Surprisingly quiet day for August, with the highlight being the Forster’s Tern still present at Shipstal Point from RSPB Arne again today. At least 2 Osprey were active over Lytchett Bay with 2 seen together having come over Holton Lee and an individual active again later in the morning. Also in the bay was 1 Ringed Plover, 4 Curlew, 8 Bar-tailed Godwit, 11 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Turnstone and 4 Redshank, as well as 1 Pied Flycatcher seen from Turlin Moor viewpoint.

Well, conditions looked perfect today for Aquatic Warbler to be picked up, but unfortunately ringing efforts were not rewarded. Nevertheless, highlights from the ringing session at Lytchett Fields this morning were 1 Common Sandpiper, 17 Sedge Warbler, 6 Reed Warbler and 2 Grasshopper Warbler. Also counted on the fields was 1 Whimbrel, 1 Green Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper, 10 Greenshank, 50 Lapwing, 20 Redshank, 25 Teal and 1 Osprey. Over in Brands Bay, amongst the Dunlin was 1 Ringed Plover and a couple of Turnstone. From RSPB Arne the unringed female Osprey (which we believe may be “Beaky”) was interestingly seen bringing a stick onto the artificial nesting platform in the Middlebere Channel.

Ringed Plover – Brands Bay – Aidan Brown (@aidanjb118)

Things are building nicely with more arrivals today, although it was slim pickings on the passerine front. However there are plenty of Osprey around currently with our juveniles now venturing down to the harbour for the first time, with female chick ‘5H5’ being logged on a different harbour nest platform for the first time. There were 3 around Middlebere this morning and from our Sunset Safari this evening another 3 were seen, 2 of which caught fish, whilst there was also 2 in Wareham Forest at the same time. So, with our family of 5 around, the un-ringed female still on Middlebere and 2 in Wareham Forest there’s a minimum of 8 around currently, but possibly more! The White-tailed Eagles were active today, first being seen in Lytchett Bay, then over the Wareham Channel, then over Swineham, before then being seen on the Shag Looe Spit in the Wareham Channel this evening from our cruise. On the Brownsea Lagoon today there were 11 Spoonbill, 26 Ringed Plover, 1 Sanderling, 4 Greenshank and 15 Avocet. In Holes Bay there were 2 Common Sandpiper in SE, 4 Sandwich Tern in SW and 3 Teal in NW plus 275 Black-tailed Godwit, 121 Redshank and 69 Curlew. A Cattle Egret was on the island in the middle of Swineham GP this morning, the Forster’s Tern was still off Shipstal Beach, RSPB Arne and a Red Kite drifted over Sunnyside. From our boat this evening a Hobby was giving an Osprey a hard time, at Lytchett Fields there were 13 each of Common and Green Sandpiper. On the Swineham Scrapes this morning 6 Yellow-legged Gull were loafing about and a Marsh Harrier was off the end of the GP. 7 Whimbrel were also seen in flight over the Wareham Channel this evening.

Osprey chick 5H5 exploring the harbour this AM and settling briefly on a different nest platform

As August presses on, there’s so much to get out and see, so please make the effort to explore. At RSPB Arne today the Forster’s Tern was still off Shipstal Beach, on and off throughout the day where there were also 2 Knot, 2 Whimbrel, 1 Arctic Tern and a Pied flycatcher was in the woods. At Lytchett Bay an Osprey was hunting this afternoon whilst 2 White-tailed Eagles watched on, which were all viewable from the Rock Lea Viewpoint. A Honey Buzzard drifted along over Arne Moors and headed over up the Frome Valley and 4 Marsh Harrier came out of the west harbour roost, where an unseasonal 7 were present a few days ago. A Little Ringed Plover was vocal, flying around over Stoborough this morning and at Sunnyside a Gadwall family were out on the pool, proving breeding has taken place there. On Lytchett Fields there were 12 Greenshank, 110 Redshank, 67 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Dunlin, 1 Curlew and 36 Lapwing. In Middlebere this evening there were 10 Spoonbill and an Osprey was on the Middlebere nest platform. Around the harbour decent numbers of common migrants such as Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Garden Warbler and a few Wheatear are quite evident in various hedgerows and along numerous barbed-wire fences in heathland, scrubby areas.

White-tailed Eagle – Lytchett Bay (yesterday) – Mark Wright

Another Osprey filled day today, with sightings rolling in from the Wareham Channel, Middlebere, and Lytchett Bay! At least 3 individuals were present at Middlebere throughout the day, including two-year-old male ‘374’ who’s been on another tour of harbour nest sites, and the same unringed female as yesterday feeding on the platform at the top of the Middlebere Channel once again. Nearby the Forster’s Tern was present again off the Shipstal shore at RSPB Arne. In Lytchett Bay 2 more Osprey were reported from Rock Lea View, along with 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Oystercatcher, 10 Ringed Plover, 2 Whimbrel, 10 Curlew, 60 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Dunlin, 11 Greenshank and 70 Redshank on the rising tide. Autumn passage was very evident on Brownsea Lagoon with 1 Whimbrel, 13 Spoonbill, 4 Knot, 4 Sanderling, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 16 Ringed Plover, 1 Grey Plover, 13 Bar-tailed Godwit & 302 Dunlin. And over at Sunnyside the same was true of passerines with 1 Wheatear, plus small numbers of Willow Warbler, Sand Martin and Whitethroat.

