Today started off just fine, with a lovely male Siskin at the feeders at Dempsey Towers in warm sun, before I went off to pick up Bazzo for a visit to the marsh.
Eight Avocets on M1 became nine when we got closer to 'em at Nels Hide. Typically they weren't up to much, just snoozing in the shallows.
I'm sure their numbers will increase exponentially over the next few weeks.
Golden Plover, Ruff, Snipe, Lapwing and a few Dunlin in the wader roost with the Blackwits, with a troublesome calidrid feeding close by.
Probably a Dunlin.
Probably.
Male Stonechat down at Wheatear Corner on the fenceline, and another male off the point when we walked out through the Sandplant compound, where Peacock butterfly was on the wing and Rock Pipit called overhead.
Further out in the heat haze, four Common Buzzards were mucking about, and the Great White Egret was at the usual eye-watering range on Crossens Outer.
A flock of 38 Eurasian Whitefronts around Polly's Pool was good too and Coltsfoot was in flower around Sandgrounders.
Three Goldcrests were in the willows and scrub at the southern end of the Sandplant - a nice bit of movement on a sunny day.
From Marshside, we headed over to Martin Mere, but by then Bazzo had already suggested the restorative properties of a cold beer outside a pub in the sun, so with a pint of the black stuff firmly in my mind, our visit to the mere was thirstily, mercifully brief and uneventful (lots of Buff Tailed Bumblebees about though).
Working in Birkdale dunes yesterday, our burn site was overrun with Common Toads, horny as hell, and completely lacking in decorum or patience.
The leave litter, and neighbouring flooded slack were writhing like Sodom and Gomorrah on a Saturday night, pre all that unfortunate biblical wrath business.
A gentleman didn't know where to put his eyes.
At least the Smooth Newts were behaving with far more dignity (for now at least).
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Little Grebe on the Marine Lake yesterday as I watched the egrets coming in to roost no sign of the Great White while I was there though.
First winter Glaucous Gull in front of Nel's Hide at Marshside this afternoon. A very pale, rather long-winged bird but with a massive brute of a bill. It was feeding for a while on carrion before roosting on one of the islands.
Lesser Pecker heard calling below the Wiggin Tree, Parbold Hill at 12.30 today.
Lapwings tumbling about over a blustery Plex yesterday afternoon. A Skylark joined in the fun at one point as well.
Back from hols in Egypt, trying to get back into the local swing of things. I popped down Birkdale Cop Road/Heathy Lane today at lunch time, 4 Buzzards mewing away with two soaring in the sun down there, about 20 Teal getting frisky on the north bound drain along with a Grey Heron and a single drake Teal on the south side. Skylark singing also and few Fieldfare around along with groups of Starlings. Spring is coming...
First-winter Glaucous Gull on tide off Marshside at midday, with a pair of Eiders and 7 Common Scoters. No sign of any passerine movements; total c 22 Avocets now on site.