Today I made another visit to the Wirral area. The beaches around Hoylake were almost devoid of birds for the rising Spring tide to bring them close so plan B was enacted to visit the RSPB Reserve at Burton Mere. The hides are now all open with SD and mask-wearing necessary. During the lockdown the West Marsh hide has been completely rebuilt and now affords an excellent view across the whole reserve. Here are some images from the visit.
In my defence it was a long way away and Bridge cameras are not great at isolating flying birds against a 'busy' background. The highlight of the trip – a Bittern with a shouting Black-headed Gull in hot pursuit while an even further distanced Canada Goose wonders what all the fuss is about.
Two species of wader were particularly evident. Avocets have bred here for a number of years and there were more this year than I can recall. There were plenty of young around, all too distant for photos. The adults were more obliging.
Another.
How to stand on one leg.
One on final approach.
The occasional spat!
The other wader here in some number was Black-tailed Godwit. It does not breed here and these are all likely non-breeding birds. The one in the bottom centre is a male: in full breeding plumage the orange-rufous covers the face, neck, chest and all the belly. The bird bottom left is more typical of a female in breeding plumage.
Two immatures, one preparing for splash-down.
Male in front: female behind.
A male on his own
A contrast in plumage and bill-shapes between these two species of wader.
It was not all waders. This Sedge Warbler was sitting up singing. Six other species of warbler were present but staying hidden as they got on with the business of raising their families.
I think this is a caterpillar of The Drinker moth (
Euthrix potatoria). Hairy caterpillars are the favourite food of Cuckoos that seem impervious to the irritant effect of those hairs. Sadly no Cuckoo was heard or seen.
On this Dandelion we have a Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum), two male Swollen-thighed Beetles (
Oedemera nobilis) and many small flies I cannot begin to identify.
I christened this spider 'Boardwalk Spider'. There we a number all along the edge of the boardwalk and as you approached they scuttled over the edge and returned as soon as you passed.
On the way home there was time for quick visit to the Chocks Away cafe at Hawarden airfield to indulge in my other hobby of aircraft-spotting. Here is one of the 'old' Airbus Belugas leaving with some more Airbus wings inside. All Airbus wings are made at Hawarden, just in Wales. Wings are bulky rather than heavy. There were five of these Belugas, converted Airbus A300s. They are being replaced by new even larger aircraft – the Beluga XL, based on the latest Airbus A330 technology.
Folding its wheels up it is up, up and away!
(Ed Wilson)
