Today didn’t seem to hold much promise with a really cold NNE wind kicking in, but a mid-morning Honey Buzzard over Swineham and a white Stork over the Piddle Valley certainly raised expectation. Sadly that was as good as it got, but there was also a small pulse of Red Kite moving over the harbour with 3 over Middlebere, 5 over Carey and 3 over Studland. The Garden Warbler was still singing along the Cordite Way, 3 Cattle Egret were along the A351 towards East Stoke in the Frome Valley.

There was also an update from Nicki Tutton, Dorset Wildlife Trust warden who explained that the Brownsea tern colony is taking a bit of a hammering this year, initially with Great Black-backed Gulls settling on islands close to the Sandwich Tern colony which has forced the Sandwich Terns to move to the smaller islands, of which there were roughly 230 sitting birds the other day. However, (a new?) pair of Raven have now taken a liking to the Sandwich Tern eggs and are raiding the colony on a daily basis. Hopefully the Sandwich Terns and Common Terns will show some resolve and use their strength in numbers to see off the visiting pirates during the rest of the summer!

Honey Buzzard over Swineham – Richard Stephenson

Honey Buzzard over Swineham – Richard Stephenson

Another fine May day with the unusual occurrence of a fine adult male Hen Harrier over Scotland Farm/Hartland this AM, and although efforts were made to try and turn/string it into an adult male Pallid Harrier (or Monty Harrier), sadly none of the features fitted for either species and male Hen Harrier had to suffice. Still, a great May record and interestingly the 3rd May record for adult male Hen Harrier in the last few years. Also on Hartland were 3 Cuckoo still singing away and 3 Hobby were over Hartland Bog. In the Wareham Channel this AM a juvenile White-tailed Eagle was seen from our Spring Safari, as was a fishing male Osprey, likely 5R0. An adult male Marsh Harrier was also in the Wareham Channel, a Wheatear was on the sea wall at Brownsea, another decent count of warblers were logged around Swineham with 96 Reed Warbler, 29 Cetti’s Warbler and 5 Sedge Warbler, plus there was a Common Sandpiper in the Lower Piddle Valley. A Spoonbill landed on RSPB Arne Moors this afternoon.

Sandwich Terns – Wareham Channel – Alison Copland

‘Black Adder’ – Hartland Moor – Milly Morton 

With a decent set of easterly winds, thoughts of Pomarine Skua flocks passing close in at Branksome Chine had crossed and fogged our minds, but it wasn’t to be. In fact there was almost zero sea passage today. Of Osprey interest there was an intruder Osprey at the Carey nest site, but sadly it didn’t come close enough to be able to read any ring numbers, but there’s a good chance it could be a new returnee of ours from the 2024 season as this is when the 2-year olds begin to arrive back. There were 2 seen in Lytchett Bay about an hour later, one of which will definitely be local male 022, as he was seen perusing the other one around. And about 09:30 one was seen in Middlebere too, so no shortage today. On Hartland this morning there were no less than 4 Cuckoo singing around the fringes of the heathland.

Marsh Harrier – Middlebere – Alison Copland

It seemed the conditions this morning were potentially quite good for a late spring migration fall, but sadly it never materialised and it was a cast of regulars today that made up most of the days sightings. We did forget to include the sighting of a Honey Buzzard over the Frome Valley yesterday which is of local significance/importance. Other than that it seems the next wave of Ospreys are now coming through ‘new’ with 2-year olds appearing at different sites across southern England, which hopefully sees another couple of our 2024 cohort appear to join their sibling ‘5R0’ who is already back mega early. Today there were 2 Osprey in Lytchett Bay, another seen in Middlebere and our 3-year old male ‘5H3’ was seen on a harbour nest platform briefly. There were 2 Hobby over the Piddle Valley. A random Lesser Whitethroat was singing along the Fleetsbridge public footpath.

