My friend Tom and I had christened this particular location the ‘number one splash’ many years ago; partly because it is the first significant splash on the salting tops as you work out from the cockle-fishing village of Penclawdd, and partly because it has delivered some of our most exciting wigeon flights over the past 30-odd years. Sadly, it has changed recently — a reduction in the number of sheep on this part of the marsh has meant the once short and sweet turf has grown long and rank.
After a completely blank flight last season and another in November, we decided to give the splash one more try on Thursday. A lack of wigeon droppings did not fill us with confidence, but heavy rain over the past couple of days could easily have washed them away. With a succession
