Yesterdays Garganey wasn’t seen during the day but gave its self away by calling at dusk somewhere around the Swineham GP area. The Red-necked Grebe was still present and c200 Sand Martin came into feed. Also in the Wareham Channel area 1 female Marsh Harrier, 1 Osprey and 1 Peregrine. In Poole Park there were still c150 Black-tailed Godwit present with 10+ Redshank and at Baiter a Peregrine went over north and a lone Sand Martin dashed over the quay. At Lytchett Fields 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Ruff and 240 Black-tailed Godwit were on the fields and at Greenland’s Farm 5 Wheatear, 1 White Wagtail and 2 Willow Warbler were logged.

There was a nice pair of species together on Swineham GP when the Red-necked Grebe was joined by a drake Garganey for most of the day. Not a pair of birds you’d expect to see bobbing about next to one another! There was also a nice mini fall of Little Ringed Plover with 4-5 present at Lytchett Fields along with 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Ruff and 1 Spotted Redshank with 2 Spoonbill also out in the bay. There were still 6 Cattle Egret in fields at Bog Lane which is a good early spring sign that they might just hang on into the breeding season. At Swineham there were 2 Swallow with 20 Sand Martin and 3 Swallow went through Middlebere. Along the PC World Drain 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap and 4 Chiffchaff were singing.

Little Ringed Plover – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

We apologise for the late posts, but have been down in Majorca enjoying a bit of spring birding. Now we’re fully refreshed and primed for the Med arrival of Black-winged Stilts, Kentish Plovers and Woodchat Shrikes into the harbour…if only. Still, it was nice to see the Red-necked Grebe still on Swineham GP with a handful of Sand Martin and 3 Swallow there too. Up on Slepe Heath a late-ish pair of Merlin zipped by the top of the ridge and an Osprey was seen over the Wareham Channel later in the day. At Lytchett Fields a Little Ringed Plover was calling at dawn in the fog, but was later found on the fields.