A right leg colour-ringed Osprey (probable female) flew over Brands Bay hide towards Little Sea at 2.45pm. Although we’ve not received reports of CJ7 visiting that area of the harbour before, she can’t be ruled out. Certainly a very interesting observation! Lytchett Fields held 7 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Redshank, 1 Dunlin, Greenshank, 55+ Pied Wagtail and at least 1 White Wagtail. Singing Cuckoos graced Swineham and RSPB Arne, and several summer-plumage Turnstone brightened up Baiter shoreline. Wheatear were well represented across the harbour, with records coming in from Coombe Heath, RSPB Arne (3) Lytchett Fields (1), Baiter Park (1) and Stoborough Heath, along with 2 Whinchat. Two Common Whitethroat were observed at PC World Drain, along with the vocal Cetti’s Warbler, Bullfinch, 2 juvenile Moorhen, 2 Gadwall and staple Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps.

One of two Whinchat – Stoborough Heath – Peter Moore

Wheatear – Stoborough Heath – Peter Moore 

Loads of good birds about today with spring landing with bang. Hobby were active over several sites including Godlingston, Hartland, Piddle Valley and Middlebere. Tree Pipit seemed to have suddenly arrived with 3 at Morden Bog, and 5+ at other sites around Wareham Forest and 2 at Godlingston, 2 at Rempstone and 1 at Arne. Cuckoo were also calling at several sites including Morden Bog, Godlingston, Studland and Hartland. Lytchett Fields was apparently looking great this evening with 8 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank, 6 Whimbrel, 12 Black-tailed Godwit and there were also 4 Wheatear and 2 Whitethroat. Strangest sighting of the day was 2 Egyptian Geese ‘standing proud’ on top of Corfe Castle…not something we thought we’d ever see. At Greenlands Farm there were 17 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat, and 2 Common Whitethroat and a reeling Grasshopper Warbler was at Studland Heath plus there were 3 Common Tern fishing in Brands Bay. In the PCW Drain there were 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Cetti’s Warbler and 3 Blackcap. CJ7 was pretty quite staying mostly around the nest site but being seen out in the Wareham Channel too. These nest 2-3 weeks can be an incredibly exciting and busy time with plenty more spring migrants yet to arrive (300 Wheatear were on Portland today)! But it often finishes as fast as it starts, so make the most this exciting passage and who knows what goodies are lurking around the corner.

Peregrine (top right) and Egyptian Geese (lower left) seeing in the sunrise on Corfe Castle

Woodlark – Godlingston

Hobby high over Hartland

Osprey CJ7 – Middlebere – Pennhillman

A really fine day with plenty around. Wheatear seemed pretty prominent with 4 at Sunnyside, 6 at Holme lane GP, 3 at Swineham and 4 at Stoborough Heath. Yellow Wagtails were logged at Lytchett Fields and Sunnyside and there were now 9 Little Ringed Plover and 1 Spotted Redshank at Lytchett fields too. At Swineham a dusk watch produced 2 Great White Egret and 2 Cattle Egret as well as 3 Green Sandpiper and 3 Whimbrel over at dusk. Also c300 Sand Martin and c30 Swallow over the GP there. CJ7 ventured around the harbour being seen at Wytch Lake, Middlebere and the Wareham Channel. The first 14 Common Tern of the spring arrived back onto Brownsea and Sandwich Tern are very vocal at various spots around the harbour. At Brands Bay there were still 4 Brent Geese and 3 Pintail with 90 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Whimbrel and 1 summer plumaged Knot. On Canford Heath there was a Wheatear and a Whinchat and there are at least still 2 Marsh Harrier in the harbour.

Wheatear – Stoborough Heath – Peter Moore

Another gorgeous day today saw further signs of spring on Hartland Moor, with 10 Swallow heading north, alongside 4 Wheatear, 5 Willow Warblers, and considerable counts of Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit & Skylark. The recently arrived Cuckoo was also heard and seen in the south-west corner of the moor.

Slightly further afield a single Osprey, likely CJ7, was photographed over Morden Bog this morning.

