There has been plenty of action from the marsh harriers lately as they pair up in preparation for the next breeding season.
The female bird that bred at Lodmoor last year has been spending all of her time at Radipole lately.
It seems that she has taken a fancy to the young male that bred there last year.
This is the female.
And this is the very smart young male.
He rarely comes close to the hide, preferring to perch right at the north end of the reedbed, so I don't have any close shots of him. Yet.
Here they are "sky-dancing", the ritual display that pairs of marsh harriers perform every spring.
They're a bit early this year.
22nd December update:
Added some more distant sky-dancing this morning: