Gary Gorner wrote:

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To be fair John we are in the dead zone bring on the wildfowl ducks and geese and the place comes alive again not be long now.

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It was alive Just not at sandgrounders,on the shore there was thousands of waders :)

To be fair John we are in the dead zone bring on the wildfowl ducks and geese and the place comes alive again not be long now.

Visit this a.m.
On shore 5 Summer plumage Grey Plover, 30 Little Egret and 2 Wheatear of note.
From Nells had female Garganey, 50 Snipe, 100's Black-tailed Godwit, 10+ Ruff, 15 Redshank but no sign of Pectoral Sandpiper.
Cheers Ian

Late report from Saturday 18th 4pm - 6.30pm

Nel's Hide-
Went on the off chance that the Pectoral Sandpiper might still be about. It had been reported earlier in the day and after an hour of searching, it obligingly stepped out from behing a group of Godwits. Cracking little bird, showing really well in perfect, sunny conditions . Thanks very much to the couple who highlighted the key ID features for me.
Also at Nel's were:
c250 Black-Tailed Godwit
5 Curlew
20 Lapwing
8-10 Ruff (with very varied sizes and plumage)
2 Snipe
1 Golden Plover (winter plumage)
1 Kestrel - put up a group of around 200 Starlings
Mixed group of Swallows and House Martins
12 Greylags
3 Shoveler
1 Gadwall

Sandgrounder's Hide-
The water levels were very high and there wasn't much about
1 Merlin hunting in the distance
2 Little Egrets
2 Canada Geese
2 Shoveler
Several Mallards, Tufted Duck & Coots.
1 Meadow Pipit

In farmland around Snape Green-
1 Corn Bunting
2 Reed Bunting
1 Yellow Wagtail
2 large Goldfinch flocks
3 Greenfinch

Late report for Tuesday 19 June

The Sand Road (leading to the beach)
A single Ringed Plover
Skylarks
Swift
House Martins
Kestrel
Meadow Pipits
Black-headed Gulls

Sandgrounder's Hide
Black-tailed Godwits (some getting summer plumage)
A single Avocet
Shelduck and two juveniles, plus two other juveniles around
Black-headed Gulls, chicks and juveniles

Nel's Hide
Oystercatcher pair sitting on three eggs
Avocets and juveniles
Shelduck (lots)
Lapwing
Redshank pair
Large Mallard family
A single male Shoveler
Mute Swan
A Gadwall pair
A single male Wigeon (left behind)
Sedge Warbler
A gorgeous whitish duck with a brown cap - perhaps a hybrid?

UPDATE: After checking my books I'd just decided it was probably an escaped female Red-crested Pochard when Ian PM'd me to confirm that it definitely had a lot of Red-crested Pochard in it, and it may be a leucistic or hybrid with a white duck. Thanks Ian, either way it's a lovely bird.

Some photos on my blog.

-- Edited by Martyn Jones on Friday 22nd of June 2012 09:25:38 AM

09.00-11.00

Nels Hide

14 Avocet chicks (3 almost size of adults),16 Greylag Geese (single flock),

1 moulting Pintail (m), 1 Wigeon (m) and 3 Shoveler (m).

A pair of Oystercatchers just wandering around their nest looking at the

eggs, one made a brief attempt to brood but then it got up and stood

around looking aimless again with its mate.

Sandgrounders

3 Common Gulls and 4 Black Tailed Godwits.

Lots of Black Headed gull chicks, most grown to the size of adults,

crowded with their parents on the small island on Sandgrounders pool.

Old Sand Plant

1 Kestrel (m), a large flock of Starling 300+ swirling around the bushy area

near the car park, and handful of Meadow Pipits.

6 Common Blue butterflies flying around the clumps of Trefoil.

3 Black Terns present from Nels Hide early evening on saturday

Spent from 9am to 6pm down here, wish it could have been longer.

9am -

Marina - Kestrel
Beach - Couple of Oystercatchers and hundreds of Ringed Plover and Dunlins
Marsh towards reserve - First ever Winchat

I took the route behind the reserve then, adjacent to the golf course) Saw lots of Swifts and picked up plenty of Warblers.

