Martin Mere

A week or so ago, I went to Martin Mere to see the Whooper Swans and Pink-footed Geese. There were a couple of bonus birds too though, in the shape of a Glossy Ibis and a Ring-necked Duck. It was a lovely cold, frosty and sunny morning and we got quite lucky with the amount of birds we saw. We managed all 3 Egrets, with 2 Great White Egrets, 3 Cattle Egrets and a Little Egret to complete the set. Plenty of ducks and some Snipe on the water, while the usual woodland birds were hanging around the feeders. Over the marsh, there were Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and 2 Marsh Harriers. All in all it was a great way to spend a Saturday.

You can see more of my visit here, on my YouTube channel: My YouTube Channel

Black-tailed Godwit

Glossy Ibis

Ring-necked Duck

Moorhen on ice

Pheasant

Things are Warming Up

Some local birding recently has shown that things are really hotting up with nesting activity and courtship. Birds are starting to move back from their wintering grounds and heading to their inland breeding sites, or at least, they are taking a break on the way for a rest. A great time to get out and observe what's about and going on.

A Moorhen with nesting material.

A Nuthatch, with what looks like a peanut.

The first Oystercatcher of the year. They'll be off to find suitable nesting areas soon.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker that has been drumming on this dead branch.

The Warming Winter Sunshine

Early morning and the late evening sun provides some wonderful light. Something a bit different to the norm. Add some water into the mix and you can get some very nice atmospheric results. An early start in North West Manchester provided a great opportunity for such light.
It was cold and calm, and there were plenty of birds. Most were very busy after their roost and quite a number came close enough for some good views.

A Coot making the most of the warming sunshine.

Female Mallard.

Moorhen.

A Pochard also enjoying the sun, but sadly it was a bit too bright in this shot.

Variety is the Spice of Life.

A good variety of stuff at Pennington Flash as usual recently. Nothing much out of the ordinary, but it's always good to go and see lots of different species rather than the same species you see on a daily basis. It keeps you on your toes I find.
I had the pleasure of meeting Derek from Northern Ireland in a few of the hides. I had a good time sharing our sightings and knowledge. We spent some time lamenting the lack of movement from a Green Sandpiper some way off in the distance. It only transpired later in the day that he follows my blog. Such a small world. You can find Derek's own blog here: Bangor West

There were quite a few busy parents around feeding their young. Female Mallard here looking after just 3 youngsters. Makes me wonder what happened to the others.

Moorhen scampering about.

There were two very busy Reed Warblers zipping about.

One for Derek. A Stock Dove.

Same old same old.

You see all sorts on the water. If you're lucky you'll get to see something a little out of the ordinary, but most of the time it's the same old suspects. These shouldn't be taken for granted though. Once upon a time the Tree and House Sparrow were very common sights in this country. Enjoy what's in front of you no matter how familiar they are.

Canada Goose

Coot

Moorhen

Moorhen

Quite often, those birds that we see quite frequently are taken for granted. I admit to that myself. I rarely point the camera at the Starlings or the Crows for example. But all birds have their own beauty. Such as this Moorhen. Close up, you get to see that it really has a lovely plumage, where from a distance it just looks black as it hot foots it away from you.

One beating a hast retreat.