The Burton Mere Wetlands Visitor Centre has closed due to Covid-19. The toilets here are also shut. Access to the reserve is still possible as the side gates will be left open, for free access to all. The toilets on the trail towards Marsh Covert Hide will also remain open. The situation will be under continuous assessment but this is the situation at present.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Saturday 25th of May 2019 10:26:01 PM
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.
I had an afternoon free whilst waiting for a cake I baked to cool before icing it 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.
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!
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
Thanks Ian, glad you got it. 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.
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.
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)
! 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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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 ;)
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
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.
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!
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.
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
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