Well today’s windy conditions did nothing to diminish the quality of the birding! First excitement was a Roseate Tern on the boomerang island on Brownsea Lagoon during the early afternoon. It disappeared soon after it was found, but was later relocated in the same spot just after 4pm, before being flushed minutes later along with all the Sandwich and Common Terns present. Also on the lagoon was a possible 1st summer Caspian Gull, and elsewhere on the Island a Nightjar was seen basking in the sun.

Then in the early evening a Golden Oriel was heard and briefly seen in flight at the RSPB Arne reserve! Could this be the same elusive bird which was briefly heard from the Brownsea Island Villa on Wednesday morning? Either way it’s encouraging, that the bird has stuck around or that multiple individuals may be passing through.

Cuckoo and Swift were both also recorded at Arne, whilst Hobby and Redstart were active over Morden Bog. And following the seasonal release of the cows at Lytchett Fields on Monday, 4 Cattle Egret have today appeared and begun tailing them.

Hobby – Morden Bog – Mark Wright