There was love in the air this morning, despite the icy, icy cold easterly wind when White-tailed Eagle pair G4466 (female) and G463 (male) began a territorial valentines courtship flight in the harbour before tracking south to Durlston, before eventually soaring in tandem over Swyre Head. This then attracted the attention of 2 juvenile White-tailed Eagles that have also been spending time along the Purbeck coast, and at around 8am all four were circling together, interacting, calling to one another with occasional talon grappling. This provided quite the spectacle for some of our team who were out monitoring early this morning when all four were circling right above our heads. We attempted to get some video footage, but the cold easterly wind made it difficult, but we did manage to get some photos too. This morning the/a Velvet Scoter flew into the harbour at around 7am, which is presumed to be to be the one that was in the harbour on Saturday last week. There were also 3 Kittiwake in and around the harbour entrance along with 3 Great Northern Diver. Despite the chop on the water, the Long-tailed Duck was bobbing up and down in-between Redhorn and Jerry’ Point with 2 Slavonian Grebe off there still. The Siberian Chiffchaff was still at Norden Sewage Works plus a Lesser Redpoll was still in the Alders.

(Cold) wobbly footage of four White-tailed Eagles over Swyre Head this morning

Four White-tailed Eagles over Swyre Head, Purbeck

Tim Mackrill from the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation monitoring the eagles with us this AM

Male White-tailed Eagle G463 flying past our team at Swyre Head