Marshside morning with mad dog

I met up with  mad dog (a.k.a John Bannon) at 06.45 on Saturday morning for some early doors vismiging at Marshside. John had been there since 05.45 and had already gripped me with Tree Pipit at he sandworks!  The morning was overcast and completly still and the calm broken by 330 Pinkfeet in scattered flocks, that had roosted out on the estuary, and were drifting inland, happily calling. A 3rd calendar year Marsh Harrier flying strongly south west out on the saltmarsh was a pleaseant distraction to the groups of Meadow Pipits overhead. A fall of Robins was evident with 34 counted up to 10.30. As site record?  Other birds recorded on passing through  included 3 Grey Wagtails, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 35 Golffinches, 2 Chaffinches, a Siskin, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Goldcrests and 5 Whitethroats.
Looking closely at the RSPB marshs we counted 2104 Blackwits, 98 Golden Plover, 8 Greenshank, 5 Ruff,  24 Gadwall, 124 Shoveler (amongst c.800 Teal), and a minimum total of 207 Snipe. Two Merlins, two Kestrels,  a Pegrine and an adult female Marsh Harrier were hunting the saltmarsh mid-morning and two Ravens drifted over high, one spiralling down onto Rimmer's marsh. Other highlights were  98 House Sparrows feeding on Stanley School playing field (adjacent to Marshside Road) and a Kingfisher on Junction Pool. A decent morning in the company of a decent chap.