Where are all the Swallows? As each day goes by during May, we’d expect multiple sites to now be occupied with nesting Swallows. House Martin are back (albeit in low numbers) and have been seen trying to collect mud from the river banks due to the incredibly dry conditions, and last night 23 Swift were logged interacting over Wareham, but there seems to be hardly any Swallow anywhere? Ok, yes there are some back at traditional sites, and in those areas it may seem that nothing dramatic has changed, but during our recent boat trips and various walks our team have carried out over the last 3-weeks there seem to be next to none in standard farmland/rural habitats around the harbour fringes. Is this just a Poole Harbour thing or is anyone else noticing this?

A Spoonbill was in Middlebere this morning, 2 Hobby were over Swineham and another 2 were over Wareham Common. There were 3 Marsh Harrier over Swineham Point again and the brownsea Lagoon breeding sea birds were counted again by Dorset Wildlife trust and logged 251 Sandwich Tern, 108 Common Tern, 225 Black-headed Gulls (lagoon only) and 11 Great Black-backed Gulls.

Common Terns – Brownsea Lagoon – Nicki Tutton