Male Osprey 374 landing on nest platform

The run of dire weather continued, although apparently there’s light at the end of the rainy tunnel by mid-week. There’s even some light easterly winds forecast for Thursday and Friday which suggests more common migrants could be on the way…..and perhaps some not so common? Aquatic Warbler springs to mind. Despite the rain today Osprey sightings were still pretty frequent at some sites, certainly Lytchett Bay where there were 2-3 individuals see. There were also 2 over Middlebere again with one on the Middlebere nest platform, plus another over Wareham Common and a few sightings in the Wareham Channel. There’s no doubt some of these sightings relate to the same individuals, but it’s certainly a good start to the month, with plenty more due on the way over the coming weeks. The Forster’s Tern was again off Shipstal Beach a few times today and an adult Arctic Tern was also in the roost where there were also 4 summer plumaged Knot. There were 12 Spoonbill on Brownsea, a White-tailed Eagle flew over Lytchett Fields, a Gannet flew past Branksome Chine and last night c70 Little Egret went into the Holes Bay roost.

Osprey on Middlebere Channel platform getting harassed by crow

CJ7 roosting on nest perch tonight. Not something she often does

Lots of Osprey activity today, with an unringed individual feeding on the Middlebere nest platform for most of the morning, with a further two active in the channel later in the morning. 2 Osprey were also seen over Lytchett Bay during the morning. Perhaps one of these birds was the other individual seen from Brand’s Bay mid-morning, along with a count of 1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 8 Grey Plover, 2 Whimbrel, 83+ Curlew, 47 Black-tailed Godwit, 18 Redshank, 1 Dunlin, 17 Little Egret, 20 Common Gull and 39 Mediterranean Gull. Good to see more autumn arrivals, with 2 Willow Warbler at Sunnyside Farm, and 1 Pied Flycatcher reported on Brownsea Island, as well as one in the Piddle Valley. Two White-tailed Eagle were active over Shipstal Point at RSPB Arne later in the morning, and the Forster’s Tern present again. At Holes Bay, a nice high count of 70 Little Egret were reported, with 2 Common Sandpiper also seen.

Osprey – Lytchett Bay – Alison Copland

With yesterday’s grimness having gone through, there seemed to be a bit of passage this morning with a moulting adult Whinchat out on Wareham Common, along with 2 Whitethroat, 4 Reed Warbler and 1 Sedge Warbler. The Forster’s Tern was reported at RSPB Arne again from Shipstal Point. 5 Whimbrel were present in Holes Bay SW, along with 275 Black-tailed Godwit, 123 Redshank, 14 Curlew and 10 Oystercatcher. Over at Lytchett Bay, one of the non-breeding Ospreys was sat in the Holton Lee treeline for most of the morning, and 2 Whimbrel, 10 Curlew, 70 Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Dunlin, 9 Greenshank and 70 Redshank were reported. On Lytchett Fields there was decent count of 12 Greenshank, 7 Lapwing, 2 Green Sandpiper and 73 Black-tailed Godwit, including the first recorded juv. Godwit of the year. The White-tailed Eagle pair were in the Wareham Channel on the Shag Looe Spit mid-morning. On Brownsea there were 2 Spoonbill, with 4 more in the Middlebere Channel. Willow Warbler were trickling through in small numbers.

Whinchat – Wareham Channel – Paul Morton

Winter landed with a bang today! Gales force winds and driving rain. Despite the dire weather, it actually forced 4 Arctic Skua in to Poole Bay which were seen during a morning sea watch, then later in the day there were 3 harassing gulls off Shell Beach, Studland. The gap in the weather this morning allowed for Lytchett Fields/Bay to be watched adequately with 2 Knot being seen (the first for Lytchett Bay this year), also an Osprey over the bay, 1 Spotted Redshank and the 1st Wheatear of the autumn. In fact an Osprey was seen hunting in and around Lytchett Bay for most of the day. In the Wareham Channel a White-tailed Eagle and an Osprey had a minor spat above the gull islands and an Eider was off Pilots Point where there were 40 Sanderling on Shell Beach. The Forster’s Tern was again off Shipstal Beach, RSPB Arne, there were 4 Spoonbill in Middlebere and a Hobby was over Hydes Heath.

Arctic Skua chasing Common Tern – Shell Bay – James Leaver (OTBT Birder Twitter – @BirderOtbt)