1515 hrs in poor conditions at 26 degrees , a very light W>3 and 80 % cloud cover but not enough to stop the sun poking through. Tons of heat shimmer made photographs a nightmare and unable to take Curlews on the east bank.
The watch started off well all the same with a move of Curlews all >NE, some low over the water and some high in the clouds calling. Just 6 seen but more heard overhead and 3 landed on the east shoreline.
A walk on to the NW corner produce 2 Teal over the water, the female Tufted with her 4 remaining chicks and 1 drake Common Scoter which could well be the Saturdays bird. Strangely still no Wheatears.
Whilst scanning the moors with the bins and watching a distant SEO on a post a raptor briefly appeared from the direction of Nab Water Lane low over the moor before disappearing into a hollow and out of site. Buzzard was the first instinct but the sheer size of it and uniform dark my thoughts changed to Red Kite. I patiently waited with baited breath gazing through the bins for it to re appear but began to think it must have doubled back and kept low heading north.
Just then one of the 2 local Kestrels dive bombed down over the moor and, Bingo, up came my bird.
As soon as I got on it I could see it was a stonking cream crown Marsh Harrier lifting above the skyline before flying low over the moor. It dropped onto the moor a couple of times before heading off low firstly west then more >SW towards Gorple.
Luckily Big Bertha was up on her sticks ready after I,d been taking the Scoter so as soon as she got on the harrier she was off like a machine gun with a smoking barrel working against the odds of distance and heat shimmer. I,ve had to put her in the fridge tonight to cool down.
Needless to say, a pleasing 2 hours birding.
BS