Another stunner today, with the heat seeing female Osprey CJ7 sheltering her two chicks from the heat for most of the day, providing an essential Osprey shaped area of shade within the nest. The chicks are growing so fast and are now easily visible on the NEST CAM, especially when a food delivery is made. A Summer Safari Cruise headed out this morning and were treated to multiple Marsh Harrier sightings with the regular 2-3 mooching around the Swineham Point area. Up to 5 Bearded Tit were seen flying around the reed beds in the mouth of the Frome and both Reed Warbler and Reed Bunting were the most notably audible bird species singing. The Brownsea Lagoon had a combined total of 37 Shelduck ducklings, shared between 3 pairs. Also on the Lagoon were newly hatched Oystercatcher including a slightly older chick on the Seymers shoreline on the Brownsea North shore. The Dorset Wildlife Trust counted 135 Sandwich Tern chicks on the breeding islands which is an excellent total compared to last year.

Sandwich Tern colony – Brownsea Lagoon – Nicki Tutton