At Lytchett Fields this afternoon there were once again 8 Little Ringed Plover, joined by 1 Ringed Plover and a hunting Marsh Harrier. The approach field held 36 Pied Wagtail and 1 White Wagtail, whilst the Bay beyond had 449 Black-tailed Godwit and a single Dunlin in summer plumage.

At Fleets Corner (PCW Drain) a Lesser Whitethroat was heard singing as was a Garden Warbler, plus there were 2 Willow Warbler and 2 Blackcap there too.

Swineham was also a hive of activity, with 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Teal and 2 Egyptian Geese on the Stilt Pool, and a single Green Sandpiper on the remaining pool at Bestwall. A total of 14 Reed Warblers were heard on territories along the Two Rivers Walk and there was a single Sedge Warbler in the reeds at the far eastern end of the main gravel pit. Also heard and seen were 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Med Gull over the Frome Valley and a Skylark 1 singing in the Piddle Valley.

The highlight however was a flock of 7 calling Whimbrel which arrived down the Frome Valley and circled over the Stilt Pools before returning back upstream. Wonderful birds and as more begin to arrive in for the spring, now is the perfect time to sit out in the garden in the late evening and listen for them passing overhead. Here’s an idea of what to listen out for:

Wheatear – Greenlands Farm

A Whimbrel was observed in Holes Bay South (on Asda Saltmarsh). Highlights from a midday visit to RSPB Lytchett fields included 3 Little Ringed Plover, 16 Shelduck, 6 Teal and a calls from an illusive Spotted Redshank. An Osprey (likely CJ7), 2 Marsh Harrier and a Hobby were logged over the Wareham channel, along with a small passage of Swallows.

Summer-plumage Black-tailed Godwit – Holes Bay – Holes Bay Nature Twitter Account (@BayHoles)

Whimbrel – Holes Bay South – Holes Bay Nature Twitter Account (@BayHoles)

Dartford Warbler – Upton Heath – Martin Adams

The harbour received less coverage today than in recent days, but still plenty of migrants to be found. A smart male Common Redstart was discovered at Frenches Viewpoint, Lytchett Fields this afternoon and flyover male Ring Ouzel also graced the site. Parkstone Bay is still hanging on 14 Turnstone (with one moulting into summer plumage), while 3 Swallow passed over 2 Wheatear at Baiter Park. A ringed Osprey was reported on the Middlebere nest shortly after, which is highly likely to have been CJ7, before being displaced by a crow.

Remember to join us at Ham Common Viewpoint tomorrow morning from 9-11:30am for our Pop-Up Osprey Watch. We’re more than happy to answer any questions about the project and will be on hand to point out Ospreys hunting in the Wareham Channel. For those who aren’t local, we will still be running our regular Q & A on the YouTube livestream from 10-11am.

Wheatear – Baiter Shoreline – Martin Adams

Blackcap – Garden – Alison Copland

Some great coverage and more new arrivals were located. Up on Nine Barrow Down 2 Ring Ouzel were in scrub and at Arne a ringtail Montagu’s Harrier was reported flying over Coombe Heath heading towards Scotland Farm which is a really early record. There were also 2 Cattle Egret in the Frome Valley and at Swineham there were 3 Little Ringed Plover on the scrapes and an Osprey flew over the GP heading west. There were 4 Wheatear at Hartland Stud and 3 at Scotland Farm and Willow Warbler were singing at several sites again suggesting another mini fall. At Lytchett Fields there were 2 White Wagtail, 3 Little Ringed Plover and a Spotted Redshank. At Holes Bay the first Reed Warbler of the spring was back next to the boardwalk and there were 3 Willow Warbler at the PCW Drain. At Greenland’s Farm there was a single Yellow Wagtail, 6 Wheatear and at Holme Lane GP there was 1 Common Sandpiper and the Egyptian Geese have hatched 5 young.

Tardy Fieldfare – Holton Lee

Common Crossbill – Arne 

Pop-Up Osprey Watches Resume!

