Rather changeable weather on our Summer Safari cruise this morning, with lots of woolly hats out! We had brilliant views of both the female and male Marsh Harrier from the nesting pair in the Wareham Channel. It was great to see plenty of Swift and Sand Martin at Swineham Gravel Pits. Also, in the Wareham Channel we had distant views of male Osprey 022 actively hunting, before carrying a sizeable fish off in the direction of the nest. 022 later appeared on the nest via the webcam, having eaten the head of the fish himself. On Brownsea Lagoon, there were 2 Spoonbill, 5 Avocet, and 1 Dunlin. On the Brownsea shoreline, we had nice close views of 1 adult Mediterranean Gull. Elsewhere in the harbour, in Lytchett Bay, an Osprey (very likely 022) was seen later on in the afternoon, as well as 1 Sandwich Tern and 1 Common Tern.

Via our Brownsea Lagoon webcam (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pG3UyYZRKY) this afternoon we were able to view a red ringed Sandwich Tern, which after reporting to the Mid-Wales Ringing Group, was found to be a bird that had been ringed as a full grown juvenile on Autumn passage at Ynyslas on 2nd August 2019 and was reported 3 times at Hafan y Mor in August 2023, but there has been no sightings submitted since (at least not on their website). Really cool to see!

Sandwich Tern ringed red KKD on Brownsea Lagoon

A tad wet today, but there was some birding to be had early on before the deluge set in. A Roseate Tern was on the Boomerang on the Brownsea Lagoon mid-morning, settled amongst the Common Terns. Female Rutland Osprey 3H9 was once again in Middlebere, but also visited the nest site at Carey Secret Garden and female White-tailed Eagle G466 was in the Wareham Channel just before the downpours. It’s possible there may be a Crossbill irruption building with yet more coastal records this morning at Durlston and Hengistbury. The last big Crossbill irruption was in 2020 when many thousands entered the UK during the summer, and could be heard flying over in various, loose groups from June to October. Knowing their flight calls is teh best way to find them, so listen to this example we recorded a few autumns ago as a small party flew over Ballard Down during autumn migration.

As we approach the halfway point of the year, the summer starts to bed in and breeding birds are well on their way to fledging first or even second broods. However, for some of our local Nightjars it seems the courting phase is still under way for some pairs (or perhaps not pairs?), with several females seen tonight during our weekly Nightjar walk, perusing males as they moved from song branch to song branch, with males still in full display mode, as the females chased sat and watched. In total 10+ were seen up on Slepe Heath, along with 2 Hobby, 8 Dartford Warbler territories and 2 Cuckoo were still singing during the 2-hour walk. This morning 3 Cattle Egret and a Great White Egret flew up the Piddle Valley.

A Swift Group survey on the 28th May confirmed 7 nests in Wareham with North Street (4), West Street (2) and Cow Lane (1), with 3 of the 4 nests in North Street on the front of the HK Law building.

Bird sightings started in the early hours of the morning with Nightjar churring and young Tawny Owl‘s begging for food at Arne. Later in the day, Nightjar was also recorded at Coombe Heath, along with Marsh harrier, Kestrel, several Common Buzzard, 4 Spoonbill, Hobby, Dartford warbler and several Swallows and Swifts.

On our Summer Safari cruise around the harbour this morning, we started at the Brownsea lagoon due to the hide tide. It was busy with breeding birds; Sandwich and Common terns frantically feeding their young and protecting their nests. Also, a pair of Oystercatchers had three chicks following them along the northern edge of the island. 4 Mediterranean gulls were resting on the north shoreline, with one presumably failed adult breeder amongst them with it’s jet back head and bright red beak. 4 Dunlin were hiding on one of the islands within the lagoon and at least 2 pairs of Greater Black-backed gulls had fluffy, grey chicks alongside them. A lone Curlew was in flight alongside Brownsea and a further two Curlew were also seen at Lytchett Bay, perhaps these are individuals that haven’t bred this year? Later in the day, a Hoopoe was found on Brownsea Island and 4 Bar-tailed godwit and 4 Sanderling were on the lagoon.

Elsewhere in the harbour, Greylag geese were showing off their goslings in the Wareham channel and White-tailed eagle G466 female made a sudden appearance and somehow hid herself amongst the vegetation on the edge of the channel. The resident female Marsh harrier took flight, no doubt keeping an eye on the eagle. 2 Great crested grebe and 10 Black-tailed godwit were in the Wareham channel. 10 Swift and at least 30 Swallow overhead and distant views of a single Osprey and Hobby made for an entertaining morning.

Sandwich tern – Lytchett Bay  petey632.bsky.social

Pretty harsh conditions this morning with strong wind, rain and a low cloud making visibility tricky across the harbour. At Lytchett Fields, 1 Little Ringed Plover and 1 Lapwing were the only waders present on a not very big high tide this morning. Later on 1 Hobby came through. Very few other sightings until the evening as a result of the weather! 1 Spotted Flycatcher was at Wareham Common along with 1 recently fledged Firecrest. 2 Spoonbill were on the Brownsea Lagoon along with 4 Bar-tailed Godwit. The first Shelduck ducklings in the harbour were also seen on the lagoon today.