Another breathtaking day across the harbour with the ‘Spring Effect’ in full force as migration begins to build up. The two highlight birds were the Red-spotted Bluethroat still being seen (very, very intermittently) at the eastern end of Swineham GP this morning and the adult Forster’s Tern was on the Boomerang around lunchtime. The harbours first Grasshopper Warbler of the year was ringed in the Lower Piddle Valley at Carey Secret Garden this morning, at Swineham there was a minimum of 5 Reed Warbler and 1 Sedge Warbler along with 1 Willow Warbler and 4 Blackcap. Swallow passage really picked up mid-morning and logged 100+ right across the harbour, all moving due-north. Other passage migrants included 1 Common Sandpiper in the River Frome, 2 Whimbrel in the Wareham Channel, c400 Black-tailed Godwit, c30 Dunlin and 10 Ringed Plover also in the Wareham Channel. Common Tern totals have hit a peak of 14 and Sandwich Terns 70. Also on the Brownsea Lagoon were 3 Spoonbill, c50 Avocet, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit and 2 Greenshank. From our Spring Safari this morning we were treated by a true spectacle of 2 juvenile White-tailed Eagles hunting in the Wareham Channel close to the side of the boat. Both spent ages continuously flying around, dropping into the water trying to catch Mullet and Bass, but both failed miserably. Then, if the pain of catching no fish wasn’t enough then male Osprey 022 came in and gave them grief before then heading off himself to Middlebere to catch lunch! Our guests weren’t only treated to these two young eagles, but also an adult flying high over the Wareham Channel, then later in the trip….2 more appeared over Brownsea having come from the town direction, meaning in total we logged FIVE different White-tailed Eagles during the cruise! A few Red Kite were moving around this morning with individuals logged over Slepe Heath, the Lower Piddle Valley and Ballard. Another Sedge Warbler was found singing over on Wareham Common below North Walls.

Grasshopper Warbler – 1st of the year- ringed in Lower Piddle Valley