So, so hot still! It seems the Osprey’s might think they’re already in Africa as they seem quite happy staying put, despite perfect migrating conditions. There were a minimum of 4 today spread between Lytchett Bay, the Wareham Channel and Middlebere. A White-tailed Eagle was over Coombe Heath and was later seen in the Wareham Channel and this morning 4 Great White Egret flew over Coombe Heath. This morning a Cattle Egret was at Lytchett Fields and this evening 7 flew down the Frome Valley. In Middlebere there was 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 5 Spotted Redshank, 13 Knot and 1 Ringed Plover. There was also a Curlew Sandpiper on the Brownsea Lagoon.

Swallows gathering on hedgerows in Middlebere

This mornings intense heat gave way to some welcome cloud cover by mid-afternoon, but the dawn did deliver more migrants. There was a good mix of birds around the fringes of Sunnyside which included 2 Redstart, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Common Whitethroat, 10+ Stonechat, 5+ Chiffchaff, 5+ Blackcap and 10+ Meadow Pipit. There are still a minimum of 4 Osprey in the harbour, but could be up to 6 with records coming from Lytchett Bay (4), Brands Bay (1), Middlebere (3) and the Wareham Channel (2). Wildfowl numbers in Holes Bay continue to grow with 58 Wigeon, 9 Shovelers, 5 Pintail and 4 Gadwall in the northern bays. On the rising tide this evening Middlebere saw 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 5 Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank, 11 Knot, 4 Dunlin, 187 Black tailed Godwits and 53 Redshank.

Sand Lizard – Coombe Heath, RSPB Arne – Alison Copland

On the same day where we’re sweltering in 30 degrees of heat, the first Pink-footed Geese of the autumn/winter arrived in Scotland, which was a stark reminder that we’re likley on borrowed time and that colder days really aren’t too far away. But….until then, we’ll continue to enjoy this Indian Summer and the birds that this warmth brings. Ospreys were once again still here in good force, with 2 in Lytchett Bay and 2-3 in the Wareham Channel with male Osprey 022 seen near the nest site briefly. On the Brownsea Lagoon an extra 10 Spoonbill arrived, bringing the total to 54 now. This is a decent early September total. Surely we can hit 100 this year? Also on the Brownsea Lagoon were 81 Ringed Plover, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Knot, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 101 Redshank, 7 Greenshank, 129 Dunlin and 6 Sanderling. At Lytchett Fields a Whinchat was in the Approach Fields with 1 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 Whitethroat. At Holes Bay wildfowl numbers are building steadily with 49 Teal, 36 Wigeon, 2 Pintail, 9 Shoveler, and 2 Gadwall. A ringing session in the Piddle Valley actually returned a reasonable number of birds including 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Cetti’s Warbler, 3 Stonechat and 4 Reed Bunting. There was another big passage of Swallow today too with many, many hundreds (likely thousands) passing over, often incredibly high, with a decent gathering at Ballard. Along the Holes Bay cycle path there were 2 Wheatear.

Migrant adult female Osprey – Lytchett Bay – Alison Copland

Despite the weather conditions being good for migration today, there was still plenty of Osprey activity, with 2-3 seen this morning over Lytchett Bay and the Wareham Channel. Also seen from Hyde’s Heath at RSPB Arne were 2 Hobby and 1 Peregrine and 1 White-tailed Eagle. On the low tide in Holes Bay this morning were 225 Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Curlew, 30 Redshank, 4 Oystercatcher and 1 Knot. In addition to the Osprey, Lytchett Bay produced a count of 1 Whimbrel, 50 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Curlew, 100 Redshank and 2 Dunlin. On Lytchett Fields were also 200 Teal, 8 Greenshank, 6 Redshank, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Dunlin and 1 Lapwing.

