The colour-ringed White Stork was still present on Sunnyside today. Few other birds are frequenting the scrape and a fox was observed prowling around early morning. Low wader numbers were observed at Lytchett Fields this morning despite the favourable water levels. Singles of Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper were all recorded along with 11 Greenshank, 4 Green Sandpiper, 32 Redshank, 2 Spoonbill, 2 Yellow Wagtail and c200 Teal.

Middlebere featured the first returning Pintail for the winter. A total of 3 eclipse males were logged together with 13 Spoonbill, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Avocet, 18 Yellow Wagtail. A grilling of Holes Bay this afternoon produced 11 adult Yellow-legged Gulls at Holes Bay, mostly loafing on the rooftops by Kerry Foods. A reasonable selection of passage passerines were observed at Hartland Moor including 3 Common Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warbler, 10+ Chiffchaff, 10+ Blackcap and singles of Lesser Whitethroat, Redstart and Wheatear.

Ruff – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

The colour-ringed White Stork was still present on Sunnyside today. Few other birds are frequenting the scrape and a fox was observed prowling around early morning. Low wader numbers were observed at Lytchett Fields this morning despite the favourable water levels. Singles of Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper were all recorded along with 11 Greenshank, 4 Green Sandpiper, 32 Redshank, 2 Spoonbill, 2 Yellow Wagtail and c200 Teal.

Middlebere featured the first returning Pintail for the winter. A total of 3 eclipse males were logged together with 13 Spoonbill, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Avocet, 18 Yellow Wagtail. A grilling of Holes Bay this afternoon produced 11 adult Yellow-legged Gulls at Holes Bay, mostly loafing on the rooftops by Kerry Foods. A reasonable selection of passage passerines were observed at Hartland Moor including 3 Common Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warbler, 10+ Chiffchaff, 10+ Blackcap and singles of Lesser Whitethroat, Redstart and Wheatear.

Ruff – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

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.