Drizzle, mist – not promising but I walked in from the E end and reached the hide around 10.30. Lower numbers all round – 3-400 lapwing, 30-40 snipe, a few shoveler, teal and mallard on the wet parts of the fen meadow. 4 Cetti’s in different spots, water rail heard, a single redshank flew over, grey heron, 5 little egrets. A buzzard the only raptor, until….

I left the hide at 11.00 and set off back towards the pines through the rushy fields E of the hide (via the new metal gate on the main track – tricky bolt, the gate was even tied up for a while). The pallid harrier appeared to my left, flying along the blackthorn hedge – excellent views at less then 50 metres. Not in view for long, it flew over the hedge and disappeared. My camera was in my backpack, not that there would have been time for a photo. 

So – still here!