The Wirral; New Brighton, Parkgate and Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB Reserve, 8th January 2022

 

Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB Reserve (M Walsh)

The Wirral; New Brighton, Parkgate and Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB Reserve

 8^th January 2022

 

Weather:  Gloomy with intermittent rain, cleared up later

Members and friends:  23                      

Twenty-three members and friends set off from Stockport for our first trip of 2022. Three sites on the Wirral were our destination for the day’s birding. Glenn pulled into Chester service station to fill up the reserve coach he had had to come out in. With the eye-watering price of fuel at the services we all gave an ironic cheer when the tank brimmed in excessive of £500! As we drove out of the services a fifty strong flock of Pink-footed Geese passed overhead.

Starling (J Wharton)

Arriving at New Brighton the coach dropped us off outside Morrisons as per normal. We all headed over to the Marine Lake and eagerly scanned the pontoons for birds. Nothing! A quick look over the sea wall confirmed the tide was far out and all the birding were still feeding on the sand or rocks. A handful of the party walked out adjacent to Fort Perch Rock and followed the rocky breakwater out past the lighthouse. Right at the end of the breakwater we found our target bird, with two or three Purple Sandpipers identified amongst the feeding flock of Oystercatcher, Turnstone and Redshank. There were plenty of gulls in the area, all of the commoner species, with two Great Black-backed Gulls resting on the beach.

Snow Bunting (J Wharton)

Returning to the coach we took the short journey up to the other end of Kings Parade. Alighting here, in torrential rain, we hurried down the pathway to the beach and immediately found the five Snow Bunting that had been previously reported to be in the area. In the conditions a brief view was all most managed before beating a hasty retreat to the sanctuary of the coach.

We then made our way over to Parkgate where the group split up with some heading towards the Old Baths and others to Donkey Stand Flash. Most people connected immediately with a couple of Marsh Harrier and a Great White Egret. Little Egret, Mallard, Teal and Shoveler were all relatively close in. Further out we could see large flocks of Pink-footed Geese moving around, with the occasional Shelduck, their white plumage standing out in the gloomy weather. Cormorant and Snipe were added to the days list.

Little Egret (J Wharton)

The highlight was a male Hen Harrier, a bit bedraggled, but still a fine bird to see in any setting. He gave good views as he quartered up and down the estuary. A small flock of Linnet was mobile, whilst a few Stonechat gave good close views adjacent to the old sea wall. In the field behind the Old Baths car park, we found six Curlew but little in the way of passerines and there were no thrushes in the area.

We returned to the coach and made the very short journey to Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB Reserve. The walk through the woodland adjacent to the carpark was very quiet with only a small flock of Goldfinch and a Nuthatch noted.

Stonechat (J Wharton)

On accessing the reserve, a wander down to the feeders east of the visitor centre produced Greenfinch, Chaffinch and all the commoner tit species. Dave R had a Green Woodpecker fly into the adjacent woodland where a flock of forty plus Redwing were seen in the treetops. A Buzzard was also recorded close by.

Moving on to the rest of the reserve we found a very obliging Great White Egret fishing by the visitor centre and a handful of Black-tailed Godwit feeding on one of the islands in the adjacent mere. A pair of Egyptian Geese, of dubious origin, were at the old fishing pools.  As we walked through the reed bed area, we heard the distinctive call of Cetti’s Warbler.

 

Great White Egret (J Wharton)

The various pools on the reserve held Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Wigeon and Teal. A handful of Pintail were found. Loafing flocks of Canada and Greylag Geese were passed over by their wilder cousins, with large flocks of Pink-footed Geese flying out to the marsh. A few members spotted a ringtail Hen Harrier flying past the new Border Hide. In the small stands of Alders, we recorded Siskin with Goldfinch. The faint song of Goldcrest was heard and a small number of Mistle Thrush passed over head. A handful of Raven were in the area, their cronking calls heard regularly as we walked over the reserve.

Moorhen (J Wharton)

A walk up to Burton Point produced distant views of hunting Short-eared Owl and a Merlin, out on the marsh. The estuary was relatively quiet and no swan species were seen (the only swan sighting of the day was on the journey home). There were a couple of other unusual omissions from our days list with no Peregrine sightings or Meadow Pipit, both usually nailed on for a trip to the Wirral. A pleasant day had produced 81 species.

Shoveler (J Wharton)

Birds seen;