Still, the only regular reported news currently is of the male Osprey S1 commuting between Morden Bog  and Poole Harbour with him being seen in the Wareham Channel early morning and then in Wareham Forest later in the day. 

We had some good news today when we were able to obtain the ring details of the male Osprey that’s been hanging around for 3 weeks. One of our team, Olly spent time up at Arne all last week waiting for the bird to come in on the nesting platform but the wind seemed to keep it at bay. However, as soon as the wind dropped off today, he was back and with a strained eye and good optics the ring number was read as S1. We contacted the team at Rutland who confirmed this is one of their birds, a male that hatched in 2015. As expected he wasn’t seen last year by the team as Osprey tend to spend their first summer down in Africa, however it seems S1 is now back and taking in the sights. Ringing data can provide so much and just by simply obtaining the ring number we’re able to tell you a bit more about this bird. S1 was actually sighted back at Rutland this spring on May 10th and was hanging around and causing mischief by gate-crashing other nests at Rutland. You can read a blog entry about this from the Rutland Team HERE. He was last seen at 16:00 at Rutland on May 24^th which co-insides perfectly with a colour ringed Osprey being sighted in Poole Harbour on May 25^th. Several weeks past without us knowing where this bird had come from but thankfully today the ring number was obtained and we can start piecing together his movements. Then today, early AM, local raptor watcher Peter Hadrill emailed through stating there was in fact another Osprey in the Wareham Channel this morning too. Ospreys in the harbour in June is unusual but it’s not unheard of and data provided by Jol Mitchell from Dorset Bird Club, shows that over a 10 year period (2004 – 2013) Poole Harbour has had small number of visiting Osprey mid-summer. Who knows where these birds will head to next year when they arrive back, but they’re obviously enjoying their time down here in sunny Dorset. Finally, the 5 Spoonbill were again on Lytchett Fields.

Total number of Poole Harbour Osprey ‘bird days’ 2004-2013 (Months split into early month and late month)

Osprey (S1) – Middlebere – Simon Kidner

At Middlebere there was a Cuckoo along the track and a Hobby out over the reedbed. The Osprey was seen in Wareham Forest again with a fish so its assumed it was in the harbour for a period before 10am. 4 Spoonbill were on the Brownsea Lagoon. 

A very quiet Saturday with just the male Osprey seen again in the Wareham Channel and then in Wareham Forest. 

As mid-June approaches, the rate of sightings inevitably begins to drop off as people start turning their attentions to summer holidays and BBQ’s…and quite rightly so. But although it all gets a bit ‘samey’ this time of year we’re so lucky that our ‘samey’ is in fact incredibly rich in variation. Many birds are now on second (or even third) broods and whether you’re tracking down parties of Dartford Warbler, family groups of Stonechat, small flocks of Woodlark, trilling Linnets, noisy and raucous Sandwich Terns, mystical Nightjars, melodic Blackcaps, vocally explosive Tree Pipit, acrobatic Hobby or even just out for a nice stroll in the Dorset countryside then there is still plenty to see and experience. The weeks seem to move so fast now and it won’t be long before long summer days already draw in cool autumnal breezes over dark coastal sky’s so with the whether next week set to be a scorcher get out there and enjoy it with the birds. Today the 5 Spoonbill were again roosting on Lytchett Fields and the Osprey was seen heading to Wareham Forest having just caught a fish in the Wareham Channel.  

Spoonbill – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

With the wind swinging round more southerly it gave Poole Bay a chance of hosting some Storm Petrels and seeing as Hengistbury had 15 by mid-morning it made sence to have a check off Branksome chine and sure enough, within a few minuets 2 Storm Petrel past west fairly close into shore. We didn’t stay long so there could have been more out there but 8 Gannet, 5 Sandwich Tern and a Fulmar were also counted. There was a report of a drake Common Scoter in Arne Bay which given the strength and direction of the wind is absolutely possible, even though its early summer. On the Brownsea Lagoon, the Sandwich Terns are now feeding chicks which you can watch LIVE on our Brownsea Lagoon webcam. Also on Brownsea were 3 Spoonbill, 1 Avocet and c40 Black-tailed Godwit. 

Things did pick up slightly today with an Osprey high over the Wareham Channel mid-morning although it seemed the wind and choppy water made it hard for it to hunt. Also out over the Wareham Channel/Arne moors area were 2 Hobby and a female type Marsh Harrier. The 5 Spoonbill were again on Lytchett Fields before moving off late morning. We also forgot to mention that on June 4^th a Red Kite passed over the Osprey nesting platform in Middlebere. 

Today was another cold and blustery day with few sightings reported. Lots of Hirundines (Swallow & House Martin) and Swifts enjoying the breeze though, feeding low over floodplains in the Frome Valley where cattle were present. Most birds it seemed were keeping low, and quite rightly too. You know things are tough when you resort to ‘focus practice’ on a heard of distant Sika Deer to test the true capabilities of your binoculars! Oh well, there always tomorrow. 

As predicted the weather really set in today and by mid afternoon it was lashing down….oh the joys of June! There was a bit of birding to be had through the morning and amazingly last weeks Common Crane was seen again flying west along the Arne Road at 6:15am and was again seen later flying over Wareham around 10:30am. We also managed to ring our first Barn Owl chicks of the year with 4 healthy chicks at a nest box in Ridge. We had only put this box up within the last couple of years so are really pleased its now being used after a blank first year. Its been a good season for Barn Owls so far this year with pairs at Middlebere, Arne, Ridge, Swineham, Worgret and also a likely pair near Holton Lee.The Arne Osprey wasn’t seen today, however Marsh Harriers were seen over Arne Moors and at Middlebere where there were also 6 Grey Plover out on the mud. There were also still 5 Spoonbill on Lytchett Fields. A brief sea watch at Branksome Chine produced 46 Manx Shearwater, 1 Kittiwake, 1 Fulmar and 5 Gannet.

Barn Owl chicks – Ridge

Other than the Arne Osprey, 4 Spoonbill on Lytchett Fields, 2 Marsh Harrier in the Wareham Channel and Cuckoo seen on Slepe Heath there wasn’t a lot reported today. Interestingly the BTO’s sat-tagged Cuckoo project is showing the some male Cuckoo’s are ALREADY heading back south again for the winter…its only June 4^th!!!!!! You better believe it guys, autumn migration has already begun, and with tomorrows forecast looking particularly iffy, it may feel like winter is shortly to follow. Still, its good conditions for a sea-watch.