It was all go today, with scorching sunshine but also a decent range of birds too. Our Summer Safari cruise left at 9am with mirror calm waters and 20+ degree heat beaming down on us. It wasn’t long before we were in the top end of the Wareham Channel where 80+ Black-tailed Godwit were back feeding in the mouth of the Frome and there were also 3 Greenshank, 5 Redshank and 50+ Curlew and 2 Marsh Harrier. Up the Frome a partial summer-plumaged Cattle Egret was in with the cows at Swineham, there was an adult Yellow-legged Gull on the scrape and 4 Reed Bunting were still in fine voice. A few Bearded Tit were heard in the reeds and one made a very brief appearance. As we left the Frome, male Osprey 022 did the right thing, turning up and began fishing in the Wareham Channel, where he then caught a fish and then soared over Keysworth for a while. Female White-tailed Eagle then put in an appearance over Arne briefly, annoying all the local Grey Herons. We also logged 3 Common Seal in the mouth of the Piddle too. On Brownsea juvenile Common and Sandwich Terns are now following around their parents, calling for food both on and off the lagoon, there was also a single Ringed Plover back and another c50 Black-tailed Godwit were on the lagoon. In Holes Bay north a big flock of 147 Redshank which is a decent total for early July. At Lytchett Bay there were 8 Green Sandpiper and 2 Little Ringed Plover. A ringing session at Lytchett Heath by Stour Ringing Group saw the first 2 migrant Sedge Warbler and 1 Common Whitethroat of the autumn ringed along with 22 Reed Warbler. 

Newly arrived flock of 147 Common Redshank – Holes Bay – Martin Adams

Sightings are increasing now as passage begins to build up. The 3 Spotted Redshank were still in Middlebere this evening and there were 2 Green Sandpiper and 2 Little Ringed Plover at Lytchett Fields along with a Marsh Harrier. This evening was our last Puffin cruise of the season and we were lucky as many auks have already left the Durlston and Dancing Ledge colonies already, as had 2 of the 4 Puffin that had been present this season, but we did get decent views of the remaining 2. There were also 40+ Swift feeding over Dancing Ledge and there were Peregrines on the cliff at Ballard and near Durlston.

Last Puffin sighting of the season – Dancing Ledge

It was only a matter of time, but the first ‘group’ of Spotted Redshank arrived yesterday with 3 in Middlebere, one in full summer plumage still and the other two in partial summer plumage. There was an early one a few weeks ago on the Brownsea Lagoon which didn’t stick around, but now is the time to start looking for them as the females start arriving back and passing through, having left their arctic breeding grounds in recent days. At Holes Bay the over-summering male Wigeon was off the Stone Bench at Upton CP and the first newly fledged Med Gull of the summer was on Lytchett fields, as was the juvenile Little Ringed Plover and the adult male. On Hartland near Middlebere what seemed to be a fresh juvenile Northern Wheatear was seen, possibly suggesting local breeding which would be another great Poole Harbour breeding record for the year if confirmed and would be almost equally as significant as the Poole Town breeding Black Redstarts which were still active again today in the private garden. There was also a Whimbrel in Brands Bay.

Spotted Redshank – Middlebere – Mark Wright

Spotted Redshank – Middlebere – Mark Wright

Over-summering male Wigeon – Holes Bay – Martin Adams

The first juvenile Little Ringed Plover of the season arrived onto Lytchett Fields this morning, but although looking incredibly fresh and young, it wasn’t thought to have fledged from the Lytchett Fields area despite arriving with an adult male and female. They almost certainly didn’t breed too far away. There was an obvious increase in Redshank numbers at Holes Bay with 49 present on the low-tide along with 23 Little Egret. August sees the peak counts of Little Egret in the harbour, so numbers will continue to build around the harbour during July. There was another arrival today with 3 new Avocet back on the Brownsea Lagoon, including what looked to be a fresh juvenile, so probably from just a bit further east along the coast. Also on the Brownsea Lagoon were 1 Common Sandpiper, 39 Black-tailed Godwit and 4 Redshank. 

Juvenile Little Ringed Plover – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Adult male Little Ringed Plover – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Adult female Little Ringed Plover – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

It was great to see that the Black Redstart family were still active this evening in a small private garden, Poole Quay. Although having moved slightly from the other day, the male was busy still feeding all three newly fledged juveniles. There were more signs of autumn passage with the seasons first Ruff logged at Lytchett Fields along with 2 Little Ringed Plover and 4 Green Sandpiper. Despite having to postpone a run of Puffin cruises recently due to strong wind, tonights rescheduled trip didn’t disappoint with good views of all 4 last remaining Puffin out on the water, along with passing Gannet, plenty of Guillemot, a couple of Razorbill and a 1 lone Fulmar with the added excitement of a Peregrine chase over the tern islands on Brownsea before we even left the harbour. Plenty of Mediterranean Gull were also loafing out on the water in Poole Bay.

