A great Autumn Safari Cruise this morning provided a good diversity of species in different parts of the harbour. Around Swineham 2 Marsh Harrier were quartering the reeds as well as plenty of waders on the mud at the top of the Wareham Channel during low tide. This included 5+ Greenshank, 2 Common Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, c200 Black-tailed Godwit and c50 Curlew. The Forster’s Tern was still visible at Shipstal from the boat amongst Sandwich Terns. By the time we reached the Brownsea Lagoon it was now high tide and the Spoonbill were all roosting here with the total building up to 77 for the harbour. There were also 3 Avocet, 10+ Dunlin, 1 Turnstone, 3 Greenshank, c300 Oystercatcher and many more. One Osprey was also seen very distantly on the Holton shoreline.

Elsewhere in the harbour at Middlebere it was another good day for birds of prey with 1 Peregrine being seen again as well as 1 Osprey. Good numbers of Avocet building here with 25+ being seen as well as 9 Spoonbill and 1 Great White Egret. In Lytchett Bay there were 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 19 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Great White Egret and 1 Peregrine.

Peregrine Falcon – Coombe Heath – Kate Plater

Avocet and Common Redshank – Middlebere Channel – Kate Plater

A brighter day today allowed for some more activity from birds of prey as well as some more autumn arrivals. A raptor fest around Middlebere with 1 Osprey from Coombe Heath, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Peregrine, 1 Merlin and 1 Kestrel all being seen as well as 1 Spoonbill and 1 Great White Egret.  The Forster’s Tern was also still at Shipstal. Lytchett Bay today had the first arriving Jack Snipe of the autumn in Approach Field and at Lytchett Fields were 6 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Common Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Peregrine. Holes Bay had its first Great Crested Grebe of the autumn arrive as well as singles of Common Sandpiper and Wheatear.

Black-tailed Godwits and Common Redshank – Holes Bay – Alison Copland

A rather murky autumn day today although numbers of waders are continuing to build up nicely. Lytchett Fields was the busiest it’s been this autumn with 8 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 8 Greenshank, 104 Dunlin, 4 Curlew Sandpiper and 1 Spotted Redshank. On the Brownsea Lagoon the number of Spoonbill is the highest so far this autumn in the harbour with 74 seen this morning. The number will likely peak in the next few weeks but will we see a record harbour count with the previous highest being 80?

A good spread of birds in Brands Bay today as well with 3 Pintail, 2 Grey Plover, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Greenshank, 2 Red Knot and 33 Mediterranean Gull all being present. Wheatear are still passing through the harbour with 2 seen at Holes Bay and 3 at Hartland as well as 1 Woodlark at the latter. Birds of prey sightings were few and far between today as they were probably sheltering from the rain this afternoon but one Marsh Harrier was seen in Lytchett Bay.

Some of the 74 Spoonbills on the Brownsea Lagoon – @WildOnTheRoad on Twitter

Despite slightly duller skies today’s conditions made for some cracking sightings! On our Autumn Safari Cruise this morning we were treated to not one but two incredible encounters with the White-tailed Eagle pair. On the first occasion at the start of the trip we were drifting leisurely past the Brownsea Lagoon, enjoying views of 55 Spoonbill, 160 Black-tailed Godwit, 200 Oystercatcher, 30 Avocet, 9 Knot, 1 Grey Plover, and a Kingfisher on the sea wall, when almost every bird present suddenly took to the sky! Looking through the cloud of hundreds of birds we saw a White-tailed Eagle approaching over the treeline being mobbed by Jackdaws, who’s efforts were having little perceivable impact on the Eagle’s trajectory. Only when a pair of Raven joined the fray did the Eagle turn tail and head off west. We quickly followed suit, but unable to relocate it we headed first to Shiptal where the tide was too high for most of the birds that usually roost along the shore. We then proceeded to the Wareham Channel where we were treated to lots of Marsh Harrier activity, plus 4 Snipe overhead as we sailed up the River Frome and plenty of Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Shoveler and 2 Green Sandpiper on the scrapes at Swineham. Keen to have one last search for the White-tailed Eagles before returning Poole Quay, began the journey back towards Brownsea where we knew they had recently been thanks to Tim Mackrill from the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation who we were privileged to have on board and was able to inspect their satellite tracking data. No sooner had we rounded the Arne peninsula however when we spotted one of the pair in flight heading straight towards us! He landed right on the tip of the point, no doubt drawn in by the larger female who we quickly realised was already sitting just 20 metres away on top of the shingle bank. Both birds provided excellent views for all onboard and the perfect end to a thrilling trip.

Passage is still in full swing with a number of migrants seemingly dropping in today. Another good cruise round the harbour this afternoon with brief views of 2 White-tailed Eagle in the Wareham channel as well as 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank and a single Osprey hunting over Shipstal Bay. On view at the Brownsea Lagoon from the boat were 56+ Spoonbill and 50+ Avocet. The eclipse Garganey was still present at the lagoon today as well as 4 Curlew Sandpipers. Another 4 Curlew Sandpipers were seen at Lytchett Fields among various other waders including 1 Spotted Redshank. At Arne the Forster’s Tern was still providing great views as is pictured below. Also at Arne was a passage Ring Ouzel briefly settling near the RSPB car park before taking off and a flyover White-tailed Eagle above the cafe. Middlebere is continuing to provide a good variety of passage and wintering species with 1 Osprey still being seen as well as several Pintail and 1 Wood Sandpiper.

