Sunday's walk around Marshside

Sorry for the delay in putting this on the blog. The groups last walk of the year is always to RSPB Marshside and we meet at 10.30 on Sunday 7th. We started looking at the outer salt marsh and was greeted with a merlin, then kestrel, I picked out a long distance peregrine and then we added a superb grey male hen harrier!

There had been reports of 2 short eared owls on the marsh but talking to other birders they hadn't seen them although some said that 3pm was their favourite time! It had been a very cold, frosty night and that normally means that birds have to feed quickly and earlier and so we quickly added the short eared owl to are day list.

I used to say that December on the coast can be very Mediterranean and so it turned out as little egrets and then the long stay and wandering glossy ibis flew in. This bird has been around the North West for close to 2years. It reminds me a cormorant with a long stick in its beak!

The wigeon, pintail, teal, mallard, pink feet, canada's, greylags, shoveler, pochard, tufted and ruddy duck made up the waterfowl. It was another good day out at a reserve that needs more hides and heaters!

Chris