Hesketh Out Marsh -
Reed Warbler, fleetingly (at the start of the path in reeds)
1 Avocet
1 Little Egret
1 Likely Corn Bunting

Back to Marshside RSPB:

Pool near Sand works - Two Redshanks and Four Black-Tailed Godwit
Sandgrounders Hide - Couple of Avocet, plus the usuals, never stay long here.

Nel's:

Brought the Avocet numbers to around 40 through the whole reserve, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank (well pleased), Handfuls of Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler and Oystercatcher, 50ish Dunlins, quite a few Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits around, a flyover raptor too quick into the sun (someone speculted Peregrine) lots of Swans

Beside Platform going home - Singing Reed Warbler

Plus to top it off a Male Wheatear on the Marsh :=)



-- Edited by John Doherty on Saturday 12th of May 2012 10:03:39 PM

-- Edited by John Doherty on Saturday 12th of May 2012 10:54:39 PM

I spent a sunny but windy afternnoon at Marshside yesterday. Not an awful lot about but I did see the following:

Nells Hide
1 Garganey (lifer)
8 Avocets in danger of being swept away due to very high water levels
2 Wheatear on far bank
2 Little Grebe
2 Redshank
Shoveler (m and f pair)
Many Shelduck with a couple of fights between males
Also Mute Swans, Lapwing and the more usuals

Sandgrounder's Hide
Black-headed Gull city, mainly on the ground
1 Avocet
Fewer of the usuals here

Sandworks
3 Wheatear and could be more
1 Whitethroat
1 Willow Warbler heard

Beach/Marshes
2 Oystercatchers
4 Mallard
Several Skylarks singing up high and dropping to ground
1 Meadow Pipit
1 possible Stonechat
Lots of Swallows and House Martins passing through

1 Great Black-backed Gull ripping a bird carcass to bits
1 Kestrel over

Not many raptors around, probably too windy and I saw surprisingly few Godwits

Hi -

I had a good omen from the train when I saw a nice clutch of six Shelduck in a field past Burscough Bridge station.

I kicked off today at ten o clock at the Marina, which yielded a single Little Egret in the roost. A single Oystercatcher flew across calling.

I the made it to the main Marshside reserve on foot, picking up a few Golden Plover on the beach en route.

From the viewing platform on the reserve I had my one and only lifer of the day, a female Merlin , which was sat on the reserve near Nell's hide. I also heard a Chiffchaff here.
I had many Redshank and Shelduck to start me off, plus a few Wigeon.
Nell's itself produced 22 Avocet in a nice group, plus small numbers of Shovelers, Teal, Wigeon, and Pintail, Lapwing etc etc and lots of Shelduck and Redshank. I saw some courting action between some Mute Swans too.
I didn't stop for long at all at Sandgrouser's, but there were a further 8 Avocets and 2 Curlews, plus the usual stuff, and about 5 Tufted Ducks.
Crossen's Inner Marsh had 2 Oystercatchers.

Crossen's Outer Marsh was braced by a cold wind. I was limited by only having binoculars as I know there is a lot of stuff out there.
I walked all the way to Crossen's Pool -
I was rewarded with: 1 Kestrel, which circled the marsh before thinking twice about hunting. Also - a lone Pink Footed Goose, 10 Little Egret, loads of Shelducks and Redshanks, and a handful each of Oystercatchers and Black-Tailed Godwit.

When I returned to the Inner Marsh I had two Oystercacthers and there were good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit, plus 1 Hare! The Redshank and Shelduck numbers held strong, and there were loads of waterfowl. Also there was a handful of Pink-Footed Geese (5), plus 2 Pied Wagtails.

I made my way to Nell's (I was the only one in the hide) and the Avocets could not be seen, but two flocks of Golden Plover were there (80 collectively) 1 Little Grebe, plus the same stuff from last time, minus the Shovelers.

I caught up with them (c12) at the platform when it was time to call it a draw. There were lots of Redshank around, as there had been all day, and some Black Tailed Godwits had made it up this end.

Finally, a Chiffchaff sang on the back of Hesketh Golf Links - the Blackcap don't seem to have made it this far East yet :/

Cracking day!




