Dee Estuary

Another fantastic day out, in glorious weather and with some great birds! I went onto Wirral, started at Hilbre Island, then onto Parkgate, next Decca Pools (Burton Marsh), then Burton Mere Wetlands before ending the day at Cop Pool near Connahs Quay. Lots of great birds, including 7 new birds for  the year, putting me on 124 species so far in 2013. First stop Hilbre......

Hilbre Island

An exhilarating visit to Hilbre, chilly yes, breezy also, but bright blue skies and crystal clear views right over to the Great Orme and what I assume was Carnedd Clywelyn in Snowdonia. There were lots of birds about, including probably about 2000 Knot, 130 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 5 Purple Sandpipers and at least 5000 Herring Gulls on the West Hoyle Bank.


Purple Sandpipers.


Pale-bellied Brent Geese.


Knot and Oystercatchers.


Looking towards the Point of Air, with a snow covered Carnedd Clywelyn behind.

Next onto Parkgate....

Parkgate

I parked at the Old Baths and spent about 30 minutes looking out across the estuary, but no sign of any harriers or owls, but I did see two Merlins dashing across the marsh. Also several Little Egrets, but no sign of the Great White Egret which has been around. About 500 Pink-footed Geese in the distance.

On to Burton Marsh......

Decca Pools, Burton Marsh

Decca Pools is a great spot, I always seem to see something there, and you get great views across the estuary. Once again, it didn't let me down. I had a fantastic view of a male Hen Harrier, also 2 Short-eared Owls, my third Merlin of the day and a Stonechat. Also, at least 1000 Pink-footed Geese in the distance, around 100 Wigeon and probably 20 Little Egrets. Burton Mere Wetlands beckoned....


Decca pools and Small Tortoiseshell. The day may have started with a -2'C, but this butterfly wasn't deterred!

Burton Mere Wetlands

Now it was a race against the clock, because it was getting to that time of day where you're thinking it's been a good day and perhaps this is the last stop. I arrived at BMW about 3:45pm. I had a quick look in the main hide and saw a Spotted Redshank and a Water Rail, both slightly distorted views through the glass, but still nice birds and a good way to end the day, or so I thought. On my way down to the next hide I saw Merlin number 4 for the day. I've never seen a Merlin behave quite like it to be honest, it was perching on top of a tree in the woods, and periodically flying out across the marsh to hunt, and then returning to the wood. Very strange! I was watching it with this bloke who I'd never met before, when he casually asked if I'd seen the Lesser Scaup which he had found at a place called Cop Pool near Connahs Quay. It was now 4:20pm and BMW was abandoned, I was off to Cop Pool....


Wood Merlin and dancing Water Rail (taken through glass).

Cop Pool and Connah's Quay

Finally, the last the bird of the day, a drake Lesser Scaup with a few Tufties and a couple of Pochard on Cop Pool in Flintshire. It was a nice bright end to the day so I was still able to use the scope, and the Lesser Scaup looked good to me, a male with the right head shape, the right size and the correct bill pattern. My 6th Lesser Scaup in the UK. Now I could relax and head home.... err no. Apparently there was a flock of Bewick's and Whooper Swans on the marsh, but it required a 10 minute walk to the view point. Oh well, in for a penny as they say, and off I went. 5pm and I was watching 20 Bewick's Swans with Whoopers in the fading light. And that really was it. No more, it was dark and I wanted me tea!

Eccleston Mere

Water Rail 2 in SW corner. One in the ditch, the other in the Alder Carr, both in view at the same time and showing well.



Goosander 2 females

Kingfisher 1

Nuthatch 1 SE corner

Lesser Redpoll 10

Siskin 10

Goldfinch 40

Grey Wagtail 1

Great Crested Grebe 15

Tufted Duck 12

Greylag 2

Canada Goose 150

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 drumming









Broad Buckler Fern Dryopteris dilatata is one of the commonest ferns at Eccleston Mere, and I thought that this was a particularly nice specimin.








Another common fern, mainly along streams, this is Hart's-tongue Phyllitis scolopendrium.