Inner Marsh Farm. Part 2.

Another brief visit to IMF before going away for the weekend resulted in good but distant views of a Marsh Harrier that spent most if its time quartering the woods at the back of the reserve. Still plenty of waders around with 5 Ruff causing some 'confusion' by a couple of birders who thought the larger male was a Greenshank and made mutterings to that effect as I explained the differences to a young family just starting birding.

After we'd watched the Marsh Harrier for a good 40 minutes they also proclaimed there was supposed to be Marsh Harrier around but they hadn't seen it. I didn't see the space ship that whisked them away to another planet. Either that or they went back to their balcony on the Muppet show.

Another interesting bird was this Stonechat that posed photogenically on a Reed Mace stem right in front of the hide.

With visitors from foreign parts (Austria) with me all last week there wasn't much oppurtunity to get out but whilst wining and dining at a local hotel nearby I discovered a pair of Tawny Owls in the rounds and an intriguing glimpse of two 'Black - capped Tits' from the restaurant during breakfast. Unfortunately they weren't close enough to identify but I'll certainly be checking them out for either Marsh or Willow. Either would be a very good record in this part of Cheshire.

At long last our mate Jonathon 'Statto' Williams has completed his move to France where he begins a new life and new job. Good luck Jonno and we look forward to hearing all about breeding Black Woodpeckers, Little Bitterns and the like.

Saddest sight of the week was a dead Red Kite on the outside lane of the M6 toll road heading south on the way to Kent Friday morning.