The RSPB Liverpool Local Group

Sun. 13th Jan..............Wirral.

Day out with Ann (Tommo), Seema and MNA.

Great day out started with 40-50 waxwings at the entrance to Wallasey tunnel. Unfortunately couldn't stop, so only a guestimate to numbers.

Next stop was New Brighton marine lake........turnstone, purple sandpiper (4), dunlin and redshank on pontoons.
Stopped to check gulls in New Brighton dips.......straight away picked out adult winter mediterranean gull only 20m from car.

Then on to Hoylake/ Kings Gap for the high tide at 12.00...........fantastic views of wader roost, as close as 20m away on the beach......over 20,000 knot, dunlin and sanderling, a few grey plover (3), ..........loads of birdwatchers, photographers all very well behaved for what is a truly fantastic spectacle............the noise when the birds lifted off occasionally was awesome!

Quick stop at West Kirby marine lake.............goldeneye (m), and red breasted merganser (m & f).

On to Parkgate, Old baths where we met up with MNA...... who had been for a leisurely lunch in nearby hostelry...........little egret, great white egret, sparrowhawk(f), merlin(f),  buzzard, peregrine, short eared owl, reed bunting, snipe, jay, redwing, linnet, great spotted woodpecker, goldcrest,.............. also male hen harrier seen earlier by MNA.

A good day out and 11 new birds for the year.                                                       Sean.