Despite the rain showers, it wasn't a bad morning today, bit grey maybe _ picked up Bazzo early and headed for the marsh...
First bird we saw was a female Wheatear (odd date for us) out on the lorry road mounds, so we checked Mount Baker and the Forest of Bale in case there was anything else about. There wasn't.
At least the first Bee Orchid spike is now blooming - have you ever seen a more amazing flower??
A Common Sandpiper was whizzing about in front of the Sandgrounders Hide - first returning autumn migrant maybe - but it was way too nippy for me to get a decent shot of it. Nice bird though. Two male Ruddy Ducks on the sandplant lagoons.
Walked down to Nels Hide, where Neill and Simon G were already scoping an eclipse male Garganey right in front of the hide, and hordes of Avocets were bustling about.
The first of the fully fledged young Black Headed Gulls were out on the marsh today, and returning Curlews were on the outer estuary.
Tried a few shots of young Lapwing, Blackwits and Redshank with mixed results.
Heavy rain set in so after an hour or so, we pushed on and I drove over to Martin Mere, joined by Jellyhead.
Andy Bunting had had some good mothing, but best of all was the Striped Hawkmoth found a day or so back and still in a holding jar at the In Focus shop.
A megamoth for Lancs - shame it was dead.
Also at the mere, the stilts were looking decidedly pissed off with the rain of a northern summer (no action around the nest for a few days, which doesn't look good, the young should have hatched by now).
A Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plovers and a lovely dark Ruff were also on the mud off the Ron Barker hide.
A very pale Buzzard perched up on the telegraph poles some distance away had us going for awhile, but it was just a Common Buzzard.
Well that's it, time to get juiced up before the Brazil game....
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies....
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John. I didn't introduce myself to you whilst in Nels hide at Marshside. Why should i your probably asking? Well a face behind the same name as me is a good enough reason but anyway wasn't completely sure if it was you. Felt a bit intimidated by the sharp witty comments from you and your mates. Should have guessed you were Irish by the name. I was the miserable B'#"*& with the big lens. Never bought a jacket or anything to cover my camera gear so ended up stuck there for at least another hour after you guys left. Gargany came back right below the hide agin before the jumped up coot chased it off. Managed a few shots nevertheless. Dunno if I theres a way of reply to this on here bbut anyway good birding
cheers
John ( Dempsey that is)
D'oh! I thought it was you (or should that be me?) from the pic of you on your website John!
Hope to catch up with you again soon....two Dempseys are always better than one!
Just for the record, I'm from County Liverpool, although my family hail from Clonmel in Tipperary (via Dundee, and even a bit of North Wales - a true mongrel!)
All the best,
John
PS If you thought Marshside's finest were colourful on Sunday, you should hear 'em when they're really behaving badly!!!
Doh' my mistake! Could have sworn i heared a tweak of Dublin must have been the other guys
Like errrmm I think the Mrs would disagree about two Dempseys being better than one mate, but then when does she ever agree? oh except when its my turn to pay. As for your mates, well colourful works for me, proves to the none birders were not all bores.
"catch up you again Demps!"
cheers
John