Birding Group Visit to Burton Mere Wetlands : 23rd September 2014
The birding group started up towards the end of September and as luck would have it the first date was to Burton Mere Wetlands. We had been there a couple of times recently and we knew that others in the birding group had as well because we met them there. Anyway, we were happy to go again just to see if any of the rarities were left there.
As it happens the Red-necked Phalarope, Cattle Egret, Pectoral and Curlew Sandpipers had all gone but it wasn’t all disappointment. There was still a lovely pair of Little Stint bobbing around under the feet of the Lapwings, hardly tall enough to reach the top of their legs. There was a mixture of plumage amongst the Ruff and we could see at least one pair still together, the Ruff significantly bigger than the Reeve. Amongst all the Black-tailed Godwits there was a small group of Golden Plovers, the first for this autumn and skeins of Geese, largely Canada but also a few Pink-footed, were continually flying in.
On the walk through the woods leading back to the reception hide just at the bend the bushes were alive with mixed flocks of finches and tits. There were plenty of Long-tailed Tits and quite a few Willow Warblers / Chiffchaffs. On one of the newly opened up areas of wetland there were large numbers of Wigeon for the first time recently and a half a dozen Greenshank on one of these ponds.
As we got back to the old fishing pond, two chaps pointed us to a pair of Kinfishers on the far side of the pond. We watched them briefly as they flew around the back of the pond but there were other people there who I think inadvertently disturbed them so they disappeared.
Back at the reception hide there wasn’t a vast amount to see but we walked along to the blind on the far side and from there we got very good views of a pair of Marsha Harriers and a Buzzard. We did not manage to see the Little Owl though.
Bird Sightings : Inner Marsh Farm
| Species | Count |
|---|---|
| Eurasian Wigeon | 10 |
| Mallard | 60 |
| Grey Heron | 1 |
| European Golden Plover | 8 |
| Common Redshank | 8 |
| Black-tailed Godwit | 20 |
| Little Stint | 2 |
| Ruff | 8 |
Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetlands Environs
| Species | Count |
|---|---|
| Pink-footed Goose | 20 |
| Canada Goose | 300 |
| Eurasian Wigeon | 200 |
| Mallard | 100 |
| Eurasian Marsh Harrier | 2 |
| Common Buzzard | 1 |
| Common Greenshank | 6 |
| Common Wood Pigeon | 6 |
| Common Kingfisher | 2 |
| Eurasian Magpie | 6 |
| Eurasian Jackdaw | 20 |
| Carrion Crow | 10 |
| Great Tit | 6 |
| Common Blue Tit | 10 |
| Long-tailed Tit | 20 |
| Willow Warbler | 2 |
| Common Chiffchaff | 6 |
| European Robin | 2 |
| Chaffinch | 10 |
| European Goldfinch | 30 |
Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetlands
| Species | Count |
|---|---|
| Greylag Goose | 40 |
| Canada Goose | 100 |
| Mute Swan | 10 |
| Mallard | 100 |
| Tufted Duck | 8 |
| Eurasian Common Moorhen | 6 |
| Common Coot | 20 |
| Northern Lapwing | 100 |
| Common Greenshank | 6 |
| Black-tailed Godwit | 30 |
| Black-headed Gull | 20 |