One of those murky, misty mornings at Hesketh where the birds are forced in off the estuary and the place is full of birds. It’s always better when the weather is poor, and this morning it was brilliant. Excuse the pics – a real struggle!
Terrible light and visibility first thing, but in position and waiting for things to improve, the variety of wader calls out in the gloom was fantastic. Dunlin became more than just shapes, and my first juv Curlew Sand of the autumn was a cracking start.
The Dunlin flock shifted and a 2nd bird joined the first – all scaly and peachy looking – lovely. I watched them for about 20 minutes and then they were off – high and looked to be inland.
18 wader species in all during the morning – pretty good for a single site. The East added a flock of 400 Knot, 3 Turnstone, Grey Plover, 2 juv LRP, Avocet, 3 juv Ruff, good numbers of Dunlin and Ringo, 40+ Snipe and c20 Greenshank.
Also 2 GWE, multiple Yellow Wag, juv Great Crested Grebe and a Tufted Duck.
West held fewer birds, but at least 2 Spotted Red, a decent flock of Golden Plover and 3 more Curlew Sand, this time 2 juv and an adult, dropped in calling. They too soon departed inland.
Banks was fairly quiet, but 2 more juv Curlew Sand here (perhaps the first 2 from Hesketh) and a Merlin the birds of note.
A brief visit to Marshside in search of Godwit flocks (where has that LBD gone?). Managed one of the roaming Ruddy Shelduck and 2 adult Cattle Egrets on Rimmers. No sign of Ken’s 2 juvs from yesterday, which is interesting in its self. Not too much imagination as to where they were hanging out as their parents fed……..
Wading through Wigeon 