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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> Cheshire and The Wirral -> Inner Marsh Farm & Burton Wetlands RSPB
Post Info TOPIC: Inner Marsh Farm & Burton Wetlands RSPB
Doc Brewster


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RE: Inner Marsh Farm & Burton Wetlands RSPB
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Long-billed Dowitcher Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB from Inner Marsh Farm Hide this afternoon, from my bird group :)



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PHIL GREENWOOD


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Friday, 14th February.

Highlights:

Great White Egret 2
Water Pipit 1
Green Woodpecker 1
Avocet 1
Snipe 1
Marsh Harrier 1 female.
Oystercatcher 2
Egyptian Geese 2
Golden Plover 150+
etc.etc.

45 species.

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Doc Brewster


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After a morning at Parkgate I popped into Burton Mere Wetlands to catch up with many birding pals and have a mooch.

Best birds included a Spotted Redshank that was with 10 Black-tailed Godwits on Reception Pool, and a Green Sandpiper and 3 Ruff, all on a pool on the wet grassland far left of Reception Pool. Two Stonechats around Bunker Hide were a yeartick but no sign of any Water Pipits in the field opposite here. The visit had to be short but nice to get there for the first time in 2020.



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John Rayner


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15th Dec. Best birds were:
Great White Egret on Reception Pool
Water Pipit distantly in field opposite Bunker Hide

Cheers John


-- Edited by John Rayner on Monday 16th of December 2019 11:09:13 AM

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John Williams


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10.30-14.30

As expected after yesterday's deluge the water level on all the pools was very high,

leaving almost no exposed mud for waders.

A few Redshanks and Black Tailed Godwits though were probing for worms on the wet

pasture/embankment in front of the Bunker hide. Apart from these and a few Lapwings the

only other wader I found was a single Snipe near the IMF hide.

Teal though were in abundance, which was especially evident when they were spooked by a

female Marsh Harrier, clouds of the little ducks together with a few Shoveler and Gadwall

erupted from the marsh, the raptor though just ignored them and glided calmly off towards Shotton.

Apart from the single harrier, 2 Kestrels and 1 Buzzard were seen over the reserve. One of the Kestrels

seemed to show an interest in a flock of 40+ Linnets that were feeding in the specially seeded field near the railway.

1 Great White Egret was in the SE corner of the reserve, near the barn, whilst 2 more were on the nearby salt marsh.

4 Meadow Pipits were amongst the sheep near the hill fort.

Around a dozen highly vocal Ravens were seen over the reserve, some in display flight. Also seen around the reserve

were 1 Goldcrest and 5 Little Egrets. Today's sun also brought out the insects, please see seperate thread.






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John Williams
sid ashton


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Doc Brewster wrote:
Doc Brewster wrote:

Just in case folk haven't heard, it has been put out this evening on the Cheshire Whatsapp Group that there is a Terek Sandpiper at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB. Posters on the same group have provided info that the reserve will open at 7am tomorrow.

 Update:

Bird present pre 7am this morning but soon after it flew off high over Shotwick and hadn't returned by early afternoon.

 I arrived a few minutes after 7 to be given the unwelcome news -"the Terek's just flown". I waited around for a couple of hours, meeting some old mates on a pleasant morning weatherwise.

Species present on the scrape included Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Ruff, Spotted Redshank and several Avocets that had apparently been giving the Terek some grief before it flew off.

 



-- Edited by sid ashton on Thursday 11th of July 2019 12:52:30 PM

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Doc Brewster


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Doc Brewster wrote:

Just in case folk haven't heard, it has been put out this evening on the Cheshire Whatsapp Group that there is a Terek Sandpiper at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB. Posters on the same group have provided info that the reserve will open at 7am tomorrow.

 Update:

Bird present pre 7am this morning but soon after it flew off high over Shotwick and hadn't returned by early afternoon.



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Doc Brewster


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Just in case folk haven't heard, it has been put out this evening on the Cheshire Whatsapp Group that there is a Terek Sandpiper at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB. Posters on the same group have provided info that the reserve will open at 7am tomorrow.



