Burton Mere Wetlands

On what was yet another cold grey and overcast day. Lisa and I brightened the mood by visiting RSPB Burton Mere for our winter fix of water birds. There was a good variety as always here, and we were greeted in the car park by the sound of overflying Pink-footed Geese. There was lots around and some good birds added to the Year List, with the likes of Knot, Curlew, Green Sandpiper and Dunlin.

The highlight was a Great White Egret dropping just metres away from us while standing at the Bridge Screen.

You can see more of our visit here:

Great White Egret

Dunlin

Knot and Black-tailed Godwit

Redshank

Long-tailed Tit

Mallard

Teal

High Tide at Hoylake

A couple of weeks ago I headed over to the Wirral coast to watch the waders moving during the high tide. I ended up at Hoylake where an hour before high tide the sea looked a good mile or more away. It moves quite quickly here and it was fun watching the birds shuffle closer together before taking flight to find a dry bit of sand. The usual suspects were in attendance, with Oystercatchers, Curlew, Dunlin, Sanderling, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover and Knot all mingling together. At one point a Peregrine flew through which caused pandemonium. It left empty handed though.

A couple of Bar-tailed Godwits were a welcome addition to the day list, and as I don't go to the coast as often as I should they're a bird that I don't get to see all that often. With them were hundreds of Knot. Again a bird I'd not seen for a year or two, mainly due to me not visiting the areas they like to hang out. All in all though it was a very good few hours and reminded me I need to do this more often.

Bar-tailed Godwir on the left with a supporting cast of Knot.

Knot in flight

Single Knot

And more Knot

Cemlyn Bay - Anglesey

A trip to Cemlyn Bay on the island of Anglesey was a first for me. I had often wanted to go here in the winter to see the Snow Buntings, but never actually got round to it. A visit in May was just as productive for me though.

I walked around the coastline and initially thought it was a little quiet but then I spotted a bird fly in off the sea and land on some rocks. It had the look of a Curlew but I knew this was much more like a Whimbrel. A quick check in the binoculars confirmed this. The shorter bill, less stocky appearance and the line (supercilium) over the eye. All characteristics of the Whimbrel.
Here is a link to the BTO's ID between Curlew and Whimbrel BTO ID
A good year tick to start the day, and my first decent flight shots of it. They would have been better had it not been so gloomy and raining.

 

This is a Curlew for comparison. Really quite similar to the Whimbrel.

I spotted a group of small waders further round the shore line. These were Dunlin and Turnstones mainly, but there was a larger bird in with them, and this turned out to be a Red Knot in fine summer plumage. I was really pleased to see it in this plumage and another year tick.

Really nice colouration.

Dunlin

Little Egrets - Kilnsea

While at Spurn last weekend, we visited Kilnsea nature reserve. A great little wetland spot with plenty of scrapes, pools and grassland. For such a good site, it's a shame that there is only one small hide available. There was a queue to get in on both occasions that I visited last weekend. Having said that, the birds are the most important thing and they are still there in good numbers, largely undisturbed.
There were a few Little Egrets knocking around in front of the hide. I always find them fascinating to watch as they make their way through the shallows looking for food.

In front of (and below) the Egrets were a couple of Knot, foraging.

Knot and Sanderling

I think it's roughly a mile from the visitor centre at Titchwell down to the beach. It's a very open area on both sides, so it's always a pretty breezy walk. In January, when it's cold and the wind is a little stronger, it can be quite an uncomfortable walk.
I left Mum and Dad in the warmth of the café with their hot drinks and trudged off. It was my aim to get to the beach no matter what, but there are always many stops to make on the way. I caught sight of a Snipe in flight over the salt marsh and Marsh Harrier hunting in the distance. Lots of Dunlin and some Avocet kept my mind off the wind for a while.
I got to the beach, and it was windier still. I picked out a Common Scoter on the sea, but not a lot else. The waders were what I was really after, and they were on the shore line even further away.
I kept walking though and got as close as I dare. I never want to frighten the birds, as they are not just there for me, but everyone. I like to let them come to me, and if you keep your distance, keep low and move slowly they will eventually head your way.

A lone Knot.

Sanderling scurrying around as usual, making it hard to photograph.

Sanderling. Shaky shots due mainly to the windy battering me sideways.

Wirral

Birding on the Wirral is always good. Always a good variety of stuff to see. Unfortunately you cannot guarantee the weather, which seems to becoming a recurring them in my posts of late.
The rain abated, but not for long. I stopped at various locations on a whistle stop trip. Hoylake, West Kirby, New Brighton and Starbucks to keep my daughter sweet and moan free. It seemed to do the trick as we both enjoyed a mint hot chocolate to warm us up.

Knot (on the left) and two Redshank (on the right)

Knot

Oystercatcher in the gloom.

Redshank taking shelter at West Kirby.

Shelduck on the beach at Hoylake.

Knot playing ball.

Usually when I come across Knot they are in large groups a long way off in the distance. It doesn't matter if they are actively feeding, roosting or being flushed in the air by a dog or raptor, they are always off in the distance. Some birds are difficult to approach and even more so when there is nothing to hide your form on a wide open beach. So I gave up trying to approach far off birds some time ago. It doesn't do the birds any good to be constantly shifted on when they could be resting or feeding.

When I arrived at Hoylake the tide had gone way out. I could see all sorts in the distance, but my luck was out and I saw what I could through the binoculars, made my notes and moved on. A few hundred yards past the Lifeboat house I could see a decent sized flock of waders really close to the sea wall. So I got out of the car to take a closer look. The flock were mainly Knot, so I was delighted I was able to get close whilst staying on the pavement and they were happy to carry on their business. Everyone was a winner.

Once again, the light was just perfect.

This shot is a bit blurry, but I've included it as the central bird had colour tagged legs. I have sent the details off to the relevant people and hopefully I will be able to come back with some more information on this particular bird.