Stunning conditions for this morning’s Autumn Safari Cruise delivered two Osprey, including a Scottish-ringed adult male (thought to be two-year-old 511 who has been hanging around in recent weeks) which flew right past the boat with a flatfish, having been briefly chased by a Marsh Harrier. Also present in the area were several passage Skylark moving overhead, 4 Kingfisher in the mouth of the Frome, 3 Grey Plover crossing the channel, a distant Merlin perched on the Keysworth shore, and both White-tailed Eagles on the gull islands, who watched nonchalantly on as two paddle-boarders cruised right past. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 70 Spoonbill, 40 Avocet, 1 Spotted Redshank, and 2 more Kingfisher, and as we returned to Poole Quay 8 Ringed Plover were sat on the marina wall. Highlights from elsewhere were 19 Greenshank on Sherford Pools in Lytchett Bay, and in Brands Bay there were 191 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Knot and 1 Brent Goose.

Scottish-ringed adult male Osprey in Wareham Channel from Autumn Safari Cruise – Alison Copland

Kingfisher on the Brownsea Lagoon wall –  Alison Copland

A real feel of migration again today with hundreds if not thousands more swallows and martins passing through the harbour. Certainly the number of Spoonbill keep building with a total of 81 seen on the Brownsea Lagoon today. Osprey are still around as well with one unringed adult being seen in Brands Bay along with 5 Pintail, 6 Ringed Plover, 7 Grey Plover, 13 Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Red Knot and 5 Mediterranean Gull. In Lytchett Bay the 6 Curlew Sandpiper were still present mixed amongst 136 Dunlin and 1 Red Knot. At Lytchett there were also 1 Spotted Redshank, 21 Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Bearded Tits, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Peregrine. Holes Bay is similarly seeing very good numbers of wetland species with numbers of winter ducks building up nicely to 250+ Eurasian Teal and 300+ Eurasian Wigeon and double figures of Pintail and Shoveler. Also present in Holes Bay were singles of Spotted Redshank and Greenshank. Finally the Forster’s Tern was still visible from the Arne shoreline.

Chiffchaff – RSPB Arne – @brucetownsend on Twitter

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