Spring seemingly continues to press on with more and more Sand Martin arriving across the country and a Northern Wheatear on Portland Bill today. A small handful of early migrants across the country in late February isn’t too unusual, but this year, a decent total and variety of spring migrants have already arrived suggesting we could be in for an early season?

Here in the harbour no sub-Saharan migrants have been logged yet, but this morning a small passage of Meadow Pipit were seen coming in off the sea over Studland Bay which would suggest European arrivals. This morning the 5 Black-throated Diver were still off Baiter, feeding in a small tight group out towards Salterns Marina, along with 1 Great Northern Diver and 2 Sandwich Tern. At Lytchett Bay, a Little Gull was reported on Lytchett Fields and 1 Spotted Redshank was out in the bay in the low tide. A ringtail Hen Harrier was in Middlebere this morning plus 1 Spoonbill, 1 Red Kite and 1 Goshawk seen there too. It seems various White-tailed Eagles were moving around today with sightings of 1 White-tailed Eagle out over the Wareham Channel, 1 over Ballard Down, 1 over Morden Bog, 1 over Morden/Lytchett Matravers and 1 over Corfe. The Hawfinch was still in St Marys Church Yard, Lytchett Matravers. A pair of Goosander were on the river just north of Holmebridge and 5 Cattle Egret flew over Wareham Common.

Ringtail Hen Harrier – Middlebere – Alison Copland

White-tailed Eagle and Common Buzzard – Lytchett Matravers