Visit to Burton Mere Wetlands 7th December2013
Visit to Burton Mere Wetlands 7th December 2013
We were due to visit Burton Mere Wetlands and Hoylake on the 5th but the weather was so bad that we decided not to risk the weather and the roads. By the 7th the weather had calmed down a bit so we decided to go to Hoylake for a slightly less high tide than that due on the 5th. Since this was a bit later in the day we decided to take in Burton Mere Wetlands before heading off for Hoylake. In particular I was hoping to see the Little Stint that has been seen there regularly of late.
We started off at the reception hide but, although there were four Dunlin paddling around, there was no Little Stint accompanying them. The sky was full of the too-ings and fro-ings of Pink-footed Geese. Teal was the predominant species on the water but also plenty of Wigeon, Lapwing, Blask-headed Gulls, Coots and Tufted Ducks. On a post there was a Buzzard and underneath that a Pheasant and a Grey Heron.
Over at the Reedbed Hide there were large numbers of Shelduck and Teal and fewer Wigeon. We got close views of a few Black-tailed Godwits and also a single Little Egret. While we were at this hide a chap came in and mentioned that he had just seen the Little Stint back at the reception hide so we rushed back there but by the time that we got there no-one could find it. We spent half an hour looking for it but to no avail. Naturally, when I checked on the bird alert sites later it had re-appeared – grrr !
Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetland : Reception Hide
| Species | Count |
|---|---|
| Pink-footed Goose | 300 |
| Canada Goose | 4 |
| Eurasian Wigeon | 100 |
| Northern Shoveler | 6 |
| Common Teal | 300 |
| Tufted Duck | 10 |
| Common Pheasant | 1 |
| Grey Heron | 1 |
| Common Buzzard | 1 |
| Common Coot | 60 |
| Northern Lapwing | 100 |
| Dunlin | 14 |
| Common Snipe | 2 |
| Black-headed Gull | 200 |
| Herring Gull | 1 |
Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetland : Reedbed Hide
| Species | Count |
|---|---|
| Common Shelduck | 150 |
| Eurasian Wigeon | 100 |
| Mallard | 10 |
| Common Teal | 300 |
| Little Egret | 1 |
| Eurasian Common Moorhen | 3 |
| Black-tailed Godwit | 5 |
| Black-headed Gull | 100 |
Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetland : Environs
| Species | Count |
|---|---|
| Eurasian Skylark | 1 |
| Great Tit | 6 |
| Common Blue Tit | 6 |
| European Robin | 1 |
| Eurasian Blackbird | 1 |