FoPL Readers Corner: Wirral

Today there was a forecast high Spring tide so I made another visit to the Wirral to see, primarily waders, forced off the Dee Estuary by high water.

A quick visit to RSPB Burton Mere to hear about the latest sighting produced a few worthwhile images. One of the area's winter specialities is flocks of Pink-footed Geese. Smaller than Canada Geese with dark heads and necks, a small dark bill and pale forewing. They have very distinctive calls.

Here in front of the Lapwings are a group of four Dunlin, one showing some dark on the belly that they acquire in the breeding season. The other waders are Redshanks. We will see both Dunlin and Redshank later.

On the left here is the only Black-tailed Godwit of the trip – these are never seen at the mouth of the Estuary where the similar Bar-tailed Godwit is more common. The two-tone, long and straight bill identifies it.

No mistaking a regal Curlew.

Moving quickly on to Parkgate where the highest tides cover the whole marsh and some spectacular bird-watching can be had. Sadly the published height figure was depressed by the high pressure and was further reduced by the albeit light easterly wind preventing any tidal surge. So these Pink-footed Geese were some of the rather few birds seen.

A head-on view of a Curlew.

Distantly over the marsh a few Marsh Harriers were looking to pounce on mice or voles escaping from the deeper channels being inundated by the incoming tide. I could not make out what this individual was trailing from one of its legs.

This is a rather closer Marsh Harrier. It can be identified as an adult male by the pale grey area in the upper wing.

A different adult Marsh Harrier. Note the small feather in the middle of the wing leading edge. This is called the alula. It helps birds to manoeuvre at very low speed. Aircraft have leading-edge slats on their wings for similar reasons.

The upper wing pattern is seen rather better in a head-down view as it scans for play.

The head is visible here.

A glimpse of the under wing.

Last photo of him. Just about the closest view I have had here.

There are always plenty of egrets around. Here is a Great White Egret with its distinctive yellow bill.

It was off to Hoylake to see 'Wirral's Wonderful Waders', as the diorama calls the views possible. Just a small selection of the massed ranks. Oystercatchers in front of Dunlin; with Knots and Grey Plover at the back. We will see some of these more closely later.

Count them! The local expert estimated 22500 Dunlin, 13000 Knots and 500 Grey Plover. He did not count the hundreds of Oystercatchers or the smaller number of Sanderlings and Ringed Plovers.

Spectacular. Mainly Dunlin apparently.

What my doctor calls my 'benign essential tremor' does not make this short video easy to watch. I was also a bit excited with the spectacle.

This swirling mass probably comprises Knots.

Another short clip. Note the gulls in the foreground: mainly Common Gulls.

A group of Oystercatchers disperse over feeding Dunlin.

A single Oystercatcher flies out...

.. and back! Note the minimal clearance between the wing-tip and the water. Note also how the white wing bar actually fades away rather than stopping short of the tip. White on the chin of this bird indicates it is a first winter bird.