Birding Group : Burton Mere Wetlands and Parkgate 17th September 2019
On the 17th we went to Burton Mere Wetlands with the birding group followed by a quick stop at Parkgate. It turned out to be a nice day in the end and we managed to get a couple of Little Stints pretty much straight away – a nice year tick for us – but we also got a total of forty-four species over the two sites including some interesting ones that we might not have expected.
From the reception hide we found two Little Stints, very well disguised amidst the mud, on one of the scrapes. They were mixed in with a few Dunlin. While we were scanning all the usual species, a Great White Egret flew in and proceeded to fish – with some success – right in front of the hide.
As we walked down the path by the fish pond we got Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Goldcrest and Cetti’s Warbler and Chiffchaff. At the Marsh Covert Hide where we gor a few Ruff and on the way down to the Inner Marsh Farm hide just by the bend near the “magic tree” we got really good views of a hunting Spotted Flycatcher giving quite a display. In the same tree was at least one male Blackcap.
Down at Inner Marsh Farm there were very high numbers of Snipe also showing well. There were a few DUnlin and Ruff but they were soon scared away by some unseen bird. Perhaps the Kestrel we saw sitting around in a field.
Down at Parkgate we got three Spoonbills and a couple each of Marsh Harriers and Buzzards. All in all a pretty good day with some very nice bids in general and a year tick in particular!
Bird Sightings Burton Mere Wetlands Environs 17th September 2019
| Species | No |
|---|---|
| Greylag Goose | 50 |
| Canada Goose | 50 |
| Black Swan | 2 |
| Northern Shoveler | 4 |
| Gadwall | 12 |
| Mallard | 20 |
| Common Teal | 100 |
| Common Pheasant | 2 |
| Common Moorhen | 10 |
| Common Coot | 10 |
| Northern Lapwing | 40 |
| Black-tailed Godwit | 40 |
| Ruff | 3 |
| Dunlin | 10 |
| Little Stint | 2 |
| Black-headed Gull | 60 |
| Great Egret | 1 |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | 1 |
| Eurasian Jackdaw | 6 |
| Carrion Crow | 4 |
| Eurasian Blue Tit | 20 |
| Great Tit | 6 |
| Barn Swallow | 6 |
| Common Chiffchaff | 1 |
| Cetti's Warbler | 1 |
| Eurasian Blackcap | 1 |
| Goldcrest | 1 |
| Eurasian Nuthatch | 1 |
| Spotted Flycatcher | 1 |
| Dunnock | 1 |
| Pied Wagtail | 1 |
| European Goldfinch | 10 |
Bird Sightings Inner Marsh Farm 17th September 2019
| Species | No |
|---|---|
| Common Shelduck | 2 |
| Northern Shoveler | 4 |
| Common Teal | 40 |
| Stock Dove | 1 |
| Northern Lapwing | 50 |
| Black-tailed Godwit | 14 |
| Ruff | 2 |
| Dunlin | 2 |
| Common Snipe | 20 |
| Black-headed Gull | 30 |
| Grey Heron | 1 |
| Eurasian Kestrel | 1 |
Bird Sightings Parkgate 17th September 2019
| Species | No |
|---|---|
| Little Egret | 14 |
| Eurasian Spoonbill | 3 |
| Eurasian Marsh Harrier | 2 |
| Common Buzzard | 2 |
| Common House Martin | 8 |
| Common Starling | 60 |
| Meadow Pipit | 8 |