Male Black Redstart – Private garden, Poole Quay area

Juvenile Black Redstart, Private garden – Poole Quay area

2 Puffin from this evenings Puffin Cruise

Today history was made! The first ever Osprey chicks to be ringed in Dorset. Although Osprey bred in Southern England many moons ago, it was way before any ringing schemes had started. We’ve written a full blog post which you can READ HERE , but for readers of this page, the chicks were ringed ‘5H1’ and ‘5H2’, and both were thought to be female, although that view could change a bit later in the season. Below is a short video which highlights the days proceedings, but we just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone thats supported, donated, contributed and helped us to get to this moment. It was an incredibly special day and one that everyone deserves to be a part of.

There were more signs of wader passage with 18 Black-tailed Godwit, 17 Redshank and 5 Little Ringed Plover at Lytchett Fields.

Osprey chick ringing 2022

There were more signs of wader passage with 18 Black-tailed Godwit, 17 Redshank and 5 Little Ringed Plover at Lytchett Fields.

Without doubt, the best news today was that Black Redstart were confirmed to have bred in Poole Town, a species we’ve been trying to pin down for ages. They’re a regular autumn migrant through the harbour, certainly through October but breeding records are incredibly rare, with only a few pairs located each year across the whole of Dorset. They used to breed on the old Poole power station and in areas like Heckford Park, St Johns Road but todays pair were near Poole Quay. It’s likely there’s more out there….they just need to be found!

The 3 dark-bellied Brent Geese were still in Brands Bay, female White-tailed Eagle G318 was again seen in the Wareham Channel briefly and 2 Hobby were over Slepe Heath.

juvenile Black Redstart – Old Town Poole – Michell Collier

juvenile and adult male Black Redstart – Old Town Poole – Michell Collier

There’s definitely more signs of ‘autumn passage’ getting underway with a noticeable increase in newly arrived waders present around the harbour. In the mouth of the Frome there were 5 Common Sandpiper, 4 Greenshank, 14 Common Redshank and c50 Black-tailed Godwit. On Brownsea there was another Common Sandpiper on the north shore and another c30 Black-tailed Godwit on the lagoon. In Brands Bay yesterday the first Whimbrel was back and at Lytchett Fields there were 6 Little Ringed Plover, c30 Lapwing, 2 Green Sandpiper and 1 Common Snipe. Female White-tailed Eagle G801 was still in the Wareham Channel area and 3 Marsh Harrier were very active in the wind. There were also 3 dark-bellied Brent Geese in Brands Bay.

Juvenile Swallow – Middlebere – Mark Wright

Common Swift – Middlebere – Mark Wright

Hello July! Where the heck come from? Half the year gone already. It only seemed like a few weeks ago that we were all full of anticipation, waiting for the first spring migrants to arrive back and of course, the will they? won’t they? saga of CJ7 and 022 unknown return. And here we are, now in July with an Osprey nest that contains 2 chicks and a breeding for many birds that is now coming to an end. With that in mind, we always like to try and sneak in our first ‘autumn’ ringing session of the season in early July, and true to form, we had some nets open this morning, ready to catch the first batch of juveniles. Todays sessions consisted of mainly local birds, but as July progresses the first passage Grasshopper Warblers, Garden Warblers, Willow Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Redstarts and Tree Pipits will begin making their way south through the UK with numbers building during August. Today we caught 2 new juvenile Kingfisher, 8 juvenile Reed Bunting, 5 Stonechat, 1 Cetti’s Warbler, 2 Blackcap and a mixture of commoner species. Elsewhere, one of the White-tailed Eagles was high over the Wareham Channel around mid-day, and there were 2 Hobby near Norden. At Lytchett Fields the first return passage Greenshank of the season was a colour-ringed individual which seems to be from Norway, and there were also 3 Little Ringed Plover and a party of Crossbill passed over, suggesting they’re now on the move. On Brownsea there was a single Little Tern, but no sign of the Roseate Terns, however there were 50 Black-tailed Godwit back.

Kingfishers at early morning ringing session

Male Stonechat at early morning ringing session

It was all about the raptors today. Both male and female White-tailed Eagles G801 and G816 were hanging out together in the Wareham Channel before heading off high over Wareham Forest. Also out over and around the Wareham Channel area a Goshawk was seen heading east and male Osprey 022 was seen catching a fish. There was also a new Osprey seen in the harbour today which was seen in near Wareham Forest and the Lower Piddle Valley, before then causing a bit of hassle in the harbour at the nest site. Also over the Wareham Channel were 4 Marsh Harrier, 1 Red Kite and 3 Peregrine were at Corfe Castle.

Distant photo of both White-tailed Eagles out on RSPB Arne Moors (No access) – Garry Hayman