Today was the first day of our Dorset Discovery wildlife tour, in partnership with the Dorset RSPB Team. This is an event we started in January 2015 and was set up to showcase the best Dorset has to offer. Each year we host a three day winter, spring, summer and autumn tour with Poole Harbour at the very center of our expeditions. A full write up for our Winter 2016 tour will be available soon but highlights today from Arne included 2 Marsh Harrier in Middlebere, 3 Dartford Warbler on Coombe Heath, c200 Avocet in Middlebere, 1 Great Northern Diver off Shipstal, 1 Peregrine over Wytch Lake, Water Rails from the Raptor Hide and a nice mix of woodland species. Elsewhere 6 Great Northern Diver flew in to the harbour mouth at dawn with 1 Red-throated Diver, 86 Shag, 6 Red-breasted Merganser and a single Great Crested Grebe. There was also a single Purple Sandpiper on the Sandbanks groynes. There was a great find of a Great Grey Shrike on Upton Heath, just south of the Urban Wildlife center. Out on Arne moors there was a Short-eared Owl and several Marsh Harrier. The Baiter Great Northern Diver has now given up completely being scared of humans or dogs and can now be seen swimming and feeding quite happily in between ball chewing Spaniels and Labradors! Finally at Creekmoor Ponds a Firecrest was in the holly at Northmead Drive.