After the excitement of a week ago, today's WEBS counts at the Corse was dire - no waterbirds at all on the upper Corse (no water), not so much as a BHG. Will the farmer said that the lapwing and golden plover were all on the range feeding around the outwintering cattle. I relocated to Gupton and walked down to the hide to join Rob Lewis who had walked in from the west, seeing 2 snipe on the way. The ponds have almost dried up. There was a flock of 400 golden plover in the air from time to time, but these were feeding in a field where cattle were being fed on big bales on Gupton, and belong in a different count, along with the single curlew. 2 Cetti's were singing, one near the hide and one near Starman's Hall. Water rail could be heard in the reeds. Otherwise just 2 grey heron. The 2CY female marsh harrier was flying about.
I them moved to Broomhill Burrows, where the WEBS count is normally one snipe. This was sensational - plenty of water in the pond for a change, with 28 teal and 2 mallard. From the dunes looking east along the Corse I could see the marsh harrier perched on a blackthorn bush half a mile away.
