This morning at 05:29 marked the hatching of our first Osprey chick of the season! A few hours later, at 11:08, it got it’s first taste of fish, with CJ7 very carefully tearing off tiny beak-size pieces. Osprey eggs tend to hatch 2-3 days apart due to being laid 3 days apart, however they often have a delayed incubation strategy which means they won’t full incubate until the 2nd egg is laid, bringing the first two hatching dates closer together. And not long after the first hatching, we noticed cracks in the second egg, highlighting that strategy. All being well it should be out by this evening. Let the fun begin!

The Osprey chick wasn’t the only highlight today from our Carey Osprey tours, with 1 White Stork spotted heading southwest over the Piddle Valley before turning northwest, close views of Peregrine Falcon and Hobby, and a flock of 8 Mistle Thrush. Earlier in the morning, an Osprey was seen high over Morden Bog, another over RSPB Arne calling and sky-dancing, and another hunting in Lytchett Bay. Potentially the same bird? Whilst looking for the White Stork, a female Montagu’s Harrier was seen over Morden Village before tracking over Wareham Forest and then heading northeast. A pair of Tufted Duck were seen in Lytchett Bay, the first records of the year. And there was also a report of a singing male Wryneck at Morden Bog this morning, but we’re not sure whether the bird was seen to confirm the species and if not wondered if there was a chance could have been a Hobby instead which have a very similar call (see these Wryneck vs Hobby examples)?

Finally, just south of our recording area there were great views of Bee-eater today at Durlston Country Park near the Castle and later from the road down to the lighthouse, mostly hiding in the vegetation but eventually straying out onto the wires over the gully. It’s thought to have flown southwest out to sea later in the afternoon, but could be worth looking out for anywhere along the Purbeck coast tomorrow!

First Osprey chick of 2025

Bee-eater – Durlston Country Park – Phyl England