Apologies for the delay in getting today’s sightings online. Exciting news from the Osprey nest this afternoon with CJ7 laying her 4th egg of the season at 13:23. This will be her final egg in the clutch – only around 1% of UK Osprey nests usually have four eggs, with three being the standard clutch size, so we’re fortunate to have four for a second year running. We expect the eggs to hatch from the 20th May onwards, usually staggered over several days as with the laying.

Plenty of Osprey activity elsewhere, with a ringed individual reported over the Wareham Channel this afternoon (most likely 022).  2 Osprey were reported in Lytchett Bay, along with 1 White-tailed Eagle, 1 Peregrine, 1 Marsh Harrier, 12 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank and 3 Whimbrel. 1 Osprey and 2 White-tailed Eagle were over Lytchett Fields, with 3 Whimbrel, 5 Ringed Plover, 1 Curlew, 50 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Redshank, 1 Spotted Redshank and 12 Greenshank. Over at RSPB Arne, 1 White-tailed Eagle, 2 Whimbrel and 2 Spoonbill were seen, with the Forster’s Tern at Shipstal Point. There was a singing Grasshopper Warbler reported at South Haven at Studland this morning. 4 Whimbrel were present in Holes Bay.

CJ7 with the clutch of four eggs

A better bank holiday Monday than anticipated with the early rain and cloud cover bringing with it a number of Whinchat dropping in to south Dorset. There was 1 at Stoborough Heath as well as outside the harbour boundary, with individuals at St Aldhelms and Durlston Head. 1 Cuckoo was also at Stoborough Heath along with 1 male Wheatear. 1 Hobby was hunting over Hartland Moor. At Lytchett Fields passing Greenshank numbers were up to 9 along with 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Ringed Plover in amongst c20 Dunlin. This evening the first Common Swift of the year was over Wareham Common and 32 Cattle Egret flew over there at dawn.

The first 2-year old Osprey of the season appeared on the Careys Nest today, sadly not one of ours, but in fact yet another Rutland female from the 2023 Manton Bay nest ‘3H3’ !!

There was another Common Crane movement/arrival with a group of 3 heading down the Piddle Valley this afternoon followed by another single individual which all headed SE towards Swineham. Whether they landed or not is anyones guess but they were definitely heading south with purpose. There was a late Fieldfare at Greenlands Farm yesterday afternoon and Whimbrel are now being logged in pretty much every low tide area, but still in small numbers of just twos and threes currently. Other passage migrants were a bit thin on the ground but a single Common Sandpiper was in Lytchett Bay, 1 Spotted Redshank was in the Wareham Channel and c25 Bar-tailed Godwits passed out in Poole Bay past Branksome Chine.

Whimbrel – Middlebere – Mark Wright

A much better day than originally forecast with rain coming in first thing but bright sunshine by the afternoon. Never be put off by the forecast though as we had no rain(!) for our Spring Safari Cruise and some great species like 1 Little Tern that appeared briefly in the Wareham Channel, heading towards central harbour. Also 2 stunning summer plumage Spotted Redshank were in the mouth of the River Frome along with still c400 Black-tailed Godwit in the Wareham Channel. There was 1 2nd calendar year Spoonbill which flew through the Wareham Channel, eventually ending up on the Brownsea Lagoon with another 3 in Middlebere all day. Up to 7 Little Ringed Plover were  across both river valleys at Swineham along with 2 Whimbrel. 1 Red Kite flew from Hamworthy towards RSPB Arne and you can see our full species list from the trip here. There were also 5 Whimbrel in Lytchett Bay from Lytchett Bay View and a Wheatear and Sedge Warbler at Lytchett Fields.

In other exciting news, CJ7 laid her 3rd egg at the Careys Secret Garden Nest at 14:32. Will we have a 4th egg this season? We’ll have to wait until Tuesday to find out when the next egg would be due!

CJ7 with 3 Eggs this afternoon

What another superb day across the harbour with a taste of spring in multiple forms, despite the building wind. Our Spring Safari delivered this morning with fantastic views of female White-tailed Eagle G486 in the Wareham Channel. The Pink-footed Goose was also off Swineham Point and 2 Marsh Harrier were floating about in that area and 4 Reed Warbler were singing. On the Brownsea Lagoon c20 Avocet were present including 2 that were seen copulating, plus 2 Northern Wheatear were on the sea wall, plus later on in the day the Forster’s Tern was also on the ‘Boomerang’ on the lagoon. There were good numbers of Sand Martin and Swallow over Swineham GP and one of the Asda Peregrines was on show this morning. There was an amazing total of 51 Cattle Egret (many coming into summer plumage) on Wareham Common this morning and this afternoon and a Great White Egret flew over the Carey Osprey nest. This afternoon there were single of Whinchat and Wheatear at Greenlands Farm with a Ring Ouzel there this morning and in Brands Bay this evening wandering White-tailed Eagle G818 arrived from the east and the seasons first Whimbrel was in Brands Bay. An un-ringed Osprey was fishing in Lytchett Bay this morning where there was also a Spotted Redshank, then this afternoon 2 Osprey were calling to one another over Hartand Moor (likely 022 and a wandering newcomer) and this evening 022 was hunting in the Wareham Channel.

Adult White-tailed Eagle G486 – Wareham Channel from Spring Safari this AM – Mark Wright

Male Northern Wheatear – Brownsea Lagoon sea wall from Spring Safari this AM – Mark Wright

Pink-footed Goose – Wareham Channel from Spring Safari this AM – Mark Wright

With overcast sky’s and a chilly SW breeze, there was limited coverage across the area today, but still top quality birds with the adult Forster’s Tern utilising the Brownsea Lagoon, the Pink-footed Goose was off Swineham Point and there were Ospreys at Lytchett Bay and Morden Bog. There was a single Spotted Redshank at Lytchett Fields, a Sedge Warbler was singing in the PCW Drain, behind KFC and a Ring Ouzel was on Greenlands Farm. We also had our first ‘laying celebration’ last night when at 19:49 female Osprey CJ7 laid her first egg of the season, which hope hope will be the first of another clutch of four. All being well a second and third will be laid this week, then we’ll just have to wait and see if the Easter weekend delivers a special fourth easter egg.

Female Osprey CJ7 lays 1st egg of the season last night