Barnacle Geese from the Avenue Tower Hide, Caerlaverock WWT. Back in the UK again at the end of a long guiding season. A couple of months back in the office but not before a bit of winter birding locally and even a bit further afield. I arrived back on Sunday 9th December so the next day Mrs. B. and I popped out to Martin Mere WWT for the day. The reserve was heaving with people (unusual on a Monday outside the school hols), probably because the weather had been so rubbish recently and we had a fine crisp winter's day. The day was a bit flat in truth with nothing special seen, but we enjoyed our day out nevertheless.
Caerlaverock WWT from the Farmhouse Tower.
On 12th I drove up to the Solway, spending the day in the Caerlaverock area. I started birding at dawn n the Nith Estuary watching stacks of Barnacle Geese leaving the roost on the merse and feeding in the fields next to the road. A couple of Crossbills overhead were the most noteworthy birds however.
I walked into Castle Wood on the National Nature Reserve where a nice bird flock included Nuthatches, Treecreepers and best of all a couple of Willow Tits. I spent some time scanning the gorse scrub as I had a Great Grey Shrike here a few years ago and there's been a few about this winter, but no luck. A couple of Ravens were out on the marsh.The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve had the usual large numbers of Barnacle Geese, but no sign of the Red-breasted Goose unfortunately. It seems that this bird has now moved south into Cumbria anyway. Plent of Lapwings and Golden Plovers near the Avenue Tower hide in the afternoon but no Pec' Sand' with them so maybe that's moved on too.
The Nith Estuary at Glencaple looking west towards Criffel.
The news of a Cattle Egret at Martin Mere at dusk on Friday raised hopes of a good start to the weekend. However my poor record for connecting with local rarities didn't fill me with optimism. I arrived in the Mere area early and started to scan nearby fields in case the bird left the reserve early. A pair of Marsh Hariers, a Merlin, Sparrowhawk and some Pink-feet were nice but a text from Andy Bunting (the finder of the egret) gave me the news I was half expecting - "no sign so far". Despite this I spent a very pleasant morning in the grounds watching a couple of Peregrines, a single Bewick's Swan in the hordes of Whoopers and some great views of Kingfisher too. A smart (but of dubious origin) adult Red-breasted Goose in with the feral Barnacles reminded me just how nice the one on the Solway must've been!
Martin Mere WWT.
Saturday afternoon was spent on the North Ribble Marshes at Newton Marsh (Corn Buntings) and Warton Bank where the Glossy Ibis was seen with 9 Little Egrets and 4 Whooper Swans. The Freckleton Naze Pool Little Eget roost was disappointing with just 6 birds seen.
Hopefully the winter's birding will improve.
