The resident Great Northern Diver was still in Poole Park along with 6 Goldeneye and a pair of Red-breasted Merganser. In Lytchett Bay there were 3 Spoonbill whilst a ringtail Hen Harrier quartered the reedbed at the far side from Turlin Moor and nearby 2 Lesser Redpoll were along Lytchett Way. An adult white-winged gull was also seen heading south over Arne Moors mid morning bust sadly a confimred ID couldn’t be had.

We also had an incredible piece of news this evening from our project partners in the Poole Harbour Osprey translocation project. Tim Mackrill received news from a warden friend of his in Western Senegal that one of our chicks from the 2017 release, LS7, has been seen safe and well in the Sine-Saloum Delta. This is just brilliant. This area is a well know Osprey over-wintering hot spot that Tim has visited before in which he states “you couldn’t choose to be anywhere better during the winter if you’re an Osprey than there…LS7 has chosen well”

The worry and mystery we felt after all 8 of our chicks left Poole Harbour during August and September last year was so intence, not knowing how they were going to fare. To know one is safe and well and in an good over-wintering spot fills the project with so much promise. We’d like to thank Adama Lene for getting the news to us quickly from Africa and we hope for more reports and sightings like this of other Poole harbour chicks over the coming years. Tim Mackrill will be writing a blog post about LS7 and its over-wintering spot which will be available tomorrow. TOP WORK LS7!!!!!

LS7’s original UK and current African location