Birding Group Visit to RSPB Burton Mere, Inner Marsh Farm, Parkgate 26th March 2012

Our birding group morning out was not marked by any “lifers” or unusual birds (except for at Parkgate – see later) but it was a gloriously warm and sunny day hinting at the arrival of summer, never mind spring ! As if to confirm this we had our first couple of sightings of Chiffchaff. Apart from that, there weren’t even that many birds on the water – with the exception of around 150 Black-tailed Godwits – but all the usual species were there, if in smaller numbers, including Shelduck, Teal, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Oystercatchers, Common and Spotted Redshank, Pintail, Wigeon, Gadwall, five Snipe a Ruff and even some Avocets.

So we were more than happy with lots of species to locate. In the woods the Chiffchaffs, Tits, Robins, Nuthatches, Dunnocks and Chaffinches were calling and we could hear at least one Greater Spotted Woodpecker drumming and one of the group managed to catch sight of one of them. In the woods in the distance we could see a treetop mixed roost of Grey Herons and Little Egrets and there were Kestrel and Buzzards in the sky frequently. In short, we couldn’t ask for much more. However, after visiting the Burton Mere Wetlands hides and Inner Marsh Farm we could not resist going over to Parkgate to see if I could point out the Spoonbill that we had seen so well a fortnight previously when we had visited Parkgate for the high tide. As we turned onto the promenade I could already see it in the same pool as we had seen it before but this time the light was much better – brighter but also softer than before. Our interest sparked the curiosity of local people on the benches on the promenade who asked us what we were looking at so we were able to point out, somewhat to their amazement, a bird that they had taken for a Little Egret – if a particularly big one ! Another great day out and a sense of the seasons changing at last.

Spoonbill at Parkgate 26th March 2012

Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Reception Hide

Species	Count
Mute Swan	1
Canada Goose	20
Shelduck	20
Teal	6
Mallard	10
Shoveler	2
Tufted Duck	8
Kestrel	1
Coot	20
Oystercatcher	2
Avocet	8
Lapwing	2
Black-tailed Godwit	150
Spotted Redshank	2
Redshank	20
Black-headed Gull	40

Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Environs

Species	Count
Little Egret	2
Grey Heron	2
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1
Blue Tit	6
Great Tit	4
Chiffchaff	1
Nuthatch	2
Chaffinch	1
Goldfinch	1

Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Far Hide

Species	Count
Shelduck	20
Teal	8
Pintail	6
Buzzard	2
Ruff	1
Snipe	5
Spotted Redshank	1
Redshank	10
Reed Bunting	1

Bird Sightings : Inner Marsh Farm

Species	Count
Canada Goose	10
Shelduck	10
Wigeon	6
Gadwall	5
Teal	4
Pintail	6
Shoveler	2
Tufted Duck	6
Little Egret	1
Black-tailed Godwit	40
Redshank	30
Black-headed Gull	40
Rook	30
Chiffchaff	1
Dunnock	2
Reed Bunting	1

Bird Sightings : Parkgate

Species	Count
Spoonbill	1
Pied Wagtail	1

Birding Group Visit to RSPB Burton Mere, Inner Marsh Farm, Parkgate 26th March 2012