24.10.15. Birdlog
A rainy start, middle and eventually a sunny finish out on the marsh today. In the continues rain I was pitched up watching from the car an area where the exposed mud on No.6 tank attracted me and the birds. A total of 51 Common Snipe were feeding on the exposed muddy areas which have appeared due to the water level receding. Also present was 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Ruff and the ever-present Spotted Redshank.
A good selection of ducks were having to cope with less areas to swim, dabble and dive but they have had it all of late. Shoveler numbers reached 169, 34 Gadwall, 17 Pintail, a Wigeon, 320 Common Teal and smaller counts of Tufted Duck, Mallard and Common Shelduck.
A watch over the Mersey Estuary from Marsh Farm produced a couple of Great White Egret, 23 Oystercatcher and 200 Redshank were the most obvious species.
A Sparrowhawk was hunting the fence line on No.1 tank where three Stonechat kept sentinel.
Observer and images: WSM
