Parkgate & Burton Mere Wetlands 06/01/18

Twenty-eight members and friends took the relatively short journey to Parkgate on the Wirral, arriving before 9am. A walk along the front produced good views of Little Egret and at least four Great White Egret were counted. Far out on the marsh flocks of Pink-footed Geese were identified with the occasional pair of Shelduck and Curlew in attendance.

 

 Lapwing - Alan & Glo

It was a good day for raptors as a couple of Marsh Harrier were joined by a splendid male Hen Harrier. A distant Peregrine eventually gave better views when it flew in and unsuccessfully stooped at a mixed flock with one of the Marsh Harriers also trying to pick off any stragglers. A Kestrel hunted nearby and a Merlin shot through. Buzzard was seen and a Raven gave its distinctive call as it passed overhead. 

Meadow Pipit - Alan & Glo

 

Out on the marsh, in the ditches, dykes and watercourses, a variety of waterfowl were identified with Mallard, Wigeon, Teal and Shoveler present. Waders in the form of Lapwing and Redshank were plentiful with a small number of Black-tailed Godwit and Snipe. The occasional Stock Dove was found amongst the feeding Woodpigeon.

 

Long-tailed Tit - Holly Page

 

A pair of Stonechat were found in the grass at the front of the Old Baths car park and at the rear, in the paddock, there were Song Thrush, Reed Bunting and Grey Wagtail. A flock of Long-tailed Tit entertained with their gymnastics whilst Linnet and Goldcrest were found in the gorse bushes. The sharp-eyed amongst the group caught a brief glimpse of a Water Rail as it bolted to cover.

The marsh at Parkgate looking over to North Wales - Holly Page

Moving on to the RSPB’s Burton Mere Wetlands reserve the society walked down through the woodland to the car park. Overhead a large flock of Redwing moved through the trees with a single Fieldfare being recorded. A flock of Goldfinch was observed and singles of Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Great Spotted Woodpecker were found.

Arriving at the visitor centre we quickly identified a Spotted Redshank amongst the Redshank in the first pool. Diving in the adjacent pools were Tufted Duck and a single Cormorant.

By the feeders we watched a continuous procession of Blue, Great and Coal Tits. Greenfinch and Chaffinch were in attendance and Siskin were heard calling overhead.

At the Marsh Covert Hide everybody enjoyed excellent views of an obliging Kingfisher as it fished metres from the windows. Coot and Teal were on the pools with small groups of Wigeon and Mallard. A single female Pintail was also observed. A couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers were heard drumming in the adjacent woodland and a Buzzard circled overhead.

Kingfisher - Holly Page

 

A Water Rail was flushed close to the timber boardwalk and singles of Chiffchaff and Bullfinch were found nearby. Little Egret and Shelduck were also seen around the reserve pools.

A walk out along the Hillfort trail produced splendid views over the Wirral estuary. Both Whooper and Mute Swans could be made out by those with telescopes. Large flocks of Lapwing out on the wetlands also contained Golden Plover and Black-tailed Godwit. A perched-up Merlin gave good telescope views. On the adjacent farmland Pheasant fed and Redwing and Fieldfare were scattered over the grass.

The walk back to the coach added Green Woodpecker along with flocks of Jackdaw and Rook squabbling in the farmland trees.

Unfortunately, no walruses were reported on this trip (RIP Charlie Gallagher).

 

Birds seen:

Mute Swan	Golden Plover	Redwing
Whooper Swan	Grey Plover	Mistle Thrush
Pink-footed Goose	Lapwing	Fieldfare
Greylag Goose	Knot	Blackbird
Canada Goose	Dunlin	Goldcrest
Brent Goose	Redshank	Wren
Shelduck	Spotted Redshank	Great Tit
Mallard	Black-tailed Godwit	Coal Tit
Pintail	Curlew	Blue Tit
Shoveler	Snipe	Long-tailed Tit
Wigeon	Black-headed Gull	Nuthatch
Teal	Common Gull	Treecreeper
Tufted Duck	Herring Gull	Magpie
Pheasant	Great Black-backed Gull	Jay
Little Grebe	Lesser Black-backed Gull	Jackdaw
Cormorant	Stock Dove	Rook
Little Egret	Woodpigeon	Carrion Crow
Great White Egret	Collared Dove	Raven
Grey Heron	Kingfisher	Starling
Marsh Harrier	Green Woodpecker	House Sparrow
Hen Harrier	Great Spotted Woodpecker	Chaffinch
Buzzard	Skylark	Linnet
Kestrel	Meadow Pipit	Goldfinch
Merlin	Pied Wagtail	Greenfinch
Peregrine	Grey Wagtail	Siskin
Water Rail	Dunnock	Bullfinch
Moorhen	Robin	Reed Bunting
Coot	Stonechat
Oystercatcher	Song Thrush