It really is beginning to feel like autumn now. We hosted our third Osprey boat cruise this morning which saw woolly hats and even gloves being worn which highlights the real change in weather systems we’ve encountered in the last few days. Still, despite the cold and the wind the trip was as lovely as ever with 1 migrant Osprey seen in the Wareham Channel feeding on a fish on the Arne shoreline and 4 of the translocated juveniles seen in the SW of the harbour. Also seen were 11 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon (2 up from yesterday), c20 Avocet, 2 Sanderling, c20 Ringed Plover, 2 Turnstone, c40 Black-tailed Godwit and c200 Oystercatcher. The sound of young Common and Sandwich Tern around the fringes of the harbour is a welcome sound as small pulses of Swallow and Sand Martin skimmed low over the water as they begin heading south. At Lytchett Fields there were 20 Yellow Wagtail, 16 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 12 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 4 Tree Pipit and 1 Common Redstart.

Today was our second Osprey cruise out of eight with both migrant and translocated Ospreys seen in the Wareham Channel and in the south west of the harbour. One bird was up on the north Arne shoreline eating a fish and then later flew towards Ridge with another seen actively flying up and down Shipstal Beach and Middlebere. Also seen were 9 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon and a Hobby was chasing down a Peregrine over the western end of Brownsea. In Middlebere there were 9 Greenshank, 9 Grey Plover, 4 Ringed Plover and 2 Common Sandpiper along with an un-ringed adult Osprey and a Marsh Harrier. At Littlesea the Purple Heron came into roost yet again. At Lytchett Fields there was a Ruff on Sherford Pools along with a Marsh Harrier, 2 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Spotted Redshank.  

Greenshnak – Brownsea Lagoon – Nick Gadenne

Ballard Down and Old Harry – 1 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Common Redstart, 14 Common Whitethroat, 50+ House Martins, several Sand Martin and Swallow, 10+ Chiffchaff.

Brands Bay – 18 Great Crested Grebe, 138 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Whimbrel, 1 Greenshank, 3 Dunlin.

Middlebere – 5 Grey Plover, 1 Osprey, 1 Green Sandpiper.

Wytch Channel – 3 Greenshank, 4 Spotted Redshank, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 (juv) Osprey, 1 Marsh Harrier

Wareham Channel – 2 Osprey, 1 Marsh Harrier, lots of juv Sandwich and Common Tern

Brownsea Lagoon – 9 Spoonbill, c100 Dunlin, c25 Ringed Plover, c20 Avocet, 1 Greenshank

Lytchett Fields – Aquatic Warbler (reported), 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 2 Yellow Wagtail

Lytchett Heath – 1 Common Redstart, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 20 Sedge Warbler, 13 Reed Warbler, 15 Willow Warbler.

Hartland Moor – 2 Whinchat, 1 Wheatear, 7 Yellow Wagtail.

There were 8 Spoonbill on Brownsea. 9 Grey Plover, 1 Marsh Harrier, 90 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Osprey in Middlebere. 5 Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpiper and 2 Green Sandpiper on Lytchett Fields. 1 ringtail Hen Harrier over Swineham.

The Great White Egret infux continues with 2 in Holes Bay NW today. There was also a Wood Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Hobby and a Pied Flycatcher at the Sunnyside Scrape. In Middlebere 2 Spoonbill, 2 Osprey. On Lytchett Fields 1 juvenile Spotted Redshank.

Great White Egrets – Holes Bay – John Pick

It was Osprey central again with 2 in Middlebere and 3 in the Wareham Channel.  On Lytchett Fields there 14 Green Sandpiper and 6 Greenshank. On the Sunnyside Scrape there was 1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover and 1 Wheatear.

It was quite the day for Osprey sightings today! There were 3 sightings in the Wareham Channel, a favoured hunting spot, a juvenile on Coombe Heath at RSPB Arne and two sightings in the Middlebere Channel. They’re obviously being very active! The Purple Heron roosted on Little Sea, Studland again and 10 Spoonbill were sighted in Brownsea Lagoon, in addition to 9 flying past RSPB Arne.

It was a good day for raptor sightings on Coombe Heath at RSPB Arne, with 1 Osprey, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Peregrine and 1 buzzard. The Purple Heron came to roost on Little Sea, Studland again and 2 Wheatear were seen at Baiter Park.

The purple heron was spotted roosting at Little Sea, Studland again today and a juvenile Spotted Redshank and a Green Sandpiper were recorded at RSPB Lytchett Fields.

A relatively quiet day today with 1 Whinchat at RSPB Lytchett Fields, a Green Sandpiper at Holton Lee and 2 Osprey seen on Coombe Heath at RSPB Arne.