With yesterday feeling like late October, it was a welcome relief to see a bit of sun today, but it’s still really chilly. As a result, we’re hearing from various friends, partners etc of potential impacts this cold weather is having on breeding birds. Nightjar seem to be quite inactive currently and with very few moths being caught and logged in moth traps, is there currently enough food out there for them and to feed themselves and their recently hatched young? Also, there seems to be a lack of Swifts at traditional sites, like Wareham and Upper Parkstone. Again, for a species that eats aerial plankton (small flying invertebrates), which traditionally emerges during warmer temperatures, then are Swifts simply finding it too hard to find a plentiful food supply? Time will tell, but all we can hope is that summer kicks in some time soon…..for everyones benefit!

It was quite for news, but a Little Ringed Plover was on the Stilt Pools again, male Osprey 022 was hunting in Lytchett Bay this afternoon, both White-tailed Eagles were in the Wareham Channel, a Hobby was over the Wareham bypass bridge and a Red Kite was over the Osprey nest at Carey Secret Garden.