Picked up Bazzo in the rain this morning and we headed out towards Martin Mere in pretty dire conditions - Little Owl and Corn Bunting on Churchtown Moss kept spirits up though.
Hordes of Whoopers at the mere as you would expect, with Willow Tit still coming into the feeders at the Janet Kear hide, and a fine blue male Sprawk there ripping around the bushes and putting the fear of god up everything.
When the rain eased, we walked past soaked Tree Sparrows and up to the Ronnie Barker hide, which revealed good numbers of Whoopers on Vinsons and Sunleys Marsh, and two distant Ravens flapping about in the gloom.
One or two stout-billed Carrion Crows about here too.
A single Bewick's Swan was right at the back of the marsh - poor views of what was once the more regular swan on the mosses and estuary many many moons ago, strange they have become so scarce now.
Peregrine and Kestrel about, but only the two Marsh Harriers were making serious attempts at hunting when we were there, inbetween bouts of sheltering from the rain on the deck.
We pulled out mid-afternoon and called into Mere Sands, which had at least 16 lurvely Goosanders, with many males getting frisky by the Twin Island from the Ted Marshall hide.
Shame the light was so poo, as occasionally they came close, especially from the Rufford Hide.
No sign of the Bittern which had been seen here in the cold snap earlier in the week, but a fair few squawky Jays and two Bullfinches by the feeders.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Med Gull on Ainsdale beach this afternoon, with the second winter Glauc at the south end of the Green Beach too.
Paid a visit to Mere Sands today: Lots of Blue Tit and Great Tit activity around the feeders at the visitor center with Dunnock hoovering up the leftovers. Once the ducks had drifted off a party of seven Reed Bunting descended upon a feeding platform in front of the Lancaster Hide with a lone Chaffinch in tow.
The courting Great Crested Grebe were showing off in front of quite a collection of Goosander in The Hollow.
The highlight of the afternoon though was a tantalising glimpse of a Bittern in the reeds on a tongue of land in front of the Rufford Hide.
No booming unfortunately but enough of a profile to cause great excitement in the hide!
1st Winter Glauc off Weld Rd at 12 noon today.
The three Tundra Beans (2 adults + juvenile) showing well on Barton Moss this afternoon, first on harvested carrots and then on potato stubble.