It was a Red Kite morning (briefly) with several groups seemingly passing really high with a flock of 17 then 3 high above the Osprey nest site, with 3 also over Fleetsbridge, 3 over Lytchett Matravers, 1 over Poole Town and 4 over RSPB Arne. A male Mandarin was on the Swineham scrapes this AM with 280 Black-tailed Godwit also there. From the Osprey/raptor viewing platform today a decent haul of birds were logged over the Piddle Valley with 1 Goshawk, 1 Peregrine, the 17 Red Kite, 1 Hobby, 2 Woodlark, 3 Crossbill, 1 Spotted Flycatcher and 15+ Buzzard.

Mandarin Duck – Swineham – Adam Day

It was all a bit quiet today other than the Forster’s Tern being seen on the Brownsea Lagoon again. There were also 3-4 different White-tailed Eagles around with 2 in the Wareham Channel, 1 over Fleetsbridge, 1 over the Brownsea Lagoon and another over the Piddle Valley. At Lytchett Fields this evening there were 6 Ringed Plover and 2 Little Ringed Plover. In Brands Bay 10 Grey Plover was a decent count and on Shell Beach 5 summer plumaged Sanderling were feeding. At Swineham the Blue-headed Wagtail was on the Stilt Pool scrapes again.

Blue-headed Wagtail – Swineham (photo from May 15th) – Peter Moore

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.