A strange grey sky welcomed us in today, and an even stranger wet substance fell from the cloud very briefly, but it didn’t take long for the sun to take over again and the warmth soon retuned. A brisk NW breeze set in all day though which you would have thought may take the edge off the birding, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Both Summer Safari Cruises produced the goods today with this mornings trip producing 4+ Osprey, including 3 in Arne Bay and another in the Wareham Channel, plus an incredible moment of 2 juv Peregrine Falcon hunting right off the side of the boat near Brownsea. Then, this afternoon the Dorset White-tailed Eagle pair gave a stunning fly by of the boat, having just caught a Flounder in the Wareham Channel. There were also 28 Cattle Egret at Swineham, 10 Greenshank and 4 Common Sandpiper on Brownsea. There were also 3 Great White Egret at Bestwall / Swineham, with 1 Little Ringed Plover, 3 adult Yellow-legged Gull and 7 Yellow Wagtail.

Peregrine Falcon – Brownsea shore from Summer Safari this AM – Alison Copland