The settled weather bedded in today, which despite the cloud and drizzle felt nice and mild. Many birds are now back and a river-side census along the Frome carried out by patch birder Peter Moore logged 79 Reed Warbler, c25 Cetti’s Warbler and 8 Sedge Warbler. The Little Gull was also still on the Lower Piddle floods with 2 Little Ringed Plover plus c30 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover, c50 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 White-tailed Eagle went over Swingham. The Bonaparte’s Gull appeared in the Lower Piddle Valley later in the day. In Bramble Bush Bay 2 Little Tern along with 4 Sanderling, 8 Bar-tailed Godwit, 15 Turnstone, 1 Ringed Plover and 7 Dunlin. At Lytchett Fields an Osprey was watched briefly and there was another (probably 022) fishing in the Wytch Channel. At Rock Lea View, Lytchett Bay 2 Red Kite passed over and 3 Whimbrel were in the bay, at at Middlebere there was 1 Cuckoo, 4 Whimbrel and 1 Marsh Harrier.

Whimbrel – Middlebere – John Thorpe