March stepped up a notch today with more decent birds arriving. The first drake Garganey of the spring was on the Swineham scrapes this morning and was soon followed by an Osprey which was seen hunting out in the Wareham Channel around 10am. Also at Swineham was 1 Swallow with 4 Sand Martin and a Merlin was hunting over Swineham Point. At roughly the same time 2 White-tailed Eagles were over Lytchett Bay and headed out towards the Wareham Channel. A Red Kite was also over Lytchett Bay and a male Goshawk was in Middlebere. Later this afternoon another Osprey was seen over Wareham Common and this evening the 3 Cattle Egret were again off Rock Lea View, Lytchett Bay with a Spotted Redshank and 1 Water Pipit on Lytchett Fields. Amazingly a Hobby was also over Hartland this afternoon and this morning 9 Marsh Harrier came out of the west harbour roost.

Distant Osprey over Wareham Channel from Hydes Heath, RSPB Arne – John Thorpe