Storm Hannah came and went last night and left a bright but breezy day ahead. Sadly there wee no signs of any Osprey on our nest platforms today which is the first time since April 1^st. With the arrival of the un-ringed female a couple of days ago it could just be that CJ7 is off exploring currently, so lets hope she re-appears again soon. Sightings today were limited with 6 Reed Warbler in the Holton reedbed along with a Peregrine over and plenty of Med Gulls over head. In the Frome Valley 4 Cattle Egret and 10 Little Egret were feeding with the cows and a Hobby was seen flying along Poole Park lake which is a good central town record. There’s still a distinct lack of any hirundines coming through with only a handful of Swallow, Sand Martin and House Martin logged across the harbour. At Lytchett Fields there was a single Marsh Harrier and at Baiter there were 8 Turnstone, 1 Ringed Plover and 59 Oystercatcher including a colour-ringed individual from the Axe Estuary.

There was no sign of CJ7 today, but the un-ringed Osprey arrived really on the Middlebere nest (3:57am) and then spent most of the morning sat motionless before heading out to catch a fish, and then proceeded to devour it on the nest platform. The Cattle Egret group of 12 birds were again in the Frome Valley, just west of the Wareham bypass. At Arne, 5 late Brent Geese were off Shipstal and at Swineham GP the harbours first 2 Swift of the year were over the lake along with a handful of Swallow and Sand Martin, and the Red-necked Grebe was hiding away, tucked up at the western end of the pit.

A quick over-view today with 14 Cattle Egret seen heading up the Frome Valley at dawn, an Osprey was over the Wareham Channel mid-morning, 2 Spoonbill also flew west at dawn up the Wareham Channel and a lone Marsh Harrier was seen near Swineham. No sign of CJ7 today but an un-ringed female landed on the nest and ate a fish mid-morning. At Lytchett Bay 10 Whimbrel were out on the mud, a Peregrine passed over at dawn and a single Greenshank was logged.

There were 2 different Osprey on the Middlebere nest platform today with CJ7 doing her usual morning visit at dawn, with a bit of house keeping at sun-rise before moving off, then later in the afternoon a new un-ringed female arrived with a huge great big bill and long legs, giving her a very distinctive look. There was also a nice find of 12 Cattle Egret pre-roosting at Swineham GP with a single Great White Egret over too good numbers of Sand Martin, House Martin and  Swallow over the lake with a single Cuckoo too. Lytchett Fields was busy with waders today and included yesterdays Curlew Sandpiper, 6 Grey Plover, 4 Ringed Plover, 5 Whimbrel, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Greenshank plus the usual Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Oystercatcher etc. A short sea watch from Branksome produced 3 Fulmar, 1 Common Scoter and 1 Brent Goose.

With a bit of rain today it was nice to see a new wader arrive in the shape of a spring Curlew Sandpiper on Lytchett Fields. Although present in autumn, these are very scarce in Dorset/Poole Harbour during the spring. At Swineham GP the Red-necked Grebe was still present on the lake with a Cuckoo there too and in the Frome Valley 9 Cattle Egret were feeding again to the west of the bypass. Osprey CJ7 was (as usual) on the Middlebere platform this AM.

The Swineham White-fronted Goose re-appeared today in full adult plumage now, but as to why its still here is a bit of a mystery as it should be on its way back to Russia by now. Also at Swineham the Red-necked Grebe was found again, 26 Cetti’s Warbler territories were logged, also 4 Whimbrel, 5 Sedge Warbler, 2 Cuckoo, 4 Skylark and 7 Reed Bunting. Up on Hartland there were 2 Wheatear, 1 Red Kite passed over and Dartford Warbler were very vocal. Female Osprey CJ7 was back and fourth at the Middlebere nest platform for most of the morning but disappeared by the afternoon and a Cuckoo was on Coombe Heath, Arne. At Lytchett Fields there were 2 Spotted Redshank, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank, 2 Lapwing and 25 Med Gulls. On Baiter Beach 15 Turnstone were feeding, some in almost full summer plumage.

