 9 Ringed Plover and 1 Common Sandpiper. There was a Redstart sp (either Common or Black) on the Nuffield Estate. In Middlebere there was a summer plumaged Grey Plover along with a lone Spoonbill, 1 Ringed Plover 1 Peregrine and an Osprey was in the dead trees. On the Brownsea Lagoon 8 Spoonbill were present.

As mentioned on our social media channels late last week we successfully raised and released our 11 Osprey chicks this year and they instantly attracted the attention of the local pair, CJ7 and LS7 who’s daily routine now involves visiting our release site, nicking a load of fish from our feeding nests before then moving off and canoodling one a nest platform elsewhere in the harbour…young lovers hey!

With the wind finally subsiding today it paved the way for more passerines to found around the harbour as well as a growing number of waders. At Sunnyside Farm the first Redstart of the autumn was in the hedgerow and at Lytchett Fields the first Yellow Wagtail was on the approach pools. Along the Turlin shoreline there was 1 Garden Warbler and 1 Whitethroat with another Garden Warbler at the PC World Drain. Up on Hartland 8 Wheatear were logged along with 2 Yellow Wagtail with cattle and several Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.  Also at Lytchett Fields were 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 5 Greenshank, c40 Common Redshank, 8 Dunlin, c40 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Whimbrel. In Middlebere 1 Spoonbill was feeding and there were 4 Ringed Plover, 8 Dunlin and 20 Black-tailed Godwit out on the mud whilst female Osprey ‘Beaky’ caught a whopper of Grey Mullet and sat quite happily on the Middlebere nest platform whilst devouring it. There were 2 other Osprey out in the Wareham Channel at dawn which we think were CJ7 and LS7. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 8 Spoonbill along with 1 Peregrine, 12 Avocet, 7 Greenshank and a smattering of Redshank, Dunlin and Oystercatcher.

Yellow Wagtail – Lytchett Fields 

Female Osprey ‘Beaky’ with huge Grey Mullet

Numerous Osprey sightings were logged across the Harbour today. At least 2 individuals were seen on the Middlebere platform today and another individual was recorded at Wareham. Other sightings from Middlebere channel include 11 Spoonbill (highest count so far this autumn), 20 Ringed Plover and 6 Dunlin.

Brownsea Lagoon, Holton Pools and Sunnyside Scrape are all areas that are asking for a thorough grilling through August and September. Lytchett Fields, another fine wader hotspot, produced 4 Ringed Plover, 67 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Greenshank, 6 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 10 Dunlin, 80+ Redshank, 50+ Lapwing and singles of Spotted Redshank, Whimbrel and Curlew.

At Brands Bay Great Crested Grebe numbers are building already with 24 present, also 3 Whimbrel, 4 Common Sandpiper and 108 Curlew. 

A visitor to the BoPH HQ reported 5 Turnstone along the Quay. A wander along the Quayside can produce lovely views of these stocky, medium-sized waders from now onwards throughout the winter months.

A turbulent south-westerly wind persisted throughout the day. Despite the distinct lack of easterlies, a Curlew Sandpiper was recorded at Lytchett Bay along with a small Sand Martin passage and singles of Yellow-legged Gull, Ringed Plover, Spotted Redshank and Whimbrel among the usual wader assemblage frequenting the Pools.

All 10 of the Harbour Spoonbill were seen at Middlebere along with a migrant Osprey, ‘Beaky’. This is the fifth consecutive day the large female has been seen around the channel. Outside of our recording area a Black Guillemot was collected by a local wildlife rescue service from Bournemouth Promenade. Following this unsettled weather, a scan of Poole Bay may produce a disorientated petrel or auk.

A very blustery day with SSW windspeeds of 18mph and rain showers coming and going, leaving us all a bit windswept! Lytchett Bay 41 Dunlin, 6 Greenshank, 6 Common Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank and a Garden Warbler.

