Thats more like it! A near perfect October day with plenty going on compared to yesterday. The autumns first Brambling was at Shell Bay, Studland in the wet scrub near the board walk and 3 Ring Ouzel were up on Godlingston Heath. In Middlebere 2 Osprey were in dead trees at the back of the saltmarsh and there were Great White Egrets in Middlebere, the Wareham Channel and on the Brownsea Lagoon. The White-tailed Eagle pair were in the Wareham Channel this morning, with male G463 taking a disliking to a passing Grey Heron as he darted off to pursue it in a half-hearted attempt to catch it. The Grey Heron was too manoeuvrable and soon made a hasty escape! Bearded Tits were active off Swineham Point, with a small group of 7 lifting out of the reed bed, before then heading off high west. A Bittern was seen dropping into the end of Swineham GP this afternoon and was seen again this evening leaving the GP and heading over into the Piddle Valley. There were 2 different Ruff, one on the Lower Piddle floods and another on floods behind Curlews Cottage, Swineham. A flock of 7 Spotted Redshank were in the mouth of the Frome, before lifting off high north and there were 2 at Lytchett Fields and 2 on the Stilt Pools at Swineham. The Spoonbill flock was split between Shipstal, RSPB Arne and the Brownsea Lagoon. The PCW Drain at Holes Bay was jumping with birds, mostly Chiffchaff (c50) and Blackcap (c20). A few more dark-bellied Brent Geese have started to arrive with small groups of 10-20 now milling around the harbour entrance and in Studland and Brands Bay. This evening 2 Merlin were on Hartland Moor

Great White Egret (left) and Little Egrets – Brownsea Lagoon – Nicki Tutton