Sorry for the lack of reports over the last few days but have been away. I was keeping tabs on various sighting and reports while I was away and it looked like a bad time not to be around. Some great birds combined with great weather certainly seemed to give everything the lift it needed…

Sunday 14^th April saw lots of nice birds dotted all over the place. Starting with an Osprey and Yellow Wagtail over Swineham Point, also there 2 Spoonbill, female Marsh Harrier, 2 Greenshank, 10 Grey Plover and a steady trickle of Swallow and Sand Martin and Barn Owl and ringtail Hen Harrier in the evening. On the Brownsea Lagoon a single Common Tern, 3 Whimbrel, 29 Sandwich Tern, 6 Turnstone, 1087 Black-tailed Godwit, 47 Avocet, and 1 Sanderling. A brief sea-watch off Branksome produced 2 Great Skua and a House Martin in off the sea. A Grasshopper Warbler was heard reeling on the west side of Holes Bay.

Monday 15^th April started off with a real cracker as a ringtail Montague’s Harrier drifted over French’s Farm, Lytchett Bay in the morning (only the 2^nd record for Lytchett Bay). The Osprey was seen again over Swineham Point and the female Marsh Harrier was over the reedbed at the point.

Tuesday 16^th April was a beauty of a day. Only a handful of reports in. One of a Red-throated Diver out on the water in Lytchett Bay, also the first Reed and Sedge Warblers there.