A short but productive visit today on my mrning out on the Dee Estuary. At West Hide 2 Twite showed really well, I know there are more in flocks elsewhere in the NW but as a permit holder it's nice to see them on 'our' reserve! From Middle Hide a couple of Redshanks were seen first followed by a smart Greenshank. A Sparrowhawk allowed incredibly close views on the fenceposts by the entrance road as I drove in ultra-slowly. Otherwise the usual ducks and waders here.
Highlight of the morning was a juvenile male Hen Harrier hunting across the Middle/Dee bund pools towards West Hide; also male Kingfisher showing for more than 20 mins outside Dee Hide. Other birds include Curlew, L.Egret, Lapwing, Wigeon, Teal, Redshank, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Little Grebe, Kestrel, Black tailed Godwit, Snipe, Cormorant
Photos of juvenile male Hen Harrier attached
-- Edited by Hazel Rothwell on Thursday 25th of October 2018 08:44:01 PM
Dropped in as Carys and I were having a day out in the general area.
Despite a lack of sightings recently we had 25 Twite in the bushes near West Hide, scoped and showing very well. Lots of Pink-footed Geese were on the saltmarsh along with a single Barnacle Goose. At Middle Hide on the lagoon were 3 Spotted Redshanks and a Greenshank showed from East Hide.
A female Goshawk was over Connahs Quay town at 3.30-3.45pm then headed off in a SW direction (phoned in to me by a reliable birding pal who lives here).
Tuesday afternoon visit after Burton. Certainly a good place for Greenshank, 12+ and Spotted Redshank, 10+, amongst the hoards of Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit. Also Dunlin, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Shelduck seen. Also 3 Wigeon and good numbers of Teal,Pintail and Little Egret.
Twite x 50+ Greenshank x 3 Spotted Redshank x 3 Redshank c300 Marsh Harrier (most likely female) Rock Pipit x 1 Common Snipe x 6 Dunlin x 5 Common Buzzard Bewick Swan x 10 (in flight) Reed Bunting (m) Long tailed tit flock Usual Tits, Robins, Wren, etc.
This is a private reserve for which a permit & key are needed but I recommend it highly and it doesn't cost too much to become a member. You have the reserve virtually to your self and can pop in on Wales trips to use the 'bathroom' facilities and have a peek at the bird lfe on the reserve.
Just recently a Little Auk spent an afternoon on the pools from the hides, an amazing record for the NW region as a whole.
On a gentle day out in N.Wales we popped in as our first port of call and caught up with the flock of Twite that are feeding in the West Hide car park this winter as they did last year. At least 55 birds were present, a fabulous sight, and they can be photographed very easily by using your car as a hide. Other birds today were nothing out of the ordinary but included Little Egret, Redshank, Shelduch, Curlew, Dunlin and over 1000 Pink-footed Geese in flight over the Dee marshes.
