It was way colder to start with today, with our Spring Safari once again seeing multiple wooly hats and thermal gloves worn to keep out the chill. There was a real mix out there today though with plenty of interest. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 2 Little Gull first thing this morning and a few Mediterranean Gulls soaring over Poole Quay. At Swineham 4-5 Bearded Tit were off Swineham Point, the Lapwing family were doing well on the Stilt Pools at Swineham with all 3 chicks still present and accounted for, plus there were c150 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Little Ringed Plover also on the pool. There were more Swift around again with c20 over Swineham and 50+ across the lower valley landscape. The Marsh Harrier pair were busy seeing off various intruding arrivals that got close to the nest with some truly aggressive behaviour noted out over the mouth of the River Piddle. A Spoonbill was on Giggers Island, a breeding plumage Great White Egret was in Middlebere and 4 Red Kite passed north high over central harbour. There’s also been a mystery blue-ringed Osprey ‘kicking about’ over the last 24 hours which was seen at both Middlebere and the Carey Secret Garden nest site today, identifiable as the same bird with photos showing the same underwing markings. We don’t know who this is until it lands on a nest somewhere, but it could be Rutland female 3H3  back again, or it could be one of our 2023 juveniles returning for the first time. Hopefully time will tell !!

Reed Bunting – Swineham – Harry McBride

Common Tern – Brownsea Lagoon – Harry McBride

Breeding plumage Great White Egret – Middlebere – Kate Plater

Top photo – Mystery Osprey at Carey – Alison Copland / Below photo – Mystery Osprey at Middlebere – Kate Plater