Brownsea lagoon has a full count done which saw 1 Spoonbill 30 Common Tern, 1 Knot, 5 Greenshank, 56 Redshank, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 10 Avocet, 103 Dunlin, 11 Ringed Plover, 136 Oystercatcher, c22 Shelduck, 2 Moorhen juveniles, c40 Cormorant and the first of the autumn Ruff seen.

Over at Branksome Chine a keen birder was out sea watching and reported 3 Juvenile Kittiwake, 4 Common Scoter, c30 Gannet, 3 Dunlin and c50 Sandwich Tern.

10 Spoonbill landed at Middlebere this morning and a Peregrine was also seen.

Over on the Webcam at Holten Lee the Goldfinch were feeding in large numbers with 14 spotted in one sitting (some of which were juvenile). The resident Great Spotted Woodpecker also visited today.

An Osprey has been spotted at 11am on knarly trees with fish near to Coombe Heath, Arne. 

At Holton Pools there were Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Lapwing, Greenshank and Common Redshank on view. 

A more productive ringing session at Lytchett Heath this morning produced 61 newly ringed birds from a nice variety of passage passerines including Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff and Bullfinch. The highlight was a Belgian controlled Sedge Warbler to start the session.

‘Beaky’, the beastly migrant female Osprey, was once again observed feeding on the Middlebere platform, accompanied by 6 Spoonbill in the channel. With another 4 Spoonbill roosting on Brownsea Lagoon, that brings the latest total count to 10 individuals.

A Peregrine flushed the familiar wader assemblage at Lytchett Bay along with a single Wheatear on Sherford Pool.

Another smashing day at Lytchett Bay today with similar counts to yesterday; 22 Dunlin, 2 Spotted Redshank, 6 Common Sandpiper, 10 Greenshank, 14 Green Sandpiper, 57 Black-tailed Godwit and a Kingfisher.

Over at Brownsea Lagoon we have seen 5 Avocet, 2 Redshank and c50 Dunlin. The scrape at Sunnyside is getting more popular with a second Wheatear of the autumn seen and some Meadow Pipet movement.

A decent number of passage waders were recorded at Lytchett Fields this morning including 135 Redshank, 47 Teal, 36 Black-tailed Godwit, 24 Green Sandpiper, 17 Dunlin, 11 Greenshank, 6 Common Sandpiper and singles of Spotted Redshank and Oystercatcher. Over on Brownsea Lagoon 8 Spoonbill were observed feeding/roosting and yesterday saw Peregrine take a Common Tern chick from the Island.

An un-ringed Osprey, probably ‘Beaky’, was caught on camera on the Middlebere platform this afternoon. ‘Beaky’, a large female, was previously observed feeding at the same location for a week back in May this year.

Yesterday was a Spring tide and with high waters clocking in at just after midday today a visit to Upton Country Park this morning (on a rising tide) produced 70+ Black-tailed Godwit, 30 Redshank, 3 Curlew, 20 Little Egret and 1 juvenile Water Rail.

One ringed Osprey, likely CJ7, was spotted near Wareham Forest this morning and another Osprey sighting was logged at Arne. A quick scan of Brownsea Lagoon with the webcam recorded 8 Spoonbill, 2 Avocet, 1 Common Sandpiper, 8 Curlew and larger flocks of Dunlin, Redshank and Cormorant.

A relatively quiet ringing session at Lytchett Heath this morning capitalised on the small Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Blackcap passage. Singles of Grasshopper Warbler and Garden Warbler were among the morning’s highlights. The appearance of 1 Great White Egret, 1 Ringed Plover and 2 Egyptian Goose provided additional excitement amongst the familiar waders frequenting Lytchett Bay. Nearby, a single Osprey was observed at Holten Lee before heading off towards the Wareham Channel.

Just South of our recording area a Pied Flycatcher was seen at Durlston Country Park – the Harbour’s first of the Autumn must be any day now. Returning to our recording area, a single Wheatear was recorded at Hartland Moor and 8 Spoonbill were seen on Brownsea Lagoon, equalling yesterday’s count.

Garden Warbler – Lytchett Heath

Sedge Warbler – Lytchett Heath