Rain in mid-May with a southerly airflow is always likely to ‘down’ a few birds and this afternoon a flock of summer plumaged Sanderling were located on Pilots Point, with a decent mix of Ringed Plover and Dunlin thrown in for good measure. Upon closer inspection this evening by Aidan Brown, the mixed flock of c100 birds was also found to contain a Red-necked Phalarope. A great Poole Harbour record. A sea watch from Branksome Chine produced 1 Arctic Skua, 2 Manx Shearwater, 9 Whimbrel and 3 diver sp, as well as an ‘asio’ owl species that headed from the Isle of Wight towards Studland but wasn’t identified. However, this evening a Short-eared Owl was seen in the dunes at Shell Bay, so was almost certainly this mornings mystery bird. A new Osprey was seen, this time over Morden Bog and was assumed to be a male due to the fact it had an identical underwing pattern to our male 022. He at the time was on the nest cam with CJ7, so we know it wasn’t him. From our Spring Safari Cruise this morning we managed to make the best of it before the rain set in with a decent number of Swift now back at Hamworthy along with c20 over Swineham GP. We also had multiple sightings of the local Marsh Harrier pairs, plenty of Common and Sandwich Tern, a distant Osprey caught a fish, and a flock of c30 summer plumaged Dunlin, 6 Black-tailed Godwit and 7 Curlew were in the Wareham Channel. At Middlebere there were 3 sum plum Cattle Egret on the mud with 4 Spoonbill also there and the first 2 Spotted Flycatcher of the year. There were also 5 sum plum Cattle Egret in the Lower Frome Valley.

Red-necked Phalarope – Pilots Point, Studland – Aidan Brown

Spotted Flycatcher – Middlebere – PennHillMan

Cattle Egrets – Middlebere – PennHillMan

Two new species for the year appeared today in the form of 2 Little Tern in lytchett Bay this morning and then 2 Roseate Tern on the Brownsea Lagoon this evening. In Brands Bay there were 3 late Brent Geese with 3 Whimbrel and more Red Kite were over the area with individuals over the Piddle Valley, Upton Heath and Slepe Heath. There were 4 migrant Knot including a summer plumaged individual on the Brownsea Lagoon and a summer plumaged Grey Plover.

Knot and Dunlin – Brownsea Lagoon – Clive Hargrave

With some cloud coming over by late afternoon there seemed to be a pulse of Swifts moving over the harbour, with several groups of 3-4 birds and then a flock of 10+ over Hartland. There were 4 Red Kite over Slepe Heath/Hartland and a Lesser Whitethroat in mid-Frome Valley next to the Bog Lane entrance by the Wareham bypass. A Nightjar was flushed from the ground next to Scotland Farm and there were limited numbers of waders at Lytchett Bay with 7 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plover, 5 Curlew and 4 Whimbrel. At Swineham this evening a Hobby was hunting over the gravel pit briefly and 2 Common Sandpiper were flying around, 2 Marsh Harrier were off Swineham Point as were 5 Bearded Tit.

Male Peregrine – Barclays House – Martin Adams

Today’s Spring Safari Cruise explored the harbour at low tide, creeping up the Wareham Channel until we ended up sat on the mud(!), enjoying 2 migrant Ospreys interact with the harbour as we reversed back into deeper waters. The first bird quickly caught a fish beyond the Gull Islands and surveyed the Arne peninsula in search of a suitable snag on which to feed. While being harassed by various Herring Gulls, a second bird soon appeared and began hovering over Rockley Channel before swiftly giving up and went in pursuit of the other Osprey. This new arrival of Ospreys into the UK is typical of immature, 3rd-calendar year birds returning en route to their natal sites, prospecting suitable nest sites/potential mates ahead of future breeding seasons. A Marsh Harrier then went on to flush the breeding gull colony off the Holton shoreline, creating an impressive spectacle as several thousand Black-headed Gulls took to the skies to mob the approaching raptor. The tour continued around the back of the islands and connected with c.10 Whimbrel scattered across the mudflats, with similar numbers of Bar-tailed Godwit on varying stages of their pre-breeding moult also occupying the southern shorelines. A couple of passes of Brownsea Lagoon to finish offered exceptional views of Common Tern, along with 3 late Turnstone, Wheatear and Sandwich Tern which were evident and vocal throughout the trip. As we returned to Poole Quay, a Mediterranean Gull flew low over the boat for all to enjoy. As the day progressed, 3 Red Kite skirted the Poole Harbour recording area airspace, picked up travelling SW from Lytchett Matravers.

Red Kite – Lytchett Matravers – Alison Copland

Red

With Night Heron having been logged in the harbour in two consecutive years (2020 and 2021) on almost exactly the same date in early May, we’ve placed several recorders out in areas with suitable habitat to see if we can find/log any Night Heron calls during the last couple of weeks. Yesterday we collected in the memory card from a recorder placed at Swineham and began analysing some files. We haven’t found Night Heron yet but have had several nice finds and have provided some examples below. firstly a Wood Sandpiper over the gravel pit on May 1st at around 9:30pm, also a pair of Common Sandpiper passing right over the microphone. Also logged so far has been a few Whimbrel, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Greenshank, Barn Owl, Tawny Owl, displaying Common Redshank and distant displaying Lapwing, a few Water Rail calls and a really annoying Sedge Warbler that decided to set up a territory right next to the mic, and sing all through the night! That said, we’ve purposely set the recorders to record the dawn chorus at each site too, and we’ve included a lovely five minute segment from early morning on May 2nd which comprises of mainly Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Cuckoo.

