Went down to Taggs Island for the high tide this morning, and managed to get really close to the roosting waders without spooking them - obviously that is the job of dogwalkers, horseriders, horseriders with dogs etc.
Let the birds come to me as the tide edged them in - Grey Plover, Ringed Plover (including some displaying birds), Knot, Dunlin, Turnstone, Barwits, Knot, Oystercatchers - just superb.
Small numbers of gulls including one argentatus Herring Gull, and at least seven Skylarks in full song.
Two or three groups of Meadow Pipits - the start of passage perhaps?
Offshore, four Scaup (males) with up to 70 Goldeneye in several groups.
One Great crested Grebe.
After the groovy wader vibe of the high tide I headed back to Weld Road with my snipe rader set to maximum and managed 8 Common Snipe and one sneaky Jack Snipe in the reedbed.
A pair of Stonechats showed well, but getting a shot of the ringed male was frustrating - it never kept still.
From Taggs I drove up to Marshside, and met Bazzo on the top of Mt Baker, where he was watching four Goosanders tootling round offshore in the shallows - at least one young male and three females I think.
A Marshside tick for me, so I'll have to drink some cold beer once I've blogged this lot to celebrate.
Bazzo was doing the count today on Marshside One, and had three Avocets dozing in front of Nels Hide, and a Chiffchaff in the willows there.
A wintering bird or a very early migrant???
Jellyhead called to say he'd had two Short Eared Owls earlier on the outer marsh, but all we could see was a distant Marsh Harrier quartering the water's edge.
About 800 Pinkies out there and Merlin too, but strangely, no sign of the Little Egrets today.
The two Scaup still on the Sandplant Pool, where the island has been scoured and the pumping station removed now - the island looks like it could be good for nesting waders this summer.
From here I drove over to Mere Sands with Bazzo in tow, but there were too many people.
Managed Bullfinch, Goldeneye, three Goosanders, and a few Great Crested Grebes.
Headed for home past Martin Mere (Whooper Swans, Pinkies) and stopped off on Churchtown Moss, where we had at least 65 Rooks with smaller numbers of Jackdaws and Carrion Crows, about 15 Corn Buntings and a Merlin.
Plus the usual Red Legged Partridge and Pheasant.
Not a bad day at all....
Eyes to the skies everyone. eyes to the skies....
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Hi John,
Strangely, no Little Egrets yesterday either.
Well and truly gripped by those Goosander!
And beginning to get a bit frustrated at that Marsh Harrier too - seems to have a knack of not showing when I'm about!
I did the Douglas-Hesketh Out Marsh WeBS count this morning along the "new sea wall" as far as the boundary of the forthcoming new reserve.
Quiet in fact, too much tide in my bit, but masses of geese on the out marsh in the next section, some thousands I reckon.
I had 17 Whoopers inc. one juv hanging around a pair of Mutes.
Dom Harmer had more Whoops near Hesketh Bank plus two Bewicks.
Later on while helping set the cannon net at Banks for tomorrow's tilt at the Wigeon (and Shelducks !) I saw four distant flying Goosanders heading in the direction of Hundred End.
Probably those seen by Barry at Marshside earlier on but where were they off to?
Ron
John,
Good to see your photography is improving (somewhat)!
Have just returned from sea, sun and sangria - 28degrees in the shade (excellent).
Had Crag Martin, Black Redstarts like sparrows, Eagle Owl (every night) Short Toed Eagle, Spotted Eagle (out of context but local wardens said it was right), Penduline Tit, Chiffchaffs (instilling a pining for spring at home), Fan-tailed warbler (much better than zitting cisticola), Black-necked grebe, untainted White-headed duck (yes they do shoot the Ruddy's over there), no Marbled Teal unfortunately, raptors a-plenty harriers, osprey, hobby, and all without really trying to hard i.e. no early morning sessions, no special trips. Mind you I think its blinkin cold now I'm back.
From that list Bob, I guess you were either down Coto Donana way, or somewhere between there and Extramadura....
Spain is the business.
About those Goosanders...
A small roost has built up in recent late winters (Feb-March) on the Ribble just below the main road bridge from Penwortham to the bottom of Fishergate Hill in Preston; there were up to 7 there at low tide last year.
Could be that the Marshside birds were from this group, had ventured a bit far down the Ribble and were hurrying back to base before the bogeyman got them.
I went to Southport with Mrs G in tow but she did allow me an hour in the hides at Marshside.
Great to watch the three Avocets back again.
Everyone got very excited when a sparrowhawk decided to take out a godwit, but within minutes was chased from its spoils by three hungry crows.
There were plenty of Golden Plover about, mixed in with the Lapwings, great watching them swirling in the sky.
I don't think Mrs G will ever become a twitcher, the lure of the shops was just too much for her.
Walked round the Marine Lake - what a mess surely the council should get this place cleaned up.
Plenty of Goldfinches gathering in the treetops.
Hi John great pics at Taggs but whereabout is this?
Taggs Island is the area of swamp, infant dune and saltmarsh on the beach south of Weld Road roundabout, Birkdale.