The White-winged Black Tern stayed for its third day today at Swineham GP, right up until dusk, which may suggest it could be there tomorrow, however I was told by local birder Nick Hopper the other day that they often tend to migrate at night so we’ll wait and see. Thanks too to Brett Spencer for aging the bird for us as a 2^nd summer.  Also at Swineham a Little Gull, and 1 Grey Plover. Highlights from Studland included 6 Sanderling and a Wheatear and Lytchett Bay saw its first Hobby of the year. Some sad news today in that the ‘beta’ Marsh Harrier nest, i.e the new female that arrived last year and successfully raised 3 young has abandoned her nest, despite the chicks having hatched. This was due to the fact the male who was feeding her and the chicks has definitely disappeared. The same male was also providing to the ‘alpha’ nest where the female (who is possibly more experienced) is currently doing a good job of feeding herself and her chicks, lets just hope she can keep it up. It was a magical night on Slepe Heath last night when a GIANT moon raised its sleepy head from behind Corfe Castle as no less than 7 Nightjar were churring all around me. The recording below was taken just as the moon was fully visible above the Purbecks, and was originally just supposed to be a Nightjar recording but a Common Buzzard and a Cuckoo had other ideas! The sonagram shows the last seven seconds of the recording highlighting the churring of the male Nightjar, its wing claps as it flies off and the calling Buzzard

European Nightjar, Common Buzzard, Common Cuckoo – Slepe Heath 03/06/15