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

More glorious sunshine, which brought the first Swallows of the spring, with 2 at Lytchett Bay and 1 over the Piddle Valley. There were 2 Little Ringed Plover on the Swineham Scrapes and 2 on Lytchett Fields and there was alos a mini arrival of Black Redstart with 1 on Studland Church and 2 up on Ballard Down. More Red Kite were logged with 3 over Ulwell, 1 over Swineham, 1 over Lytchett Minster and 1 over Canford Heath. We went from 4 to 2 White-tailed Eagles today with 2CY female G801 and 3CY female G381 hanging around the Wareham Channel area, but staying elusive. There was a Great White Egret at Sunnyside and another in Middlebere.

Tawny Owl – Middlebere Osprey platform 

Woodlark – Poole Harbour heathland 

Well, what we lack in Ospreys currently we certainly make up for in White-tailed Eagles, with FOUR present (briefly) today with three new ones passing through during the afternoon, and one even attempting to catch a fish in Brands Bay, and the relatively settled female G801 still hanging about out in the Wareham Channel. Yesterdays Yellow Wagtail at Swineham, which caused some debate about it’s ID was present again this evening and with better photographs was able to determine that it was indeed a standard flavisima and not anything scarcer sadly. There was also a Little Ringed Plover on the Swineham scrape and 3 Little Ringed Plover at Lytchett Fields. Red Kites passed over the Piddle Valley, Stoborough and Studland and there were 4 Cattle Egret in fields on the edge of the Frome Valley below Worgret Manor. There was a tardy male Merlin also at Lytchett Fields the Peregrine pair on Barclays seemed to do a nest shift, suggesting they’re now incubating eggs which is great news. Finally there were 3 Spoonbill still on Shipstal Point during the high tide.

Back of the camera image of the early Yellow Wagtail at Swineham – Peter Moore

The weather just keeps getting better and better, and hopefully so will the birding over the next few weeks. There was an obvious arrival into the harbour today with 4 new Cattle Egret appearing, with 5 in total roosting with a Great White Egret at Swineham. Having only had 1 Cattle Egret present in the harbour (Frome Valley) since the new year, the new 4 show that migrant heron species are on the move. There was also a great early spring record of an adult Yellow Wagtail on the Swineham scrapes with 9 White Wagtail and 60 Pied Wagtail. At Lytchett Fields there were 4 Little Ringed Plover and 1 Spotted Redshank along with a couple of White Wagtail. Finally, we heard from Tim Mackrill that young female White-tailed Eagle G801 arrived back into the harbour and went straight back to the Wareham Channel. Away from the harbour (but of note and interest) an Osprey was over Longham this morning and there was a small arrival of Hoopoe into the UK with one on Portland, and with this fine weather and easterly breeze set to continue, there should be many more new arrivals due so keep a good eye out.

White Wagtail – Lytchett Fields – Mark Wright

Pied Wagtail – Lytchett Fields – Mark Wright

It felt liked we’d skipped spring today and just gone straight to summer, with loads of butterfly’s and bee’s on the wing and bird song throughout the woodlands really ramping up. Chiffchaff are certainly one of the most dominant singers at the moment along with Song Thrush and around the edges of the conifers, displaying Siskin are making a right racket. Mistle Thrush are certainly making themselves known in quiet corners of the harbour and Blackcap are now trickling through with the first few already back on territory. These beautiful blue sky’s are perfect migrating conditions, and it’s no surprise that multiple Osprey are already back on territory in areas like Rutland, Northern England and up in Scotland, despite the fact we’re still waiting for our first. Any day now though! Red Kite were one again on the move though with 3 over Ballard, 2 over Wareham and 2 over Arne. The Garganey was on the Swineham floods plus there was a Great White Egret and Cattle Egret at Swineham with 2 flyover Spoonbill. At Lytchett Fields there were 5 Little Ringed Plover and a summer plumaged Water Pipit. Off Bog Lane SANG there was 1 Cattle Egret and 1 Great White Egret in the Frome Valley with a Marsh Harrier over there too.

Garganey – Swineham – Adam Day

Two female-type plumage Black Redstart were picked up at South Haven this morning, one by the car park toilet block & one at the toll booth end. Lytchett Fields had 3 Little Ringed Plover on Approach Pool, a Spotted Redshank on the fields, a respectable count of 712 Black-tailed Godwit in the Bay and 2 Red Kite that drifted south this morning, with another individual logged over the Lower Piddle Valley. At RSPB Arne, Coombe Viewpoint featured c.100 Black-tailed Godwit and Great White Egret. Two Black-necked Grebe were off Middle Beach and 10 Sandwich Tern were seen on the boomerang from the Avocet Hide on Brownsea Lagoon this morning. There were 2 Great White Egret at Swineham this evebing and a Cattle Egret flew over too.

