A foggy start gave way to a beauty of a day, bringing with it a nice selection of birds. At South Haven a reeve Ruff flew down the beach after being flushed from the flooded area, a great patch record and not an easy bird to catch up with at Studland let alone anywhere during the spring in Poole Harbour. Also at South Haven were 4 Wheatear and plenty of med Gull moving about. What seemed to be a migrant (passing) Hen Harrier appeared over Hartland briefly before taking out some aggression on an unsuspecting Peregrine. What should have been the harbour’s first Cuckoo was heard calling distantly from Hartland mid-morning…more about that later! Brownsea Lagoon numbers were moderate to say the least but over the coming weeks more and more Sandwich Tern and Common Tern will be arriving making it the summer-hive of activity we’re all familiar with. Today numbers consisted of 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 4 Turnstone, 2 Brent Geese, 6 Avocet and still good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit. Out on Arne Moors (viewed from Ridge Wharf) were 5 Little Ringed Plover on a flooded patch but they had gone by late afternoon. Another Osprey slowly drifted over Canford Heath mid morning and a single Red-legged Partridge at Holton Lee was the first in quite some time. 

From our Listening Station in Old Town Poole, we encountered something quite unexpected on Monday night. When night recording for night migrants, the excitement always comes from never knowing what species you’re going to encounter next. On Monday night when analysing the nights recording we heard something familiar. Incredibly at 00:18am a Cuckoo flew over calling just twice before disappearing into the night! A real turn up for the books. Also encountered that night was a passing Common Snipe and 3 Song Thrush calls.

Cuckoo – Cuckoo – Call of night time migrant – Old Town Poole Listening Station

Common Snipe – Common Snipe – Calls of night time migrant – Old Town Poole, Listening Station