A truly impressive amount of rain made conditions challenging this morning, but it didn't stop Walter Speirs and his team from Loch Etive introducing millions of mussels into the Marine Lake down at Crosby.
Now, I'm not usually that interested in shellfish, unless they're sitting in front of me in a nice white wine and garlic sauce, or fried up with bacon and a sprig of fresh rocket (defrost them there scallops immediately Mrs D!), but today's mussel mission was not about creating a food source for greedies like me.
Instead the mussels are meant to filter and clean the lake water and so deal with any nasty algal business in the future.
An innovative, if inedible idea.
(Although as I work for the council at present, I will admit to a certain bias).
A thoroughly drenched Walter explained that the ropes of mussels can attract hungry Eider and Goldeneye in more northern climes, so I'm all for that on the lake (I expect the mussel men wouldn't be too thrilled about it though).
The shellfish spent most of their time cowering at the back of a massive roadtrain, until they got the all clear that the lake was presently free of Goldeneye and Eider.
Then they were hauled out, fed into sacks with a machine like the one that bags your Xmas tree, and long strands of 'em were put onto booms in the lake.
Sadly we weren't immediately beseiged by hordes of hungry Eider and Goldeneye, but two of the wintering Scaup up on the boating lake with Tufties, were looking a bit on the shifty side.
Aside from that, a good scattering of commoner waders were on the beach once the rain eased and the tide went out, and large numbers of gulls joined the afternoon roost at the southern end of the shore (nowt out of the ordinary in the fading light).
19 Curlews feeding on the grass to the north of the Marine Lake were nice.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Re Marton Mere Starlings - last weekend there were only about 5000 and they went, more or less, straight into the reeds to roost. Now 3 Long Eared Owls in the roost - mobile so ask rangers where best to look for them, also a tricky Bittern on site and lordy only knows how many Cetti's Warblers 4(+?).
Cheers
Dave
A brand new reedbed walk around the WWT Martin Mere reserve officially opened on Monday 16 November. The walk, funded by the Lancashire Environmental Fund, is not part of the Martin Mere centre and can be used as a footpath for the whole community to enjoy.
Centre Manager, Andy Wooldridge, said: âÂÂthis walk is an opportunity for the community or visitors to the area to see wildlife whilst looking at eye level across a reedbed and it will rival the Leighton Moss reedbed as the only other walk of this type in the North West. It is important to us that our visitors and the community are able to see the spectacular wildlife at Martin Mere any time of the day or night and the fact that you donâÂÂt have to pay to come in to go on this walk will hopefully mean many more people will utilise the beautiful footpaths in the local area.âÂÂ
WWT Martin Mere is open every day from 9.30am to 5.00pm and parking is free of charge. Situated off the A59, it is signposted from the M61, M58 and M6. The Centre is also accessible via the Southport to Manchester and the Liverpool to Preston line by train from Burscough Rail Stations.
Adult winter Mediterranean Gull on Ainsdale beach today.
Thousands of Black Headed Gulls later and I am made up to finally track one of these beauties down
100+ Whoopers at top of New Cut Lane by the old railway bridge.
Three Willow Tits near to Rufford today. Low Meadows has been flooded for a couple of weeks and has been excellent for Pinkfeet (up to 2000), Whooper Swans (up to 240) and a range of dabbling duck and wader species; great birding spot it's free to get in and peaceful.