13 of us gathered at the visitor centre, being made to feel particularly unwelcome by some of the
volunteers. We didn’t linger too long in the centre as a result, but managed to see various wildfowl and waders including many avocet and black tailed godwit, and a single ruff. We also distinguished a couple of mediterranean gulls amongst the screeching black headed gulls and enjoyed watching the sand martins dashing in and out of the holes in the purpose built wall.
From the centre we then went on the Mere trail – a very pleasant walk around former fish ponds. Various birds were calling from the bushes and trees and we spotted black cap, and a treecreeper close by on a trunk with its tail unusually fanned out. An egyptian goose was spotted through the shrubbery and as we made our way round to more open water we noticed it had 3 gorgeous goslings. From there we carried on along the wetland trail – there wasn’t much to see from the reedbed screen, so we moved on to the Marsh Covert hide. We sat in here a while and had lunch – as we were sat there a sparrowhawk flew past the windows. We saw more wildfowl from here too including pintail and teal.
After lunch we continued along the trail – cetti’s warbler shouted at us from the reeds and
chiffchaff and willow warbler were calling too. We followed the trail and then veered off to go up to
Burton Point. Here we stopped and spent a long time looking for redstart and green spotted woodpecker which had been reported. Most of us were lucky to see redstart from a distance and some also saw the woodpecker in flight briefly. From the top of the hill we enjoyed panoramic views of the Dee, though it was abit windy. We retraced our steps and rejoined the wetland trail to go to the furthest hide. On the way we noticed several people stopped on a bridge taking photos of something – water vole! A delightful encounter – the first for most of us. On to the hide where with the sun behind us the colours of the birds were enhanced - we had great views of the godwits showing off their chestnut summer plumage and in contrast 5 very dark spotted redshank. There was also a common sandpiper, a couple of snipe and 1 bar- tailed godwit too. In the background marsh harrier patrolled the reserve.
We had reports of green winged teal in the Marsh hide so, as we made our way back, we called in there again. After scanning all the teal for quite a while we eventually found it and helped a lot of other people in the hide see it too! A good day after a most inauspicious beginning.
Sightings: cormorant, heron great white egret, little egret, greylag goose, canada goose, shelduck,
egyptian goose, mallard, gadwall, wigeon, teal, green-winged teal, pintail, shoveler, tufted duck,
sparrowhawk, buzzard, marsh harrier, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, avocet, lapwing, redshank, spotted redshank, common sandpiper, ruff, black-tailed godwit, bar-tailed godwit, snipe, black-headed gull, mediterranean gull, woodpigeon, great spotted woodpecker, sand martin, blackcap, willow warbler, chiffchaff, redstart, robin, song thrush, long-tailed tit, great tit, blue tit, treecreeper, reed bunting, goldfinch, magpie, rook, jackdaw
Water vole
volunteers. We didn’t linger too long in the centre as a result, but managed to see various wildfowl and waders including many avocet and black tailed godwit, and a single ruff. We also distinguished a couple of mediterranean gulls amongst the screeching black headed gulls and enjoyed watching the sand martins dashing in and out of the holes in the purpose built wall.
From the centre we then went on the Mere trail – a very pleasant walk around former fish ponds. Various birds were calling from the bushes and trees and we spotted black cap, and a treecreeper close by on a trunk with its tail unusually fanned out. An egyptian goose was spotted through the shrubbery and as we made our way round to more open water we noticed it had 3 gorgeous goslings. From there we carried on along the wetland trail – there wasn’t much to see from the reedbed screen, so we moved on to the Marsh Covert hide. We sat in here a while and had lunch – as we were sat there a sparrowhawk flew past the windows. We saw more wildfowl from here too including pintail and teal.
After lunch we continued along the trail – cetti’s warbler shouted at us from the reeds and
chiffchaff and willow warbler were calling too. We followed the trail and then veered off to go up to
Burton Point. Here we stopped and spent a long time looking for redstart and green spotted woodpecker which had been reported. Most of us were lucky to see redstart from a distance and some also saw the woodpecker in flight briefly. From the top of the hill we enjoyed panoramic views of the Dee, though it was abit windy. We retraced our steps and rejoined the wetland trail to go to the furthest hide. On the way we noticed several people stopped on a bridge taking photos of something – water vole! A delightful encounter – the first for most of us. On to the hide where with the sun behind us the colours of the birds were enhanced - we had great views of the godwits showing off their chestnut summer plumage and in contrast 5 very dark spotted redshank. There was also a common sandpiper, a couple of snipe and 1 bar- tailed godwit too. In the background marsh harrier patrolled the reserve.
We had reports of green winged teal in the Marsh hide so, as we made our way back, we called in there again. After scanning all the teal for quite a while we eventually found it and helped a lot of other people in the hide see it too! A good day after a most inauspicious beginning.
Sightings: cormorant, heron great white egret, little egret, greylag goose, canada goose, shelduck,
egyptian goose, mallard, gadwall, wigeon, teal, green-winged teal, pintail, shoveler, tufted duck,
sparrowhawk, buzzard, marsh harrier, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, avocet, lapwing, redshank, spotted redshank, common sandpiper, ruff, black-tailed godwit, bar-tailed godwit, snipe, black-headed gull, mediterranean gull, woodpigeon, great spotted woodpecker, sand martin, blackcap, willow warbler, chiffchaff, redstart, robin, song thrush, long-tailed tit, great tit, blue tit, treecreeper, reed bunting, goldfinch, magpie, rook, jackdaw
Water vole