Yesterday a visit at high tide proved very fruitful for the warden and colleague. There were plenty of waders on the reserve pools before the tide covered them including 12 Avocet, 3 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpipers, Little Ringed Plover and some nice flocks of Ringed Plover (50) and Dunlin (180) with a few more on the estuary. At least 25 Little Egret were using the reserve and there were more waders on the salt-marsh including 1050 Oystercatchers, 300+ Lapwings, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 40 Black-tailed Godwits, 20 Knot and 80+ Redshank. A Marsh Harrier was seen and what appeared to be an escapee Lanner (with jesses) attacking a Buzzard and "playing" with a Raven. Small numbers of duck around but nice to see 9 Gadwall and still a few Swifts with the hirundines over the reserve.
A quick visit late morning produced 3 Marsh Harriers (incuding one with prey), 8 Kestrels, 15+ Little Egrets, a Shoveler, 2 Teal, Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 200 Ringed Plover, 125 Dunlin, a Turnstone, Common Sandpiper, 10 Avocets, 2 Swifts and 2 Yellow Wagtails.
Incidentely, the Tide Table for Southport can be accessed at -
http://www.pol.ac.uk/ntslf/tides/?port=0447