Non-Wildlife

Did the Birds of Poole Harbour boat trip at the weekend. Bit blowy and cold so most of the waders were hunkered down. Distant views of 3 separate Ospreys but a no show from the White Tailed Sea Eagles.
Very knowledgeable guys guiding on the trip. Must do it again a bit later when the birds are feeding young.
 
I was enticed away by John’s Magnificent Frigate (and I don’t suppose many can say that), but as I was saying Wheatears coming through in numbers at Stanpit at the moment- the migration well and truly underway and a sure sign to me that Spring has arrived.

There were a lot of folk down there this morning as a couple of White Tailed Eagles have been feeding in Christchurch Harbour within sight of the Marsh over the weekend- on the sand spit in the middle of the harbour. Huge birds but not close enough for photos. But I went down for the Wheatears, and they didn’t disappoint IMG_0480.jpeg
 
Rob151060 said:
There were a lot of folk down there this morning as a couple of White Tailed Eagles have been feeding in Christchurch Harbour within sight of the Marsh over the weekend- on the sand spit in the middle of the harbour. Huge birds but not close enough for photos. But I went down for the Wheatears, and they didn’t disappoint View attachment 21148
Click to expand...
Same with those two above. Those photos could be enhanced but I don't know how many times I was sitting on the beach randomly aiming my phone at the sky hoping to get something good. Finally said "frig it".
 
Keen birdwatchers have been lucky enough to photograph a white stork in the county. The species has, until very recently, been one of the UK's rarest birds.

For 600 years they were extinct in the UK but thanks to a breeding programme they are back and breeding in this country.

A birdwatcher has described the bird, which has been frequently seen at Throop Mill, just outside Bournemouth, as a 'local celebrity'.

www.dorsetecho.co.uk

One of the UK's rarest birds wows twitchers in Dorset

A white stork, one of the UK's rarest birds, is becoming a 'local celebrity' being spotted by many in Dorset
www.dorsetecho.co.uk www.dorsetecho.co.uk
 
billythekid said:
Keen birdwatchers have been lucky enough to photograph a white stork in the county. The species has, until very recently, been one of the UK's rarest birds.

For 600 years they were extinct in the UK but thanks to a breeding programme they are back and breeding in this country.

A birdwatcher has described the bird, which has been frequently seen at Throop Mill, just outside Bournemouth, as a 'local celebrity'.

www.dorsetecho.co.uk

One of the UK's rarest birds wows twitchers in Dorset

A white stork, one of the UK's rarest birds, is becoming a 'local celebrity' being spotted by many in Dorset
www.dorsetecho.co.uk www.dorsetecho.co.uk
Click to expand...
That’s my Friday afternoon sorted
 
Ivyhouse said:
Did the Birds of Poole Harbour boat trip at the weekend. Bit blowy and cold so most of the waders were hunkered down. Distant views of 3 separate Ospreys but a no show from the White Tailed Sea Eagles.
Very knowledgeable guys guiding on the trip. Must do it again a bit later when the birds are feeding young.
Click to expand...

The Ospreys had their first egg of the season earlier today:

 
Great news - first egg of the year!

Per the Birds of Poole Harbour -
We are excited to announce that at 12:56 this afternoon (yesterday), in rather drizzly conditions, CJ7 laid her first egg at the Carey’s Secret Garden nest! This is brilliant news and 1 day later than last year, due to 022’s delayed arrival.



Eggs tend to be laid 3 days apart, this means we’ll expect the second egg on Friday. Delayed incubation until the second or third egg is laid is not uncommon. This can bring the hatching times closer together, sometimes resulting in a less significant size and development difference between the chicks.
 
The world's furthest inland breeding colony of Kittiwakes is on and around the Tyne Bridge and Newcastle Quayside. They were in full voice last night serenading a walk back from the pub to the Premier Inn. Hundreds of them- quite a spectacle
 
There’s a brilliant app called Merlin that identifies bird calls.
merlin.allaboutbirds.org

Merlin Bird ID - Home

Identify Bird Songs and Calls Sound ID listens to the birds around you and shows real-time suggestions for who’s singing. Compare your recording to the songs and calls in Merlin to confirm what you heard. Sound ID works completely offline, so you can identify birds you hear no matter where you ar
merlin.allaboutbirds.org merlin.allaboutbirds.org

Yesterday at muscliff it identified these over an hour’s walk along the river.
Great tit
Blue tit
Long tailed tit
Dunnock
Blackcap
Red necked pheasant
Blackcap
Nuthatch
Starling
Blackbird
Cetti’s warbler
Reed warbler
Wren
Wood pigeon
Thrush
Mallard
Whitethroat
Robin
Chiff chaff
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Goldcrest
Moorhen
Common pheasant
 
fritter said:
There’s a brilliant app called Merlin that identifies bird calls.
merlin.allaboutbirds.org

Merlin Bird ID - Home

Identify Bird Songs and Calls Sound ID listens to the birds around you and shows real-time suggestions for who’s singing. Compare your recording to the songs and calls in Merlin to confirm what you heard. Sound ID works completely offline, so you can identify birds you hear no matter where you ar
merlin.allaboutbirds.org merlin.allaboutbirds.org

Yesterday at muscliff it identified these over an hour’s walk along the river.
Great tit
Blue tit
Long tailed tit
Dunnock
Blackcap
Red necked pheasant
Blackcap
Nuthatch
Starling
Blackbird
Cetti’s warbler
Reed warbler
Wren
Wood pigeon
Thrush
Mallard
Whitethroat
Robin
Chiff chaff
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Goldcrest
Moorhen
Common pheasant
Click to expand...
Excellent!

I love the Merlin app. It identified Cetti’s warblers by the river near Wareham last week - brilliant for those of us who aren’t very good at recognising bird calls.
 
Forza Rossoneri! said:
Excellent!

I love the Merlin app. It identified Cetti’s warblers by the river near Wareham last week - brilliant for those of us who aren’t very good at recognising bird calls.
Click to expand...
Also when there are many calls together. Distinguishing the blackbird from the blackcap when they were both singing was great.

Also on Thursday I finally saw the Sea Eagles at Stanpit. Been several times and missed them. This time was perfect. 2 of them sat out on the bank. They apparently can just sit there for a long time. Then they took off pursued by a raggle taggle bag of gull followers.
 
I used the bird identification app the other day at work by the Castleman trail in Stapehill as the bird song was much different to what is normally heard.
It identified as a Bluethroat. Now I've seen that one has also been spotted in Wareham Forest.
A stunning little rare visitor.
 
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