The day started off calm, but soon turned grey, cold and windy, but it seemed some migrants were getting through including the first decent ‘pulse’ of Osprey. Although a number have already been logged this spring, and of course our pair returned earlier in the week, today was the first time we logged them from one of our Spring Safari cruises and were definite staging migrants. Firstly we found this stunning adult female perched up on the edge of the Wareham Channel before she then got hassled by a Carrion Crow and dissappeared off towards Middlebere. We also saw a more distant individual towards Middlebere then later in the trip logged our local male 022 heading up the Piddle Valley with a fish. Later on this afternoon during the March WeBS count, another adult female Osprey was seen catching a fish between Middlebere and Ower and hauled it’s fish up on to the mud to feed. No doubt there will be plenty more over the coming weeks. Also logged from our Spring Safari this AM were a number of Swallow coming in from the south, passing through north, a lone Spoonbill was flying over Arne, Brownsea had a good number of Mediterranean Gull and Sandwich Tern moving about plus c50 Avocet still, a Little Gull was in the Wareham Channel, c300 Black-tailed Godwit were in the Wareham Channel and 2 Marsh Harrier were over Swineham. Elsewhere a lone summer plumaged Black-necked Grebe was in Studland Bay with 1 Common Scoter. In Brands Bay/Jerry’s Point there were still 2 Great Northern Diver, 5 Red-breasted Merganser and 1 White-tailed Eagle was in Brands Bay, with another White-tailed Eagle seen over Lytchett Bay where there was 2 Spotted Redshank and 1 Ruff. 

Osprey seen from our Spring Safari this AM – Wareham Channel – Sam Roberts

Osprey seen from our Spring Safari this AM – Wareham Channel – Sam Roberts