A glorious Spring day in the harbour with for the sunshine providing some warmth for the first time in a long time. There was lots of activity as a result with plenty of bird song and movement. At least 1 Hawfinch was still present just outside of area at St Mary’s Church Lytchett Matravers and one of the juvenile White-tailed Eagles tracked west over this area too this morning. In Lytchett Bay there was 1 Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank and 1 Red Kite. 1 Spotted Redshank was also in Holes Bay.

4 Spoonbill were in the Middlebere Channel but numbers do seem to be dropping in the harbour as spring passage gets going. 24 Spoonbill arrived back at Holkham in north Norfolk yesterday, to get ready for breeding, so there has clearly been a push out of wintering sites in the last couple of days. From our boat this afternoon the local pair of White-tailed Eagles were back on their usual spot of Shag Looe in the Wareham Channel. The Barnacle Goose was still at Swineham, swapping between the gravel pit and Arne Moors. 2 Marsh Harrier were also hunting Teal here. More and more Mediterranean Gulls are moving around and arriving back into the Wareham Channel and 1 male Goldeneye was also here. 2 female-type Common Scoter were in Central Harbour and 5+ Great Northern Diver were spread throughout the harbour including one that flew out the harbour entrance. Off Jerry’s Point there were 6 Black-necked Grebes, 4 Slavonian Grebe, 1 male Common Scoter and 1 Long-tailed Duck.

Goshawk – RSPB Arne – Alison Copland

White-tailed Eagle – Wareham Channel BoPH Winter Safari Cruise – Sue Ketteridge

Mediterranean Gull in breeding plumage – Wareham Channel from BoPH Cruise – Sue Ketteridge