A magic moment this morning when during a Branksome sea watch a beautiful Short-eared Owl flew in off the sea right past us in conditions you wouldn’t even expect to see a duck in let alone an Owl. The bird fought its way across the beach and then up over the chine inland, which is something I’ve never witnessed before. I know Portland or Durlston sometimes see Short-eared Owl come in off the sea, but I would never have expected on at Branksome. This experience (only just) surpassed a moment that occurred only a minute previously when a Leach’s Storm Petrel bombed past our watch point heading west to east, before it vanished into the gloom. Other birds noted were a handful of Kittiwake, 2 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover, several Brent Geese and 2 Gannet. At Baiter the Brent flock is increasing with 292 today, 3 Sandwich Tern, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Dunlin and 6 Turnstone. At Lytchett Bay 6 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Marsh Harrier and 2 Chiffchaff.