A land-based survey of the Black-headed and Mediterranean Gull colony featured a flight 8 Dunlin, raft of 8 Great Crested Grebe, a Marsh Harrier perched on a at the top end of Wareham Channel, and most notably 18 adult Sandwich Tern adults and 4 chicks on the gull islands! Nearby, Lytchett Fields produced 51 Mediterranean Gull, with over half consisting of 2nd calendar year birds. These individuals are like adults, but can be separated by small black markings on wingtip. Possible 2nd calendar year Caspian Gull clocked while stuck in traffic on Dolphin Roundabout. Certainly worth keeping an eye out if birding Holes Bay, Brownsea Lagoon or key roost sites.

Our Nightjar Experience Walks are running every Thursday through June and July at Slepe Heath. Join our team for an evening of discovery, learning about this unusual species, their mysterious lifestyle and churring song set to the stunning landscape of the Wareham Channel. More information and booking details can be found here »

Peregrine fledgling – Barclay Building, Poole – Rene Goad

Stunning summer-plumage Sanderling – Shell Bay, Studland (Sunday) – Mark Wright

We had two strokes of luck today when it came to our Poole Harbour Osprey nest. Firstly, a freak power cut this morning seemed to re-set the camera back to it’s original angle, meaning you can now see the whole nest again and both parents. You may remember, several weeks ago CJ7 and 022 were landing and mating on top of the camera, when it looked like they had knocked it down, meaning the view was restricted. Well it seems it was only the lens inside the camera that was knocked down (not the whole unit), so when the camera re-set its self this morning, it recalibrated and began streaming the full view again…..brilliant! Secondly, during the power cut, it was sods law that the first view of one of the chicks would occur, but luckily our network recorder was still recording the footage despite the live stream not working, meaning we still got to see the historical moment when the chicks head peered above the nest for the very first time. Since then we’ve been able to confirm at least two chicks with their heads appearing into view several times today. The big question will be is there a third? No doubt we’ll find out in a few days time! Below is the footage we were able to extract from our network recorder this morning of the very first views of a Poole Harbour Osprey chick. We’d also like to say a huge thank you to everyone thats donated towards our Osprey Project Fundraiser. We’ve raised just over £3000 over the Bank Holiday weekend which is brilliant. If you haven’t done so yet, but are keen to help support the project then you can do so by visiting our Just Giving page here…..Donate Here

Elsewhere around the harbour there were still 4 Brent Geese in Brands Bay and 81 Black-tailed Godwit. Sadly, with todays good news, there does come some bad news. Over the weekend the Barclays Peregrines fledged and all seemed to be doing Ok. However, today we received a call informing us that one of the chicks had been found dead having flown into an office winder at/near Barclays. This is obviously one of the risks to urban Peregrines with exactly the same happening to one of last years chicks too.

022 and CJ7 surveying their estate

It’s been a busy weekend for BBQ’s and boozing it seems, but less so for birding! Although today there were some nice highlights including the first fledging of one of the Poole Peregrines which made it’s way to the top of the close multi-story carpark roof before it was then mobbed by the local Herring Gulls. It then headed off north towards some flats near the King George pub. We’re sure it will be fine, and there are plenty of people currently keeping a close eye on them. This morning there were 5 Marsh Harrier over the Wareham Channel as was White-tailed Eagle G801. In Middlebere there were 3 Spoonbill with another single on the Brownsea Lagoon. On Shell Beach there was a group of 16 Sanderling and there were 2 Brent Geese in Brands Bay.

Newly fledged Peregrine – Poole Town Centre – Holes Bay Nature

Peregrine chick – Barclays building – Rene Goad

Sanderling – Shell Beach – Mark Wright

We managed to get out on last nights Puffin cruise, dodging the showers which produced 4 Puffin on the water just off Dancing Ledge along with the normal small rafts of Guillemot and a few Razorbill. Other highlights included several Gannet flying right past over over the boat, Fulmar sat on the water, 2 Peregrine on the cliffs at Ballard along with a surprise Cuckoo just as we got back near Poole Quay. There were 3 Spoonbill on Brownsea this afternoon and at Swineham a Cuckoo was singing. In Brands Bay there were still 4 over-summering Brent Geese.

Puffins – Dancing Ledge – Seb Haggart

Sunset over Brownsea after finishing Puffin Cruise

Let photography commence!

We were able to confirm today that Osprey pair CJ7 and 022’s second egg hatched when CJ7 lifted another piece of egg shell out of the nest. The last 48 hours have been such a whirlwind, and the best part is, we’re not even half way through the Osprey season! We’ve still got the whole chick development and then fledging phase to go yet, which is another 3 months of madness, chaos and history making ahead of us. Both adults continue to show real expertise when it comes to feeding and caring for their new young, which is just a joy to be able to tune into during any part of the day via the live webcam.

Elsewhere there was still a single lone male Wigeon in Holes Bay and a singing Willow Warbler too, plus in Middlebere there were still 5 Spoonbill. If you get a chance to visit Brownsea currently then do it, the Sandwich Tern chicks are at a great age to watch as they get fed by the parents and the Common Tern chicks will be hatching soon too.

Sandwich Terns and chick – Brownsea Clare Slade

Well, it was Ospreys CJ7 and 022’s full day of being new parents and they did brilliantly with five feeds carried out during the day, plus the exciting news that potentially a second hatch began about 21:30 with CJ7 seen lifting another section of egg shell out of the nest. We’ve received so many comments, emails, messages and phone calls from supporters and friends of the project which all mean so much to us. So from all of us here at BoPH we just want to say a massive thank you to everyone and for your kind words over the last 48 hours.

