Despite the wind and the early morning rain, it turned out alright today, with more good birds passing through. There was news of 2 Common Crane that had been seen arriving in to the Lower Frome Valley this morning from the west, before moving off east towards Arne. Unfortunately they were only seen by the lucky observers, so presumed to have passed on through the harbour. More settled were the Cattle Egret with 20 still in fields around Holmebridge. Hirundines are starting to trickle through now with smaller pules of Swallow now arriving and small gatherings of Sand Martin now a daily occurrence, calling above different sections of the Frome and Piddle Valley. White-tailed Eagles were seen over Corfe Castle, in the Wareham Channel and in Middlebere and there was an intruding Osprey that kept visiting our nest site which we assume is female 1H1 still, but being late March we could now start seeing other ‘interested’ individuals also give our pair hassle. Yesterday, Peter Hadrill logged the springs first Hobby, which drifted over the ridge of Slepe Heath, highlighting another incredibly early spring record. There are still a few Redwing clinging on with c10 at Carey Secret Garden this morning. There was no sign of yesterdays 2 Garganey reported at Lytchett Fields, but the Spotted Redshank was still there, and there are now up to c40 Sandwich Tern back in the harbour. A Willow Warbler was singing in SE Creekmoor. There have been good numbers of Red Kite passing through already with passage normally occurring from February through to May, with individuals logged over the Piddle Valley, Swineham and Slepe Heath today.

Red Kite – Slepe Heath