Garganey (yesterday) – Swineham Scrapes – Peter Moore

More signs of spring at Lytchett Fields today with two Little Ringed Plover present, as well as 3 breeding plumage Water Pipit. The Garganey present in Lytchett Bay yesterday was not there today, however, this evening one was found on the Swineham scrapes which could be the same bird or a new one? There was also a redhead Goosander on the main pit at Swineham. Around Upton Country Park, 7 Chiffchaff and 1 Firecrest were heard singing, with 2 Sand Martin seen over Holes Bay, in addition to 563 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Dunlin, 8 Pintail and 14 Shoveler. 1 Red Kite was seen over Holton Lee early this afternoon heading south, and 1 Green Sandpiper was reported on Holton Pools. There were 2 Wheatear on Hartland Stud and a Merlin was in Middlebere. Chiffchaff have well and truly arrived with singing adults pretty much back in most woodlands we’ve been in over the last three days but the female Brambling was still on the feeder briefly at Lytchett Fields yesterday.

It’s also just 1 week until our online Osprey Project Talk, which will be running at 7pm of Monday 28th March. Remember to book a ticket through our website to be sent the link prior to the talk going live.

Little Ringed Plover – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Green Sandpiper – Holton Pools – Clive Hargrave

Another beauty of a day and plenty more Red Kite were on the move with multiple counts of 2 or more right across the harbour with 4 over Holes Bay, 3 over Arne, 1 over Swineham, 4 over Lytchett Minster, 1 at Lytchett Bay, 4 over Brownsea and 3 at Morden Bog. The springs first Garganey of the year was found in Lytchett Bay and reappeared later in the day in the Turlin Channel, viewable from the Turlin shoreline. Another evening vigil for Bittern returned no ‘barking’ departures but there were 2 Marsh Harrier present. On Brownsea, wader and wildfowl totals included  97 Avocet, 57 Bar-tailed Godwit, 32 Brent Geese, 12 Grey Plover, 4 Greenshank, 27 Dunlin, 20+ Shoveler, 400+Black-tailed Godwit & 75+ Redshank along with 6 Sandwich Tern and 55 Med Gulls. There was a Great White Egret at Middlebere with 2 Spotted Redshank and a Marsh Harrier, with another Marsh Harrier in Lytchett Bay with a tardy Jack Snipe. With April fast approaching and a few early migrants already having turned up elsewhere in the UK (Sedge Warbler in Kent and Bristol, Willow Warbler, Cornwall Portland etc), plus, with this coming weeks weather looking fine and decent for some more early migrants, it now finally feels like the torrid winter period of 2021/22 is over and we can try and make the most of what the coming months provide in terms of ornithological interest!

Greenshank – Brownsea Lagoon – Martin Adams

Shoveler – Brownsea Lagoon – Martin Adams

Despite the glorious sunshine, the incredibly strong ESE wind seemed to hamper many birding attempts! A few Red Kite were on the move with 1 over the Piddle Valley, 2 over Lytchett Minster, 2 over Canford Heath and 2 over Fleetsbridge. Other than that, there was very little reported across the harbour today. There were 3 Spoonbill on Shipstal, 4 Chiffchaff singing at Swineham, 2 Marsh Harrier over the Wareham Channel and 5 Sandwich Tern on the Brownsea Lagoon. Lets hope for a calmer day tomorrow, and more sightings received!

Red Kite – Swineham – Alison Copland (earlier in March)

Another beauty of a day, and a real taste of spring. Comma, Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Peacock and Red Admiral Butterfly were all on the wing and in sheltered spots out of the wind plenty of bee’s were attracted to newly early emerged early spring flowers. The high pressure once again forced the tide much lower than predicted and this evening all of the harbours bays were drained of water with thousands of gulls entering the harbour before dark. Med Gulls were streaming over Poole Quay, heading towards Brownsea and Whitley Lake. There were still 2 Guillemot off Poole Quay The high pressure got a few more birds of prey moving with Red Kite of Candford Heath and Fleetsbridge. Brownsea Island opens tomorrow and there was still plenty on the lagoon with c100 Avocet, 3 Greenshank, c50 Oystercatcher, c50 Black-tailed Godwit and a few Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal and Wigeon. At Lytchett Fields this evening a Merlin was hunting and a Sand Martin passed over. White-tailed Eagle G801 was on the Keysworth side of the Wareham Channel first thing, but we’ve since heard from Tim Mackrill that she’s now in mid-Devon! Our events manager Joe, was also at Swineham last night and managed to get a great recording of the two Bittern leaving at dusk.

Two Bittern departing Swineham GP – 17/03/22 – Joe Parker