-- Edited by John Doherty on Sunday 1st of April 2012 09:04:47 PM

late post for yesterday sun 11th, 10.30-6.45pm 55 species seen.

went for the glaucous gull that is still around,after a 30 min walk up the beach from the pier towards marshside i thought my luck was in but it actually turned out to be a 1st winter iceland gull one off two that are also around. whilst watching this fantastic bird for over an hour it then landed next to a lesser black backed gull showing size comparison, a flock off 50+ twite was moving around landing/ feeding & as the tide started to come in i got good close views off these birds around 10metres away before a dog came running close by & they were gone also had 2 ringed plover just after the dog past nice close views also but did not stay long.
4 little egrets, hundreds off curlews, oystercatchers, shelducks, skylarks & meadow pipits along the marsh before getting to nells hide.

nells hide (1st visit)

2 avocets
2 knots
1 ringed plover
1 dunlin
1 grey plover,flew off after 20 mins.
3 grey partridges
2 little grebes
1 barnacle goose in with the canada & greylag goose.
500+ golden plovers
1000+ black tailed godwits
good numbers off teals, wigeons, pintails
plus the usual birds around

sandgrousers hide..

24 avocets
8 linnets
1 little grebe
similar to nells teals, pintails, wigeons, black tailed godwits & b h gulls making a lot off noise.

crossens outer marsh..

2 peregrine falcons
1 merlin
thousands off pink footed geese still on the marsh,did manage to pick out 2 white fronted goose.
again thousands off black tailed godwits flying around, at least 12 little egrets.
the glaucous gull was sighted around here at 12.30pm by another birder

nells hide (2nd visit 5-6.30pm)

similar to 1st visit but numbers increased in golden plovers & black tailed godwits & b h gulls.
1 dunlin (still)
15 ruff
whilst scanning to see how may hares i could find on the far side (4) found a barn owl in the trees ripping some prey up to pieces at 5.50pm watched for 5 mins. at 6.10pm the great white egret flew past the hide going to roost. finally left nells at 6.30 crossed the road to the marsh & was greeted to a brief view off a short eared owl, a great end to the day

I had a trip to the 2 hides at Marshside today.

lots of Wideon, Teal & Shoveler. A good number of Pintails and Shelducks, also Black tailed Godwits, Curlew, a little Grebe. Big flock of Pink Footed Geese, a Common Gull and a pair of Black Swans (do they count)

I am going to return next week and get onto the sands too.

Called at Hesketh Out Marsh for a quick look before driving home but nothing there.

Think i might have seen you there, if so, well done with the shorties ,missed them myself,looks like i will have to try again lol

Frank

Returned today, all day- conditions very cold (and I left my gloves on the train and boy did it cost me ) but very bright.

The main reserve itself - Stuffed with Lapwing, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Pintail, Mallard, Black-tailed Godwit; the odd Curlew was around, a female Kestrel sent everything scrambling; a group of 100 Pink-footed Goose dropped in early morning.

I moved towards Banks in the afternoon - two Marsh Harriers (a pair) were sharing a tree - the male disappeared across the salt marsh and didn't return within the hour whilst the female stayed put. On the salt marsh at least 5 Little Egret could be seen, but no sign of a reported Great White Egret. Presumably what were Golden Plover could be heard, and lots of Shelduck were out here with hardly any in the RSPB reserve, plus some Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit and Oystercatcher (if only I had a scope )

A great day all in!

10-11.30 very windy didnt manage to make it all way to RSPB reserve

8000+ Wigeon
1800 + Black-tailed Godwit
2000+ Lapwing
200+ Redshank
3 Ruff

Teal, Pintail, Gadwall, Shoveler all on the pool which Nells hide looks onto.

Out on the Marsh/beach
Little Egret
300+ Pinkfeet

Hundreds of Knot, Dunlin, Curlew, Oystercatcher and Bar-tailed Godwit

sunday 4.00pm ish
short eared owl on post next to pond at hide near sandworks,
then it went for a fly round right in front of us for 10 mins,
fantastic views.

steve

Sorry, Friday, 28th October.

