It finally began to feel like some sort of summer could begin today. With the temperatures reaching 15 degrees could this now be the true start of a season we’ve all been so desperate for? There are currently still some trees that are yet to bloom into full leaf so with plenty of water in the last month and now some warmth hopefully plants and insects will begin to flourish meaning plenty of food entering the food chain and helping breeding productivity.

This morning we were out surveying the important gull colony in the Wareham Channel, a small set of islands that several thousands of breeding Black-headed Gulls and several other species. In total there were 3706 Black-headed Gull nests and 109 Mediterranean Gull nests. Mediterranean Gull are a schedule 1 species and are also a Poole Harbour SPA (Special Protection Area) feature species, so assessing their population is an important task. Also logged on the islands were 5 Oystercatcher nests, 2 Gadwall nests, 2 Mallard nests as well as 17 migrant Dunlin and 3 Bar-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere there are still 4 Brent Geese in Brands Bay that seem to be enjoying the cold spring and c30 Sanderling were were along the shoreline at Redhorn, Studland. There were 2 active Hobby over Middlebere and both Osprey’s CJ7 and 022 were active on the nest cam today, still mating and seeing off the local Raven that’s been visiting recently. There was no sign of the Scottish individual today.

Black-headed Gull chicks in the nest – Wareham Channel

Sandwich Tern – Clare Slade – Poole Harbour