Harrier count

Walland Marsh - 1600hrs - dry, cloudy and windy -  This afternoon I joined CP for the final harrier count of the winter and to be honest due to the blustery wind and lateness in the season I wasn't expecting a great deal - how wrong I was. Eventually, 14 Marsh Harriers came to roost including several adult males, one of which was displaying over the reedbed for some time before going down. The highlight of the watch though concerned a small juvenile Hen Harrier, presumably a male, that was in view for about an hour, flying up and down the reedbed, periodically landing and even chasing the much larger Marsh Harriers in an aerial tussle, odd behaviour indeed. Then, just before lights out it was joined by a second darker ringtail that went straight to roost alongside it, but separate from the Marsh Harriers. So, a fascinating end to the winter harrier roost count.
  Also noted in the general area a Bittern, two Common Buzzards, seven Golden Plovers, Skylarks, Mipits, Cetti`s Warbler and a Corn Bunting.