The hide was a bit busy at Marshside this afternoon, but that didn't stop the Water Rail squealing away underneath it.
Even so I decided to walk up to Polly's Creek and spent a bit of time watching the Water Rails and Snipe in the rushes beneath the bank.
The rails were really frustrating - typically showing really well for a few seconds before scuttling back into the reeds again...sneaky little weasels.
At least a single Snipe was a bit more forthcoming.
There was a minimum of three Water Rail in the area around the channel, could have been more I suppose....if tonight is as nippy as forecast, they could show better tomorrow morning.
Earlier a quick look at the bottom of Marshside One produced about 100 Pink Feet, with more on the shore off Hesketh Road, and plenty of Wigeon and Black Tails.
Mount Baker was pretty quiet, apart from a couple of Blackbirds, finches, Wrens, Robins etc, and this poor old rabbit, on its last legs with myxomatosis - haven't seen one with the disease for quite a while.
I should have whacked it I suppose, but I wimped out and left it to enjoy a few last hours blindly nibbling at the vegetation before it became crow/fox food.
Two Merlins on the outer marsh, too far away to get a decent pic - but when has that ever stopped me?
Kestrel, three Little Egret and distantly, five Whooper Swans in flight too. A few hundred Pink Feet were in the drying grasses, and there were more around Polly's Pool.
Two more Little Egret on Marshside Two/Crossens Inner, and 11 Pochard on the Sandplant Pool.
The Glossy Ibis and Green Winged Teal were still about, but I saw neither, nor did I manage to catch up with the Hen Harrier Graham Clarkson had in the morning - but that's the way it goes sometimes.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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David McGrath wrote...
Hi John
My brother, a resident of sunny Birkdale, was jogging on the beach near Fishermans Path last Thursday (8th) and reckons he saw a dead Walrus!
I said seal - he said big tusks about 3 inches long!
Do you know anything about it apparently it was on the NNR foreshore.
Dave
Posted by: David McGrath | November 12, 2007 9:49 AM