Mixed weather for our Spring Safari Cruise this morning, but we had a nice range of sightings despite the showers.  There were 2 White-tailed Eagles sat out on Shag Looe Spit. At least 100 Swift and 70 Swallow were logged during the trip, with smaller numbers of House and Sand Martin. At Swineham, 2 Little Ringed Plover were present on the scrapes, with 2 Marsh Harrier active over the reed bed and a distant Hobby was beyond Swineham and a large sub-adult female Peregrine almost caught a Wood Pigeon over Keysworth. A scan of Brownsea Lagoon provided views of 70+ Oystercatcher, 80 Black-tailed Godwit, 50 Common Tern and 100 Sandwich Tern and there were 2 dark-bellied Brent Geese on the Shingle Beach at Brownsea. Through the rest of the day, 1 Whimbrel was also present in Holes Bay this morning. The Forster’s Tern was seen again today during brief appearance on Brownsea Lagoon and feeding between Shipstal Point and Long Island. This afternoon 2 Osprey were circling over Middlebere, one was 022, but the other is a mystery new bird.

Little Ringed Plover – Swineham – Clive Hargrave