Today was the Arne Forage Festival and we (along with the Stour Ringing Group) were invited to host a ringing demonstration for the public. The event was a huge success, not only because we ringed over 100 birds, but because the public engagement element of the demo worked brilliantly with visitors oooing and ahhhing at the range of species on show. Highlights were 2 Firecrest, 4 Redwing, 3 Nuthatch, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and a good mix of common woodland/garden species. Also on the reserve were 19 Spoonbill at Shipstal, a brief Yellow-browed Warbler in the car park along with similarly brief Brambling behind the visitors centre and 2 Black Redstart around the Farm Buildings. There was surprise Yellowhammer at Arne yesterday, the first in quite some years There are now 3 different Hen Harrier in the harbour, 2 ringtails and a grey male, which were seen around the Hartland area. There were 5 Marsh Harrier in and around the Wareham Channel.  At RSPB Lytchett Fields there were over 1000 Teal gathered on all fields with 4 Spotted Redshank there yesterday. There was an impressive 1200+ waders and wildfowl on all fields today with good numbers of Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe, Lapwing, Dunlin and Black-headed Gulls along with 2 Green Sandpiper and a Peregrine being a menace. Off Knoll/Middle Beach 14 Black-necked Grebe gathered in the evening roost with 3 Common Scoter. At Studland (Knoll) car park 2 Firecrest were present with another 4 at Greenland’s Farm. Vis-mig over Greenlands consisted of 46 Skylark, 6 Bullfinch, 5 Linnet, 138 Fieldfare, 4 Redpoll and a Brambling that settled for a short while. A Short-eared Owl was seen at dusk along the Arne Road.