A thoroughly enjoyable boat in the sunshine this morning despite the strong winds, the highlights being 3 Marsh Harrier, 4 Great Northern Diver, 2 Spoonbill, 2 Common Tern, 2 Swallow and a single Little Gull amongst Black-headed Gulls as they flew rapidly past in the central harbour. The Forster’s Tern managed to evade us but was seen by others on the Brownsea Lagoon, and later in the Middlebere Channel, where 2 Osprey were also present with fish this morning. Two firsts for the year were also recorded elsewhere: a female Whinchat at Sunnyside Farm, and a Reed Warbler at Swineham, plus a dark-phase Arctic Skua was on the water off Branksome Chine

Summer plumage Black-tailed Godwits – Brownsea Lagoon, Spring Safari Cruise – Alison Copland