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Curt Whitby


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Went today with the family for a quick visit. Saw 4 spoonbill, amazing! A first for the uk but I did see one when I lived in Sydney in a dirty, tiny pool next to a railway station nr the city centre. In addition there were a huge number of avocet, a little egret and lots of black tailed godwit. A quick visit to parkgate for an ice cream each revealed a closeup of a marsh harrier quartering the marsh. A nice couple of hours and the boys enjoyed themselves too.

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Chris Harper


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11-12.45 today mainly to look at the Spoonbills which you could see quite well at times from the viewing area.

Also 3 Cettis Warbler, Cattle Egret, 4 Little Egret, 60 Black Tailed Godwit,  many Avocet with young. Heard Bearded Tit but failed to spot.



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Paul Beachcroft


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A quick visit today, in between time spent at Thurstaston visitor centre in Wirral country park and Parkgate, old baths car park. Unfortunately missed both the Little Stint and the White Winged Black Tern, but did get to see the Spoonbills, Cattle Egret plus Avocet, Cettis Warbler, Little Egret, Curlew, Black Tailed Godwit, Canada Goose, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Swift, Swallow.



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Doc Brewster


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After driving a mere 376 miles back from The Highlands today I got straight out of Carys's car which I had been driving and switched to my car to drive the 37 miles to Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB biggrin

It was all done to see the summer plumaged adult White-winged Black Tern that had lingered for a second day. Even though the Reception was shut we were able to scope the bird really well from the boarwalk next to the building thanks to the side gates being left open. I was also going to check on the reported Little Stint from earlier in the day but was informed by birders returning from marsh Covert Hide that it hadn't been seen since lunchtime.

After heading home I had racked up 450 miles of continuous driving but it was worth the extra miles to see this stunningly smart bird smile



-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Saturday 25th of May 2019 10:26:01 PM

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Mark Jarrett


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Brief visit to the reserve this morning to UK tick the White-winged Black Tern that is still present. Was able to scope view the bird from the boardwalk to the right of the reception hide. The Tern was circuiting the Border Pool, as previously.



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John Williams


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10.30-15.00

1 Black Tern (Viewable from Marsh Covert hide and screen), 5 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Ravens, 1m Linnet,

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 4 Dunlin. Cetti's Warblers were heard calling at 2 points on the reserve.

5 Reed Warblers were showing really well in front of the Reedbed screen as they chased each other around the edge of the reeds.

The Black Tern was associating with hirundines, mostly Sand Martins, and hawked insects over the pool in a very similar way to them too.

There appeared to have been a fall of Common Whitethroats, at least a dozen were observed around the reserve, 7 were seen together.



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John Williams
Paul Beachcroft


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Five hours here today, Monday 22nd April 2019 between 10am and 15.00.  Weather sunny, dry and very warm: Grey Herons; Cattle Egrets; Avocets; Black Tailed Godwits; Ruff; Canada, Egyptian and Greylagg Geese, Gadwalls, Jackdaws, Moorhens, Coots, Shovelers, Lesser Black Backed, Black Headed and Mediterranean Gulls, Mallards, Goldfinches, Chiffchaff, Gt Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Buzzard, Whitethroat, Blue, Coal, Gt and Long Tailed Tits, Spoonbill, Treecreeper, Crows, Rooks, Wood Pigeons, Swallows, Blackcap, Cettis and Reed Warbler, Little Grebe, Pheasants, Blackbird, Mute Swans, Teal, Magpies, Jays, Lapwings, Pied Wagtail. Redshank, Robin, Pintail, Garden Warbler, Nuthatch, Wren.

 



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 22nd of April 2019 08:37:10 PM



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Doc Brewster


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I had an afternoon free whilst waiting for a cake I baked to cool before icing it biggrin so I headed to Burton Mere Wetlands.

My plans were slightly scuppered as the wind got up and was far too strong to make looking for the Bearded Tits next to useless. They had been seen am but not pm in the strong wind. 20+Sand Martins, over pools from the Bridge Pool Screen and the patch near the setaside, were my first for 2019. Two Cattle Egrets were in low trees behind the 'Mere Pool' right of the path from the Reception Centre to Marsh Cover Hide. These two are obviously a pair and give hope for a repeat of the breeding of two years ago. Also on the reserve, but not seen by me - a Long-tailed Duck on Border Pool (I couldn't be bothered to go into a rammed hide to look for it!) and this morning a Wheatear from the viewpoint accessed over the railway bridge looking down on Burton Point.



