A Birding Blog: Burton Mere Wetlands

Showing posts with label Burton Mere Wetlands. Show all posts

Sunday, 13 April 2014

A day on the Wirral (RSPB)

RSPB Trip Thanks to Jean, Peter and Jane for a great day.

Starting at Leasowe Lighthouse

12/April 9.30am -12.30pm @ Leasowe Lighthouse

Walking from the carpark at the lighthouse towards Hoylake along the seafront and returning along the back, sand dunes and scrubland

Swallow 1

Blackbird 6

Robin 1

*Skylark 5 (rising vertically and calling)

Greenfinch 3

Cormorant 33 mainly on a sandbank nr to boats

*Redshank 30+ roosting on a rocky outcrop (noticed by orange legs)

Turnstones 7 amongst the Redshank

*Linnet 6 (bouncing flight)

Curlew largest flock I have seen nr Cormorants

*Great Black-Back Gull 2 (out at sea, through scope)

Mallard M+F in flight

Great Crested Grebe diving out at sea

*Collard Dove 2

Woodpigeon 1

Starling 3

Goldfinch 9

Long Tailed Tit 1

Chiffchaff 1

*Reed Bunting 1

Wren 1 Singing

Coot 1

Alerts re Ringed Ouzel in the area however none seen. Also breeding Blackcaps again none seen.

1pm - 2pm Wirral Country Park - Thurstaston

Short visit and lunch, great cafe.

Waders out on the estuary however to far out to actually make out what kinds.

Bullfinch M+F

Chiffchaff 3

Dove 3

Tree Sparrow many

2.30pm - 5pm RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands

Little Grebe 2

*Avocet 9 Island in front of main hide , some nesting with eggs

Black Headed Gulls many

Tufted Duck M+F

Black Tailed Godwits many
*Common Sandpiper

Canada Geese not as many as I have seen at other times

Coot 4

Lapwing 2

*Redshank 2 in with the Godwits

Swallow 5

Gadwall 2

Kestrel 1

Teal 1

*Pheasant 1

*Spotted Redshank 2

*Sand Martin 4

House Martin 5 (white markings could be well seen)

Avocets Nesting

Feeders;

Blue Tit 3

Great Tit 2

Goldfinch 3

*Siskin 1 (we think)

Cormorant 1

Starling 2

Chiffchaf calling

*Willow Warbler calling

Looking towards Inner Marsh farm from the hide;

Little Egrets

Little Egrets 7

Teal 2

Gadwall 3

*Shoveler 2

Black Headed Gulls many

Grey Heron 1

Thursday, 29 August 2013

Burton Mere Wetlands 30 Aug 2013

RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands (Also Inner Marsh Farm)

11:00 - 17:00 30/8/2013

Star species to be found here are Black Tailed Godwit, Buzzard, Little Egret, Linnet and Kingfisher.

This is our first visit to Burton, apparently all the local Little Egrets roost in a field next to the wetlands and we were lucky to see one today other recent sightings included Curlew Sandpiper, Marsh Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine, Goldfinch and Stonechat unfortunately we didn't see everything but had a great day.

Here is what we did see:

Canada Geese by the hundreds
Black Tailed Godwit - lots of these
Graylag Geese - lots of these also
Lapwing - many
Wigeon - many
Ringed Plover 1
Common Sandpiper 1

Grey Heron 2
Coot (Adults and Juveniles)

Walking around the site there are plenty of feeders and trees for Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldfinch, (and the odd rat).

Over in the Marsh Hide we saw a very secretive Water Rail (brilliant colouring) twice I had the chance to photograph it as it came out of the reeds but it was too quick moving between reed beds and even though we waited it never came back out. Also a Hobby, Grey Heron, Pied Wagtail, Reed Warbler, Moorhen (adult and chicks) and a potential Snipe.

Returning back to the Reception Hide for a short time before we left proved to be extremely rewarding: Little Egret 1, Snipe 3, Ruff 1 and to finish off the day a splendid Kingfisher. There was one more bird which tested everyone's ID skills and to be honest I couldn't be sure - the RSPB volunteers were sure and the birders were mixed but a Curlew Sandpiper was wading around the mud at the back of the central islands.

View from the reception hide to Marsh Hide (Inner Marsh Farm hide to the left)