It would be well worth starting to listen out at night now for passage Whimbrel as they are now starting to arrive with the first 2 at Lytchett Bay today and one in the Wareham Channel. From mid-April onwards their whistling cry’s can be heard after sun set as they pass over in good numbers all the way until mid-May. Other passage waders can be logged moving at night too as April progresses with Ringed Plover, Knot, Turnstone, Common Sandpiper and Dunlin all regularly being recorded at night around this time of year. Today there were also 3 Osprey in the harbour including one over Upton CP and CJ7 was seen semi-interacting with another Osprey but we think it may have been a territorial escorting of another female away from the channel rather than the warm welcoming of a fine young male. CJ7 also visited the Middlebere platform today for the first time this spring as she carried out her daily tour of the harbour. Also a Peregrine was causing mayhem again out in the Wareham Channel around Gull Islands where c5000 Black-headed Gull were present and no less than c300 Med Gulls. Also 1 dark-bellied Brent Goose was still out there and c1000 fine looking summer-plumaged Black-tailed Godwit. There were 8 Little Ringed Plover on Lytchett Fields and at Swineham 2 Sedge Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, c40 Sand Martin, 2 Little Ringed Plover and c10 Swallow.

CJ7 on Middlebere nest platform