Two in a day? In November? 204 species in total

I set out for a winter afternoon's ride in search of two species I really should have seen before - and scored with both!

The first was a real slice of luck - I fluked a Merlin hunting Meadow Pipits by the road at Half Moon Common - rakish, flickering wings, all speed and panache. Brilliant.

The second was more predictable - I met up with Julia at a well-known site in the northern Forest, and together we walked a couple of miles to a viewpoint overlooking a deep valley. Sure enough, at about 1600, a ringtail Hen Harrier quartered the heath to the west of us.

Well satisfied, but with a very low day-list, I headed off back into the darkness - the year really is beginning to turn full circle.