Michael Copleston kindly joined me and my friend Gavin Wagstaff yesterday evening to show Gavin the reserve and the marsh harriers. We were treated to fantastic views of the two juvenile marsh harriers flying over the reedbed and their comical attempts at landing in willow bushes; one juvenile posed long enough to be watched through the telescope. The female also flew in to hunt over the reedbed.
Walking back through Phase 2 a flock of 9 black-tailed godwits flew over. A few swifts were flying over the reserve, their scythe-like wings and screaming calls cutting through the eveining sky. Next week they'll be a rare sight with most having flown south - a true sign that autumn is upon us.