New Year Ticks\u201d in March 2023: 10
New \u201cLife Ticks\u201d in March 2023: 0
Total Species for 2023 so far: 92<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
The first birding we did in March was with the birding group on an outing to RSPB Marshside on the 7th<\/sup>.<\/a> Our first reaction when we were approaching the reserve was just how much water was flooding the fields; more that I have ever seen, I think. We all met up at the Sandgrouser\u2019s hide where we got some very distant, year tick, Golden Plover. We also got a year tick Kingfisher and some Ruff. The weather was better than usual, but it always seems to be bitterly cold there even when there isn\u2019t much wind. Nel\u2019s Pool was closed after being vandalised so we just did the other blinds and then we decided that since it was early still, we would drop in at WWT Martin Mere which was fairly quiet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spring high tides took us to the Wirral on Tuesday 21st<\/sup><\/a> and Thursday the 23rd<\/sup><\/a>. The former was a little underwhelming but it was a nice day; we also dropped down to Burton Mere Wetlands afterwards but didn\u2019t see the Long-billed Dowitcher \u2013 again!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The tide was a little higher on the 25th<\/sup> and we started off at Riverbank Road. Despite the much higher tide (some poor weather added to the height of the tide) we didn\u2019t get much in the way of birds of prey; it has been a poor year for Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owls. Again we dropped down to Burton Mere Wetlands afterwards and the highlight of that was a huge flock of Pink-footed Geese in the field behind the barn, their spectacle enhanced when they suddenly all decided that it was time to return to the marsh and lifted off the field in a huge swirling, noisy, mass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n