Sorry for the late post, but we’ve only just returned from this evenings Puffin cruise, which was an absolute delight. There was a minimum of 5 Puffin at Dancing Ledge, c1000 Guillemot spread along from Durlston up to Dancing Ledge, only around 10 Razorbill seen and just 2 Kittiwake! Other snippets were a Peregrine at Ballard, a Wheatear on the Brownsea sea wall, 3 Gannet, including a couple of close(ish) diving for fish, 4 Fulmar (Durlston), 2 Eider in Shell Bay and plenty of Common and Sandwich Tern. During the day a new Osprey arrival was seen high over the nest site with CJ7 going to investigate but the newbie soon disappeared off. There were 3 White-tailed Eagle in and around the Wareham Channel/ RSPB Arne area and an Osprey was in Lytchett Bay briefly this morning. The Forster’s Tern was on Brownsea again this afternoon. A Common Redstart was at Rock Lea view, Lytchett Bay, a Cuckoo was along Soldiers Road and yesterday a decent passage of 105 Swift passed north over South Haven, Studland with 14 Sanderling on Shell Beach this evening. Finally, this afternoon, the incredibly strange record of what seemed to be an adult Black Kite was found sat in a tree in Poole Park! Black Kite are the much scarcer relative of our more common Red Kite, and to be honest, at first glance that’s what we thought it was. However, looking closer it shows features of adult Black Kite which would be a highly unusual record for Poole Town centre, not not impossible? Below is the Facebook post, posted by Garry Moors the finder……

Reports from Brownsea Lagoon this morning have estimated there to be 211 Sandwich Tern nests, with the Forster’s Tern putting in an appearance this afternoon. From Coombe Heath, 1 White-tailed Eagle was seen this morning over the Middlebere Channel, along with 1 Red Kite. On our Morden Bog Dawn ID course this AM the cold northerly wind kept things chilly but a decent haul of 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Woodlark, 1 Tree Pipit, 3 Yellowhammer, c5 Linnet, 3 Dartford Warbler and a nice mix of commoner species. We received an update about translocated Osprey 372 who visited the harbour last week, having put in an appearance today at Llyn Brenig back in Wales! Fascinating to see how far and quickly the two year old birds move while they’re exploring potential breeding grounds. Thanks for the team at Llyn Brenig for the update and the image.

372 at Llyn Brenig identified via their webcam

Todays northerly wind was cold, but it is forecast to ease off tomorrow with light winds from the north for the rest of the week. There were a few small notable arrivals today including a stunning Blue-headed Wagtail on the Stilt Pool at Swineham, along with 1 drake Garganey and 2 Little Ringed Plover there too. At Lytchett Bay a sub-adult Little Gull was seen off Rock Lea viewpoint. On Shall Beach, Studland 15 summer plumaged Sanderling dropped onto the beach. On Stoborough Heath a Hobby flew over, 2 White-tailed Eagle were over the Wareham Channel and a Honey Buzzard was just outside the Poole Harbour area seen heading north over Wild Woodbury. There was a slight winter theme too with a Barnacle Goose off Swineham Point and 2 dark-bellied Brent Geese on the Brownsea Lagoon.

Hobby – Stoborough Heath – Mark Wright

Little Gull – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam 

A Red Kite hunting along the Arne shoreline in the Wareham Channel was one of the highlights of our private charter this morning, excitingly going on to interact with an Osprey that was hunting near Hyde’s Heath – the second of two Osprey seen hunting during the trip. 1 Little Ringed Plover and 2 summer-plumaged Dunlin were also roosting on the Arne shoreline, and 1 Marsh Harrier was active near Keysworth. The Forster’s Tern was again present fishing between Shipstal and Long Island this morning, before being seen on Brownsea Lagoon early this afternoon.

Excitingly, we have also announced today our new Osprey Tours: a guided experience which takes you to see CJ7 and 022 at their Poole Harbour nest site. Over the last year, more and more people have inevitably discovered where the pair are nesting, and we have been incredibly grateful for their cooperation in keeping the location to themselves. Most importantly, this has given the pair space to settle and have a successful first season, but it has also allowed us to build a plan to provide a secure guided viewing opportunity at the site with the bird’s best interest in mind. To be able to achieve this, we have been lucky enough to form a partnership between Birds of Poole Harbour and local business Careys Secret Garden; a beautiful walled garden nestled in the Piddle Valley that is perfectly situated to provide guided viewing of the Osprey nest.

Mixed weather for our Spring Safari Cruise this morning, but we had a nice range of sightings despite the showers.  There were 2 White-tailed Eagles sat out on Shag Looe Spit. At least 100 Swift and 70 Swallow were logged during the trip, with smaller numbers of House and Sand Martin. At Swineham, 2 Little Ringed Plover were present on the scrapes, with 2 Marsh Harrier active over the reed bed and a distant Hobby was beyond Swineham and a large sub-adult female Peregrine almost caught a Wood Pigeon over Keysworth. A scan of Brownsea Lagoon provided views of 70+ Oystercatcher, 80 Black-tailed Godwit, 50 Common Tern and 100 Sandwich Tern and there were 2 dark-bellied Brent Geese on the Shingle Beach at Brownsea. Through the rest of the day, 1 Whimbrel was also present in Holes Bay this morning. The Forster’s Tern was seen again today during brief appearance on Brownsea Lagoon and feeding between Shipstal Point and Long Island. This afternoon 2 Osprey were circling over Middlebere, one was 022, but the other is a mystery new bird.

Little Ringed Plover – Swineham – Clive Hargrave

Sunshine and showers sums up today. Plenty going on with the Forster’s Tern seen again on the Brownsea Lagoon, where a White-tailed Eagle flew low over mid-afternoon. There were also 2 Spoonbill on the lagoon and at the Studland side of the harbour entrance some evidence of wader passage with 25 Dunlin, 8  Sanderling, 2 Grey Plover, 1 Whimbrel and 4 Turnstone. A new Osprey was in Lytchett Bay late afternoon, but it was unknown as to whether it was ringed or not. There was a decent sized flock of Whimbrel at Lytchett Bay with 37 heading north. The Barclays Peregrines now seem to be feeding chicks which is great news. It won’t be long until a few heads are popping up above the balcony rim, but how many will appear?! At Greenlands Farm 3 Wheatear, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Common Whitethroat were were around the field edges, a Hobby came in off the sea at Studland Bay and another Hobby was over Hydes Heath.

Sandwich Tern – Brownsea Lagoon – MarK Wright

A quiet day for sightings today, but a few highlights were reported with a total of 14 Ringed Plover, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 10 summer plumaged Dunlin, 5 Whimbrel and 1 Curlew all paying a visit to French’s Pool at Lytchett Fields. And on the Brownsea Lagoon 2 Spoonbill and the Forster’s Tern were present once again.

White-tailed Eagle from yesterday’s Up With The Lark cruise – Mark Wright