3-year old Osprey ‘5H3’ on harbour nest platform briefly this afternoon

Although things turned a tad chillier today, there was no shortage of nice birds again with an obvious northward passage of Red Kite going on all morning which saw 35 go north over Ulwell and 15 over Studland during the morning, another 15 north over Wareham just after lunch and sporadic ones and twos elsewhere. Whilst watching and waiting for a potential Black Kite that had been seen at St Aldhelms Head, 2 White Stork were seen flying over the Ulwell Gap, and then over Goathorn, Studland. A Hoopoe was heard on Middlebere Heath, just south of the Half Way Inn and a random Golden Plover was circling over the Wareham Channel this morning before heading north. Elsewhere there was a large Goshawk causing havoc over Lytchett Bay this morning, a White-tailed Eagle was high over the Wareham Channel getting hassled by a Marsh Harrier, 8 Swift were feeding high over Wareham and 2-year old male Osprey ‘5R0’ was seen on a harbour nest platform briefly on private land.

Male Osprey 5R0 on harbour nest platform briefly on private land

Another bright still day in the harbour. The 1 White Stork put in another appearance first being seen over the Piddle Valley at Carey before then heading downstream to the Wareham Channel, tracking along the Holton shoreline, towards Lytchett Bay. 1 Little Tern also briefly showed in the Wareham Channel from our Spring Safari Cruise this morning, before heading at high speed towards Lytchett. There were 5 Hobby active around the Wareham Channel and Swineham, 1 Peregrine, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Osprey and 1 Cuckoo. On Arne Moors there were 5 Little Ringed Plover and 1 Greenshank. 1 Garden Warbler was singing behind Turlin Viewpoint in Lytchett Bay. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 5 Bar-tailed Godwit and 4 Avocet. 1 Great White Egret was in the field with cows behind Bestwall Road and 1 flew over Arne Moors this morning.

022 carrying fish from Spring Safari Cruise © Joe Parker

Sandwich Tern from Spring Safari Cruise © Adam Hobbs

More nice arrivals today with the first Little Tern in the harbour of the year, with 3 fishing in the Wareham Channel this morning. 1 immature White-tailed Eagle was also present in the Wareham Channel for most of the day before being chased off by Osprey 022 and a Marsh Harrier. 022 then caught a fish and flew up the River Piddle valley and briefly circled with 1 White Stork that came up before drifting off north. 2 Hobby were hunting around the Wareham Channel and 1 Cuckoo flew from Arne across to the Holton shoreline. 2 Bearded Tit were active in the mouth of the River Frome and 1 Greenshank was on Arne Moors. 1 full summer plumage Grey Plover was calling and flying around Swineham and 3 more in winter plumage were in the Wareham Channel. At Swineham, early morning, there was 1 Cuckoo, 2 Great White Egret and 2 Little Ringed Plover. 1 late Common Snipe was feeding in Lytchett Bay. 1 Osprey and 1 Goshawk were active in the Middlebere Channel. 2 Whimbrel were on the north shore of Brownsea along with 1 Greenshank and 1 Common Sandpiper. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 4 Bar-tailed Godwit and just 3 Avocet.

Immature White-tailed Eagle being mobbed by Black-headed Gull – Wareham Channel from BoPH Spring Safari Cruise – John Thorpe

Tree Pipit – Holton Heath

Finally some rain! Not enough to refill the bone dry floodplains but it was certainly needed. Efforts were made try and see if the downpour downed/grounded  any passage migrants but it seems not. Still, it was a nice day up until 2pm and returns were satisfactory with a full adult summer plumaged Little Gull at Lytchett Fields this morning, a Spoonbill was on Brownsea this afternoon, 2 Hobby were along the Arne Road, 2 Osprey were over Shipstal, Arne at lunchtime and 3 Great White Egret were on Bestwall Meadows. Up on Hartland and around Middlebere 2 Cuckoo were singing, there were 2 Spotted Flycatcher at Holton Heath, near Holton Heath train station, a few Swift were moving through and it’s good to see Swallow back on different territories around the harbour.

Another ‘warbler survey’ carried out by local patch watcher Peter Moore produced 102 Reed Warbler plus 45 Cetti’s Warbler and 7 Sedge Warbler singing between Wareham Swineham Point along the River Frome.

Swallow – Swineham – Peter Moore