Visit To Burton Mere Wetland, Iner Marsh Farm and Parkgate 30th May 2013

On the 30th May we spent the day out at Burton Mere Wetland, Inner Marsh Farm and Parkgate. We started out at the reception hide where we could see a decent number of Avocet. Unfortunately the young had been badly predated by Carrion Crows so there were fewer than might be expected. We did see a couple paddling around though. As we were scanning the site we saw a Crow fly past the hide with a chick in its bill but this was probably a Lapwing chick. Anyway we watched the somewhat grizzly fate of this chick as the Crow landed in the field over to the left of the lagoon and proceeded to devour it bit by bit ! A little bit of drama common when many species of birds have to find food for themselves and their young.Near the Avocets at the edge of a scrape there were a pair of Common Terns and an Oystercatcher. The air was full of Swifts and Swallows and we also saw a Marsh Harrier. On the water there were Coots, Tufted Ducks, Gadwalls and on the island the inevitable Canada Geese and Black-headed Gulls.

We walked along the path to the far hide and got a reasonable view of a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Nuthatch and the usual Tits and a few Goldfinches. As for warblers there were plenty of Chiffchaff and Sedge Warblers singing away.

At the far hide there was a Grey Heron, a Redshank and a large number of Black-tailed Godwits. There were a few Shelduck on the water as well as Mallards and a Little Egret were paddling about. There were a small number of Avocets here but probably the best sighting here was a good close view from the hide of two Sedge Warblers – my best views of the year. In fact as we came back along the path to the reception area we saw several more and just as the reeds end where the path turns up to the old fishing lake, we stood and watched several Sedge Warblers appear and disappear repeatedly.

Up at Inner Marsh Farm there wasn’t a great deal to see that we hadn’t seen from the opposite side of the water and certainly no sign of the Spotted Redshanks in summer plumage that I had hoped to see. Be that as it may we saw three Little Egrets, around fifty Black-tailed Godwits, around 30 Avocets, a few Wigeon, Tufted Ducks and Shelduck but, as usual, the best views were of a Marsh Harrier that showed well.

We moved on to Parkgate where there must have been half a dozen Little Egrets flying all over the place. The marsh also held large numbers of Meadow Pipits and we also saw a Kestrel. It was gratifying to see that all the fire damage done to the marsh had grown back again and looked as good as new. I daresay that there were consequences for breeding birds however and I suppose the Deeside bird report will confirm this and give details of it.

Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetland : Main Hide

Species	Count
Canada Goose	30
Shelduck	4
Gadwall	4
Tufted Duck	6
Little Grebe	1
Marsh Harrier	1
Coot	6
Avocet	20
Lapwing	30
Black-headed Gull	30
Common Tern	2
Swift	10
Carrion Crow	20
Swallow	10
Pied Wagtail	1

Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetland : Far Hide

Species	Count
Shelduck	4
Mallard	20
Tufted Duck	6
Little Egret	1
Grey Heron	1
Moorhen	1
Avocet	10
Lapwing	1
Black-tailed Godwit	20
Redshank	1
Black-headed Gull	20

Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetland : Environs

Species	Count
Pheasant	1
Swift	10
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1
Blue Tit	4
Great Tit	4
Swallow	10
Chiffchaff	2
Sedge Warbler	5
Nuthatch	1
Chaffinch	4
Goldfinch	6

Bird Sightings : Inner Marsh Farm

Species	Count
Canada Goose	30
Shelduck	2
Wigeon	2
Mallard	12
Tufted Duck	6
Little Egret	3
Marsh Harrier	1
Coot	4
Oystercatcher	1
Avocet	30
Lapwing	12
Black-tailed Godwit	50
Black-headed Gull	20
Swift	10
Swallow	10
Chiffchaff	1
Willow Warbler	1

Bird Sightings : Parkgate

Species	Count
Little Egret	6
Kestrel	1
Meadow Pipit	8

Visit To Burton Mere Wetland, Iner Marsh Farm and Parkgate 30th May 2013