Apologies for our website being down the last couple of days due to technical issues. Thankfully it’s now back up and running and so we are able to resume sightings as normal.

A mixed day in the harbour with some monstrous downpours making our wetland bird survey this afternoon difficult, before opening up in to a stunning evening. Despite the weather there were large numbers of waders on the low tide this afternoon with enormous numbers of Black-tailed Godwit, almost entirely in Holes Bay with 5236 counted. Counts of barely double figures could be managed in other classic areas like Lytchett Bay and the Wareham Channel. The 1 Goosander and 1 Little Gull were still in Holes Bay North East. In Brands Bay there were 660 Dunlin and 5 Knot, along with 2 White-tailed Eagles. Off Jerry’s Point there were 3 Great Northern Diver, 4 Black-necked Grebe and 3 Slavonian Grebe. From Middle Beach, Studland there were 1 Great Northern Diver, 3 Black-necked Grebe and 1 Common Scoter. In the Wareham Channel this afternoon from our low tide cruise there were 1 Spoonbill, 5 Marsh Harrier, 1 Hen Harrier, c200 Avocet, c1000 Dunlin, c10 Knot and 2 Greenshank. 1 Spoonbill was also in the Middlebere Channel and 3 were off Goathorn. 10 Glossy Ibis were still in North Bestwall paddocks at Swineham.

We also had some other great news this weekend! In 2022 the first Osprey nest in 180 years in Southern England was established at Careys Secret Garden as a result of our Poole Harbour Osprey translocation. The first chick to fledge for 180 years was a female we ringed ‘5H1’.
Last year she herself established her own nest up near the Rutland area and raised 3 chicks including 8R3, which our team members Brittany Maxted and Sam Ryde ringed last summer. Well, a few days ago 8R3 was seen in the Gambia by Osprey surveyor Fansu Bojang. Great to see 3rd generation Ospreys now starting to thrive as a result of the project.

2nd calendar year Osprey 8R3-  The Gambia – Fansu Bojang