Back to more grey, blustery weather again today, with rain setting in later in the afternoon. There were still at least 2 Osprey in Lytchett Bay today, with one seen attempting to fish this morning and two successfully catching fish there again in the afternoon. Also in the bay were 314 Black-tailed Godwit and 31 Dunlin. From Lytchett Fields, an Osprey was seen carrying a fish, along with 2 Marsh Harriers, an Egyptian Goose, 265 Teal and 2 Greenshank. Over in Brands Bay, an adult Osprey was seen perched in a tree and also present there were a juvenile Hobby, c35 Teal, 4 Black-tailed godwit, 1 Greenshank and 10 Dunlin. A Common Sandpiper was in the PCW Drain this morning, and the N.W. section of Holes Bay held 250+ Black-tailed Godwit, 100+ Redshank, 25+ Curlew, 100+ Teal, 21 Wigeon, a single Pintail, 5 Shoveler and 6 Shelduck. At RSPB Arne, there were 9 Spoonbills in the Middlebere Channel and 1 more off Shipstal Point. While there was no further sign of yesterday’s Wood Sandpipers, 3 Ruff, 3 Green Sandpipers and a Marsh Harrier were on the Lower Piddle Floods.

It was nice to see some blue sky and sunshine again today! There were plenty of great birds across the harbour, in particular the year’s third pied flycatcher at Lytchett Heath, where there were also 2 juvenile Dartford warblers, plenty of chiffchaffs and a few willow warblers. On Lytchett Fields, there was a whinchat in the approach field this afternoon, along with the autumn’s first meadow pipits, a great white egret, a marsh harrier and a female teal with 3 half-grown ducklings, while the waders there included 2 spotted redshank, a season’s high count of 328 black-tailed godwit, 17 greenshank, 17 dunlin, a green sandpiper and a common sandpiper. There were at least 3 osprey in Lytchett Bay throughout the day, with one seen to catch a fish early this morning, and another osprey was seen carrying a fish and subsequently feeding in Middlebere too. From Arne, 7 spoonbill, 3 avocets, a greenshank and 2 buzzards were also seen. Elsewhere, the Brownsea Lagoon hosted 43 spoonbills, 18 avocets, 9 greenshank and 3 Mediterranean gulls, and in the PCW Drain there were a spotted flycatcher, a blackcap, a whitethroat and several chiffchaffs, as well as a kingfisher in Holes Bay. Finally, 3 wood sandpipers were reported on the Lower Piddle floods.

What started off as a promising day, with overcast skues and an easterly air flow, soon descended into another damp squib. It was all very quiet, though we had a great Osprey Cruise during the morningw with 2 juv Curlew Sandpiper still on the Brownsea Lagoon, along with c40 Spoonbill. There were 3-4 Osprey in the Wareham Channel and the White-tailed Eagle pair sat for most of the day on the edge of the Wareham Channel. Some migrants were getting through and at the Carey Secret Garden ringing station 3 Grasshopper Warbler and 17 Sedge Warbler were ringed. Lets hope this rain eases off soon….it’s September and there’s birding to be done!

Rather grim today to say the least! There were a few odds and sods reported including a Great White Egret in Lytchett Bay this AM along with 4 different Osprey. Also, on Lytchett Fields there was 1 Knot on French’s Pools, 164 Black-tailed Godwit, 19 Greenshank, 14 Dunlin and 2 Spotted Redshank across the fields, with Redshank, Common & Green Sandpiper present too and a lone Whimbrel. Passerines at Lytchett Fields included 1 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat and a mixed Warbler flock that had at least 15 Chiffchaff and 4 Willow Willow, plus a young male Marsh Harrier went over. In Holes Bay, wildfowl numbers are building and this AM saw 1 Pintail in front of the Stone Bench joining 212 Teal, 39 Wigeon and 6 Shoveler. Plus a Spotted Redshank was in the SW sector of Holes Bay with 334 Black-tailed Godwit, 282 Redshank, 18 Curlew and 12 Oystercatcher around the Bay plus 4 Common Sandpiper at the mouth of the PC World Drain, plus 9 Turnstone, 1 Whimbrel & 1 Dunlin in the SW sector. In the PCW Drain there was singles of Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler, with a few Chiffchaff. The first 2 Pintail of the autumn were also logged in Brands Bay. Both White-tailed Eagles were loafing about in the Wareham Channel all day.

More great birds across the harbour again today with a real September feel about it. The first 2 Ruff of the autumn were on Lytchett Fields this evening and 2 newly arrived Curlew Sandpiper were on the Brownsea Lagoon where there were also 38 Spoonbill, 19 Avocet, 54 Ringed Plover, 104 Redshank, 16 Greenshank, 88 Dunlin, 8 Sanderling and 3 Wheatear. At Lytchett Fields it was also a bit of a wader-fest with 194 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Spotted Redshank, 12 Dunlin, 7 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper and 21 Greenshank along with 1 Great White Egret, 3 Osprey and 2 Wigeon back in the bay. Up on Ballard this AM there was a good arrival of Chiffchaff with c60 moving through various areas of scrub plus 1 Common Redstart, 1 Whinchat, 5 Northern Wheatear, 6 Common Whitethroat and 5 Blackcap spread across the area. From our Osprey Cruise this AM we had a minimum of 7 Osprey seen in the Wareham Channel, where the 2 White-tailed Eagles were present most of the day.

It was dank again this morning, meaning a slow start for many birds. A Little stint was in Brands Bay this afternoon and a Cattle Egret was at Sunnyside with the cows. There was a smattering of Osprey with 2 in Middlebere, 2 at Lytchett Fields, 1 at Morden Bog and 3 in the Wareham Channel including the surprise return of female CJ7 who was seen on one of our trail cameras on another harbour nest platform with male 022. At Lytchett Fields this morning a Curlew Sandpiper was seen briefly with 2 Spotted Redshank and a Little Tern was on the fields mid-day. The Eurasian Spoonbill total has crept up to 38 in the last few days on the Brownsea Lagoon. Both White-tailed Eagles were in the Wareham Channel all day and a Marsh Harrier was at Swineham.