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Doc Brewster


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First day out any distance away since ,y hospital stay.

The biggest highlight was a fly through Short-eared Owl, something I've seen on the coastal marshes plenty of times but never on the reserve itself. Also over the reserve were 2 Marsh Harriers. Two Egyptian Geese were quite hard to pick out looking into the sun q.a way out with the Pink-footed Geese and Canada Geese. A Spotted Redshank showed well from Bridge Screen amongst Common Redshank and two Black-tailed Godwits were seen. At least 10 Whooper Swans were amongst the Mutes out beyond the fenceline from the Reception Centre.

A visit down to Denhall Quay added Little Egret to my yearlist which is slowly reaching a res[ectable total after a dismal start!



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Steve Costa


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Burton Mere Wetlands 26/12/2018

Wigeon

An aberrant or hybrid male seen from Inner Marsh Farm hide

This was a typical Eurasian wigeon in every respect, except for the sides of the face which had the bottle-green colouration present in some other Anas species. The green extended from the eye, in a cleanly defined band, along the cheek and upper face towards the back of the head. It particularly recalled Eurasian teal/green-winged teal in its density and extent. Other parental candidates might be American wigeon or even exotic escapes e.g. Chiloe wigeon. It's another duck for conjecture I think!

-- Edited by Steve Costa on Thursday 27th of December 2018 11:56:22 PM

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John Williams


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10.30-14.30

1m Stonechat (On top of reeds viewed from former IMF Hide), 1f Marsh Harrier, A flock of 18 Linnets on the specially seeded field by the railway and

2 Goldcrests in the alder carr by the railway.

Also on the reserve : 1 Buzzard, 6 Little Egrets and 1m Pintail.

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John Williams
steven burke


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Thanks Ian, glad you got it. smile
It was a bit distant from marsh covert hide for photos but luckily enough when I eventually went around to the inner marsh farm hide I picked up the water pipit there ( unless there is more than one) a bit closer.
No signs of the bearded tits though.

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Ian Campbell


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A big thanks to Steven Burke(remembered your name this time) for finding the Water Pipit, a lifer for me and my wife ! this afternoon.
Cheers Ian

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Carl Fletcher-Poole


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Had a few hours here on the 4th October (sorry its late) Marsh Harrier came in twice, Sparrowhawk twice and a kestrel lots of times before it got a mouse. All three types of Egrets showing well with the cattle egret on its island in the furthest hide (see pictures) Curlew Sandpiper x 4 Golden Plover x 4 Snipe x 3 Dunlin x 12 Redshank x 4 Ruff x 4 and many lapwing and teal. Didn't see the Garganey or Spoonbills but was told they were there at weekend showing well, maybe the amount of raptors moved them into the marsh for now.

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PHIL GREENWOOD


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Highlights from Wednesday, 12th September.

Spotted Crake 1
Spoonbill 3
Hen Harrier 1
Marsh Harrier 1
Kestrel 1
Ruff 1
Green Sandpiper 1
Snipe
Pintail
Black-tailed Godwit

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Phil Greenwood
Mark Burgess


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Having visited Burton Marsh and Parkgate old baths car park this morning in search of the juvenile Pallid Harrier I eventually caught up with it at Burton Mere Wetlands where it was seen quartering the reserve,
Also of note
Marsh Harrier 2
Sparrowhawk
And a Hobby was seen hunting hirundines (Unsuccessfully)

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Tony Coatsworth


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Cattle Egret and Hobby but no sign of Spotted Crake this morning.



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Doc Brewster


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! saw the Wood Sandpiper at Burton Mere RSPB this morning, it was showing very well from Marsh Covert Hide with a Green Sandpiper. Yesterday eveing the Spotted Crake was seen again on Reception Lagoon, but no sign am in a concerted search by numerous birders.



