April 22nd, Kestrel at Marshside
Another very fleeting visit with Django, the dog, tonight. Little to photograph except the resident Kestrel once again, who poses for me very readily. I think he has one eye on Django as a likely snack. The midges had similar thoughts about me.
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21st April, Marshside: Whinchat
My mooching around the house all day, being off work sick, was clearly too much for the family, who persuaded me that a bit of fresh air would do me good, and dumped me and the dog at the end of Marshside Road some time after 6pm. Rumours of a Great White Egret having flown over at 5pm were quickly scotched by a phone call, which also advised that the Spotted Redshank was still viewable from Nel’s at the time it was locked up, and sure enough it was ‘scopable even from Junction Pool but a photo was out of the question. So the highlight of this short visit was this Whinchat. Having seen, but failed to get a decent image of, the bird in the sandplant on Saturday, this one was at least eventually sufficiently obliging for me to get these record shots. A probable Tree Pipit flew over the sandplant, which had plenty of Wheatear around.
Kestrel at Marshside
Easter Monday, from the bench at the Marshside Rd junction.
More from Jason …
A few more from Jason’s Flickr collection, starting with a stunning Skylark at Meols on the Wirral last weekend.
This Snow Bunting was at Red Rocks in February 2008
Curlew Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper, originally uploaded by simonglinn.
From October 2006, not the bird that was on Rimmer’s Marsh earlier this week but similar plumage and photographed in precisely the same location. Photos cropped from original taken with a Coolpix 995, no other processing.
First wheatear of the year, and hardcore avocet action
Just an hour at the marsh to clear my head today. I saw three Wheatear round the sandplant – some were reported yesterday on http://www.marshsidebirders.com so these were the first for me this year, but not for the site. Merlin perched up on Crossens outer late on as the light was going, and avocets hard at it in their attempt to take over North Meols. The light had gone by the time the Merlin fulfilled all our wishes, swooping down to tear the avocets to shreds. We can dream …
Northern Wheatear at Marshside
Black-tailed Godwits
From Sandgrounders Hide at Marshside today, this Black-tailed Godwit posed nicely ~
Garganey at Marshside
GARGANEY, originally uploaded by simonglinn.
This was taken a couple of years or so ago, when a pair of drake Garganey – a relatively scarce UK duck – spent a few months at Marshside in the spring. Photo from Nels Hide, on an old Coolpix 995, through the ‘scope.
Black Redstart at Llobregat
Black Redstart 01, originally uploaded by simonglinn.
Just a test of how photoblogging might work for me …
Digiscoped on my usual set up – p5100 through Swarovski ATS80HD ‘scope, Llobregat delta – other side of the airport to the Filipines Nature Reserve, near the mouth of the river, 1st March 2009
Welcome …
This blog originally had a grand purpose for birding around Marshside and beyond. The map and info Pages section is still useful for that, but for rolling news of sightings and general discussion that purpose has perhaps been overtaken by the ease of use of other web developments, and I’d particularly recommend taking a look at the Ribble Estuary Nature Facebook Group.
These pages are now a repository for me to share photos and videos of my birding in and around Merseyside and occasionally further afield, and to provide me with an outlet for the occasional rant. You’ll find digiscoped photos and videos with a bit of reportage as the main posts; some useful birding info and resources are in the static Pages section.
Short form url: http://ow.ly/3b5PK
For other, more regular, blogs I recommend that everyone keeps a daily eye on John Dempsey’s Birdblog – probably the best online birding journal in the world (Theakston’s Best please, John …) as well as other local blogs of which there are links below. Of these, Colin Bushell’s Ribble to Amazon is currently the most regularly and enthusiatically updated and carries most useful information.
Comments & Sightings
jstannage on Discussion Frank Whitney on Latest Sightings Simon Glinn on Moore and Pennington Flas… Roger John LITTLE on Moore and Pennington Flas… phil boardman on Latest Sightings Simon Glinn on Latest Sightings Simon Glinn on Latest Sightings Simon Glinn on Latest Sightings Frank Whitney on Latest Sightings Frank Whitney on Latest Sightings
Blogroll
- Another Place ~ Pete Kinsella
- Bill Aspin ~ Brockholes
- Brockholes Sightings Facebook
- Colin Bushell’s Blog
- Dave Bickerton’s Blog
- Dee Estuary Sightings
- Hilbre Island Blog
- Manchester Sightings
- Martin Mere Sightings
- Menzie Birding
- Mike Watson ~ E. Lancs
- Moore N.R. Sightings
- North Wales Sightings
- Paul Shenton ~ Flintshire
- South Liverpool Birder
- St Helens Sightings
- Steve Tomlinson
- Tony Conway ~ Seaforth
- Wirral Birder
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