We received (written) word of an Osprey sighting over Middlebere this afternoon at 4pm. Thanks to whoever left the note in the hide! Another visit at 6pm produced 101 Black-tailed Godwit and 13 Grey Plover. Swineham offered 10+ Sand Martin over the gravel pits and a Great White Egret feeding on Curlew Pools before heading up the Frome. Otherwise not much wildfowl around the site, however the Egyptian Goose was observed on the rugby field again. A total of 7 singing Chiffchaff made up the other migrants noted at Swineham. There were also plenty of other Chiffchaff singing plus several on the Ballard headland suggesting a fall/arrival had occurred. This was also highlighted by a photo we were sent showing a freshly arrived Chiffchaff (outside our harbour recording area) in Langton Matravers which had a face full of sticky pollen on its face, a regular feature of birds that have been feeding as they make their way up through Europe.  The first hirundine was recorded over Lytchett Bay, with 1 Swallow making a brief appearance in the morning. It also seems some over-wintering Blackcap are beginning to move around local gardens with ‘new’ birds appearing in areas. Our summer migrant Blackcap don’t tend to arrive until April so new arrivals into gardens are likely to be over-wintering birds moving out of winter territories before moving off back to breeding grounds themselves.

Osprey sighting – Middlebere hide – photo taken by Sean Walls

Canada Goose – Redhorn, Brand’s Bay – Nick Gadenne

Pollen-faced Chiffchaff – Langton Matravers – Pete Christie

Female Blackcap – Poole – Paul Swann