Sunday 18 November 2018

18th November 2018

Weather:  ESE 0-1, 1/8 cloud, 5 miles vis, slight ground frost







A beautiful start to the day as venus rose over the Wirral skyline, thrushes including Redwing, Blackbird (including one caught and ringed), Song Thrush and Fieldfare were noted from first light and small numbers of Brambling, Siskin, Chaffinch and Linnet moved through the islands.



Good numbers of Brent Geese and waders continued to feed as the tide flooded and a solitary Snipe dropped in.



A flock of 17 Pink-footed Geese moved out of the estuary followed by another half a dozen later, several flocks of Shelduck were present and 12 Canada Geese ventured out for a brief flight, the usual Eider was content to drift with the tide as did a few small flocks of Common Scoter and a handful of Great Crested Grebes.






Geese and waders responded to the Peregrine’s interest and a Merlin moved through from the West, a few Meadow Pipits moved as the sun came up and the tide ebbed leaving waders feeding including two Purple Sand, reasonable numbers of Turnstone (including one of our returning colour-ringed birds), Redshank, Dunlin and Curlew with a few Grey Plover and a small flock of Sanderling at the tide edge.



Photos AEH, CJW et al



Ringing: Blackbird [546-34]

No comments: