Another stunning day across the harbour with such a stunning variety of species. Best bird of the day was without doubt a stunning adult Black-crowned Night Heron at Little Sea, Studland which was viewable from the Rees Cox Hide pretty much all day. Despite ‘Night Herons’ becoming increasingly regular across many areas of the UK in recent years, they’re still incredibly rare here in Poole Harbour, although it’s possible they could be going ‘under the radar’ due to their skulky, shy behaviour with the ability to hide in scrub and vegetation around the fringes of freshwater bodies. Elsewhere a Honey Buzzard flew straight over Poole Quay at lunchtime, being mobbed by gulls and there was another (minor) push of Red Kite today with 4 heading north over Brownsea and 7 over Studland. Elsewhere there were 5+ Osprey between the Wareham Channel, Lytchett Bay and Middlebere, including female 6J8 catching a fish in Middlebere. On RSPB Arne Moors there were 2 Great White Egret feeding, the local Marsh Harrier pair were at the west end of the Wareham Channel busy visiting their nest site to feed young, local male White-tailed Eagle G463 was in the Wareham Channel all afternoon scoping out his next meal and on the Brownsea Lagoon there was single Spoonbill plus 4 Avocet, 1 Dunlin and multiple Great Black-back Gull families.

Black-crowned Night Heron – Little Sea Studland – Richard Stephenson

Common Swift – Upper Parkstone – Mick Brooks

Female Osprey 6J8 – Middlebere – Kate Plater

Migrant Red Kite – Central Harbour – Alison Copland