Visited this a.m., on coast side of road 1 female Marsh harrier, 2 Peregrine, 1 Merlin, 4 Kestrel and 1 Short-eared Owl(this seen at high tide, 11'ish), 100's of Skylark. Also 3 Little Egret, large numbers of all the usual waders, ducks etc and excellent weather made for an great morning.
Cheers Ian

very quiet here today,at nells hide there was a little water with only..
50+lapwing
30+ starling
1 common gull
1 grey heron
2 wood pigeon
2 goldfinch

at junction pool..
1 common sandpiper
1 grey heron
+mallards

at sandgrousers..
3 curlew
1 oystercatcher
1 little grebe
1 kestrel
gadwalls, teals, shovelers, mallards,coots, canada goose & greylag goose
sand martins, house martins & swallows over

high tide was around 11am so stayed on the pier for a couple off hours so the best birds were actually on the beach between southport pier & marshside with good mixed flocks off..
knot, sanderling, ringed plover, grey plover, dunlin, redshank, oystercatchers & curlews
2 sandwich tern flew over the pier, also found 1 in with flock off b-h & common gulls on the beach (1st winter)
only managed to see about 12 black tailed godwits
at least 9 little egrets, + all the usual gulls

Not a lot doing. The only water being at the main hide. Best of the bunch:-
Avocets
Redshanks
Godwits

26/05/2011 - An hour spent between the main hide and junction pool at noon, some of the stuff seen:

4 Wigeon - late?
1 Teal
9 Gadwalls
2 Shoveler
1 Kestrel
1 Curlew Sandpiper - approaching summer plumage, on the junction pool
c30 Dunlins
1 Ringed Plover
4 Redshanks
6 Lapwings
14 Avocets
c80 Black-tailed Godwits
1 Reed Warbler

very quiet 12-2.10
no water at all at nels=no birds
1 dunlin at juction pool
sandgrounders area
black tailed godwit-50 on the pool to the right
avocet-approx-20 altogether-no young
peregrine-1 imm chasing the godwits
redshank
on the sandplant area
1 crackin male greenland race wheatear
sedge warbler
lot of meadow pipits
a few linnets
thats about all i saw

full day here, a walk from the pier at southport up to marshside produced..
56 species highlights being..

1 dark bellied brent goose, close to pier.
thousands of waders along the beach swirling around and trying to avoid the 2 peregrine falcons that were stooping at them,still could not make what waders they were. the peregrines went off with breakfast though.
waders i did manage to see along the beach..
black tailed godwits,grey plover,ringed plover,redshank,dunlin
also had 1 yellow wagtail just before nels hide.

at nels hide..
2 garganey good views but only reasonable pics,for me anyway.
1 dunlin, 1 golden plover, lots off black tailed godwits,ringed plover, redshank,
avocet,oystercatcher and usual ducks also 1 barnacle goose with canadas.
at sandgrousers..
avocets being the highlight and usual suspects. lots off b-h-gulls.
whitethroat next to hide, swallows battleing the wind.
around sand works..
1 whinchat, 3 wheatear, 1 swift, skylark,linnets and meadow pipits.
also the wind blew my scope over and unffortunatly broke the glass inside (gutted) but still got a good photo off wheatear
went back to sandgrousers to inspect the damage to my scope and while i was there the rspb told me there was a little stint at junction pool,so off i went and yes
1 little stint also 1 common sandpiper, 1 ruff, 1 wheatear, coot and mallard with chicks, sedge warbler (heard) great day apart from the damaged scope.

Carried on my train journey from seaforth to southport as I could sort of claim that it was on the way home and could get it free on my ticket. Turns out it was well worth the visit! Highlights were:
11 Avocet- one that sat right below the hide which was nice
c.200 Black tailed godwit- majority summer plumage
2 White Wag
c.5 Wigeon
c.10 Teal
3 Ruff- 2 in juv. plumage but one adult male looking odd half in summer plumage
c.10 Redshanks
2 Oystercatcher
c.20 Shellduck
2 or 3 families of Greylags and Canada geese
1 Garganey- Incredibly good views- in the reeds surrounding nel's hide, but came out- amazing photos!
most avocets on eggs so understandaby a bit ratty, not just towards each other but even towards godwits!