A first visit to Burton Mere Wetlands has been on the cards for a long time, and no thanks to Covid, put that and many other reserve visits for us all on a back burner, then, this wonderful weather we're all enduring now we can meet indoors putting yet more locks on life, the weather finally gave a brief bit of respite on Wednesday 19th May 2021!
Whilst working, I was always an early riser, up around 04:00 and now in retirement, I'm still waking the same time, its engrained into my body clock, not that I mind, I like the mornings, and as in this case, the early morning get-up often facilitates an early start.
The morning sky had that air to it, a nice day kinda air, so I was getting ready to make an early dash to Middleton Lakes, but before I did that, I just had to double check the forecast, which showed much of the country was to enjoy a day of respite.
No time to prepare lunch Burton Mere had been shouting about their lovely sarnies, so all I had to do was take a drink, or two, and my debit card....
Not the best of weekdays to make for a last minute planned day out, it is leg care day, so I needed to be home by teatime, or I'd be in trouble, and a three hour drive each way, meant I had to leave around 14:00!
But, it had to be done, it was an open weather window and worth it.
A decent drive up, and not too bad a drive back, but then I know the roads to and from Chester well to avoid motorway driving, being two thirds of my regular route to N Wales.
Burton Mere is very much off the beaten track, and nicely so, and having heard lots of good reports about it, I have been long wanting to visit.
Upon arrival, I checked in, bought one of their nice locally made sarnies, and headed off to explore the reserve, and was taken aback by this almighty beast looming overhead!
It had BELUGA tattooed on the side. And here was me thinking beluga was a whale!
For those who don't know the area, it is quite close to Broughton, where Airbus and BAE Systems make wings for Airbus planes, which are than transported by plane back to the assembly factory, in Toulouse, France. When you look at the plane, it does resemble an airborne beluga whale....
Anyway, back to the reserve, the first pool, Willow Pool, was very much alive with activity, predominantly black headed gulls, but other species were available if you looked.
Following the path round, you pass other smaller pools to your right, and if time permitted, I would liked to have spent time observing them. However, that'll be for another day, hopefully when time permits, or, and the weather....
Following the path, a nice hardcore and suitable for wheelchair users, I continued to the first viewing screen, called Reed Bed Screen, because it looked out on the reed beds, which again, was very active. In fact, all pools were active, there was no shortage of species to view, including black headed gulls....
However, among all the activity, there was a reed warbler, possibly a pair, busy among the reeds.
I'll say at this point, my warbler experiences are very limited, so if I'm wrong, and that goes for any other species, please feel free to correct me, I've still a lot to learn, and I'm very happy to learn.
A solitary mallard drake, seemed very calm and relaxed, though I'd have thought somewhere his mate would be busy looking after the brood.
From there, continuing along the path to the Marsh Covert Hide, a lovely looking hide, nice and spacious and very well set out to enable social distancing comfortably, with fabulous views across the Reed Bed and Bridge Pools.
Again, lots of activity, and this coot particularly caught my eye, and the camera, as it was paddling away with nesting material.
this next photo was clear enough to enable cropping
This visit was one of short stops at the various viewpoints and hides, and I didn't really have the time to give those viewing points the justice they deserved, so it was quickly time to move on again, and this time to the next screen, called Bridge Screen. it may seem a weird name, but actually behind you is a small bridge which takes you yet further around the pools.
Now here I need some guidance on species.
There is no mistaking this next bird, an avocet, of which there were plenty to be seen.
This is where the guidance is needed, I initially thought red shank, but once the legs became visible, they were too dark, so my guess is bar tailed godwit,
Having a good feed...
and a tasty morsel within its beak...
I mentioned a beluga whale earlier, this next one looked almost like a killer whale!
But in miniature....
Of course, it was Mr Tufty, dived just as I was taking his piccie, how antisocial.....
There were lots of female orange tip butterflies around the reserve, and yet I never saw a male!
From the Bridge Screen, it was cross the bridge behind and head round to the new hide, called Inner Marsh Farm Hide, right by a railway line.
From here, lots of activity was observed, avocets, Canada Geese, red shank, avocets, and more, and even black headed gulls would you believe!
A typical avocet pose....
plus lots of avocet activity, though sadly, I never saw in young, though there were some there.
Fancy stirring up the sediment!
Some red shanks were feeding close to the hide.
Around midday, a flock of bar tailed godwits flew in. My guess is the tide as coming in on the nearby Dee Estuary, high tide was around 15:00.
Did I mention there were some black headed gulls on the reserve!
There was a lot of territorial stuff going on....
Be on your way, go on, get orf with ya....
There was some peaceful activity from the black headed gulls.
This one seemed to nose dive into the water, and nothing chasing it either!
While another was getting stuff for some DiY
Mr & Mrs Shelduck were trying to have a peaceful feed.....
and decided to give it a rest for the time being and dry out....
It was time to start heading back to the car, and stopping off at the various screens enroute, hoping for a glimpse of the bittern, which had been quite visible the previous couple of days, but alas, not for me...
But I was treated to yet another sighting of the Beluga!
The Canada Geese family outing....
The house (doubt sand, but happy to be corrected) martins were quite active, but as ever, it was hard to get even a half decent piccie!
And finally, a pintail
Sadly no bittern, which had been quite visible the previous two days, but it was a good day, well, half day, and well worth the shortened trip, and I will definitely be back, hopefully for a longer visit, and next time, to explore the hides and screens I didn't have time for this time.
Linda257 said: ooops nearly missed your jaunt out Mike...that was quite a journey but least you were rewarded with some lovely wildlife and some blue sky! I really could be doing with some blue sky and several days of dry weather as its been bloody miserable for too long!
Thank you Linda.
While it was a good weather break that day, the following two days made up for it, with winds and rain!
The better weather is on the way, even for those up north.