It wasn’t the bird song of spring that woke may a people up this morning but in fact a hard core drum and base rave, booming out across Middlebere! Having started at around midnight in continued into dawn and carried on all day. Despite the booming rhythm, Osprey CJ7 sat tight on the Middlebere nest, even bobbing her head in time with the music occasionally too! In front of the hide 6 Whimbrel and 4 Grey Plover were out on the mud. Amazingly the Swineham White-fronted Goose was re-found today, having not departed north yet. Is it injured/sick? Or just not as wild as we had all originally assumed? Also, on the Swineham Pools a single Little Ringed Plover was present and along the Frome Valley a minimum of 24 Reed Warbler. Up on Ballard there were 3 Willow Warbler at the start of the South Coast path plus 3 Peregrine out near Old Harry and a scattering of Whitethroat including a couple that look to be back on territory. On Brownsea there was a single Spoonbill still and 12 Avocet. Cuckoo’s were calling at Arne, Swineham and Lytchett Fields and 7 Cattle Egret were in the Frome Valley near the Worgret Manor Hotel. At Sunnyside Scrape 2 Little Ringed Plover dropped onto the pool and a Red Kite drifted over. On Lytchett Fields there were 130+ Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Spotted Redshank and 2 Little Ringed Plover.

Today we hosted our first ‘Up with the Lark’ Poole Harbour bird boat of the year which saw a great range of species in a stunning sun-soaked Wareham Channel. As we cruised up the Wareham Channel numerous Sandwich Tern were fishing close to the boat as both Mediterranean Gulls and Black-headed Gulls busily ventured back and fourth from the nesting colony of the Holton shoreline. A flock of 12 Brent Geese also departed the Wareham Channel having likely just settled there for the morning as we now understand may birds use the channel as a staging site in late April. As we made our way up the river good numbers of Reed Warbler and a coupe of Sedge Warbler were singing and 5-10 Cetti’s Warbler were blasting out songs close to the boat. Sadly we missed 2 Osprey by a matter of minuets, one being CJ7 and the second being an un-ringed individual which then went on to pass over Lytchett Bay as it headed north. On the Brownsea lagoon there was a single Spoonbill, 12 Avocet, 12 Grey Plover including 3 summer-plumaged individuals, 1 Knot, 17 Dunlin, c20 Bar-tailed Godwit, 24 Common Tern and c100 Sandwich Tern, 1 Greenshank and c30 Med Gulls. At Lytchett Bay a Red Kite passed over and on the fields were 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Spotted Redshank and c30 Black-tailed Godwit. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was photographed on a house roof in Parkstone and more Cuckoo reports came from Stoborough Heath, Arne, Swineham and Godlingston.

Yellow-legged Gull – Parkstone – Pete Smith

With a shimmering heat sitting low to the ground the Brownsea Lagoon was looking like a Spanish salt-pan today and primed for some decent birds to arrive. Some good coverage produced 16 Grey Plover, 1 Knot, 12 Avocet, 1 Spoonbill, 21 Dunlin, 12 Common Tern, c70 Sandwich Tern, c50 Med Gulls, 1 Greenshank and c150 Black-tailed Godwit. Still CJ7 continues to bring nesting material to the Middlebere platform with a good number of grass gathering missions made this AM. There were also 4 Whimbrel in Middlebere and a male Common Redstart on the edge of Hartland Moor. Again Cuckoo were calling at Swineham, Lytchett Bay and Hartland. At Lytchett Fields 4 Little Ringed Plover appeared out of nowhere and 6 Cattle Egret were in fields just north of Worgret Manor.

Black-tailed Godwit – Brownsea Lagoon – Rene Goad

Grey Plover – Brownsea Lagoon – Rene Goad

Osprey CJ7 carrying nest material – Middlebere

Its really beginning to warm up and it looks set to be a scorcher over the weekend. A few more passerines dropped into the harbour today with Wheatear, Whitethroat and Reed Warbler at Lytchett Bay, a scattering of Blackcap and Wheatear across Upton Heath and Willow Warblers at Challow Hill and Greenlands Farm. In Middlebere there were 4 Whimbrel and 2 Grey Plover with both female Osprey CJ7 and another un-ringed bird which moved up the channel. In Brands 12 Grey Plover and 1 Whimbrel were present. In Poole, near Dunyeates Hill a reeling Grasshopper Warbler was on the ARC nature reserve and Cuckoo’s were calling on Hartland, Swineham and at Morden Bog. Red Kites were over Keysworth and Candford Heath.