What another brilliantly beautiful day with lots on offer. There were two classic mid-September species in the harbour today, firstly with the Red-backed Shrike still present at Lytchett Fields for it’s 3rd day, then this afternoon a Wryneck was in the Godlingston Gap, on Godlingston Heath, Studland. A new White-tailed Eagle also arrived today in the shape of one of this years translocated individuals from the Isle of Wight project, this one named ‘G603’. It was hanging around in the SE of the harbour for a while before venturing off high heading off NE. There was a small but building passage of Meadow Pipit and Swallow total with 226 Meadow Pipit logged over Lytchett Fields by early afternoon, and Swallows pulsing through on a broad front all day. There were at least 3 different Osprey in the harbour today moving between Middlebere and the Wareham Channel. There were a few Northern Wheatear knocking about with 2 in Holes Bay, 4 on Hartland and 2 in Middlebere. Amazing the Grasshopper Warbler passage continues with another 6 ringed at the Carey Secret Garden ringing station this AM, bringing the autumn total so far to 241 ringed at that site!!

Northern Wheatear – Holes Bay – Rene Goad

Transiting juvenile White-tailed Eagle G603 – Brands Bay – Mark Wright

Red-backed Shrike – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

There was a great start to the day when Ian Ballam found a juv Red-backed Shrike at RSPB Lytchett Fields this AM. It hung around for most of the day but travelled around the site, often disappearing for long periods of time. In the Lower Piddle Valley, there was still 1 Wood Sandpiper, plus 2 Ruff. On Hartland Moor the autumns first Merlin was seen and a few Wheatear, Redstart and Whinchat were along the tracks, plus 5 Cattle Egret were still present and 8 Woodlark were feeding there. Holes Bay wildfowl numbers are building nicely with 117 Teal, 48 Wigeon 10 Shoveler and 1 Pintail. There’s still a good number od Osprey around with 3-4 still moving between Lytchett Bay, Wareham Channel and Middlebere, with 1 at Morden Bog too and another seen in Holes Bay south this AM. There was also another White-tailed Eagle, Osprey chase today with another Osprey having to give up it’s breakfast for the sake of peace and quiet! The Great White Egret was in fields at Sandford again and the 2 moulting Mandarin Duck were still in Poole Park.

Red-backed Shrike – RSPB Lytchett Fields – Peter Moore

Another picture perfect day across the harbour. A few new migrants were around including a Pied Flycatcher on Hartland Moor where there was also an incredible 34 Cattle Egret. On the Brownsea Lagoon c50 Spoonbill remained and there were 548 Teal which is a really decent September count for Brownsea. On the small Poole Park lake, next to the play area there were 2 Mandarin Duck and in the PCW Drain a decent total of c60 new migrant Chiffchaff were along the channel. A few Northern Wheatear were dotted around Middlebere and Hartland with a Whinchat at Greenlands Farm, 3 Osprey were over the Wareham Channel and one was in a dead tree at Morden Bog. A Ruff remained in the Lower Piddle Valley and a Great White Egret flew over Sandford. This evening a Tawny Owl was ringed at the Carey Secret Garden ringing station, a first for the site.

Tawny Owl – Carey Secret Garden Ringing Station – Matt Scraggs

It looks and feels as if an Indian summer may be on the horizon, with some beaut weather on the cards next week. Despite the early morning chill, today was a stunning mid-autumn day. There was a high of 11 Whinchat on Hartland Moor this afternoon and 7 Osprey were soaring together over the Wareham Channel mid-morning. Finally, the first decent arrival of Avocet this autumn occurred when 118 were on the Brownsea Lagoon. This is odd, as there are usually around 500+ by now. Its good to see the Spoonbill flock continue to grow with 52 now present. In Holes Bay there was also an Osprey and a Common Sandpiper. In the Lower Piddle Valley 2 Ruff were still present and 5 Knot were in the Middlebere Channel.

Sanderling – Studland – Mark Wright

We had a spectacularly rainy boat trip to finish off our series of Osprey Cruises today. Nevertheless, we had some excellent sightings, with White-tailed Eagle G466, 1 Marsh Harrier and 4+ Osprey active in the Wareham Channel. A further two Osprey were also seen at Shipstal Point at RSPB Arne later in the trip. 22 Spoonbill were seen in flight during the trip moving between the Wareham Channel and Shipstal Point. We also saw 4 Green Sandpiper over Arne Moors and 5 Common Sandpiper on the Arne shoreline. Birding elsewhere, 2 Wood Sandpiper were seen in the Lower Piddle Valley, along with 2 Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper and 4 Pintail. There was also 1 Osprey reported over Lytchett Bay. Along the Middlebere track it was decent for migrants and resident birds after the rain with, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 4 Woodlark, 1 Tree Pipit and 1 Hobby.