The upper section below the church held plenty of water but no wetland birds at all apart from two little egrets. A 2CY female peregrine bombed through. Water levels up again around the hide area - the tunnel leading to the outfall on the beach is blocked with trashed reed which was not removed, we are told - whatever, it's resulted in an excellent winter for wildfowl on the Corse. Numbers of wigeon, teal, mallard, shoveler and pintail similar to on our WEBS count, I didn't attempt a count. Lots of snipe in the field nearest the pines, and I too (cf our WEBS count) nearly trod on a jack snipe. 200 lapwing and 4-500 golden plover [? - I haven't yet tried to count the dots in the photo, I may be way out] feeding with outwintering cattle on Chapel Farm, the next farm east from Gupton. A Cetti's was singing up the little scrubby valley, about 400m S of the Corse. I flushed a water rail while crossing the ditch, lovely close view. Two marsh harriers - ad female, and 2CY bird probably female. The juv whooper and two mutes were still there.
Memories of Ian - those Sea Empress flights Bob mentioned (I was the newbie in the team). I took a party of UK and Spanish work camp volunteers from Stackpole to Ramsey for a trip on a day off circa 2000, the return boat never showed, Ian coming to the rescue in the RSPB boat was a welcome sight. Terrible news, my condolences also.
