Patch stuff.

Corn Bunting, Hesketh Out Marsh 25 March 2012.

 This week has seen winter turn to spring on the Solway and on the Ribble. Indeed it seemed as if we'd skipped spring and leapt straight into summer this weekend. The Solway Barnacle Geese were still present in good numbers last Wednesday though, in fact I watched a couple of thousand lifting off the fields at Loaningfoot to their roost on the Solway merse last Wednesday (21st). The Red-breasted Goose was still with them, on a day I recorded my first Wheatear of the year near Creetown.

Marshside RSPB from the Hesketh Road platform yesterday.

 I was back on the local patch on Friday (23rd), but as is often the case at this time of year, it was a little quiet. Avocets have moved in over the last few weeks with 18 on the salt marsh but apart from a flock of 20 Golden Plovers there was little at Hesketh Out Marsh to write about. A pair of Tufted Ducks on the pond near the public footpath seawall are a bit of a HOM rarity though.

Black-tailed Godwit on Crossens Inner Marsh, 24 March 2012.

 A walk around Marshside yesterday produced the usual variety of waders and wildfowl including some nice flocks of Golden Plover (400+), Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets and a few Ruff. There were at least 12 Chiffchaffs around the reserve perimeter.

Ribble Estuary NNR near the confluence with the River Douglas today.

Corn Buntings at Hesketh Out Marsh East this afternoon.

 Warm weather, clear skies and sun on a weekend mean lots of people so I headed down to the Douglas this afternoon for a look across Longton and Hutton Marshes on the Ribble Estuary. There are still 16 Whooper Swans out there and a few Oystercatchers were in flocks on the marsh. Single Little Egret and Peregrine on a log made for pleasant, if unspectacular patch birding.

I was chuffed to find 4 Corn Buntings this afternoon though. The South Ribble marshes of the inner estuary are pretty good for them but they've been a bit elusive of late. Cracking birds.