The first opportunity we had to get out and about birding after our Scotland holiday was a trip to Burton Mere Wetlands on a fine, warm day. Our visit got off to a great start when we were informed that one of the adult Cattle Egrets was standing on one of the islands of the scrape, rght in front of the reception. Additionally, to the left, on the pool right by the hide was a Green Sandpiper showing really well. This latter was a first for the year for us. There were more interesting bird s to follow.
There were still some Avocets around and a smattering od ducks. There were a couple of Ruff and plenty of Black-tailed Godwits. A Marsh Harrier was quartering the reeds at the back.
Down at the Marsh Covert hide we failed to find the Wood Sandpiper that was reported there the day before buut nobody else seemed to know about it either. On the pool in the direction of the reception hide a Sparrowhawk was standing on the ground perhaps digesting something for it seemed not to move for about ten minutes. For some reason there were huge numbers of Greylag Geese on the pond facing Inner Marsh Farm – perhaps a hundred or more of the.
At Inner Marsh Farm we got a couple of Greenshank and some Dunlin and a Little Grebe. On our walk back towards the reception we saw a Buzzard and another bird of prey that confused us at firs as we thought it might be the Sparrowhawk again. All was revealed at the reception hide when, just as we were about to leave, one of the staff pointed out a Hobby right above our heads and quite low – this was obviously the bird we had seen a few minutes before.
So not a bad day at all at Burton with several birds of prey, a year tick and a nice selction of other waders.
We drove over to Connah’s Quay even though the tide wasn’t partucularly favourable. At the Tower Hide we got the usual rande of birds but particularly interesting were a huge number – perhaps six hundred – of Canada Geese stretching all the way to Flint Castle. Not to be outdome for spectacle there were also around two hundred and fifty Curlew spread across the sands of the estuary – more than I have ever seen before. This was topped off with a nice mixed group of Dunlin and Ringed Plovers.
Elsewhere there were a few Redshank and Little Egrets but we really needed the tide to a bit more in. Nevertheless some interesting numbers of birds that finished of our day nicely. As we left, the weather was just turning and we got home before the rain started.
Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetlands : Reception Hide
| Greylag Goose | 1 |
| Canada Goose | 60 |
| Gadwall | 2 |
| Mallard | 20 |
| Northern Shoveler | 1 |
| Grey Heron | 1 |
| Cattle Egret | 1 |
| Eurasian Marsh Harrier | 1 |
| Common Moorhen | 8 |
| Common Coot | 6 |
| Pied Avocet | 8 |
| Green Sandpiper | 1 |
| Black-tailed Godwit | 20 |
| Ruff | 2 |
| Dunlin | 20 |
| Black-headed Gull | 20 |
| Common Wood Pigeon | 4 |
| Eurasian Hobby | 1 |
| Great Tit | 6 |
| Eurasian Blue Tit | 6 |
| European Robin | 1 |
| European Greenfinch | 1 |
Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetlands : Marsh Covert Hide
| Greylag Goose | 100 |
| Canada Goose | 40 |
| Grey Heron | 1 |
| Eurasian Sparrowhawk | 1 |
| Carrion Crow | 4 |
| European Goldfinch | 4 |
Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetlands : Inner Marsh Farm
| Mute Swan | 2 |
| Mallard | 8 |
| Little Grebe | 1 |
| Common Buzzard | 1 |
| Common Greenshank | 2 |
| Black-tailed Godwit | 12 |
| Dunlin | 10 |
| Barn Swallow | 3 |
Bird Sightings : Connah’s Quay
| Canada Goose | 600 |
| Common Shelduck | 30 |
| Great Cormorant | 20 |
| Grey Heron | 3 |
| Little Egret | 2 |
| Northern Lapwing | 10 |
| Common Ringed Plover | 7 |
| Common Redshank | 2 |
| Eurasian Curlew | 250 |
| Dunlin | 20 |
| Black-headed Gull | 300 |
| Great Black-backed Gull | 20 |
| Carrion Crow | 6 |
| Common Starling | 20 |
| Common Linnet | 4 |