More signs of Autumn migration well underway today in the harbour. The first 2 Wheatear of the Autumn were present up on Ballard Down this morning and 1 Juvenile Redstart was seen on the edge of Coombe Heath at RSPB Arne. Plenty of Osprey activity with 1 sat up in the dead trees at Middlebere this afternoon and later another fishing in the Wareham Channel (022?). Wader numbers are continuing to build in Holes Bay with 107 Black-tailed Godwit, 91 Redshank, 38 Curlew, 5 Whimbrel, 6 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, and 3 Oystercatcher, as well as 1 Kingfisher, and 1 hunting juvenile Peregrine Falcon. 2 Great White Egret were briefly seen earlier dropping into the wetland near the Wareham Causeway.

Another excellent summer safari cruise this morning produced a wide range of species. No sooner than 15 minutes into the trip, male G463 White-tailed eagle, was seen sat on the salt marsh at Arne, he didn’t move from that location throughout the morning. An Osprey was briefly see in the same area and then a juvenile female Goshawk circled over the woodland at Arne before heading over the back of the boat and towards Hamworthy and Ham common area. An incredible start to the boat trip!
The Wareham channel contained the usual growing flocks of Black-tailed godwits (at least 200), 15 Common sandpiper, 1 Spotted redshank, 12 Greenshank, 50 Curlew, 10 Lapwing and 7 Great crested grebe. An usually early Common scoter was seen in the Wareham channel too.

One of the Carey juvenile Ospreys, male 5R5, was spotted and photographed practicing his hunting techniques while another Osprey, probably his father, 022, fished nearby. Later in the cruise, female White-tailed eagle, G466 was sat on the salt marsh waiting for her opportunity to steal a fish from an unsuspecting Osprey.

Whilst travelling across the harbour towards Brownsea Island, another Osprey was seen catching a fish off Arne whilst the same male White-tailed eagle watched on. Perhaps the fish wasn’t big enough for him to consider chasing down and stealing?

On the Brownsea lagoon, 11 Avocet, 100 Oystercatcher, 10 Ringed plover, 100 Dunlin, 6 Mediterranean gull, 50 Common tern, 150 Sandwich tern and 9 Spoonbill provided a brilliant conclusion to the cruise.

Male G463 White-tailed eagle – Arne – Conor Macleod

Harbour seal – Wareham channel – Conor Macleod

Juvenile Osprey 5R5 – Wareham channel – Conor Macleod

Juvenile Goshawk – Wareham channel – Conor Macleod

Common scoter – Wareham Channel – Conor Macleod

Ospreys are beginning to be seen all over the harbour at the moment as the very early stages of their migration begins to kick in. One Osprey was seen in the dead tree at Middlebere during the morning. 2 adult unringed Osprey were seen at Morden bog, alongside a recently fledged individual from the Carey nest, 5R5. Great to see him exploring the edges of the harbour!

Male Osprey (nestling from two years ago) 5H3, was seen on Coombe heath in the morning, perched up eating a fish. Turlin Moor also had a fly past Osprey, along with 6 Lapwing, 1 Whimbrel, 11 Curlew, 1 Common sandpiper, 15 Redshank, 16 Greenshank and 1 Marsh harrier. 

At Arne, off Shipstall point, 10 Spoonbill (the highest number so far this autumn) 1 Avocet, 14 Curlew, 4 Black-tailed godwit and in the woodland, 2 Firecrest, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Treecreeper. During the morning, male White-tailed eagle, G463, was sat at Gold point watching and waiting for the perfect moment to launch an attack flight.

Osprey 5R5 exploring the Morden bog area – wessexwildlife.bsky.social

Another busy day in the harbour, with the same mystery Osprey that’s been in the harbour for the last couple of days seen from Coombe Heath at RSPB Arne. Male Osprey 022 was also seen in the Wareham Channel fishing and heading back up the River Piddle, towards the Carey nest. Both White-tailed Eagles of the territorial pair, G466 and G463 were seen on the breeding gull islands. On the Brownsea Lagoon, there were increasing numbers of Dunlin with 92 counted, including 2 juveniles, as well as 3 Ringed Plover, 55 Redshank, 55 Redshank, 17 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 8 Avocet, 8 Spoonbill, and 1 Peregrine Falcon flushing all of the birds this morning. The Purple Heron was reported once again at Littlesea, Studland, with another report of Purple Heron from Furzey Island this afternoon. Most likely the same one, but could it be another? In the Lower Piddle Valley, 99 birds were ringed, including 15 Willow Warbler, 12 Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 9 Reed Warbler, 42 Sedge Warbler, 13 Chiffchaff, and 5 Cetti’s Warbler. The 1000th bird to be ringed so far this Autumn at the site was a Sedge Warbler!

