A stunning day today which had a nice mix of winter and spring birds. 5 Black-necked Grebe in the Wareham Channel, just off gull islands was the biggest surprise, none of us from BoPH recalling seeing them this far into the harbour before, suggesting these could have been freshly arrived migrants? At Swineham there were 3 singing Sedge Warbler and 2 Reed Warbler with c15 Cetti’s Warbler and 5 Wheatear in various fields around Swineham with a female type Marsh Harrier over the point. Sandwich Terns were noted around most of the harbour with a nice gathering on the lagoon too. Peregrines were seen over the Wareham Channel and Rempstone. There were still 6 Red-breasted Merganser in central harbour and a handful of Brent Geese. Swallows went through in a light trickle. On the lagoon there were 5 Spotted Redshank (3 in full sum plum), 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Ringed Plover, several sum plum Dunlin, as well as, Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank Avocet and c10 Med Gulls. An Osprey was also over the Wareham Channel getting mobbed by gulls. Wigeon, Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal and Tufted Duck made up the duck attendance and a Lesser Redpoll flew over Holton Lee. In Lytchett Bay 2 Whimbrel were out on the mud along with c30 Black-tailed Godwit. At South Haven, Studland a Cuckoo was in the Boardwalk area. In Holes Bay there were 2 Whimbrel too. 

Black-necked Grebe’s – Wareham Channel

Common Buzzard – Holton Lee