Today saw another mixed bag as a freshly arrived full adult male Marsh Harrier left the west Poole Harbour roost first thing whilst an Osprey was fishing off Giggers Island and 19 Spoonbill flew down the Wareham Channel. At Lytchett Fields there was a Wood Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 1 Spoonbill, 20+ Yellow Wagtail and an Osprey. In Middlebere there were 12 Spoonbill and 3-5 Osprey including an adult. At Holton Pools Kingfishers have taken up residence in front of the re-furbed hide using the conveniently placed perching posts with 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank, 2 Lapwing and 1 Black-tailed Godwit also using the scrapes. Whinchats, Redstarts, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Spotted Flycatcher Chiffchaff and Willow Warblerare all pretty numerous around the harbour at present, certainly along the heathland edges and around the Studland Peninsular. The Bonaparte’s Gull, 5 Spoonbill and 10 Spotted Redshank were on the Brownsea Lagoon. 2 Red Kite drifted over Studland. 

Tim Mackrill from the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation has also written an excellent blog post giving an update on our Osprey translocation project and the recent departure of our first Osprey chick. CLICK HERE

Unringed adult Osprey – Middlebere – Simon Kidner

Wood Sandpiper (left) and Redshank – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam