Clean and infinitely clear as I wandered down the footpath between Hesketh Road and Marshside Road early doors this morning - several groups of Redwings, sighing in the blue sky; Siskin calling invisible high above and a light, but steady passage of Skylark and Mipit.
The Willows and Sycamores held at least three parties of Long Tailed Tits, which dragged along Goldcrest, Blue and Great Tit in their wake and a few Jays flopped south.
All very encouraging.
Wave after wave of Pinkies rose from the marsh and headed inland, at least 5,000 of 'em, leaving Marshside One to the Wigeon and Blackwit horde.
Sandgrounders was quiet, apart from sleeping quackers, two Little Grebes and Little Egrets, while the scrub in the Sandplant Compound yielded another three Goldcrest, 5 Robins, Wrens, Blackbird, Song Thrush, plus albas and Mipits overhead.
A Merlin ripped through carrying prey, and over the outer marsh two Common Buzzards were thermalling with a Marsh Harrier, with another of the latter distantly cruising the tide's edge.
A Greenshank flew south before dropping back into cover, and Wheatear, Gringoes and Reed Bunts kept me on my toes - this is the time to check everything.
Neill and the boys picked up the Great White Egret on Crossens Outer, but I didn't have time to go for a gander of the big white blob.
Headed for home as the day got unfeasibly warm, for an autumnal slash and burn session at Dempsey Towers - more Redwings over as I battered the Leylandii hedge into submission, while the arrival of two splendid Red Admirals spared the flowering ivy from the same power-tool driven fate - for a day or so anyway.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Had amazing spectacle of thousands of Starlings going to roost this evening, especially when a Sparrowhawk flew in for supper.
Then had great view of a Bittern flying over the reeds - all at the reedbed walk at Martin Mere.
John,
One of the features of the dunes at this time of year is the appearance of large, hairy caterpillars, especially of the Fox Moth. They feed on Creeping Willow and Bramble, reaching up to 4 inches long before hibernation as fully grown caterpillars. Trevor Davenport and I counted 50 during a stroll of about 400 yards at Ravenmeols recently. I have never seen so many before, so perhaps it's a good year for this species.
Phil.
One Brambling with usual finches, plus Goldcrest, titmice, many Snipe and two Grey Wags at Birkdale LNR today.
There were at least 7 Waxwings in Coronation Park, Ormskirk this morning, with 10 still there this evening near the zebra crossing next to Morrisons.