What another perfect day, which started off with a perfect new set of experiences for us from our Up with the Lark cruise this AM. With the cruise focusing more on bird song and bird sound today, the flat calm conditions and still weather allowed for sound travel perfectly across the water which peaked when the White-tailed Eagle pair flew across the Wareham Channel and landed in a tree close to the boat and started duet calling with one another. Despite many, many sightings over the years, we’ve never actually heard them calling to one another, so it was a blissful experience to be in the presence of this sound, with a boat full of equally thrilled guests. The cruise then continued and logged an Osprey, which looked to be the un-ringed male from recent days, whilst the reed beds were busy with Reed and Cetti’s Warbler. A few Grey Plover were on the RSPB Arne shorelines and there were 2 Ringed Plover in the mouth of the Frome. A Little Gull was on the Brownsea Lagoon, there were 3 Whimbrel, 1 Ringed Plover and a Red Kite over Lytchett Fields. On the Lower Piddle Floods this evening the Little Gull was around again and a good haul of waders were logged with 3 sum plum Grey Plover, 10+ Ringed Plover, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit and 3 Knot. 

We apologise for yesterday’s sightings not appearing, but for some reason they didn’t upload?! Anyway, to catch up, there were 6 Ruff (including 2 breeding plum males) on the Lower Piddle Floods with the Bonaparte’s Gull still. Hobby, Red Kite, Osprey and a reported fly over Common Crane were all noted at Carey Secret Garden and the White-tailed Eagle pair were in the Wareham Channel at dawn.

Finally, we received some great news this evening that our 3-year old male Osprey, ‘374’ who arrived back on April 19th, but hadn’t been seen since, was photographed today at Fishlake Meadows in Romsey, Hampshire. This is brilliant as we were beginning to get worried about his whereabouts. As the Osprey fly’s, this is only about 30 miles from Poole Harbour, so there’s a good chance we may see him back again soon, hopefully adopting the nest platform he settled on last year.

Female White-tailed Eagle G466 from Up with the Lark Cruise this AM

Facebook post of 374’s appearance at Fishlake Meadows – Robin Pascal