Burton Mere Wetlands : 21st August 2018

Short of good ideas for a birding day out, given a mixed weather forecast, we opted for a return to Burton Mere Wetlands despite having been there recently. As it happened, we had a great day out getting forty-eight species including a couple of year ticks – and unlikely ones at that.

Our day started well when we passed a field between Puddington and Burton Mere Wetlands where, among a flock of Canada Geese, we saw a Ruddy Shelduck feeding. It was the closest bird to us so we got really good views and, for once, we could stop in the country lane for a minute or two.

Down at the reception hide we saw the usual suspects on the scrape but also got an unusual number of Snipe and Ruff. We also got a Common Sandpiper and, as we walked round to the feeders we saw a flock of Canada Geese flyover and the flock included the Ruddy Shelduck which landed on the water by the scrape affording us more views. There were quite a number of rather disappointed birders near the reception hide who had obviously been waiting in vain for quite some time in the hope of seeing the Spotted Crake which has been around for the last week – but elusive.

Walking down towards the Marsh Covert hide I got a Great Spotted Woodpecker but at the hide it was very quiet. We continued on towards Inner Marsh Farm and on the boardwalk saw several juvenile Whitethroats. At Inner Marsh Farm there were the usual Black-tailed Godwits and Canada Geese but among the Canadas were a couple of Pink-footed Geese. There were an unusual number of Snipe here, too, strolling around in the open of the muddy scrape. There were a few Dunlins and a single Common Redshank but, otherwise, nothing too fantastic.

We headed back towards Burton Point and it was here that things got unusually interesting. As we reached the bridge we saw a couple of chaps who had a Merlin in view in a tree on the left not far from the railway bridge that you see from the bridge you stand on. It soon flew off but only a few feet and perched even more openly giving us really good views. We were able to pass this bird on to several other people.

Walking through the gate, I stopped to look at a few birds on the wire which turned out to be Wheatear. We were told that there had been a juvenile Redstart around this area as well but we only saw an adult and a juvenile Robin. Along the other fence was a largish flock of Meadow Pipits, all looking fantastic in the bright light.

We walked up to the Point but there was nothing much there. On our way back we looked again for the Redstart and it didn’t take long before we found it. When I got my scope on it there was also a Willow Warbler perched in a tree above the post it was standing on. Amazingly, this Redstart was a first for the year so I was particularly pleased not to have missed out on it.

We walked back down to reception hearing a number of Willow Warblers making alarm calls from deep inside the bushes that line the boardwalk. On one of the pools near reception, we stopped to look at a Green Sandpiper and back at reception we also managed to get a pair or Barnacle Geese – giving us four species of Geese for the day. We didn’t see the mentioned Water Rail and, as far as I could tell, no one had seen the Spotted Crake yet.

We drove to The Harp at Little Neston for a toastie and a pint and got a Kestrel there but our plan to go to Parkgate was thwarted by road works between Neston and there. We decided it was too complicated to go the long way round to get there but I wish we had because apparently there were forty Greenshank there as well as a couple of Marsh Harriers.

Anyway we couldn’t complain with forty-eight species, two year ticks and a sunny day.

Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetlands : Reception Hide 21 August 2018

Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetlands : Environs 21 August 2018

Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetlands : Inner Marsh Farm 21 August 2018