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Doc Brewster


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Another text to say that a Wood Sandpiper there today smile



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Chris Sutton


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Couple of hours this morning. Highlights;

Reception Hide;
Cattle Egret 1
Green Sandpiper 1

IMF;
Spotted Redshank 3
Redshank 1
Little Ringed Plover 5
Avocet 1 ad + 1 juv
Oystercatcher 3
Snipe 1
Peregrine 1
Marsh Harrier (f) 1

Chris


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Doc Brewster


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Another text from Tony Lovatt to tell me that a Curlew Sandpiper was at Burton Mere Wetlands today, showing well from the Reception Centre.



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Doc Brewster


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I had a text earlier today from 'Mr BMW' himself, Tony Lovatt, to say that a Spotted Crake has been found at Burton Mere Wetlands and is showing from the Reception Centre.



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sid ashton


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Doc Brewster wrote:

Late news from yesterday, for which I apologise, but my bad back is stopping me from sitting at a pc much of the time. A Gull-billed Tern, a real Mega, dropped into the reserve yesterday evening. At first it was on the Inner Marsh Farm part of the reserve but later led twitchers a merry dance over the whole area. It has not been seen at all today unfortunately.

The Gull-billed Tern has been reported as being back again this evening.  It may hang around this time, cloudy and wet overnight.  I was lucky enough to see the July 2015 bird so if it stays it would be worthwhile anyone making the effort to get over there, we don't get many chances to see this species.



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Doc Brewster


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Late news from yesterday, for which I apologise, but my bad back is stopping me from sitting at a pc much of the time. A Gull-billed Tern, a real Mega, dropped into the reserve yesterday evening. At first it was on the Inner Marsh Farm part of the reserve but later led twitchers a merry dance over the whole area. It has not been seen at all today unfortunately.



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PHIL GREENWOOD


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Highlights today:

Spotted Redshank 3
Whinchat 1f.
Great White Egret 1 flying over showing reddish tibia.
Redshank 2
Avocets
Cetti's/Sedge/Reed Warblers.
etc.etc.etc.

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Mike Chorley


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With no sight or sound of the Wood Warbler, an initial visit between 8.20 and 8.55 was cut short with the news of a Ring-necked Duck at RSPB Conway, but not before three of the four of us had had a good view of a Cetti's Warbler. In case the Wood Warbler had moved on we headed down to Decca Pools for the pair of Garganey, ticking off Common and Lesser Whitethroats and a very showy Sedge Warbler en route. A lingering Fieldfare in the sheep fields at Burton Wetlands and some remaining Pink-footed Geese on the Dee foreshore carried wintry overtones to match the sky, despite reeling Grasshopper Warblers and the first Swallows of the year for some of us. The Garganey eventually woke up and showed a little better, so we headed off to North Wales.

Having successfully twitched the Ring-necked Duck and enjoyed some vis mig on the Great Orme we decided to head back here for the apparently late-rising Phylloscopus.biggrin
Delayed by a couple of accidents along the A55, we arrived around 16.45 and were told that the bird had been seen at the top end of the Gorse Covert trail, which conflicted with an alert saying it had been singing at the car park end 25 minutes earlier. A search along said trail proving to be inconclusive, Mike A and I headed off to find a Cetti's while Holly and John stayed around the start of the woodland trail. With almost perfect timing we both found our target species at the same time. Mike and I hurried back and had neck-crinking views of the bird high in a sycamore near the wooden wigwam, bringing our warbler tally for the day to nine and a half species ( we never managed to see a Grasshopper Warbler). All in all a reasonable day with a group tally of 73 species seen and four heard between the three sites without giving any of them an extensive search.



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Paul Beachcroft


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Spent all day here today 10.00 - 17.00.  Dry, warm, sunny, calm.  Avocets; Blackcap; Buzzard; Chaffinch; Coot; Tufted Duck; Dunnock; Little Egret; Black Tailed Godwit; Goldfinch; Canada Goose; Black Headed Gull; Grey Heron; Red Kite; Lapwing; Linnet; Moor Hen; Oystercatcher; Grey Partridge; Redshank; Spotted Redshank; Ruff; Shoveler; Mute Swan; Green Winged Teal; Blue Tit; Great Tit; Pied Wagtail; white Wagtail; Cettis Warbler; Sedge Warbler; Wood Warbler; Whimbrel.  



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Doc Brewster


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Headed down for a prolonged visit today that involved some work and some play!

