A very exciting day all-round! Today we announced that we now have a second breeding pair of Osprey in southern England, Rutland female 1H1 who fledged from their Manton Bay nest in 2022 and Poole Harbour male 374, who was translocated in 2021 as part of our Osprey project in partnership with the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation. We are delighted to announce that on April 24th, 1H1 laid her first egg! A clutch of three eggs were laid in total, and on June 3rd their first chick hatched quickly followed by a second on June 5th: an excellent result for first time breeders! You can read further about this fantastic news here: https://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/osprey-news/breaking-news-second-breeding-pair-of-osprey-in-the-south/

It was all action on the Carey Osprey nest during our Carey Osprey Tours today. Female CJ7 began alarm-calling at 9am this morning, closely followed by an adult female Honey Buzzard appearing behind the nest and landing in a nearby tree. CJ7 then went in pursuit and we had a fantastic aerial display of both birds, with the Honey Buzzard eventually being driven away. 4 Red Kite were also seen from the viewing platform. There were more signs of autumn migration in the harbour, with 4 Green Sandpiper and 2 breeding plumage Spotted Redshank seen at RSPB Lytchett Fields, all fresh in today. Also present were 8 Redshank, 9 Lapwing, and 9 Teal. A Marsh Harrier was seen over the breeding Gull islands in the harbour this morning. From this evenings Sunset Safari, it was all go, with male White-tailed Eagle G463 seen chasing down male Osprey 022 for his fish, which he promptly dropped and the eagle dropped down to retrieve from the water. We also had an adult Hobby cross the Wareham Channel and what looked like a fresh juvenile Marsh Harrier was around Swineham. There were more signs of autumn passage getting underway on the Brownsea Lagoon with 8 Avocet, the first 8 Common Redshank and first Greenshank of the autumn, plus a lone summer plumaged Turnstone.

1H1 and 374 landing on their new nest on April 6th

Another hot, sunny day in the harbour. From our Carey Osprey Tours today we saw 1 Red Kite circling high over the Carey Osprey nest, with female Osprey CJ7 alarm calling and being protective of the nest. There were 3 Buzzard circling high on the thermals, as well as 1 distant Kestrel hovering. Male Osprey 022 gave a stunning display, soaring high over the Osprey viewing platform during one of the tours. Also seen from the platform were 5 Mistle Thrush and c10 Swift. Elsewhere in the harbour, Teal have started to return to RSPB Lytchett Fields, with 6 drake and 1 female present on Sherford Island. Later this afternoon, 1 Roseate Tern was seen flying and calling over Brownsea Lagoon. From this evenings Nightjar walk at Slepe Heath prior to the Nightjars we were treated to Hobby, 2-3 Cuckoo, male Osprey 022 catching a fish in the Wareham Channel and then 7 Nightjar bombing and chasing each other around to a backdrop of glowingly spectacular sunset.

Nightjar, Slepe Heath – During our Nightjar walk 

Although we’re only in the early stages of the summer months, the first signs of autumn migration occurred today right on cue with the first 2 Green Sandpiper of the autumn appearing at Middlebere this evening, with another logged in north Dorset the day before. The BTO also announced today that some of their sat-tagged Cuckoo’s from this summer are already now down in central France, also having started their autumn migrations south. There were 2 on Hartland today, but these were probably birds that have been around for most of the spring. Also another possible sign that autumn is creeping in was an adult Yellow-legged Gull in Middlebere. These are the southern European equivalent to our Herring Gulls, and tend to breed a bit earlier in the year. Many then have a northerly Autumn migration with adults often arriving mid-late summer and fresh juveniles often following suit it August. There were 2 adult Little Ringed Plover on the Stilt Pools, Swinheam, and 3 different White-tailed Eagles were seen including both our resident adults (G463 & G466) which were around Middlebere and the Wareham Channel, and recently arrived 2024 juvenile G704.

Green Sandpiper – Middlebere – Garry Hayman

Adult Yellow-legged Gull – Middlebere – Garry Hayman

Another stunning Sunset Safari Cruise this evening with male Osprey 022 hunting in the Wareham Channel and a gorgeous Marsh Harrier flyby in the evening light! Other highlights included a summer plumage Spotted Redshank on the mudflats, 2 Bearded Tit, and a flock of 50 Sand Martin surrounding the boat in the River Frome, plus the cacophony of Sandwich and Common Terns on the Brownsea Lagoon to end the trip. Elsewhere Yellowhammer, Woodlark and Cuckoo were all recorded at Morden Bog, with the latter also heard at Arne and Stoborough Heath: possibly birds making one last stopover in the UK on their migrations south to sub-Saharan Africa!

Marsh Harrier – Wareham Channel, Sunset Safari Cruise – John Thorpe

Warm and sunny conditions benefited both birds and birders today with plenty of sightings. The calmer weather meant that Common Swifts were easier to see; Holes Bay, Swineham and Poole town centre all recording sightings. Holes bay also had a single Curlew and 12 Shelduck. The Asda building Peregrine falcon chicks have finally begun to fledge with the male taking flight before his three female siblings. At Turlin Moor LNR, 60 Black-headed gull, 1 Mediterranean gull, 1 Sandwich tern and 3 Reed warbler were noted. The Rutland female Osprey, 3H9, has been back again in Poole Harbour, feeding in the Middlebere Channel. Last night our Nightjar walk was really productive and saw multiple individuals active on Slepe Heath, with no less than 8 seen chasing each other about with Cuckoo and multiple Dartford Warbler also logged and male White-tailed Eagle G463 was out in the Wareham Channel.

Peregrine Falcon chick – Holes Bay – @dorsetraptors.bsky.social

Heavy rain from dawn until midday dampened some of the local recording today. However, conditions improved dramatically during the afternoon with an Osprey seen perched up at Lytchett Bay along with a single Little ringed plover, 6 Mediterranean gull, 4 Reed warbler, 214 Canada geese and the single odd-looking Ruddy x Common Shelduck hybrid.

The Carey Ospreys went from prolonged sheltering from the downpours in the morning, to basking in the sun by the afternoon! Male Osprey, 022 continued to provide for the growing family with a brown trout dropped off at breakfast and a mullet at midday. Song thrush and Mistle thrush have successfully fledged chicks on the Carey estate, with 3 Mistle thrush chicks following and begging for food from their parents. 2 Woodlark also recorded here.

The ever dutiful CJ7 sheltering her growing chicks.

Summer seems to be returning, with a 24 degree heat shimmering across the harbour today, and a mild easterly breeze. The/a Roseate Tern was on the Brownsea Lagoon again this afternoon. From our Sunset Safari this evening we had 2 different White-tailed Eagles moving around including adult male G463 and a 2024 juvenile G704. One of the local Marsh Harriers came in to see off the juvenile eagle, just as male Osprey 022 then started hunting close to the boat in the Wareham Channel. A late (or early?) Whimbrel was in with a few Curlew, calling over the Wareham Channel and on the Brownsea Lagoon 4 Avocet and 1 Spoonbill were roosting. At Swineham 2 Little Ringed Plover were on the Stilt Pools and a Hobby flew over. There was also a new (male?) Osprey today, which was seen in Lytchett Bay this morning whilst both ours were at the nest site, which we’re hoping may land on one of our nest platforms over the coming days.

White-tailed Eagle – Doing a Corfe fly by from our Sunset Safari – Alison Copland

White-tailed Eagle getting harassed by local Marsh Harrier from our Sunset Safari – Alison Copland

Male Osprey 022 hunting in Wareham Channel this evening from our Sunset Safari – Alison Copland