Quieter today but the arrival of an adult male Hen Harrier on Hartland briefly mid morning made things exciting, although sadly it disappeared off towards Corfe Castle after having a wash and wasn’t seen again. Later in the afternoon yesterdays ringtail female Hen Harrier was out on Hartland with 1 Merlin perched up on a stump. Out on Arne Moors (viewed from Slepe Heath) another 2 Merlin were seen with catching a Meadow Pipit supper just before sunset. On Lytchett Fields there were 2 Water Pipit and another on Holton Pools and a late Ruff was also on Lytchett Fields. At Arne a female Brambling was feeding behind the visitors centre in car park with Chaffinch and another was at Sunnyside Farm in a Chaffinch/Linnet flock. In Middlebere there were 3 Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, c400 Black-tailed Godwit, c150 Avocet, 123 Lapwing, 96 Redshank, 10 Dunlin, 293 Wigeon, 4 Pintail, 1 Merlin, 1 Marsh Harrier and 46 Fieldfare.

Water Pipit – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam