Constant monitoring will always pay reward and today local harrier watcher Peter Hadrill observed three different grey male Hen Harrier bombing around the west of the harbour with a juvenile male and female ringtail in tow. This is a great early February total and possibly indicates one of the highest gatherings in southern England currently. Although we need to keep roost sites a secret, observing them during the day just requires a bit of patients and waiting at sites like Swineham GP, Middlebere and Coombe Heath, Arne will eventually reward you with a sighting or two. The male Merlin was again on Hartland late afternoon and up to 3 Marsh Harrier were in the mouth of the Frome. We’ve also been notified of gardens hosting Brambling over the course of the winter at places like Ridge and just outside our recording area in Bloxworth. Brambling are regular passage migrant in autumn but very scarce over-winterers so if you do currently have Brambling visiting your feeders and have so for the last few months we’d love to know about it. 

Great Crested Grebe – Hamworthy Beach – Ian Ballam

Great Crested Grebe – Shell Bay – Ian Ballam