The usually quiet month of July was spiced up by a female Merlin yesterday - the first of the ornithological autumn!  Today, there were 75 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Avocets (2 adults and 1 juvenile), 8 Oystercatchers (including 2 broods of young, 1 & 2), 4 Teal, 3 Wigeon, 11 Tufted Ducks, 260 Black-headed Gulls & 1 Common Gull visible around Rainford's Lagoon, the most extensive  sheet of water around in these…

The juvenile Little Ringed Plover is still around in front of Sandgrounders' Hide  with 2 adult & 1 juvenile Avocet, 16 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Wigeon, 3 Teal, 4 Tufted Ducks and  5 Heron. There are plenty of singing Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers & Whitethroats and 5 young Swallows fledged from the nest behind the hide today.

Apart from a small puddle and Rainford's Lagoon the reserve is waterless.

Most of the Black-tailed Godwit flock seems to have moved to Martin Mere leaving 5 behind with  a male and 2 female Wigeon and a handful of Redshank, Tufted Duck, loads of Black-headed Gulls including one juvenile and 2 Avocets with one near-fledged youngster.

However, a near empty reserve can still surprise - a leucistic female Red-crested…

On returning from holiday I find the warden reports that drought conditions have left most of Rimmer's Marsh dry and consequently very few birds are visible from Nel's Hide so the hide will be locked until 1 September. This will be reviewed  constantly and if the marsh floods or a rare bird appears, the reopening date will be brought forward.

Other viewing areas are available including the public footpath at the…

There was a Little Stint & Curlew Sandpiper on Polly's Pool again today and up to 5 broods of Avocets are on the reserve.

Earlier this week I watched a pair of Avocets abandon their chick to launch a prolonged  attack on a female Mallard with 8 ducklings in tow who apparently posed no threat. When not attacking anything else that comes within their radar the Avocets relieve the boredom by squabbling amongst…

Polly's Pool is relatively quiet at this time of the year but often yields some interesting stuff. Today,1 non-breeding plumage Curlew Sandpiper along with the breeding plumage Little Stint with 18 Dunlin.  Also, there were 125 Black-tailed Godwits between there and junction pool. 

12 Avocet chicks present in front of Sandgrounder's hide and on Rainfords lagoon. 

Yesterday was quiet aside from Avocet activity but one lucky visitor saw a hummingbird hawk moth at Junction Pool in the early afternoon and burnet moths  at the back of Sandgrounders. Two small moths - Pyrausta aurata and a small magpie visited the inside of the hide. Heat haze made viewing Polly's Pool difficult but a curlew-sandpiper was still present along with a Little Stint and 15 Dunlin.

Today, the Little…

Having been 'off-line' since Monday on returning I find the warden's report of that day too interesting to miss out on.   How did a pair of Avocets manage to move  their three young from Sandgrounders across Marshside Rd to Junction Pool without getting squashed? Its hardly a quite road so was it at dead of night?  As for the rest of Mondays news , there was a male Garganey, 70 Black-tailed Godwits & 45 Dunlin…

Sandgrounder's Hide must be the best place in the UK to watch Avocets.  This morning, volunteer's on duty  reported that 3 Avocets have hatched right in front of of the hide.

Yesterday,  a Cuckoo was seen over the old sandplant being mobbed by Meadow Pipits.

At 6.30 a.m. the warden and a colleague were out surveying Rimmer's Marsh. Highlights; male Garganey, male Whinchat, 2 Wheatears, 4 Sand Martins, loads of Lapwings, 210 Black-tailed Godwits and a remarkable 17 singing Reed warblers.

A Cuckoo heralded the day at the old sandworks and then Sutton's Marsh at 8.30 am then an Osprey flew over Sandgrounders Hide at 11. Probably a migrant heading north but dare one hope it was the one spotted earlier this month staking out the area. These highlights were followed by reports of an Alpine Swift flying over.  Also spotted were 3 Whimbrel, a pair of Garganey on Rimmer's Marsh, 360 Black-tailed Godwits…

An Osprey was seen flying inland over Hesketh Golf Course at 8.25 this morning.

2 curlew sandpipers spotted late  on Polly's Pool. A few bits and bobs about including: 7 Dunlin, a ringed plover, 2 ruffs, a female ruddy duck, hordes of hirundines on Sutton's Marsh and swifts galore on Rimmer's Marsh. Unusual to see three house sparrows feeding around Sandgrounder's Hide and on the mammalian front: weasel, stoat and…

No sign of dowitcher today, yet, but a Wood Sandpiper near Nel's Hide. At Sandgounder's Hide were Reed warbler, Sedge warbler and Wheatear. There were Swallows and at least 25 Swifts. Waterbirds included Tufted duck, Shoveller, Teal, Pintail, Gadwall, and 2 Curlew sandpipers.  A 1st. summer Mediterranean was the only noteworthy gull. Mammals included weasel and hares.

