Sunday 27 November 2011

Martin Mere

As it was the North West Bird this weekend we popped up to visit as I wanted to have a look at a couple of books. Have to say it wasn't as good at as it was a couple of years ago, which is a shame with less stalls etc.
We got to see a fair few birds along side the visit to the fair Whooper Swan, Teal, Pintail, Shelduck, Lapwing, Cormorant, Wigeon, Black Headed Gull, Tree Sparrow, Pink Footed Geese plus the usual common birds. Plus a Gossander on the pool by the visitor centre in with the resident Eider Ducks which were feeling rather frisky.
There had been reports of Marsh Harrier the last few days but with the strong wind we didn't see a single raptor in fact there was much around at all.
I did decide on what book to get but as usual Amazon is cheaper so that's where I am getting the book from.
Saw the Urban Birder while we were there but we didn't get all star struck and just walked on by as the song goes.







Sunday 13 November 2011

Two for the Price of One

With yesterday's news of a Glossy Ibis and and some info off a couple of chaps on the North Wales birding forum that it was still around at dusk we decided to hold off seeing the Snow Bunting which was going to be our target bird and head for Burton Mere on the Wirral to hopefully get a life tick.

Getting there we were told it had only shown very briefly but hadn't been seen for 30 minutes, so we waited for a while in the mean time we picked up Black Tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Teal, Shovler, Wigeon, Redshank, Little Grebe and Common Gull. But after a while we decided to push little Gemma down to the hide to see what other birds we could see.
At the hide we eventually found 6 Snipe hiding amongst  some reeds I aways like seeing these birds, but better still someone had found a very well hidden Jack Snipe which we eventually got on to and even saw it bob a few times. Only saw its head but it still counted which was great as this was a first for us being a life tick.

Passing the crowd the Ibis still had not shown so it was back to the car for a spot of lunch (big mistake) as while we were eating, out came the Ibis and strutted around in front of the visitor centre by the time we heard it had flown back to the reeds.
Well what next? Head off for the Snow Bunting (an hour drive) or stick around well we did at first head off but as the weather seemed rather misty towards Wales so we turned back around. This was a great move as the Ibis was now in front of the hide and showing really well giving us our second life tick of the day. We also had a futher two bonus species in the way of a few Whopper Swans and a single Bewick in front of the visitor centre not a bad haul for a day out.