Apparently it’s going to get cold, cold, cold next week, so with today being another blissfully rich spring day, full of birds who knows what next week will have in store for us? Again, today was great for spring migrants, coming in from a whole range of areas. Highlight of the day must go to the Wood Warbler which turned up in a very urban area of Poole north where it happily sang and fed in a line of Oak Trees for 20 minuets before disappearing off. Up on Old Harry totals included 1 Redstart, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Common Whitethroat, 5 Wheatear, 7 Willow Warbler, 2 Swallow, 6+ Yellowhammer, 3 Fulmar, 2 Gannet and 7 Guillemot/Razorbill. At Challow Hill several Common Whitethroat are back on territory along with 4+ Blackcap. There were more Cuckoo at Arne (2), Sunnyside (1) and Swineham (1). Over Swineham a herd of 27 Mute Swan flew low east which included the Lodmoor Swan Goose! Between Wareham and Swineham another great count of warblers was made with 34 Reed Warbler, 17 Cetti’s Warbler, 7 Sedge Warbler, 6 Blackcap and 6 Chiffchaff all noted along with 4 Wheatear and 4 Whimbrel out on the grazed floods behind ‘Curlews’ cottage. Up On Hartland a few Wheatear were dotted about with a few more on Hartland Stud. On Arne Moors there was a single Little Ringed Plover. At Arne 2 Yellow Wagtail were in the farm fields. At Lytchett Fields there were 3 Ruff today with 3 Whimbrel, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, 6 Reed Warbler all present and a drake Red-breasted Merganser was in the bay. At South Haven, Studland there were 7 Wheatear, 2 Swift, 35 House Martin and 1 Sand Martin with 2 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank and 6 Whimbrel in Brands Bay. 

Wheatear – Hartland Moor – Paul Morton

Reed Bunting – Swineham – Paul Morton