Same ‘mystery’ Osprey in the harbour seen for last couple of days – @dizzygirl66.bsky.social

White-tailed Eagle pair (G463 and G466) in the Wareham Channel  – @petey632.bsky.social

Sedge Warbler – Lower Piddle Valley – Ed Betteridge

A warm and sunny day plus a decent stretch of low tide meant that plenty of birds were observed across the harbour. At Arne, 10 Shelduck were spotted with several almost fully grown youngsters in the group. During this time of year, many adult Shelduck migrate to the Wadden sea, off the coasts of Germany and the Netherlands for a late summer moult. This leaves many young birds to gather in creches within the harbour.

1 Whimbrel, 30 Curlew 200 Black-tailed godwit, 8 Swallow, Dartford warbler, Osprey, Marsh harrier and 6 Siskin also seen at Arne.

During our Sunset Cruise around the harbour, we had lovely views of the growing numbers of Black-tailed godwits, many of them still in their breeding plumage. At least 200 were seen on the rising tide in the Wareham Channel. Male, White-tailed eagle G463 was spotted in a distant Pine tree, but soon took off heading low across the water. G463 has only one foot, but this didn’t stop him from effortlessly grabbing prey and heading back to the Arne beach area to devour it. An amazing spectacle for everyone on board to see! 2 Spoonbill were feeding in the slightly deeper areas of the Wareham channel along with numerous Little Egret. The Mute swan ‘youth club’ appears to be getting bigger with at least 70 young swans in the mouth of the River Frome, this evening they were also joined by 2 escapee Black swans. 8 Greenshank also seen in the same area and 2 Marsh harrier over Gigger’s island.

Bearded tits were briefly seen and heard along the River Frome, and at least 20 Common sandpiper in total, with good numbers along the northern shores of Brownsea Island. The Brownsea Lagoon was getting busy as the tide was rising, 20 Curlew, 100 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling, 6 Bar-tailed godwit (newly arrived migrant birds), 8 Greenshank, 20 Redshank, 150 Common tern, 180 Sandwich tern and 40 Greater black-backed gulls (several fully grown youngsters amongst them).

An ‘unknown’ Osprey at Arne – dizzygirl66@bsky.social

An overcast, warm and dry day meant that birding was straightforward and plentiful. At Brands Bay, 3 Whimbrel, 59 Curlew, 51 Black-tailed godwit, 34 Redshank and overhead, 26 Crossbill (heading towards Rempstone) were the highlights.

Lytchett Bay held all the ‘shanks’, with 13 Greenshank, 2 Spotted redshank and 81 Redshank. An Osprey was spotted but the ring number couldn’t be read.

At the Carey platform today, lots of interactions and fish deliveries from the resident Osprey family but also a persistent unidentified Osprey (with a rather tatty tail) was getting in on the action too.

The 4 young Peregrine falcon chicks from the Asda nest in Poole appear to still be doing well and were spotted above Asda along with the parent birds too.

At Shipstall point, Arne today, 70 Oystercatcher, 75 Curlew, 150 Black-tailed godwit, 3 Great spotted woodpecker, 1 Green woodpecker, and a Jay.

Swineham gravel pit area had 20 Little egret, 9 Egyptian geese, 1 Osprey over head, 1 Marsh harrier and 3 Sedge warbler.

Early morning bird ringing on the Piddle valley floodplain has begun to pick up pace with 0ver 120 Sedge warbler, 19 Grasshopper warbler, Garden warbler, Nightjar, 12 Willow warbler and a Kingfisher ringed. Autumn migration is very much in full swing!

Spotted redshank, Greenshank and Redshank (Left to right) – Lytchett Bay – Mick Brooks

Fish delivery at the Carey Osprey Nest – Alison Copland