The highlights on the reserve itself were 2 pairs of adult Mediterranean Gulls from the Reception, 2 Spotted Redshanks from Marsh Covert Hide, a Ruff from the path near the pool, down on the wetlands, a very showy Cetti's Warbler in brambles and trees by the path by the pool and over 100 Avocets. Blackcap and Chiffchaff were noted as well as Swallows, Sand Martins and 2 House Martins. A couple of Gadwall were also seen as well as lots of Teal.



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PHIL GREENWOOD


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Highlights:

Great White Egret 1
Merlin 1
Marsh Harrier 2
Peregrine 2
Kestrel 1
Ruff 2
Goosander 1f.
Avocet 93...quoted by the staff.
Pintail 1m 1f.

etc.etc.etc.

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John Watson


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Velvet Scoter would be incredibly unusual

Maybe Gadwall in winter plumage ?

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Rene Griffiths


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Hi Rob, sorry for the late reply, I also had a message from another member of the forum so I can see this sighting might not be as straight-forward as it seemed at the time to the 4 of us who saw it! :) The bird caught our eye when flying directly and quite close by the reception hide and it had distinctive white on it's wing only really visible as it flew, 4 of us saw it and although we are regular birders for years we are certainly amateur/casual level so we did not know what it was, only that it was something none of us recognised so not one of the usuals. After consulting books whilst in the hide after it landed (and we could still see it but quite far in the distance now and none of us had a scope, only binos) we came to the conclusion definitely Velvet Scoter but we didn't realise how rare a sighting that would be so we didn't discuss with the staff there unfortunately. So whilst I can't think what else it would have been, now I see the interest in this mention of Velvet Scoter I am questioning if that was indeed what we saw. I've no idea what sex it was, obviously I better study the birdbooks a bit more ;)

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Rob Creek


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Hi Rene,
the Velvet Scoter from Reception hide, was it a Drake? I'm surprised it wasn't reported on Dee Estuary sightings.

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Tim Wilcox


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A pair of Little Owls were in the crack in the second left tree from the barn looking down from the top of Puddington Lane today - sheltering from the freezing wind. Nothing much of interest at Burton Mere Wetlands other than 2 Marsh Harriers (a further 2-3 diwn on the marsh) but 5 Bewicks Swans on Burton Marsh scoped from the Hillfort and 2 further birds later with Steve Burke. Merlin, Peregrine and Raven too but no Hen Harriers on that part of the marsh. Strangely few Little Egrets and no Great White Egrets on Burton Marsh today

-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Sunday 14th of January 2018 07:58:20 PM

-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Sunday 14th of January 2018 08:05:49 PM

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Rene Griffiths


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Had a really good afternoon at Burton Mere in cloudy but dry conditions, around 5 degrees. Of note were Stonechat on the wildflower meadow area, Green Woodpecker as soon as you arrive ground feeding on the field next to the entrance to the car park. A small number of Black Tailed Godwit were dotted about. Great views of a Marsh Harrier from several spots on the reserve, also a small flock of Wigeon from Reception hide and a single Velvet Scoter.

Snipe
Cormorant
Teal
Shoveler
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Pied Wagtail
Snipe
Canada Geese
Greylag Goose
Redshank
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Treecreeper
Buzzard

In addition to usuals of course like Blue, Great, Coal and LT Tits, Chaffinch, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Wood Pigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Coot Moorhen, Mallard that kind of thing!


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Doc Brewster


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A very brief visit last Thursday but with a few species seen that folk may be interested in:

From the visitor centre I walked out to the left on the path over the bridge and past the 'bunker' hide. Not far after there looking back inland towards the farm there are two bare oak trees. The first one right of the farm has a good covering of ivy, in the next one to the right a Little Owl was sitting atop a vertical dead branch on the right had side of the tree. This has been a regular site for this bird over the past week, so worth having a look at this now scarce species in Cheshire. Just along from there towards the end of the path if you look over past the feeders towards the D-Barn and the harvested potato field there are usually a few Whooper Swans feeding there. I saw 4 adult birds which walked off out of sight behind the barn, so if they are not on view then persevere and they may come out. On reception lagoon a good array of waterfowl included a nice drake Pintail.

