Friday 3rd October 2014

That Pectoral Sandpiper is still here on Saltholme West Pool, and giving good views from Saltholme Hide. The Great White Egret is also still around, but tending to spend more time on Cowpen Marsh than the main site. There are also a pair of Scaup on Cowpen. Dorman's Pool continues to hold good numbers of waders with 239 Dunlin counted yesterday, 3 Ruff and a couple of Little Stint. On the main site, we had a Whimbrel, 35 Black Tailed Godwit and 2 Green Sandpipers yesterday. Both Marsh Harrier and Merlin are currently seen daily. Interestingly, this week we have been removing vegetation from Saltholme and Paddy's Islands, and found Wood Mice and Bank Voles living on them, prompting much speculation about how they may have got there. As the dry weather has continued, Hedgehogs are now regularly seen out and about during the day, particularly under the bird feeders, attempting to replace a worm and mollusc diet with one of bird seeds. If you have Hedgehogs in your garden, don't give them bread or milk as it is bad for them - but they do like puppy food !