An early morning walk along the River Weaver and than a look over No.6 tank. Raven were busy tussling with both Common Buzzard and Marsh Harrier by Marsh Farm. There were c300 Canada Goose and several Eurasian Curlew feeding in the fields around the farm.
A further flock of c100 Eurasian Curlew were spooked by an unseen predator. There were 6 Common Sandpiper, c150 Common Redshank, c60 Black-tailed Godwit which were spread out along the Weaver bank.
The Ruddy Shelduck and Egyptian Goose were with the Tufted Duck on the river, but both were difficult to approach and moved over to the Mersey estuary as they spotted me from a few hundred yards away.
Onward to No.6 tank were c800 Black- tailed Godwit and hundreds of Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Common Redshank were feeding on the mud.
A Brown Hare was again present during my walk.
Observer: Paul Ralston (images 1-4 & 9).
While PR was doing his thing elsewhere on the marsh I was watching over No.6 tank while the leftovers from the morning tide were still present. There were c1000 Dunlin with birds constantly heading out to the river.
Also c1100 Black-tailed Godwit which included the first 12 juvenile birds of the year. Common Redshank numbered 138 and with them was a single Whimbrel, 5 Greenshank. A juvenile Turnstone was the first of the year and a juvenile Common Gull joined the Black-headed Gull flock.
Ducks were again intermingled with the waders and included 2 Garganey, 30 Eurasian Teal, 14 Northern Shoveler, 12 Gadwall and the lingering juvenile Black-necked Grebe associating with a Tufted Duck flock.
I walked out along Brook Furlong Lane and took the thickly vegetated track that leads to the river. A few Tufted Duck had with them a single juvenile Common Pochard. The female Ruddy Shelduck and Eygptian Goose that Paul had seen earlier was again present with their carrier Canada Goose flock and 44 Eurasian Coot were additional to c20 on No.6 tank.
Numerous Black-tailed Godwit and Common Redshank were hunkered down in the buttonweed growing on the Weaver estuary.
A flock of c100 Common Swift were joined by 100’s of House and Sand Martin hawking insects over the river banks. All this Swift action was watched over by an adult Peregrine. Just a short distance away a juvenile Marsh Harrier quartered the grassy edges to the shooters’ pools.
One of the juvenile Stonechat was at the Redwall reed bed and was buffeted by the strong south-westerly wind.
Walking back I paused at the pipes that cross No.1 tank and it wasn’t long before the juvenile Cuckoo was relocated. It was surprising to watch this young bird interacting with what were presumed Magpie juveniles and a juvenile Kestrel. The other birds waiting for the Cuckoo to collect a caterpillar before attempting to steal the hard earned food from the poor thing.
The Weaver Bend had a Common Sandpiper while nearby a young Little Egret was on the Lum.
#NN
An Ichneumon wasp spp from Redwall reed bed.
I think this is a female Common Darter?
Observer: WSM (video and images 5-8 & 10-25).
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