A pale looking ringtail briefly at the mere this evening, unfortunately it was always distant (2cy male hen harrier?). 2 Short-eared owls had been quartering the marsh when they put up the harrier, it dashed around annoyed at the intrusion before dropping back into cover. Owls put on a brilliant show, one darker bird and one much paler and brighter. One took a young coot or moorhen. They were showing on and off from about 5pm, but main action was around dusk between 7-8pm. A Peregrine blasted through and a sparrowhawk. Sedge warblers have arrived in numbers about a dozen sounding off. Duckwise: Shoveler 11 males, 3 pr, Teal 2 male, Wigeon 2 male and a female, pair Tufties. 13 Coot with 2 pairs with 2 young.