With settled weather now upon us, it was good to see some new arrivals today including a new colour-ringed Osprey, ring number 1H1 which settled on the Middlebere nest platform this afternoon. With a few quick phone calls we were able to trace this individual down as being a 2022 fledged female from the Manton Bay nest at Rutland Water. This is her first summer back in the UK and is likely to be touring around the country like all 2-year old Ospreys do, although should our 3-year old male ‘374’ suddenly make an appearance then things could get interesting. There was also an ‘intruder’ Osprey at the nest site this morning which could have been 1H1, or perhaps a different arrival? This afternoon there was a spectacular 3-way battle high above the Wareham Channel with a Common Buzzard and Osprey (male 022) tag teaming against one of the White-tailed Eagles before they all then lost interest and went their separate ways. There was also an Osprey fishing in Lytchett Bay this afternoon. Numbers of returning Curlew are starting to build with 17 out in the mouth of the Frome this afternoon, off Giggers Island. A Red Kite was high above Wareham.

A near perfect June day, which finally saw the blasting SW wind fade away. Some late news from late last week of 2 Eider off Pilots’ Point, Studland, just off the training bank. There were 2 young Eider that over-summered in the harbour last year too, which spent time both just inside the harbour and out in Shell Bay, so it could feasibly be the same two? Today the first 6 Redshank of the autumn returned to the Brownsea Lagoon and there was ‘an arrival’ of Tufted Duck on Swineham GP with 11 there. Both White-tailed Eagles were in the Wareham Channel and male Osprey 022 made several fishing trips to the Wareham Channel. Over Hydes Heath a Hobby was hassling a Common Buzzard and there was another Hobby over Holmebridge. Young waders are growing fast with the Poole Quay Oystercatchers almost doubling in size over the last week.

Oystercatcher chick – Poole Quay Marina Wall – Alison Copland

Wow…we’re already half way through June, meaning autumn migration will soon be picking up as the first juv Little Ringed Plovers will start appearing soon and numbers of Green Sandpipers will increase and start passing through. We’ve already begun seeing the first roving Long-tailed Tit flocks moving about which contained the first juv Chiffchaffs of the year, and give it another 2-3 weeks, the flocks will also start containing fresh lemon yellow, juvenile Willow Warblers. It felt far from summery today though as strong SW winds whipped across the area and frequent rain showers still made it feel like mid-October rather than mid-June, but it got a few seabirds moving with a few Manx Shearwater logged off Old Harry and a small passage of terns (failed breeders?) heading west out at sea. There was an unusual June record of an Avocet in Lytchett Bay and the White-tailed Eagle pair were still just chilling out in the Wareham Channel area for most of the day with male Osprey 022 seen in Lytchett Bay and the Wareham Channel during numerous fishing trips.

Sandwich Tern – Brands Bay – Mark Wright

Our Summer Safari Cruise this morning gave views of Osprey 022 hunting in the Wareham Channel, as well as female White-tailed Eagle G466. 1 Spoonbill was present on Brownsea Lagoon early this morning, as well as 3 Avocet and 30 Bar-tailed Godwit also reported from the lagoon. The unseasonal Red-throated Diver was still present in Studland Bay today. 1 Hobby was active over Careys Secret Garden this afternoon.

Red-throated Diver – Studland Bay – Aidan Brown (@aidanjb118 on Twitter)

Star bird of the day goes to a very unseasonal Red-throated Diver off Studland beach, a great June record! The 2 White-tailed Eagles were in the Wareham Channel again from our Summer Safari Cruise this morning. There were 32 Bar-tailed Godwit in Brands Bay on the rising tide along with 2 Dunlin. Impressive numbers of Swift over Sunnyside/Swineham area with over 200+ counted this morning.

Red-throated Diver – Studland Beach – Aidan Brown on X

Apologies for the delay in sightings from yesterday. It was fairly quiet as is often the case in June, but good to see lots of breeding activity in the local breeding birds. 1 Spotted Flycatcher was at Wytch Farm, Rempstone. At Morden Bog several pairs of Woodlark were still singing along with Tree Pipit, 1 Cuckoo 1 Hobby and lots of Dartford Warblers with recently fledged young. In Holes Bay 4 Raven flew over Pergins Island and 1 Curlew and 1 Common Tern were also present.

Spotted Flycatcher – Wytch Farm, Rempstone – Rob Johnson on X

An interesting day today with some notable (and weird) sightings. Most weird was a Fulmar that was seen from our Summer Safari Cruise this AM, heading north over central harbour, over Poole Quay and out towards Holes Bay / Lytchett Bay. This might not have been quite so unusual if an autumn gale was blowing with a harsh easterly wind, but it was very weird in crystal clear blue sky’s in June, with a northerly wind! Also notable were (the first?) 3 returning Spoonbill of the autumn on the Brownsea Lagoon. Initially all 3 were feeding, but then started clambering on the Tamrisk Island, and mutual preening one another, a sight we don’t normally until late July/ early August here in the harbour. Also on the Brownsea Lagoon were 6 Turnstone, 2 Knot, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit and decent numbers of tern chick including 59 Sandwich Tern and 36 Common Tern, which were counted by Nicki at Dorset Wildlife Trust. There was also a new visiting White-tailed Eagle today, in the shape of 2019 female G274 which came and did a tour of the Wareham Channel, before being seen off by a Marsh Harrier(!) and moving off high south as she headed back to the Isle of Wight. It didn’t seem to bother our local White-tailed Eagle pair which just sat and watched her from the edges of the Wareham Channel, before they too later headed off high south. At Swineham there were c100 Black-tailed Godwit on pools on the RSPB Arne Moors side and there were also fly overs of Hobby and Peregrine distantly.

Female White-tailed Eagle G466 over the boat from Summer Safari Cruise this AM – John Thorpe

Random Fulmar over central harbour yesterday from Summer Safari Cruise – John Thorpe

Adult Oystercatcher and newly hatched chick – Poole Quay – John Thorpe