Another perfect day which saw the White-tailed Eagle count rise from 3 yesterday to an amazing 5 different individuals present at different times during today. The highlight was when 3 were seen togther circling above the Wareham Channel and the Middlebere with later sightings of other individuals around the Wareham Channel and Arne area. The individuals consisted of four 2nd calendar year birds (released individuals from last year) and one 3-year old individual which was released in 2019. The fine weather has obviously got them active and seeing them keen to explore and it’s hoped that now they’re all meeting regularly in Poole Harbour that this soon becomes a permanent meeting and feeding site (and nesting in a few years). Lets see what happens over the next few days.

Also around the harbour today were several more Osprey sightings with individuals seen in Middlebere and Brands Bay. At Swineham the Wood Sandpiper was there again with 1 Green Sandpiper and 2 Common Sandpiper and there were also 5 Cattle Egret. There were Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin moving all day and the Brownsea Spoonbill flock reached 53. Chiffchaff are now already nearly in every bush, especially at dawn, and once again Meadow Pipit were making good use of the conditions with small flocks moving across the harbour for most of the day. On Lytchett Fields there were 4 Curlew Sandpiper and a Wryneck was in Wareham Forest near Woolsbarrow Hill. On Baiter there were 25 Ringed Plover and 19 Turnstone.

White-tailed Eagles over Middlebere – Alison Copland