Wow, summer (re)-landed today with a sweltering heat rippling across the harbour. As a result it seemed there was a big clear out of some birds, including some Osprey by mid-afternoon. Our final two Osprey Cruises of the season yielded good Osprey numbers this AM with 5-6 dotted around the Wareham Channel, Lytchett Bay and Middlebere area, including what seemed like a new arrival coming down the Frome Valley. This afternoon the White-tailed Eagle pair arrived in from high west, before then settling on the edge of the Wareham Channel, but we only connected 3 Osprey distantly over RSPB Arne and Lytchett Bay. It’s worth saying at this point that by the end of todays cruise we’ve taken out over 1900 people on boat trips over the last 2 weeks to see Ospreys, many of which have traveled from outside Dorset specifically to come on to the boat trips. For everyone thats booked on and joined us over the last few weeks, thank you so much. It’s been an honour and thrill to share so many exciting moments with you all, and we hope this events have expanded the opportunity to put Dorset on the map as an eco-tourism hotspot to visit in the future. Other species seen today included a single Ruff, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 3 Wigeon, 5 Shoveler and c100 Black-tailed Godwit on the ‘Stilt Pools’ at Swineham plus 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Hobby and a Peregrine in the Wareham Channel. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 44 Spoonbill, 21 Knot, 7 Sanderling, 28 Avocet, 4 Curlew Sandpiper, c30 Ringed Plover, c100 Dunlin, 8 Bar-tailed Godwit, c400 Oystercatcher and 11 Turnstone. At Holes Bay an Osprey flew over with a large fish, but most noteworthy were the first 9 Wigeon and 1st Pintail of the autumn arriving in along with 430 Black-tailed Godwit, 170 Redshank and 2 Dunlin. Up on Hartland Yellow Wagtail flocks are moving between various cattle herds and along the Middlebere track 2 Redstart and a Whinchat were logged. The Forster’s Tern was seen at both Shipstal Beach, RSPB Arne and briefly on the Brownsea Lagoon.

Yellow Wagtail – Hartland – Peter Moore

The harbour returned to form again today after yesterdays soggy interruption. Despite a few minor short showers there were decent birds to be had across the area today, which amazingly consisted of the reappearance of female Osprey CJ7 who hasn’t been seen in the harbour since the afternoon of August 28th. We thought she’d left when the chicks left at roughly the same time, but perhaps she wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to Poole Harbour yet and ventured back? Another amazing moment was this afternoon when boarding our guests for the 2pm Osprey Cruise, when the local gulls started alarm calling and low and behold an Osprey flew in over the boat, high from the NE, over the quay and headed towards the Wareham Channel. This was an obvious new arrival but we’re not sure if it stopped or just carried on starlight through? In the Wareham Channel there were 4-5 Osprey present again, moving between Lytchett Bay and Middlebere and numerous Hobby were active over RSPB Arne, Swineham and Keysworth. Other highlights from the day included excellent displays from the White-tailed Eagle pair which were sat out on Gold Point, RSPB Arne (opposite Hamworthy Park), before taking off and drifting off towards Middlebere before then taking to the air mid afternoon and displaying/interacting over the Wareham Channel. There was a Cattle Egret in the Wareham Channel this afternnon, 4 Yellow Wagtail with cattle at Swineham and the scrapes held 150+ Black-tailed Godwit. The Brownsea Lagoon hosted the Forster’s Tern today due to this mornings incredibly high tide which covered it’s favoured spot at Shipstal. Also on Brownsea were 40 Spoonbill, 4 Curlew Sandpiper, 4 Knot, 1 Grey Plover, c40 Ringed Plover, c100 Dunlin, 6 Bar-tailed Godwit, 10 Avocet, dark-bellied Brent Goose and 1 Wheatear. At Lytchett Fields 2 Spotted Redshank, 12 Greenshank, 1 Whimbrel and 8 Common Sandpiper were on the fields and in Brands Bay 6 Grey Plover, 8 Bar-tailed Godwit and 1 Greenshank.

White-tailed Eagle pair G466 (left) & G463 (right) on Gold Point, RSPB Arne from Osprey Cruise this AM – Twitter – @twamers

A bit of a damp squib to end the month, but what a month it’s been with loads of great birds and plenty of variety. Despite the rain for the most part, the latter part of the day saw some birding take place with Osprey sightings in Lytchett Bay (2), Holes Bay (1), the Wareham Channel (2), 2 caught fish in Brands Bay and there were 2 near the nest site, one of which was male 022 who was home improvements. In Brands Bay 2 Ruff appeared and a White-tailed Eagle was in Lytchett Bay. There were 2 Curlew Sandpiper on the Brownsea Lagoon a Spotted Redshank on Lytchett Fields, the Forster’s Tern was on Shipstal Beach, RSPB Arne, 31 Spoonbill were on Brownsea with 12 Knot and 40+ Ringed Plover and there were 2 Knot in Holes Bay north and a juvenile Peregrine was on the Asda flats.

