An interesting day today with some notable (and weird) sightings. Most weird was a Fulmar that was seen from our Summer Safari Cruise this AM, heading north over central harbour, over Poole Quay and out towards Holes Bay / Lytchett Bay. This might not have been quite so unusual if an autumn gale was blowing with a harsh easterly wind, but it was very weird in crystal clear blue sky’s in June, with a northerly wind! Also notable were (the first?) 3 returning Spoonbill of the autumn on the Brownsea Lagoon. Initially all 3 were feeding, but then started clambering on the Tamrisk Island, and mutual preening one another, a sight we don’t normally until late July/ early August here in the harbour. Also on the Brownsea Lagoon were 6 Turnstone, 2 Knot, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit and decent numbers of tern chick including 59 Sandwich Tern and 36 Common Tern, which were counted by Nicki at Dorset Wildlife Trust. There was also a new visiting White-tailed Eagle today, in the shape of 2019 female G274 which came and did a tour of the Wareham Channel, before being seen off by a Marsh Harrier(!) and moving off high south as she headed back to the Isle of Wight. It didn’t seem to bother our local White-tailed Eagle pair which just sat and watched her from the edges of the Wareham Channel, before they too later headed off high south. At Swineham there were c100 Black-tailed Godwit on pools on the RSPB Arne Moors side and there were also fly overs of Hobby and Peregrine distantly.

Female White-tailed Eagle G466 over the boat from Summer Safari Cruise this AM – John Thorpe

Random Fulmar over central harbour yesterday from Summer Safari Cruise – John Thorpe

Adult Oystercatcher and newly hatched chick – Poole Quay – John Thorpe