Sorry for the lack of news recently, but I’m sure the decent weather makes up for that. As spring migration begins to slow down, we can now start focusing on the breeding birds that stay here for the summer. Some late news from April 30^th saw Honey Buzzard fly right over the centre of Poole and a Savi’s Warbler was heard reeling on a private site during a Water Rail survey. Here are some highlights from the first five days of May…

May 1^st started off nicely with Red-throated Diver, Red Kite and 8 Whimbrel at Lytchett Bay. At least 4 Hobbies were over Hartland Moor and the long staying ringtail Hen Harrier was seen along the moors. There were at least 2 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon. There was another Lesser-spotted Woodpecker out towards Holton Heath, and finally the Sandwich Terns started to use their breeding islands on the Lagoon Webcam.

May 2^nd not much to report. Still at least 15 Avocet on the Brownsea Lagoon, 4 Greenshank,        3 Spotted Redshank and 1 Spoonbill.

May 3^rd saw slightly more action where at Upton CP there was 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank and a Whimbrel. At Lytchett Bay the 1^st winter Little Gull remained as did the Red-throated Diver, also there 2 Common Sandpiper and 11 Whimbrel. At Swineham there were 4 Common Sandpiper, 20 Whimbrel, 1 Marsh Harrier and 150 Black-tailed Godwit. At Hatch Pond there were 3 pairs of Great Crested Grebes.

May 4^th was very unsettled to begin with then cleared to be a nice day. At Swineham there were 2 Scaup on the main GP, 1 Red-throated Diver on main GP, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Sandpiper, 23 Swift, 2 Sedge Warbler, 5+ Cetti’s Warbler and 10+ Sandwich Terns. The Red-throated Diver and Little Gull were still at Lytchett Bay.

May 5^th where glorious weather really took a hold, and the summer warmth started to shine through. Main focus was around Lytchett Bay where the Red-throated Diver were still out in the bay, a Greenland Wheatear was on the pols field, about 35 Whimbrel were dotted around the area, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and a Wood Warbler. In the Wareham Channel the gull colony is looking and sounding superb. Best viewed from Holton Lee.