This week has seen a definite change in the weather, but little change in birds around the reserve. The solitary cattle egret continued to please, spending its days loafing on the islands of the main scrape with brief forays to join the cattle herd.
The big duck numbers from the beginning of the week gradually reduced as the tides dropped in height, but good numbers of teal remained on various pools. Along with small flocks of shoveler, wigeon, and the occasional pintail. The first small flocks of pink-footed geese have arrived on the estuary but so far have rarely been at Burton Mere Wetlands.
Pintail by Ben Hall (RSPB-images.com)
Rising water levels on the scrape and Reception Pool by the end of the week meant the majority of wading birds were on Centenary and Bridge Pools, with curlew sandpiper, little stint, ruff, greenshank, and dunlin seen daily. The exceptions still on the scrape were black-tailed godwits and dozens of snipe showing well around the scrape edge and islands. In the distance, growing flocks of lapwings fed on the wet grassland and adjacent farmland, flushed occasionally by a hunting marsh harrier.
There's been a lot of kestrel activity over the scrape and wet grassland lately, whilst sparrowhawk and peregrine made fleeting appearances, flushing wildfowl and waders from the water. There are now two ringtail hen harriers out on the saltmarsh, and the first merlin, but neither have yet to make an appearance at Burton Mere Wetlands yet this autumn.
The two great white egrets were visible on the saltmarsh from the viewpoint on Burton Point, and a little egret roost count this week had 340 flying in to Marsh Covert woodland at dusk. Why not book into our 'Evening with Egrets' event on Saturday 8 October to see them in all their glory?
The old fishery pools remain the best place for kingfisher with a pair seen flying over The Mere this week, whilst grey wagtail was another highlight there this week. Nuthatch and treecreeper showed well in trees alongside the Burton Mere trail.
Don't forget it's Wirral Wader Festival this coming weekend, with various exciting activities for people of all ages and interest levels, including our 'What's that wader?' ID workshop on Sunday at 3 pm!