Sunday 19 April 2009

Mere Sands Wood and Martin Mere - 17th April 2009

Mere Sands Wood
Highlights at this sight:- Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra curvirostra 'heard' over conifers but was not seen. 3 Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret singing around the reserve, 25+ Siskin Carduelis spinus, numerous Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita, Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus and Blackcap Sylvia articapilla singing. Also me and my uncle had an extreme close encounter with a Roe Deer which walked across a whole field and came within about 5 meters of us!

At Martin mere, a few Year Ticks were added - Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus (from Ron Barker) and 81 Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta. In the Captive area, I observed some of the more regular species that would never allow you good enough views to observe certain aspects of their behavior - Smew, Lesser Scaup, Ferruginous Duck, and the above Mandarin.

We walked back to Burscough Jn train station from Martin Mere stopping off enroute at the Western end of Curlew Lane. Here I observed my second ever Blue Headed Wagtail Moticilla flava flava - the nominate form of Yellow Wagtail. I would have liked to have seen the bird with Yellow Wagtails Moticilla flava flavissima to compare the two but this was not possible. I did however see the bird with c20 White Wagtail Moticilla alba alba

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