With the year drawing to an end the decent winter run continues with not one but two Hen Harrier in Middlebere today, both ringtails. Also 3 Marsh Harrier present in and around the Arne Peninsular and a Merlin on Hartland. At Swineham the gravel pits are still busy with birds, mainly Coot (150+) and Gadwall (100+) but also a single Pochard, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Little Grebe and 8 Tufted Duck. Off Swineham Point there were 4 Bearded Tit and 2 Marsh Harrier with 5 Cetti’s Warbler along the River Frome. At the PC World Drain the Firecrest was still present along with 4 Common Chiffchaff with another Firecrest at Middlebere. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 2800+ Black-tailed Godwit, 750+ Dunlin, 32 Ringed Plover, 91 Avocet, 88 Bar-tailed Godwit, 180 Grey Plover, 19 Redshank, 3 Spotted Redshank, 2 Sanderling, 2 Pintail and 11 Brent Geese. The 2 Long-tailed Duck were off Jerry’s Point again with 2 Great Northern Diver there too and 4 Black-necked Grebe.