Another stunning day in the harbour and more spring arrivals with the first Ring Ouzel of the spring, with a male seen at Corfe Common. More Little Ringed Plover arrivals too, with 1 was seen at Lytchett Fields, 2 at Swineham and 3 later on in the Lower Piddle Valley. 1 White Stork was seen flying over Long Island heading towards Brownsea. The long-staying Forster’s Tern was still showing nicely on the Brownsea Lagoon on the ‘boomerang island’ along with 5 Sandwich Tern. Good passage of Red Kite around the harbour today with at least 7 spread around Brownsea and Hamworthy this afternoon. A total of 4 Great Northern Diver were still in the harbour, mainly in the north channel. 1 female Merlin was at Challow Hill this morning.

No more Ospreys seen today, but there was a report of 2 yesterday off Shipstal point at RSPB Arne. There were an impressive 5 White-tailed Eagle seen from the urban side of the harbour with the adult pair flying towards Bournemouth and 3 juveniles soaring over Brownsea this morning. It seems to have been a good spring already for Crossbill with good numbers around the harbour with first broods likely to have already fledged. 6+ were seen at Hydes Heath, RSPB Arne, 2 at Brownsea and 2 in Newton Bay. The 1 Little Gull was still at Lytchett Fields and 3 Glossy Ibis on Wareham Common.

White Stork – flying over Long Island – Mark Wright