The last few days has provided a chorus of birdsong from all corners of the harbour. Wherever you go there seems to be a bird giving 110% from the bottom of its lungs as it tries its best to impress a mate. Starting at Swineham where both Reed and Sedge Warbler are well and truly established and Blackcap seem to fill every hedgerow. There are now 3-4 Marsh Harrier off Swineham point with nest building continuing as the odd ‘drifting’ bird passing through. On the gravel pits a 1^st summer Little Gull, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Pochard, and 2 Little Grebe. There was also a big arrival of hirundines over the ‘stilt pools’ with around 300-400 Sand Martin with a few Swallow and House Martin mixed in and 3 Swift, 3 Wheatear, 1 Cuckoo and 6 Cetti’s Warbler around Bestwall. Also 6 Spoonbill on the stilt pools.  At Lytchett Bay there was 1 Little Ringed plover, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Whimbrel, 1 Spoonbill, 3 Greenshank, 6 Wheatear and bizarrely a drake Pintail.  An Osprey was on the Middlebere pole again but wasn’t seen yesterday. In Brands Bay still 1 Grey Plover, 95 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Whimbrel, 8 Knot with Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin all passing through. Up on the edge of the Corfe Ridge 2 Nightingale were in full voice along with 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 4 Stonechat, 5 Yellowhammer and 2 Tawny Owl. Up on Hartland Moor there were 5 Wheatear and 1 Cuckoo.

Some additional news from today where on Brownsea there were 2 Spotted Redshank, 100+ Dunlin, 4 summer plumage Grey Plover, 7 Spoonbill, 1 Ringed Plover, 11 Common Tern, 40+ Sandwich Tern, 1 Sanderling, 4 Greenshank, 7 Wheatear (on the lagoon wall), 10 Brent Geese, 6 Shoveler, 3 Avocet, 2 Yellow-legged Gull and a few Bar-tailed Godwit. At Lytchett Bay this evening 2 Whinchat, 1 Redstart, 38 Wheatear and 3 Common Sandpiper as well as many Sand Martin and House Martin.