Not in such large numbers as before, but a handful. When they want to take to the water, the drainage ditches are now of adequate depth, and the rest of the time they graze the wetland grasses, which they share with a small flock of White-fronted Geese from Greenland who also winter in this spot. You decide to give it half an hour. At the end of that time, a pale grey bird with black wingtips glides in over the loch basin. You are perfectly positioned to watch its aerial skills as it begins to quarter the area.
Time ceases to matter.
When the Hen Harrier is gone, a Short-eared Owl takes over. Later an enormous flock of birds falls from the sky like a cloud. Lapwings, Fieldfares, Redwings and Starlings. They eat up everything on the drier grasslands to the side of the loch, then cross to the other side and start again. It is amusing how they all take off, fly and land again as one body, despite the great difference of size between the species.