Dale area -- Wednesday

A few little things from a visiting Worcestershire birder that I've not been able to send until getting back to my e-mail (just as the Bobolink arrives, drat it!):

Wednesday morning, 0930-1100 Skylarks passing over West Hook farm (just east of Martin's Haven) in ones and two and little groups, the largest a party of fifteen; perhaps 250 in all and all coming from over the sea to the north-west and heading on south-east; the local birds on the farm fields showing no interest in joining them.

Wednesday, noon. The Marsh Harrier still at Marloes Mere and being very energetically mobbed by a couple of Ravens; the resultant hullabaloo put up a good eighty Teal and a dozen or so Shoveler.

Wednesday 1600-1700. On the Gann (Mullock shore only) a flock of 80-90 Curlew working up the marsh ahead of the rising tide, a Whimbrel (or two?) calling among them. At least five Little Egrets along the river and in the marsh. A party of five Brent Geese came in onto the by-then very full river at 1700. (We looked for the geese again from the Dale side as we were leaving on Thursday morning (low water) but a long scan with scopes failed to locate them.)
(R & L Smallwood)