With nothing much doing at Connah’s Quay – apart from an ingenious Song Thrush rooting out snails from down a rabbit hole – and the onset of hyperthermia a distinct possibility, Stan Skelton and I decided to call it a day and use the last half an hour of good light to run the rule over Shotwick Boating Lake.Just before leaving a quick scan across White Sands revealed good numbers of Whooper Swans and a family of six Bewick’s Swans being shunted around the marsh by the wildfowlers, plus a ringtail Hen Harrier and a pair of tussling Short-eared Owls.
No sign of any significant numbers of Twite this winter and Stan suggested that it may be a good idea to seed an area near the West Hide – especially given the success of a similar project in North Wales. Perhaps this could coax the Twite out of exile and even tempt a Black Redstart or Snow Bunting…
When we arrived at the Boating Lake it seemed to be playing host to the Inner Marsh Farm crowd with good numbers of Wigeon, Shoveler and Mallard on the water -presumably forced over here by the frozen pools at the adjacent RSPB reserve.
A pair of Scaup was a good find and other interesting wildfowl included a female Goldeneye and most surprising of all a drake Common Scoter. As with most areas on the Welsh side of the estuary, the lake is probably under-watched – especially on calm winter’s days when the lack of wind and plummeting temperatures deter disturbance by the sailing club members.
There was also plenty of activity in the surrounding stubble fields with good numbers of Pied Wagtails, Skylarks, various Thrushes and a flock of circa 100 Linnet.
Until later.
5 comments:
I've read about the successful seeding on the north wales bird forum and decided to do some myself in Flint as you might have read. Hoping the rocky part I'm seeding will attract good numbers of birds, I may carry on through the year after finding a good deal on bird seed in jollys petfood.
If your at all interested in the spot I've been seeding in flint ( already showing reed buntings feeding) I can pass u on the location. I'd rather not tell everyone as I'd rather not disturb the birds too much.
Ash
If you could e-mail me the location of the seeding area, that would be great (pdshenton@yahoo.co.uk)
You are correct in keeping it discreet, especially considering the verbal dust-ups near Rhos Point!!
And yes I do mean Prestatyn to Flint in one go!
Paul.
Wow rather you than me! I think I'd have to camp over half way for that one! I did see the fuss about it, quite silly really. I'll try and send u a map or something similar, probably easier than directions from me.
Ash
Hi Paul,
FYI
My Sunday birdwatching tally:-
Inner Marsh Farm:-
25 x Siskin
2 x Bullfinch (male & female)
2 x Common Snipe (flying)
1 x Pheasant
50+ Linnet with gold and green finches (top field)
1 x Colin Wells (very talkative!!!) with helper (think her name was Rhianne)
Burton Point:-
1 x Common Buzzard
1 x Snipe (flying)
1 x Heron
1 x Redwing
4 x Reed Bunting
2 x Song Thrushes
1 x Guy named Phil who was on a mountain bike and lived somewhere by the Harp Inn.
By the Barn opposite the hide @ Inner Marsh Farm:-
10+ Yellowhammers
100+ Chaffinches
50+ Linnet
2 x Blue Tits
2 x Great Tits
1 x small (1st year) fox
5 x Redwing
4 x Reed Buntings
1000+ Jackdaws
500+ Rooks
1 x Common Buzzard
1 x unidentified bird in the stream
with a white rump.(the size of a wheatear!!!)
Leasowe:-
Nowt except 3 x Herring Gulls
By Red Rocks (tide was in):-
110 x Pale Bellied Brent geese
300 x Knot
6 x Sanderling
20 x Dunlin
20 x Comorants flying
3 x Carrion Crows
West Kirby Marine lake:-
1 x Shag
10+ Turnstones
Parkgate:-
2 x Ring tailed Hen Harrier
Not bad for 1 day!!
Keith
A very productive day Keith - I wonder how many Wheatears do winter in the UK, there must be the odd one from time to time.
Paul.
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