Each year, on a select few days, the stars seem to align (or could it be tonights Super Moon)? when everything comes together and the birding around Poole Harbour seems a world a way from years gone by. Today was one of those days when the birding felt celebratory. Perhaps it was? As we now believe all of our Osprey youngsters have now departed on their migration with 5H3 leaving yesterday by the looks of it. Male Osprey 022 is still around and was on the nest by him self this afternoon. He may not go for another week or so yet, but it felt like we were being rewarded for such a successful season with a mouth watering array of birds from our two Osprey cruises today. A real highlight was the White-tailed Eagles actively hunting fish in the Wareham Channel, a behaviour we’ve not witnessed before, as they patrolled the Arne shoreline, often stopping to hover, before then dropping down into the water. The most active was female G466, and although she didn’t catch anything, it shows they’re looking to exploit the rich bounty of Grey Mullet in the Wareham Channel. All the while, male G463 was circling above her watching her every move and half heartedly gave it a go himself. Although Osprey sightings were a bit limited this afternoon, there were 5+ active around the Wareham Channel this morning with 3-4 hunting along the Holton shoreline and 2+ off Giggers Island. High over RSPB Arne a Goshawk was circling (distantly) and 2-3 Hobby were hunting over Arne Hill. There were also some great interactions with a Peregrine mobbing an Osprey, only for an Osprey to then start mobbing a White-tailed Eagle! Off Swineham Point, an adult female Marsh Harrier flew towards Arne Moors and with Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel also logged, we managed a clean sweep of raptors. Another sign of the times was the fact we logged 2 Great White Egret in the Wareham Channel, including the summer plumaged individual, with another orange-billed individual flying towards Lytchett Bay, and on the ‘Stilt Pools’ at Swineham there were 2 Cattle Egret where there was also 1 Wood Sandpiper and 4 Yellow Wagtail. A quick whizz around to Shipstal Point allowed us to find the Forster’s Tern on this mornings boat, then this afternoon 2 Little Tern were seen on the Brownsea Lagoon along with 34 Spoonbill, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 dark-bellied Brent Goose and 3 Greenshank. Another Curlew Sandpiper was in the Wareham Channel on the low tide. Scarce gulls included an adult Little Gull in the Wareham Channel, an adult Yellow-legged Gull at Swineham and a few lingering Mediterranean Gulls in central harbour. A group of 14 Turnstone were back on a jetty off Hamworthy Beach and a few Kingfisher were logged bombing along various shorelines. When you ‘add in’ all the general sightings of things like Sandwich and Common Terns flying around the harbour, passing hirundines, 300+ feeding Black-tailed Godwit, rafts of feeding Cormorants etc, it makes for a pretty wholesome days birding.

Separate sightings away from our cruises included a decent tally of birds from Brownsea during the high tide this AM, including c10 Teal, 8 Gadwall, 4 Avocet, 60+ Ringed Plover, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 31 Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Bar-tailed Godwit, 127 Redshank, 13 Greenshank, 127 Dunlin, 15 Knot and 16 Turnstone. At Shell Bay, Studland the 2 Eider were still off shore and on the beach there were 9 Ringed Plover and 8 Sanderling. In Brands Bay this evening there were 3 Curlew Sandpiper, which are assumed to be the same as the Brownsea 3 along with 11 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Whimbrel and 9 Grey Plover. Around the tracks of Middlebere and Hartland there were 2 Wheatear, 4 Spotted Flycatcher and 6 Redstart and the PCW Drain in Poole produced the goods with plenty of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff, 1 Redstart, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler and 1 Spotted Flycatcher. Up on Ballard there were a further 3 Spotted Flycatcher and at Lytchett Fields/Bay there were separate Osprey sightings of 3+ individuals, 1 Spotted Redshank, 10 Greenshank, 3 Common Sandpiper and 2 Green Sandpiper. 

White-tailed Eagle and fishing boat from Osprey cruise this AM – Wareham Channel – Jeremy McClements

White-tailed Eagle and Great White Egret from Osprey cruise this AM – Wareham Channel – Jeremy McClements

Forster’s Tern (below) from Osprey cruise this AM – Shipstal Point, RSPB Arne – Jeremy McClements