Pre-dawn start at the mere, 2 Whooper swans just visible from the car park but their necks were up and no surprise that they had taken flight by the time I'd walked down. Male hen harrier in the early morning light working along Trehills farm side and crop field by the farm. It flushed a big flock of passerines, which later transpired to be about 300 linnet with chaffinch and reed bunting. Plenty of duck including 9 Pintail, 8 gadwall, single drake Tufted duck. Constant wimpers from the wigeon who were flushed a couple of times by 3 buzzards who were stationed around the mere. c300 golden plover and similar numbers of lapwing moving between the mere and Trehills stubbles. 3 black-tailed godwit, 6 chough (3pairs) and a female merlin.