Exciting news! We’ll be running two free Pop-up Osprey Watch events this week at Ham Common Viewpoint from 9am – 11:30am on Thursday and Saturday. We’ve had one of the best springs on record for ospreys in Poole Harbour, and the Wareham Channel is THE place to look for them at this time of year. Join one of our experts to hear the most recent project updates and hopefully see some ospreys for yourself! BCP car parking charges apply. Please note that social distancing will be in place and we won’t be able to share optics so please bring your own binoculars!

A single Fieldfare in this fields next to the Holton Lee office was certainly a surprising record! Still 40+ Avocet hanging around Brownsea Lagoon today. The first “grounded” Whimbrel for Lytchett Bay were logged this morning, with 3 individuals recorded on the fields. A couple of singing Willow Warblers and 3 Little Ringed Plover made up the supporting cast of spring migrants.

58 species were observed along the Two Rivers Walk around Swineham this morning. Highlights include a singe Little Ringed Plover on the Stilt Pool, together with 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Teal and 2 Egyptian Geese. No water (or birds) on the Curlews Pool. Common migrant included 8 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler at the eastern end of the main pit, 4 Willow Warbler, 8 Swallow, 21 Sand Martin, 4 Blackcap. Other species included a single Marsh Harrier hunting in the Piddle Valley, where it was joined by a Sparrowhawk and Common Buzzard. Five vocal Mediterranean Gull, mostly in the Frome Valley towards Redcliffe, 13 Reed Bunting, 4 singing Skylark, 1 Raven 12 Greylag Goose, as well as 1 Little Grebe and 11 Great Crested Grebe on the main Gravel pit.

A watch from South Haven logged 1 Whimbrel leaving the harbour through the entrance and a Cuckoo heard behind Shell Bay. As well as two Willow Warblers on territory since early in the month, about another four today. Greenlands featured a single Common Redstart and 10 Wheatear (8 males & 2 females) with one male in strong song on top low gorse, not often experienced here.

Avocet – Brownsea Lagoon – Hamish Murray

There was still a couple of reminders that winter wasn’t that long ago with a single Fieldfare logged at Holton Lee when paying a visit to their offices and a single dark-bellied Brent Goose was still out in the Wareham Channel. There was a decent fall of Willow Warblers around the harbour with several in the PCW Drain, 3 at Greenlands Farm, 2 along Soldiers Road and 2 at Coombe Heath, Arne. There were also 10 Wheatear at Sunnyside Farm and out in the Wareham Channel the young Peregrine was once again out there causing mayhem, this time in partnership with a Marsh Harrier that perused close behind the fleeing Black-tailed Godwits and Black-headed Gulls. At Morden Bog the first Tree Pipit was back on territory and a Cuckoo was calling there too. Whimbrel were heard calling at Swineham and Lytchett Fields with 2 seen on the ground there too. There were also 7 Little Ringed Plover at Lytchett Fields and an Osprey (not CJ7) was also seen over the fields carrying a fish.

Blackcap – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

It would be well worth starting to listen out at night now for passage Whimbrel as they are now starting to arrive with the first 2 at Lytchett Bay today and one in the Wareham Channel. From mid-April onwards their whistling cry’s can be heard after sun set as they pass over in good numbers all the way until mid-May. Other passage waders can be logged moving at night too as April progresses with Ringed Plover, Knot, Turnstone, Common Sandpiper and Dunlin all regularly being recorded at night around this time of year. Today there were also 3 Osprey in the harbour including one over Upton CP and CJ7 was seen semi-interacting with another Osprey but we think it may have been a territorial escorting of another female away from the channel rather than the warm welcoming of a fine young male. CJ7 also visited the Middlebere platform today for the first time this spring as she carried out her daily tour of the harbour. Also a Peregrine was causing mayhem again out in the Wareham Channel around Gull Islands where c5000 Black-headed Gull were present and no less than c300 Med Gulls. Also 1 dark-bellied Brent Goose was still out there and c1000 fine looking summer-plumaged Black-tailed Godwit. There were 8 Little Ringed Plover on Lytchett Fields and at Swineham 2 Sedge Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, c40 Sand Martin, 2 Little Ringed Plover and c10 Swallow.

CJ7 on Middlebere nest platform