We could get used to this! Another scorcher of a day, albeit scorcher in a late February context, meaning 17 degrees. It was however the warmest winter day ever recorded today though, with temperatures in Wales reaching a balmy 20 degrees! It looks to stay settled for another couple of days and then it all comes crashing down again. Still, we’ve had a decent arrival of early spring migrants across Dorset these last few days, so lets just hope we don’t get a last minute cold rush. In the sun, 2 Great Northern Diver looked gloriously in sync out in south deep as they slid across glass like water. Around Hartland, Stoborough Heath and Arne Moors 3 Short-eared Owl were hunting and the ringtail Hen Harrier was seen along the Middlebere track. Out in the west harbour roost, possibly up to 5 Marsh Harrier dropped into the roost and 9 Spoonbill headed out to feed at dusk in the Wareham Channel. A Red Kite drifted low over the piddle Valley and Common Buzzard were very active everywhere. The male Black Redstart was still behind the Thistle Hotel and a pair of Peregrine were seen displaying over Holes Bay and a Green Sandpiper was in the Creekmoor Channel that leads into Holes Bay north and a Jack Snipe was seen at Sunnyside Farm.

Tales from the River Bank update: In the last week we’ve had plenty more Otter action plus a different Mink to last weeks animal passing our camera in the dead of night.