Forster’s Tern,  RSPB Arne – Mark Wright

After the storm last night some passage migrants may have been forced to drop into the harbour for shelter. The bad weather has certainly meant Ospreys are still being sighted in good numbers as they haven’t all migrated yet! With 3 different individuals catching a fish each from Middlebere this morning. Single birds were also spotted at Ham Common, Lytchett Bay and Holes Bay. Good variety of waders at Lytchett today with 10 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 7 Common Snipe, c25 Dunlin and 3 Curlew Sandpiper all being seen. The long-staying Forster’s Tern was still at Shipstal today amongst Sandwich Terns as well as a single Spotted Flycatcher and Hobby at Arne. In Holes Bay 1 Wheatear and 8 Pintail were present. Out to Poole Bay from Sandbanks 1 Gannet and 8 Common Scoter flew past heading west. The Forster’s Tern was at Shipstal still and the White-tailed Eagle pair were mooching around the Wareham Channel.

Osprey with fish in the Middlebere Channel – John Thorpe

It was real day of hirundine migration with what must of been tens, if not hundreds of thousands passing through and over the harbour (and Dorset) during the course of the day. At Lytchett Fields alone an estimated c5,300 went through during an hour period this morning meaning if the passage rate remained the same during the course of the day then c47,700 could have passed over Lytchett Fields today. They were still passing through and over many areas up until about 18:00, so the combined area total today would have been huge. Interestingly the majority were Swallows, then followed by House Martin, with only 1 lonely Sand Martin logged over Swineham! Meadow Pipit were also moving this AM, but far, far fewer with just a few hundred logged, mostly over Swineham and Arne Moors. The White-tailed Eagles put on an incredible show in the Wareham Channel as they powered out, low across the water, initially looking as if they were going to try and hunt one of the c275 Cormorant that were feeding in a large raft. However, having spoken to Tim Mackrill, he’s explained to us that they were almost certainly looking to steal fish from the Cormorants, therefore acquiring an easy meal rather than having to hunt their own. What made it even more spectacular was it all happened off the side of our Autumn Safari Cruise this AM, which then produced 3 Osprey, one of which flew directly over the boat, eye-balling everyone on board. The Brownsea Lagoon seemed quite quiet, although 61 Spoonbill were still present along with 21 Avocet, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 186 Black-tailed Godwit, 332 Oystercatcher and 211 Redshank. Weirdly there were no Ringed Plover, Knot or Grey Plover on there today. A Garganey was found by Brownsea vols on the lagoon today and another was seen on the wet pools at Swineham where there was a Ruff on the ‘Stilt Pools’. At Lytchett Fields there was 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Ruff and 1 Spotted Redshank. Off Middle Beach, Studland 4 Common Scoter flew west and off Shell Beach another 8 flew west. A Peregrine was hunting over Poole Quay and out between Brownsea and Baiter. An Osprey was seen hunting in Holes Bay and the Greenland Wheatear was still along the Holes Bay cycle path and there were another 2 Osprey in Lytchett Bay. The 2 over-summering Eider were in Bramble Bush Bay, Studland. Finally, a Wryneck was in the Ulwell Gap, leading to Swanage and the Forster’s Tern was seen again off Shipstal Beach, RSPB Arne.

‘Pirate’ White-tailed Eagle chasing down Cormorant flock for an easy meal from Autumn Safari cruise this AM – Rob Chace

Things are pretty samey at the moment. Maybe tomorrows stronger winds that are forecast for later in the day will deliver an American warbler or two. Unlikely, but at least the current range of birds are decent enough for the interest to remain daily. There were 3 Curlew Sandpiper on Lytchett Fields today along with 1 Ruff, 3 Spotted Redshank, 14 Greenshank, 5 Green Sandpiper and 1 Common Sandpiper. A few Ospreys are still clinging on with fish catches in Middlebere, Brands Bay, Lytchett Bay and Wareham Channel. The Brownsea Lagoon had c50 Spoonbill, the 2 White-tailed Eagles were in the Wareham Channel briefly, there were 2 Wheatear along the Holes Bay cycle path, the male looking to be a Greenland race and 3 Marsh Harrier were at Swineham. The Forster’s Tern was also still hanging out at Shipstal, Arne.

Northern Wheatear – Holes Bay – Rene Goad

Greenland race Northern Wheatear – Holes Bay – Rene Goad

It really is feeling like autumn now with a chilly nip in the air and both dewy dawns and dusks as crane flys bounce their way over garden paths. And with October just around the corner (and therefore the first Redwings being only a few weeks away), it feels like these may be the last few days of summer. It’s great to still see so many Osprey around with at least 3 still around today, including one that was happily hunting along the Holes Bay cycle path this afternoon in the SE sector, giving a fantastic display to any commuters driving past. There were several sightings in Lytchett Bay throughout the day and others seen in Middlebere, the Wareham Channel and Brands Bay. This afternoon 2 White-tailed Eagles were seen over Ham Common viewpoint and a few Hobby were still off Hydes Heath with 2 Marsh Harrier in the mouth of the Frome. At Lytchett Fields there were 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Greenshank, 40 Dunlin, 1 Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Whinchat. On Brownsea there were still 61 Spoonbill, c50 Avocet, c40 Dunlin, c50 Ringed Plover and 2 Kingfisher. There was a Whinchat on Hartland and big numbers of hirundines, mostly Swallow, were on the move again with several thousand high over Frome and Piddle Valley around lunchtime. The Barnacle Goose was on Holme Lane GP again with 7 Egyptian Geese.

Reed Bunting (left) and Whinchat (right) – Hartland Moor – Garry Hayman