Prime conditions for our early morning ‘Up with the Lark Cruise’ this morning, with plenty of bird song up the River Frome of 5+ Cetti’s Warbler, 10+ Reed Warbler and 1 Sedge Warbler along the river. A couple of Bearded Tit also showed really well from the mouth of the River Frome. On the Brownsea Lagoon the 2 Curlew Sandpiper were still present along with the 2nd summer Little Gull and 4 Avocet, including 2 that were looking territorial, fighting off Oystercatchers for grass space. A count of tern and gull nests was conducted by the Dorset Wildlife Trust on the Brownsea Lagoon and saw 231 Sandwich Tern nests, 87 Common Tern nests, c267 Black-headed Gull nests and 11 Great Black-backed Gull nests. 1 Red Kite was also over Poole Quay. At Morden Bog at least 4 Hobby were hunting Dragonflies but still no sign of any Red-footed Falcon in Poole Harbour. 1 passage Green Sandpiper also flew over here. At Bog Lane, along Holme Lane there were 12 Cattle Egret and 1 Great White Egret and 5 Spoonbill were still off Shipstal. Will all 5 of these over-summer? Also this evening, newly arrived Rutland female Osprey 3H9 was seen again in Middlebere.

Male Bearded Tit – Mouth of the River Frome from our Up with the Lark Cruise – John Thorpe

Curlew Sandpiper – Brownsea Lagoon from our Up with the Lark Cruise – Samantha Roberts