Long-billed Dowitcher at RSPB Marshside again this morning.

Willy ( see photo) and his fellow vigilante Jack have been attracting the attention of local and national media this week. They have been recruited as part of a strategy to protect the eggs and chicks of ground nesting birds such as Lapwing and Avocets from predators such as foxes.  Llamas are highly territorial and are fond of spitting, kicking and neck wrestling all accompanied by a pretty revolting soundtrack which…

A female Montagu's Harrier was seen by a reiable observer flying through the reserve yesterday, a Marsh Harrier and a Spotted Redshank were also recorded

A good start to the day. At  8a.m. along the perimeter of the sandworks  I recorded 27 Linnets, 2 Grey Partridges, 10 Wheatears (4m, 6f), a female Whinchat, a female Merlin and a singing Willow Warbler. Over Crossens outer marsh; a female Marsh Harrier and Raven. Lots…

The last 2 days have witnessed increasing warbler activity.  

On the 27th.10 Whitethroat and 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 male and a female Whinchat, a  Grasshopper Warbler, 5 male and 3 female Wheatears and 14 Greenland-type Wheatears on Wheatear Corner at the corner of the coastroad and Marshside Road, 7 Sedge warbler, 2 Reed warbler, 4 Reed bunting as well as 12 Linnet, 2 Tree Pipits and 3 White wagtail  were recorded…

At 12.45 today, a White Stork was seen by a number of watchers - another first for Marshside? 

Earlier, at 7.45 am, pre heat haze, the warden saw 5 Gannets and four Sandwich Terns offshore, with 170 Sanderling, 600 Grey Plover and 550 Bar-tailed Godwits amongst huge flocks of Knot and Dunlin on Marshside beach.

Later, highlights included a male Redstart on the golf course and 2 newly arrived Swifts (joining 200 Swallows…

Now the wind has moderated its starting to feel like summer here. House and Sand Martins, Swallows and Sedge Warbler and Skylark singing.  Whitethroat, Wheatears, Meadow Pipits and Linnets around the old Sandplant and a dozen Lesser Redpolls fliying north over Hesketh Golf Course, and a Whimbrel calling over Rimmers Marsh.

12 Avocets with 3 on nests and 2 very young Mallard chicks continue the feel but still about 3…

Thanks to the volunteer who spotted a drake Garganey at 7a.m. this morning and was rewarded by 31 Sandmartins passing through, 7 Linnets, a Wren, a Chiffchaff, singing Willow Warbler and Skylarks.

A female Merlin on the saltmarsh was considering breakfast. She had plenty to choose from - about 7000 Knot on the mudflats!

A little migration action at Marshside yesterday; 3 Chiffchafs, 1 Willow Warbler, 6 Wheatear, 2 White Wagtails , 5 Sand Martins, 2 Swallows and 2 House Martins. A male Merlin blasted over Rimmer's marsh late afternoon and 96 Avocets and 12 Ruff fed, rested, displayed & squabbled there. 2050 Golden Plover were in the area (1800 Crossens outer & 250 Rimmer's) - a Peregrine upset most of them

Today, 

Two male and a female Garganey were seen on Rimmer's marsh, from the Junction viewing screen, yesterday afternoon.

Today, 96 Avocets have been counted and migrants seen include six Wheatears, three Chiffchaffs, five Sand Martins, two Swallows, two White Wagtails and 12 Ruff.

A Long-billed Dowitcher (a rare American wading bird) was flushed from Sutton's marsh by the warden erecting electric fencing to protect wader nests at Marshside this morning. It flew off in the direction of Rimmer's marsh with a group of Black-tailed Godwits. Merlin and Sparrowhawk have been een today and migrrant s include Wheatears, Swallows and Sand martins.

A records count of Avocets at Marshside today - a remarkable 94! Hirundines are are busy migrating - 21 Swallows, 12 Sand Martins and one House Martin were counted this morning. Also around the reserve are hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits, with smaller numbers of Golden Plovers and up to 30 Ruff. A Greenshank was seen from Nel's hide yesterday. Several Chiffchaffs are in the local area, five were singing on Hesketh Golf…