Unfortunately, due to a building wind all day we had to postpone our second Puffin Cruise of the season, meaning it was just too rough along the Jurassic Coast to get to the Puffin colony, but we’ll be re-launching a new date once back in the office after the Bank Holiday weekend, so keep an eye out for any potential new dates.

Bird-wise, the early summer doldrums seemed to have kicked in, but 7 Spoonbill in Middlebere is a good mid-summer total. Female White-tailed Eagle G801 was seen briefly over the Wareham Channel and 2 Hobby were over Slepe Heath. Peregrines have also been seen feeding young on Corfe Castle and the Barclays trio of youngsters were causing mayhem on the balcony all day, as they begin to start thinking about fledging soon.

Peregrine chick – Poole Town – Rene Goad

Peregrine chicks – Poole Town – Rene Goad

Today was the day we’ve all been wait for here at BoPH for the last 7 years. Female Osprey CJ7 and male 022 finally became parents with a newly hatched chick in the nest. We believe the hatching started last night around 10pm, and was then completed by around 11am this morning which is when CJ7 took on all responsibility at the nest site and 022 switched to being sole fish provider. He conducted and carried out his duties incredibly efficiently and brought two fish to the nest during the late morning and early afternoon, but CJ7 didn’t initially seem bothered about feeding the new arrival. However, by around 3pm, CJ7 got the knack and we were all totally thrilled when we saw her feed the chick for the very first time.

This is an amazing historical moment and to share it with so many people was just brilliant. The pair also had their own slot on Springwatch this evening and will be discussed on Countryfile in a few weeks time. We’ll obviously be updating on developments over the coming weeks, but in the mean time, please stay tuned to the Osprey Nest Cam

Female Osprey CJ7 feeding new chick for the first time

Best news today was that there are now three juvenile Peregrine chicks visible on the Barclays building which is great news, and shows the parents are doing a great job at providing enough food. They don’t look like they’re too long from fledging, so it’s likely we may see another ‘grounding’ or two over the coming weeks, so if you see of or hear of one on the ground/in trouble please get in contact with us. Elsewhere today 2 Red Kite passed over the Piddle Valley and 2 Hobby were over Hartland. A Quail was heard briefly at Nine Barrow Down and 2 Spoonbill were in Middlebere.

We’re obviously still waiting for ‘a hatch’ at the Osprey nest, and having spoken to Tim Mackrill today, his prediction is for hopefully tomorrow! Today is still only day 38 after the initial so there’s still plenty of time for some action to take place. Tomorrow would be great…so please hurry up!

Peregrine chicks – Barclays building – Rene Goad

Not many sightings reported so far today, aside from a few nice bird of prey reports and updates. One of the IoW White-tailed Eagles was seen this morning from Coombe Heath, in flight over the Wareham Channel. A juvenile Peregrine from the nest on the Barclays building was visible on the balcony again this morning, so it’s good to hear the young are continuing to gain confidence. From reports, we know at least 2 juveniles Peregrines are present, although 3 eggs were laid. Today marks 37 days since CJ7 laid the pair’s first egg, which is the average incubation period for Osprey eggs. So far, we haven’t seen signs of hatching today, but the pair appear to have been playing close attention to the eggs and CJ7 was reluctant to let 022 incubate this morning, which could be a good sign. In the later stages of incubation, the adults will be able to hear noises from within the eggs, and will be more restless, regularly turning them and standing up frequently. We’ve started seeing these behaviours over the last 48 hours, so hopefully hatching isn’t far off. Incubation usually ranges between 36-40 days, so we’ll be watching very intently over the next couple of days for this activity. We’ll be able to confirm hatching if/when we see CJ7 reaching into the nest to feed the chick, tearing off small pieces of fish for them.

Plenty of other species have already fledged chicks, including a pair of Redshank who were seen shepherding their brood of three chicks across the road from Hartland Moor towards the Middlebere channel this afternoon. And from the sublime to the ridiculous, an adult Oystercatcher was seen feeding a juvenile Black-headed Gull on Brownsea Lagoon (not for the first time in recent years)!

CJ7 inspecting the eggs this morning

Yesterday evening we hosted our first Purbeck Puffin and Seabird Cruise of the year, and were treated to stunning conditions throughout the trip. Before even leaving Poole Quay we had a Sparrowhawk circling overhead, and passing through the harbour entrance we spotted a flyover Cuckoo transiting between South Haven, Sandbanks, and then on to Brownsea Island. As we departed the harbour and crossed Studland Bay we picked up 2 Arctic Skua harassing Common and Sandwich Terns out in Poole Bay, a real treat! A single adult Peregrine was perched on a ledge south of Old Harry, along with several Shag and Cormorant as a flock of House Martin skimmed the cliff top. The stretch between Durlston and Dancing ledge produced 4 Puffins, 20+ Razorbills, 100+ Guillemot, 8 Fulmar, 20 Kittiwake, and several large flocks of Herring Gull, with a few Great black-backed, Black-headed and single Mediterranean Gull mixed in.

As one series of boats begins another comes to an end, hosting our final Spring Safari Cruise this morning. The undeniable highlight was seeing 1-year-old White-tailed Eagle G801 back on the shores of the Wareham Channel, after her three-week excursion which saw her venture all the way to Yorkshire and back via Kent, Norfolk and Staffordshire (at total distance of 1668km)! It’s very common for young eagles of her age to make these nomadic exploratory journeys, but nonetheless we’re very encouraged by how quickly she returned to Poole Harbour. Other notable species from the boat were Bearded Tit in the Swineham Reedbeds, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull on the Stilt Pools, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit on the Arne shoreline, and a distant adult Peregrine on the Barclays building in Poole, where at least two juveniles are now visible on the balcony.

Juvenile Peregrine – Barclay’s Building, Poole – Rene Goad

Sunset over Brownsea Lagoon from yesterday’s Puffin Boat – Brittany Maxted