Haven't been down to Marshside for a week, so decided to call in this afternoon in glorious sunshine and warm sun.
Good to see Neill down there, but the reserve was pretty quiet - settling into summer.
Good numbers of hirundines and Swifts above Polly's Pool - hmm, Hobby bait?
At one point a major dread broke out on Marshside Two, with Blackwits, Lapwings and Redshank freaking out.
Even the Glossy Ibis woke up at Polly's Creek.
All the Blackwits crowded onto the Sandplant lagoon. Couldn't see what caused the panic, but Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel were all up together at one point later on, so I suspect the former was the culprit.
One Dunlin on the Sandplant Pools, Whitethroat, squadrons of Avocets and a loafing Cormorant there too.
A single Knot was at the Junction Pool, then later in front of Nels Hide, where the water is really dropping away, leaving loadsa tasty wader gloop for birds to feed in.
Despite this, I only managed another three Dunlin, and a scattering of yodelling Redshank, Lapwing and Blackwits.
By the amount of squawking they were getting up to, I think the Reed Warblers were feeding young in the reedbed below the hide.
As I walked back to the car park at 6.15pm, the Glossy Ibis flew overhead, heading out to the south west and gaining height...but it must have remembered where the best water snails are and seemed to turn to come back from as far away as the pier as I left.
At least the wind is shifting so seawatching maybe a possibility come the next high tides.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Saw the Lady's Slipper Orchid in Silverdale on Monday. Deteriorating for the year now, but still good.