Sightings07/07/2021

Harbour Update – posted 07/07/21

Thanks to yesterdays strong wind, a Gannet was in the harbour and seen diving into the channel off of the Goathorn Peninsula: a very rare record for inside the harbour. Also in the Brands Bay area was the first returning Dunlin of the autumn, alongside 35 Common Tern and 8 Sandwich Tern.  In Middlebere there was the single Spoonbill still, plus 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Peregrine. Male Osprey 022 was active around the Arne Peninsular today, the first time in a long time, and was even seen sky dancing near Middlebere for a short while as female CJ7 cruised by slowly, not seemly taking much notice! However, it soon came to light as to why both CJ7 and 022 were over at Arne, when this afternoon we received images of an Osprey that was flying over Middlebere which we assumed was going to be 022 or CJ7, however, looking at the underwing in photos, it’s blatantly neither of ours. Sadly none of the photos show enough of the leg to see if it was ringed or not, but regardless, to have a new Osprey in the harbour is interesting in its self, and heralds the start of the Osprey migration season. It’s likely to be a non-breeding wanderer, so lets see if it re-appears again somewhere else around the harbour over the next couple of days. As a result of the birds presence, 022 spent some time on a nest platform at RSPB Arne, an area he’s not really spent much time, but the presence of another bird clearly got him a bit territorial.
Underwing shots of new Osprey today at Middlebere (left – Geraint Hopkins) and 022 from bird boat on Sunday (right – Rene Goad)
Male Osprey 022 on another nest platform at RSPB Arne within the harbour today

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