Another day of stunning weather in the harbour! During our Carey Osprey Tours, the cooler temperatures meant birds were more active. 2 Red Kite flew over distantly, 1 Common Buzzard came a bit too close to the nest and was quickly seen off by CJ7 and 5 Mistle Thrush were seen. This morning, 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull was on French’s Pools at RSPB Lytchett Fields. At Lytchett Bay, there were 3 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 25 Redshank, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Curlew, 2 Common Tern, and 1 Sandwich Tern. From Coombe Heath at RSPB Arne there was 1 Great White Egret, 1 White-tailed Eagle, 1 Sparrowhawk, and 1 Hobby. 1 Female Marsh Harrier was seen hunting over the gull islands, with 1 White-tailed Eagle later seen carrying prey past the gull islands. There was a clear increase in wader passage on Brownsea Lagoon today, with 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 16 Black-tailed Godwit, 17+ Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 5 Avocet, as well as 4 Spoonbill (including a colour-ringed individual NHB9). We also had 1 new, very tatty Osprey in the harbour today, in Lytchett Bay. Unfortunately, it didn’t come close enough to read the blue ring.

Blue-ringed Osprey – Lytchett Bay – Richard Stephenson