Without a doubt, best bird of the day was a Little Ringed Plover that turned up on a bridleway on Stoborough Heath, which is bizarre enough in its self, however this bird was a completely fresh juvenile suggesting it could have been raised locally? If it hadn’t then I can’t believe it had come from too far afield but who knows. There are certainly waders on the move already and this was evident with the first Greenshank of the autumn out in Brands Bay and 2 Green Sandpiper out on Lytchett Fields. 

Little Ringed Plover – Stoborough Heath – Jackie Broadhouse

Crossbill’s are beginning to move about now with 4 passing over the Arne car park and likely Osprey distantly soaring over the Wytch Channel. Late June and throughout July is a good time to hear local Crossbills as they begin to move about in parties containing anything from 2-20 birds. They’re call is very unique as they pass over, so we’ve included a recording of a group of Crossbill passing over Ballard Down last year so you can familiarise yourself with their calls. 

23 Crossbill over Glebelands, Ballard 10/10/15

On a what could turn out to be a sad day for the environment, we hope that what ever happens from here on in our partners, our friends and our followers will do what ever they can to help support and fight for the protection our wildlife needs now and in the future, not just in Poole Harbour but across the whole country too. Certain areas of environmental protection sit under European law such as SPA’s (Special Protection Areas) and SAC’s (Special Area of Conservation) of which Poole Harbour has several of including the rich and vibrant heathlands and sand dune systems of Studland. No one knows what will happen when (if) we leave EU, but what is clear is that our environment will need us more than ever over the coming years so please get out and enjoy, monitor and help protect our local heritage.

Not much bird news to report today other than a Roseate tern was on Brownsea again briefly. 

evening visit saw 17 Curlew feeding in the top end and Redshank still displaying out on the Spartina. Little Egrets were continuously flying over the Arne peninsular into roost over in the Wareham Channel with a minimum of 20 just before dusk. Parties of Swift were also heading back to Wareham at dusk, feeding frantically in the twilight. Nightjars at Arne were again on good form, with several seen along Soldiers Road too. Juvenile Tawny Owls are now beginning to be heard with one at Arne and one at Holton Lee. At Lytchett Fields the Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwing and Redshank numbers remained roughly the same as yesterday. A male Cuckoo was on wires above Slepe Heath along the Arne Road. 

Reed Warbler – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

The wader numbers on Lytchett Fields continues to grow with 40+ Redshank, 100+ Black-tailed Godwit and 40+ Lapwing. On Brownsea there were 18 Redshank, 2 Black-tailed Godwit and a Roseate Tern dropped onto the lagoon late afternoon. The tern situation on the lagoon is a bit fragile as the Med Gulls work their way through the Common Tern chicks but thankfully the Sandwich Tern chicks are now big enough to not be gobbled. A Hobby was over the top of Hartland moor and the Firecrest is still singing in the Arne car park. 

Great news today as it was reported that the first (and maybe only) Marsh Harrier chick semi-fledged today in Poole Harbour west with the female luring it out by dropping food on the ground. It will be fascinating to see how many bob their heads above the reedbed’s in the coming days. Will it be one, two, three or possibly even four like one the 2014 pairs raised? At Lytchett Fields a newly arrived winter plumaged Dunlin was found which for mid June is odd in its self, showing no sign of any black on the belly at all. Up on Hartland a Hobby was hunting briefly and at Arne, despite the mist and murk Nightjars were out in force again. On Brownsea there was a single summer plumaged Spotted Redshank

Today was the beginning of our first ever Dorset Discovery Summer Tour in partnership with the Dorset RSPB team. We’ll produce a full write up in the coming days but highlights from Arne included great views of Dartford Warbler, Firecrest, Stonechat, Grass Snake and Slow Worm, as well as an unbelievable display from a minimum of 6 Nightjar just before dark. There was also a late report of an Osprey in the Wytch Channel yesterday afternoon. At Lytchett Fields there was another Green Sandpiper and at Hatch Pond the Great Crested Grebes now have young. 

Not much to report today other than wader numbers are building nicely on Lytchett Fields with 50+ Black-tailed Godwit, 17 Redshank, 16 Lapwing and 1 Green Sandpiper from the viewpoints. 

There were several large flocks of Swifts assembling at different locations around the harbour, taking advantage of the warm, still, muggy weather and abundance of insects. Over Harland Moor 100+ gathered with another 50+ over Challow Hill, whilst over near Poole Park another 100+ fed over the Baiter, Whitecliff area. At Challow Hill 4 Whitethroat were still singing along with 2 Yellowhammer and 2 Blackcap. On the Brownsea Lagoon, the Med Gulls are causing a bit of mischief amongst the Terns, but as the Tern chicks get bigger the Med’s should become less of an issue. Also on Brownsea the first returning Redshanks arrived with 2. At Lytchett Fields there was a single Green Sandpiper and c20 Black-tailed Godwit. 

Today saw some more evidence of early wader passage at Lytchett Fields with 2 newly arrived Ringed Plover and a Little Ringed Plover, all three of the adults with another Green Sandpiper and the first young Reed Warblers are beginning to fledge along with Reed Buntings too. 

Little Ringed Plover – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Ringed Plover – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Newly fledged Reed Warbler – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam