It’s been a bit of windy day, and the sunshine this morning has quickly descended into a rainy afternoon. We managed to make the most of the sunshine on the safari boat this morning, which turned out to be a rewarding trip. The Brownsea Lagoon was busy, with 300+ Dunlin, 20 Ringed Plover, 300+ Avocet, 250+ Black-tailed Godwit, 35 Bar-tailed Godwit, 5 Greenshank, 6 Spoonbill and 12 Curlew. As we made our way around the south shore of Brownsea Island, we were treated to great views of a juvenile Red-throated Diver, with a second Red-throated Diver and a single Great Northern Diver also briefly seen in that area. At the top-end of the Wareham Channel, 4+ Marsh Harrier were seen, as well as a burst of excitement with 1 White Tailed Eagle over Hyde’s Heath. On Arne Moors, c.200 Lapwing were making the most of the standing water, with 2 Green Sandpiper on the Swineham fields with a whole host of species feeding on the floodplain including Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew and c30 Starling.

A count of Holes Bay this morning included 150+ Cormorants, 100+ Avocet, 42 Oystercatcher and 1 Common Sandpiper. At Lytchett Bay, 3 Marsh Harrier and a late Swallow were seen this afternoon, as well as the juv. Curlew Sandpiper still present at Lytchett Fields. Highlights from Middlebere today included 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Peregrine, 1 Sparrowhawk, c.120 Avocet, c.50 Dunlin and an adult Yellow-Legged Gull. On Shipstal Point there were 34 Spoonbill and 2 Marsh Harrier were in Lytchett Bay. Finally, it seemed three different Marsh Harrier roosts came togther this AM as a max of 27 were logged around the Wareham Channel at dawn!

Lytchett Bay – Luke Westacott