Stunningly calm conditions out on the harbour today for our Spring Safari Cruise. Arriving at the Brownsea Lagoon just as the mist began to lift we were met with a delightful cacophony of Sandwich Tern and Common Tern calls. As they came into view a  single Little Gull could be seen hidden in amongst them, along with 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, 7 Dunlin, 1 Knot, 3 Avocet, and 2 Greenshank. By the time we rounded the corner into the Wareham Channel the sky was completely clear and plenty of thermals had obviously already developed as 1 Red Kite, 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 2 Marsh Harrier and 3 White-tailed Eagle were all soaring on the wing. Heading up the River Frome, 2 Little Ringed Plover were on the Stilt Pools and 1 Bearded Tit emerged briefly from the reedbed. Also of note were the hundreds of Black-headed Gull kettling in columns over various patches of land throughout the trip, no doubt indicating today was a ‘flying ant day’ with a large emergence!

Elsewhere, this morning the first Nightjar of the season was heard singing at dawn at RSPB Arne. Here Cuckoo was also heard, in addition to Morden Bog, and Greenlands Farm at Studland, where there were also 4 Wheatear, singing Woodlark and 1 Whinchat. The Wood Sandpiper was still present at Swineham early on, alongside 1 Spoonbill. And in Lytchett Bay a Lesser Whitethroat was singing along Slough Lane and an Osprey was sat in a tree along the shore of Holton Lee.