On Lytchett Fields the Curlew Sandpiper was still out on French’s Pools with 5 Common Sandpiper and 6 Greenshank. In Middlebere there were only 4 Spoonbill today and 2 adult Ospreywere still active commuting between the Wareham Channel and our release site. At South Haven it was good to see 6 Sanderling back, although these will most likely be migrants passing through rather than over-winterers and in Brands Bay there were 83 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, 64 Redshank, 7 Dunlin and 2 Whimbrel.

Curlew Sandpiper – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

We’re at that exciting time of year where our Osprey translocation sees the release of our first set of birds. This year saw a small range of ages between the chicks and at the beginning of the week the first 5 were ready for release, which was incredibly exciting. It didn’t take long for the first birds to fly free and by the end of the day the five were getting used to life on the wing around the release site. For the next 7-10 days they’ll stay fairly close to the pens as provisions continue to be put out for them, but over time they’ll begin exploring other areas of the harbour and hopefully allow members of the public to see them around sites like Arne and Middlebere. We’ll keep you posted with their progress and look forward to hearing about their shenanigans over the coming weeks! The Purple Heron again came into roost at Littlesea around 21:30 and a Red Kite drifted over Arne Moors. There were 2-3 adult Osprey in the harbour today too, some of which have all ready began interacting with our translocated chicks. At Lytchett Fields a new Curlew Sandpiper was on the fields mixed in with the Dunlin along with 6 Common Sandpiper and 9 Greenshank. In the Middlebere Channel 5 Spoonbill were still feeding in the southern end.

Released Osprey chicks 013 and 014 enjoying life on the wing.  

The Littlesea Purple Heron looks well and truly settled and came into roost again last night at 21:20. No doubt it will disappear in due course but never has this species stayed for so long in the harbour before so if you’re keen to try and see it then heading up to higher hide for dusk, directly opposite the Greenland’s Farm entrance would be a good idea. There are 2-3 Osprey still in the harbour with a definite un-ringed bird and what looked to be a blue ringed bird on the right leg, possibly CJ7 back again? There were 5 Spoonbill in Middlebere with 2 Spotted Redshank, 8 Greenshank and Whimbrel are numerous in the channels and bays along the southern shores and a handful in the northern bays such as Holes and Brands Bay. Holes Bay NE also held 74 Curlew, 95 Redshank, 8 Oystercatcher, 38 Little Egret and 125 Black-tailed Godwit. A Hobby was over Brands Bay with another 2 over Slepe Copse.

Things are picking up really nicely as they should do at the beginning on August with a really nice mix of new arrivals, but also quality long-stayers. Out of the blue the Littlesea Purple Heron came into roost again at dusk with 50 Little Egret and a pale phase Arctic Skua was out in Studland Bay. Another Pied Flycatcher was seen with one at Littlesea along with a Spotted Flycatcher. At Lytchett Heath the autumns first flyover Tree Pipit and Yellow Wagtail went over at dawn and a busy ringing session produced 26 migrant Sedge Warbler, 24 Willow Warbler, 16 Reed Warbler and 1 Lesser Whitethroat. There were 2 adult Osprey in the harbour today with one seen over Lytchett Bay and another at the same time at Arne. At Holton Pools there were 3 Green Sandpiper and 2 Common Sandpiper. At Middlebere a post breeding flock of 20+ Mistle Thrush flew across the lane and there were 5 Spoonbill in the channel along with a Cattle Egret later in the evening. There was also a juvenile Marsh Harrier that was going between Middlebere, Wytch and even Lytchett Fields. In Brands Bay there were 4 Whimbrel, 77 Med Gulls, 3 Teal and 10 Swift went over south. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 8 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 4 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper (rare here), 2 Turnstone, 40 Dunlin but a whopping 350 Common Tern.

There was more good coverage of the harbour today with a nice selection of birds including 1 Osprey, 6 Spotted Redshank, 9 Greenshank, 119 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Avocet, 3 Curlew, 1 Whimbrel 1 Hobby and 1 Marsh Harrier at Middlebere with several migrant Willow Warbler and Whitethroat along the lane. At Holton Pools there were 2 Green Sandpiper and 1 Common Sandpiper with an Osprey seen over Lytchett Bay and at Lytchett Fields 3 Green Sandpiper, 9 Greenshank, 63 Redshank and 12 Little Egret. What was almost certainly a Black Kite was seen drifting over Slepe Heath mid morning, but sadly couldn’t be clinched. A Cattle Egret was at the mouth of Middlebere mid morning and a juv Marsh Harrier flew along the channel and there seem to be plenty of Whimbrel about with Middlebere, Wytch, Brands and Bramble Bush Bays all holding birds. At dusk, what was thought to be the Purple Heron was seen in the Littlesea roost but sadly it was too dark to confirm.

The highlight of today was the autumns first Wood Sandpiper at Holton Lee where there were also 3 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Lapwing with several Willow Warbler in the surrounding scrub. At Lytchett Fields 16 Green Sandpiper were across the fields with 5 Common Sandpiper, 136 Redshank, 9 Greenshank, 6 Dunlin, 1 Snipe and several returning Teal.

Ergh! What a day, although we needed today really badly as the forecast is for today’s torrid weather to breeze on by and for the hot weather to continue. The only rewards for a wet soggy watch at Lytchett Fields was an adult Little Stint.

With a short but sharp storm battering the harbour last night and the remains still blowing ‘a gooden’ at dawn it was an amazing scene to have 3 Osprey circling together in the breeze at Lytchett Bay around 8am. At Holton Pools another Yellow Wagtail was on the scrapes along with a single Green Sandpiper and 3 Little Egret. Whimbrel are now ‘dropping in’ to various bays with several individuals in Brands Bay, Bramble Bush Bay, Arne Bay and in Middlebere. Juvenile Willow Warbler are becoming more and more conspicuous in Long-tailed Tit flocks as they move through scrub and heathland habitats and will soon be joined by species such as Redstart and Spotted and occasional Pied Flycatcher.

The heat wave looks set to be coming to an end for a brief period this weekend with some rain (yes rain) due to hit us over night tonight and then a proper down pour on Sunday. Never have we wanted it to rain so much with the heathlands all like tinderboxes and almost all of the countryside devoid of any moisture. The last 48 hours has also seen three devastating heathland fires across southern Dorset (Ferndown Common, Ham Common and Canford Heath) so a good drenching in in everyone’s best interest. With cloud cover rolling in over the course of the day a definite cooler feeling was set across the harbour with a few more migrants noted on the move. On Lytchett Heath a Long-tailed Tit flock contained 7 Willow Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler and 2 Blackcap. At Lytchett Fields a Grasshopper Warbler, 33 Sedge Warbler and 16 Reed Warbler were ringed. At Middlebere a single Osprey was on the Middlebere platform and the Spoonbill was still in the channel along with a Green Sandpiper in front of the Middlebere hide and a Peregrine.

With people trekking down to Middlebere to see Ospreys its great to hear that other species are being logged along the way. Today in the channel were 2 Greenshank, 1 Knot, 11 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Avocet, 1 Spoonbill, 10 Little Egret, 1 Peregrine Falcon and of course an Osprey on the Middlebere platform. In the Corfe Channel there were 10 Greenshank and 2 summer plumaged Spotted Redshank. At Lytchett Fields there were 6 Green Sandpiper, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpiper, 3 Greenshank, 2 Little Ringed Plover and 2 Common Snipe.