Today we hosted our first ever Spring Safari Cruise, and it didn’t disappoint with 2 White-tailed Eagle, 1 Red Kite, 3 Marsh Harrier, and plenty of Buzzard all in the upper Wareham Channel! Up the Frome river Skylark and Cetti’s Warbler were both singing away in full display mode, and on the scrapes were the 5 Egyptian Geese amongst the Canada and Greylag Geese, Shoveler, Teal, and Black-tailed Godwit. In the river mouth a couple of late staying Red-breasted Merganser were sheltering off Gigger’s Island, and a little later 1 Great White Egret was moving around Arne Moors, where both White-tailed Eagles had also relocated.

Around Poole Quay and the Central Harbour there were 2 Guillemot, both still in winter plumage. A few Turnstone were present on the Hamworthy shoreline, and a handful of Brent Geese remained around the Arne Peninsula and Brownsea docks.

On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 200+ Black-tailed Godwit, 40+ Bar-tailed Godwit, 30+ Avocet, 10+ Redshank, a few Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Shelduck, plus the usual Black-headed, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls.

Elsewhere, at Lytchett Fields 2 Water Pipit were still present, along with 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Avocet, 3 Shelduck, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Snipe, plus more hunting Marsh Harrier and displaying Skylark.

White-tailed Eagle with Little Egret – Wareham Channel – Simon Wilson

Red Kite – Wareham Channel – Alison Copland