It was a lovely sunny autumn morning until I left the house, but but by the time I reached Marshside there was a bitter wind, deteriorating light and a constant threat of imminent worse. Still, it all worked out.

A Buzzard was hovering kestrel-like opposite Nel’s hide, and as I reached the raptor viewpoint at the sand-plant a Marsh Harrier was quartering close in. A female Sparrowhawk was working the fence-posts by the large pool and my thoughts quickly turned towards a good raptor haul. However, time passed and whilst the Sparrowhawk was joined by a male, the falcons were represented just by barely discernible dots in the distant murk. Favourite perches where birds were quite identifiable in the sunshine last weekend were today occupied by inscrutable dots.

Right out there by the river just right of the Lytham windmill, that was almost certainly a Peregrine. And the next one along surely a Merlin? Perhaps.

A spotting of rain had me pack up the scope and head to the hide, but just as I reached the road a Curlew called in the air above me and I looked around - the sky was full of falcons! By the time I’d recovered my composure they were gone, but I was pretty sure I’d just seen a Peregrine chasing a Merlin, with a Kestrel keeping its distance.

Wanting more, I headed back to the traditional viewing point. The falcons had gone but the Marsh Harrier was back up and hunting with purpose, flushing Starlings from the long grass, then Little Egrets, and then a glorious male Hen Harrier!

It was a young bird, I think: not the clean, pure grey of birds I’ve seen before, it was a little darker and a little more marked above and below wing. It went hunting itself for several minutes, perching up a couple of times and setting off again, and a group birders arrived in time for the group leader to get everyone onto it. Wonderful stuff. Thanks, curlew!

Sandgrounder’s hide provided more excellent views of Sparrowhawks, a distant-but decent look at another Kestrel, and few flashes of almost-certainly-a-Merlin right past the window. And an icy wind right in through the windows!