There were a few interesting bits and pieces about today, including what looked like a Whinchat on the Osprey nest cam briefly during the morning. Although Whinchat pass through Poole Harbour on migration in both spring and autumn, we rarely (in fact never) have records of them in the middle of the breeding season. There’s still debate on the age, or if it’s even a Whinchat as a white panel (which this bird shows) on the forewing is also a feature of young Stonechat too. However the extent of the white above and beyond the eye on this particular bird is so extensive, it certainly makes it ‘look more’ Whinchat rather than Stonechat. Regardless, it’s an interesting looking bird. Female CJ7 Osprey was seen out over the Wareham Channel mid-afternoon and there was also a report of a possible Common Crane over Middlebere. The description of long neck, long legs and large broad wings all sounded good so lets hope it re-shows somewhere. A Red Kite passed through the Corfe Gap mid-morning and there was also a report of a Hoopoe in a ‘Poole’ garden, but sadly, that’s all the information we received. At Lytchett Fields a Spotted Redshank was present again with 2 Green Sandpiper and 20+ Black-tailed Godwit. On the Brownsea Lagoon, c160 Sandwich Tern chicks are already beginning to practice their first flights…..they grow up so fast. Before we know it, they’ll all be gone!

Juvenile Goldfinch – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Juvenile Whinchat/Stonechat – Osprey nest cam