 



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Ian Campbell


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Marsh Harrier and Great White Egret best birds seen today with Malcolm,
Cheers Ian

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John Rayner


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Reception hide:
Cattle Egret 1
Greylag Goose c350

IMF hide:
Greenshank 6+4
Wood Sandpiper 1
Marsh Harrier 1
Kingfisher 1
A single Golden Plover and a couple of Redshank in the Lapwing flock

Uncounted Teal, Wigeon and other waterfowl.

Cheers John


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steven burke


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Post for sunday 1st October. 3-5.30pm.

1 cattle egret
Several little egrets scattered around.
9 little stint, 3 from reception, 6 from IMF hide.
2 curlew sandpiper
1 wood sandpiper
1 green sandpiper
20+ golden plover
15+ ruff
2 dunlin
Plenty of lapwings, black tailed godwit, snipe,,few redshank.
1 marsh harrier
1 sparrowhawk
3 kestrels
2-3 kingfishers
Several swallows
Wigeon, teal, mallard, shoveler, gadwall & tufted duck.
Plus usuals around.



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Doc Brewster


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A visit to the Dee Marshes was delayed on Saturday by horrible weather (see other thread) so I decided the hides at Burton Mere Wetlands would make a good stop off to wait. The Cattle Egret was still on Reception Lagoon (as it always seems to be now!), so a quick look at that and I headed round to Inner Marsh Farm Hide. Here I joined local patcher, Tony, who was also sitting out the weather and checked out the lagoon. I counted at least 7 Little Stints (9 were reported as a max.)and 2 Curlew Sandpipers. A few Ruff were still on the scrape and lots of Snipe, Redshank and Black-tailed Godwits. Tony is expecting the first Jack Snipe back any time soon as Snipe numbers are very high. Again a Marsh Harrier quartered the reedbeds but a Buzzard low over the reception lagoon caused a few mis-IDs as a harrier until folk took a proper look!

As usual a great welcome by all here and sad to say the end of an era, as last Friday was Colin Wells's last day as 'official' Head RSPB Warden of the Dee Estuary inc. Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB. Colin has done a fabulous job, is a great birder and a nice guy, he will be very greatly missed. But the good news is, just like John Wilson at Leighton Moss, Colin can't drag himself away and will be doing some voluntary wardening at Burton Mere Wetlands in the future, so we'll be seeing him for some time to come smile



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Doc Brewster


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A brief visit to Burton Mere Wetlands, partially for work, allowed a quick nip around the reserve.

A Cattle Egret showed very well from the reception centre where one Curlew Sandpiper could be seen too. Three more Curlew Sandpipers were on view from the Inner Marsh Farm hide with a Spotted Redshank and four Ruff here too. A couple of Marsh Harriers quartered the reedbeds and a Cetti's Warbler sang in the reeds near the boardwalk to IMF. The whole reception centre was in awe when a Peregrine stooped onto the main scrape and took a Teal off the water in front of us all. Two Swallows also flew through.



-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Wednesday 27th of September 2017 10:15:41 PM

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John Williams


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11.30-15.30

1 Curlew Sandpiper was showing well on the pool in front of the reception area.

Also seen here were 12 Ruff, 1 Knot, 1f Marsh Harrier, 14 Snipe, 1 Cattle Egret and 2 Black Swans.

In front of the former IMF hide were : 1 Spotted Redshank, 40+ Snipe, 9 Golden Plovers, 2 Kestrels, 3 Ravens, 3 Little Grebes and 1 Little Egret.

There was a steady trickle of high flying Swallows above the reserve throughout, all appeared to be heading West.

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The Pectoral Sandpiper was again showing in front of the visitor centre today, although it often disappears into the vegetation at the back of the main pool.

Also seen here today, 1 Cattle Egret, 1m+1f Marsh Harriers, 1 Greenshank, 3 Egyptian Geese, 9 Ruff, 2 Black Swans and 1 Kestrel.

Amongst the mass of Canada Geese was an adult only Shelduck size, which may just be a feral oddity, but is well worth looking for.

On the saltmarsh viewed from the hill fort were : 2 Great White Egrets, 6 Little Egrets, 1f Marsh Harrier and 1 Peregrine.

A large gathering of Swallows and House Martins flying around the hill fort also held a couple of Sand Martins.



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John Williams
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