Just when you think spring may have arrived today happens! Grey, drizzly, foggy, damp and miserable. Come on April…pull yourself together! An attempt to run the Ballard Down ringing station was made with 7 Goldfinch and 2 Chiffchaff the only rewards but a singing Blackcap provided some sort of solace that things are going to get better. Brownsea was relatively quiet too with c30 Avocet still present, c50 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Greenshank the highlights but Redshank, a few Grey Plover and Dunlin remain. There’s been no sign of any Osprey the last couple of days but to be honest, with this weather they’d much prefer to just sit it out, giving the impression they’ve gone. Will we see any in the next couple of days when things improve? There were 2 Little Ringed Plover on Lytchett Fields with 2 Green Sandpiper. Just north of the harbour Stour Ringing Group managed to catch and ring a Common (Mealy) Redpoll on Canford Heath, along with 16 Lesser Redpoll.

Lesser Redpoll (left) and Mealy Redpoll (right) – Canford Heath – Ian Lewis