It was a glorious start to the day which allowed us to venture out on to a survey boat and count harbour birds for the fist time since February! It was great to finally get back out on the water and see what birds were about, what had arrived, what had bred successfully etc. Highlights and totals included 2 Little Tern out on a sand bar in South Deep, 2 Common Sandpiper (Brownsea north shore and Frome Mouth), 4 Turnstone, c50 Curlew, 14 Dunlin, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, c460 Black-tailed Godwit, 103 Mute Swan, 13 Whimbrel, 1 Marsh Harrier, 6 Great Crested Grebe, great numbers of Sandwich and Common Tern including numerous fledged chicks, c100 Oystercatcher, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Greenshank, c30 Little Egret and 2 Avocet. There was a freshly newly arrived adult male Marsh Harrier in and around the Hartland/Wareham Channel area and female Osprey CJ7 made an appearance on the nest cam for the first time in several weeks. On Lytchett Fields there were still at least 8 Little Ringed Plover and a Hobby was also seen.

Little Egrets – Ower Bay

Common Seals – Wareham Channel