Talking of Reed Warbler, Holes Bay logged no less than 16 around the edges of the bay today. From the mouth of the Frome White-tailed Eagle G801 was seen flying around Keysworth, there were also 3 Marsh Harrier logged, and 1 Hobby over and 4 Cattle Egret were in the Frome Valley again. Below is a photo taken from one of our Spring Safari’s a few weeks ago, showing the plumage detail that the Cattle Egret are currently, which is just stunning.

Cattle Egret – Lower Frome Valley – Steve Laycock

Another beauty of a day, but some drizzle on it’s way tomorrow, possibly downing a few newly arrived migrants? We still haven’t logged our first Spotted Flycatchers yet, so well worth keeping an eye out on those fence lines and tree edges. Our early morning Morden Bog ID course was busy with birds, and even managed to find displaying/singing Common Snipe out on the bog. Also logged were 2 Cuckoo, plenty of singing Dartford Warbler, 4 Crossbill, 2 Yellowhammer, lots of singing Meadow Pipit, pass over Red Kite, Wheatear and Stonechats. On Brownsea today 3 Barnacle Geese plus a decent increase in tern numbers with 237 Sandwich Tern (2 eggs seen) plus 153 Common Tern and a possible Roseate Tern was reported. There were also 110 Black-tailed Godwit, 35 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Dunlin, 3 Knot, 1 Common Sandpiper & 4 Avocet. Yesterday evening there were 3 Cuckoo calling up on Middlebere/Slepe Heath and another Nightjar was heard near the entrance track of Middlebere. This afternoon there were 2 Swift over Corfe and at Swineham 1 Marsh Harrier, 8 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Cuckoo, 11 Great Crested Grebe and c20 Swallow. 

Barnacle Geese – Brownsea Lagoon – Martin Adams

It felt more like summer today than spring with glorious sunshine all day, although the distinct lack of hirundines still seems quite concerning. Swallow and Sand Martin have been arriving and a few are being seen at various sites but House Martin still seem rarer than hens teeth currently and Swifts (although still early) have been incredibly sparse. At Swineham though there were 50+ Reed Warbler this morning, 20+ Cetti’s Warbler, 8 Sedge Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroat, 2 Cuckoo and 1 Hobby. In the Frome Valley there were 4 summer plumaged Cattle Egret at Holes Bay a late male Wigeon with 5 Reed Warbler around the fringes of Upton CP and 2 Whimbrel in the NE section.

Sedge Warbler – Frome Valley – Garry Hayman

Lovely conditions for the Spring Safari Cruise this morning, with a steady stream of Sandwich Tern activity around the boat through much of the trip. Cruising along the Wareham Channel, 6 Bar-tailed Godwit were present on the Arne shoreline, as well as 2 Whimbrel seen and an Osprey visible soaring high over the far-end channel. A White-tailed Eagle (likely G801) was distantly visible through the heat haze moving along the treeline at Keysworth, as well as 2 Marsh Harrier interacting over the reeds. Moving up the frome, the reedbed was active with sightings of Bearded Tit, Reed Bunting and the songs of Cetti’s, Reed and Sedge Warbler. The highlight of the trip was a brilliant display from a Hobby directly over the boat as we lingered near the scrapes at Swineham. This evening at Swineham there were 3 Little Ringed Plover and at Lytchett Fields a single Garganey, 1 Swift, 3 Little Ringed Plover and 3 Whimbrel. There were dat roosting Nightjar found on Brownsea and in Wareham Forest. A sea watch out in Poole Bay produced a single Little Gull and an Arctic Tern with a flock of c40 Common Tern and c80 Herring Gull. In Middlebere male Osprey 022 dropped in briefly and there were 3 Spoonbill, 1 Whimbrel and 1 Cuckoo. There was also a drake Garganey on the Brownsea Lagoon.

Nightjar – Brownsea DWT reserve – Nicki Tutton

Another muggy day, that certainly felt ‘rare’ but nothing Mediterranean turned up……yet! That said, 3 Great White Egret heading down the Piddle Valley at dawn certainly provided a taste of further south. That begs the question, with multiple Cattle Egret (17 last week), 3 Great White Egret still around and up to 7 Spoonbill still present, are these species breeding secretly somewhere in some tucked away corner of the harbour or in the river valleys or perhaps starting to claim territories? There were 5 Spoonbill in Middlebere today, all showing black tips to the primary wing feathers, highlighting they’re all 2nd cal year birds so unlikely to be breeding yet. There was a male Common Redstart on the end of Redhorn Quay and there were 2 Little Ringed Plover at Lytchett Fields. Whimbrel were numerous with individuals at Lytchett Bay, Brands Bay, Holes Bay and in Middlebere.

Spoonbill – Middlebere – Alison Copland

A gloomy day, but some interesting sightings none the less. There were 2 Brambling at South Haven, Studland which is a great early May record. Whilst at Greenlands Farm there were 4 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat and a Cuckoo. At Swineham this evening a fascinating vigil produced no less than 53 species whilst just standing in one spot, including passage Greenshank, Whimbrel and Common Sandpiper leaving the harbour in the dark, heading up the river valleys, also 4 Spoonbill again heading north just after dark, suggesting they roost somewhere perhaps in the Piddle Valley. Also c300 Sand Martin and and c150 Swallow feeding before going into roost. 1 Barn Owl, 2 Tawny Owl, 4 Bearded Tit, 2 Sedge Warbler, 5 Reed Warbler, 1 Cuckoo and 2 Marsh Harrier all complemented the list nicely. The first Nightjar of the spring/summer was churring from one of the heaths in between the Hartland and Rempstone. On the Brownsea Lagoon there was a newly arrived flock of c30 Dunlin and a single Spoonbill was still there and an Osprey was fishing in Lytchett Bay briefly at a Cuckoo was at Lytchett Fields.

Cuckoo – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam