Wow…we’re already half way through June, meaning autumn migration will soon be picking up as the first juv Little Ringed Plovers will start appearing soon and numbers of Green Sandpipers will increase and start passing through. We’ve already begun seeing the first roving Long-tailed Tit flocks moving about which contained the first juv Chiffchaffs of the year, and give it another 2-3 weeks, the flocks will also start containing fresh lemon yellow, juvenile Willow Warblers. It felt far from summery today though as strong SW winds whipped across the area and frequent rain showers still made it feel like mid-October rather than mid-June, but it got a few seabirds moving with a few Manx Shearwater logged off Old Harry and a small passage of terns (failed breeders?) heading west out at sea. There was an unusual June record of an Avocet in Lytchett Bay and the White-tailed Eagle pair were still just chilling out in the Wareham Channel area for most of the day with male Osprey 022 seen in Lytchett Bay and the Wareham Channel during numerous fishing trips.

Sandwich Tern – Brands Bay – Mark Wright

Our Summer Safari Cruise this morning gave views of Osprey 022 hunting in the Wareham Channel, as well as female White-tailed Eagle G466. 1 Spoonbill was present on Brownsea Lagoon early this morning, as well as 3 Avocet and 30 Bar-tailed Godwit also reported from the lagoon. The unseasonal Red-throated Diver was still present in Studland Bay today. 1 Hobby was active over Careys Secret Garden this afternoon.

Red-throated Diver – Studland Bay – Aidan Brown (@aidanjb118 on Twitter)

Star bird of the day goes to a very unseasonal Red-throated Diver off Studland beach, a great June record! The 2 White-tailed Eagles were in the Wareham Channel again from our Summer Safari Cruise this morning. There were 32 Bar-tailed Godwit in Brands Bay on the rising tide along with 2 Dunlin. Impressive numbers of Swift over Sunnyside/Swineham area with over 200+ counted this morning.

Red-throated Diver – Studland Beach – Aidan Brown on X

Apologies for the delay in sightings from yesterday. It was fairly quiet as is often the case in June, but good to see lots of breeding activity in the local breeding birds. 1 Spotted Flycatcher was at Wytch Farm, Rempstone. At Morden Bog several pairs of Woodlark were still singing along with Tree Pipit, 1 Cuckoo 1 Hobby and lots of Dartford Warblers with recently fledged young. In Holes Bay 4 Raven flew over Pergins Island and 1 Curlew and 1 Common Tern were also present.

Spotted Flycatcher – Wytch Farm, Rempstone – Rob Johnson on X

An interesting day today with some notable (and weird) sightings. Most weird was a Fulmar that was seen from our Summer Safari Cruise this AM, heading north over central harbour, over Poole Quay and out towards Holes Bay / Lytchett Bay. This might not have been quite so unusual if an autumn gale was blowing with a harsh easterly wind, but it was very weird in crystal clear blue sky’s in June, with a northerly wind! Also notable were (the first?) 3 returning Spoonbill of the autumn on the Brownsea Lagoon. Initially all 3 were feeding, but then started clambering on the Tamrisk Island, and mutual preening one another, a sight we don’t normally until late July/ early August here in the harbour. Also on the Brownsea Lagoon were 6 Turnstone, 2 Knot, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit and decent numbers of tern chick including 59 Sandwich Tern and 36 Common Tern, which were counted by Nicki at Dorset Wildlife Trust. There was also a new visiting White-tailed Eagle today, in the shape of 2019 female G274 which came and did a tour of the Wareham Channel, before being seen off by a Marsh Harrier(!) and moving off high south as she headed back to the Isle of Wight. It didn’t seem to bother our local White-tailed Eagle pair which just sat and watched her from the edges of the Wareham Channel, before they too later headed off high south. At Swineham there were c100 Black-tailed Godwit on pools on the RSPB Arne Moors side and there were also fly overs of Hobby and Peregrine distantly.

Female White-tailed Eagle G466 over the boat from Summer Safari Cruise this AM – John Thorpe

Random Fulmar over central harbour yesterday from Summer Safari Cruise – John Thorpe

Adult Oystercatcher and newly hatched chick – Poole Quay – John Thorpe

Not so chilly today, with the added bonus of a/the Little Tern being seen on Brownsea again. These are a scarce June bird in general with most records coming in April, May, July or August. It was hanging out with the long staying Little Gull in amongst the Common and Sandwich Terns on the Brownsea Lagoon. This evening 3 Puffin were seen off Dancing Ledge during our Jurassic Coast Puffin Cruise.

Puffin – Dancing Ledge – Rene Goad

Things started of summery today, but ended like mid-autumn! A cold SW was whipping across the harbour by this afternoon/evening making it feel like a mid-October day. If it wasn’t for the big gathering of Swifts and hirundines over Swineham this evening then you wouldn’t have been able to tell it was June. The White-tailed Eagle pair were loafing about the edges of the Wareham Channel tonight, male Osprey 022 did two very quick catches with 20 minutes in Arne Bay and Oystercatcher hatched young on the north Brownsea shoreline. Woodlark were feeding young again viewed from the Osprey viewing platform at Carey Secret Garden and there were also 2 Spotted Flycatcher in the car park. Both Peregrines were on the Asda building for most of the day, often interacting and fighting over food.

Adult and juvenile Sandwich Terns – Brownsea Lagoon – Martin Adams

Common Tern – Brownsea Quay – Martin Adams

There are plenty of young birds now beginning to appear around the harbour. Noisy newly fledged Blue Tit and Great Tits are taking over feeders, young Stonechats are following their parents around and the first broods of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs are now emerging, with second broods now likely being incubated. Highlights during June tend to relate to local breeding birds, and that was the case today with male Osprey 022 seen fishing in the Wareham Channel a few times plus the White-tailed Eagle pair were also in the same area. A Hobby was over Middlebere, a Greenshank (not breeding!) was at Swineham with 38 Black-tailed Godwit, Holes Bay had both Peregrines on the Asda building and 15 Swift were over the PC World Drain. Despite the chilly nights, Nightjar are very active at the moment with all the local heaths seeing plenty of action including a few day roosting birds being found.

Nightjar – Lytchett Heath – Ian Ballam