Stopped off for a look at the Scaups at Stackpole. Still above the 8-arch bridge, just before the old boat house hide, diving under the nearside bank before drifting further out towards the far bay. The Lesser scaup looking very smart now as it comes into adult plumage with its silvery back, sides and dark head. Nice to bump into Caroline P.
I was then treated to some excellent views of the
Pallid harrier at the Corse in perfect light. Stunning bird. The female
Marsh harrier was quartering the eastern side around 3:20pm when up came the Pallid harrier providing lovely scope views for 10 minutes before it dropped back into the reeds and willow. It was soon back up and appeared on and off until I left at 5:30pm mostly favouring the eastern side though did hover right in front of the hide. Met Alan Merrett who managed some really nice photos and had news of it having been photographed over by Popton Fort just after Christmas. Distant views of a
Hen harrier, 2
Merlin inc a smart male flushing the skylark, chaffinch and reed buntings from the surrounding fields. Kestrel also checking the fields. Flock of 100+ chuckling Fieldfare. Lots of snipe (50?) and teal (60?) being flushed by the harriers. Greylags honking in the distance. 6 egrets, all looked like Little egrets in the failing light, roosted in what looks like some leylandii behind the pines.
