It was due to happen some time, but finally one of the Isle of Wight White-tailed Sea Eagles decided to spend a day in and around Poole Harbour. Thanks to info from Tim Mackrill from the Roy Dennis Wildlife foundation we received info that the bird roosted within the harbour area last night having arrived from Hampshire yesterday afternoon. Today it was seen over Corfe, Harmans Cross and then Corfe Common again this evening, suggesting that it spent most/all of today along the south area of Poole Harbour. Where it is this evening is anyone’s guess….Dorset? Devon? Derbyshire? But we’ll hopefully be able to get another update from Tim tomorrow sometime. Elsewhere it was rather quiet today with many people just enjoying the sun. 2 Red Kite drifted over Nine Barrow Down and headed towards the harbour. Good numbers of Crossbill were in Rempstone and a pair of Mandarin Duck were seen in the Piddle Valley. The Little Gull was at Swineham floods first thing and 11 Spoonbill were in the Wytch Channel and then flushed towards Goathorn. Sadly a dead Barn Owl was found on the edge of the A35 near Lytchett Fields which is a scarce bird in that part of the harbour. It was also the Poole Harbour WeBS count today which so far seems to have yielded smaller numbers of the regular waders and wildfowl as winter spring gives way to spring.

Crossbill – Greenlands Farm