Sink or Swim

Another trip to Parkgate for one of the highest tides this year did not fail to impress, with Hen Harrier, Short eared Owls, Water Rails, Pinkfooted Geese, Merlin and Voles, Shrews and Doormouse, to list but a few.
So in an attempt to record as much as possible I arrived early as the crowds were going to be huge, it was overcast and the wind dropped the temperature a lot, it did abate thankfully as it was cold only 3 degrees c. so here are a few of what was on offer.

Doormouse trying to keep dry



Climbing higher

Grey Heron

 

The only Hen Harrier of the day.

Jack Snipe

Merlin

Sprucing up.

A quick check.

Re-organise the feathers

Final check before the off.

Getting water logged.

Smaller floating areas.

Pink Footed Geese leaving the marsh.

 The people continued to grow in numbers, birders and the inquisitive alike spent time observing the tide rushing in over the marsh forcing the rodents to run or swim for safety only to hit the wall and hang on for life, the spectacle was soon over as the flood waters started to drop. A good tide and I will be sure to be there for the next spring tides.

 

Cheers

Paul

A foggy day at the seaside and Brrr!

An American visitor, an Owl with long ears! Snow Buntings on holiday? and a Purple Sandpiper, sporting not a lot of purple!.
With the weather starting with thick fog set to lift around 09:00 it was a start at Burton Mere Cheshire arriving at just before reserve opening, to avoid the crowds and noisy birders!! for the first Bird of the day, the Long eared Owl.

A real corker but so difficult to photograph as it sat in the middle of a Hawthorn bush, in the shadows and blending in so beautifully these shots were not easy to get at all.

 

It was not possible to get physically closer so the Tele-convertor was fitted to the 600mm , which made things a wee bit more difficult to work with.

And so it was onwards to New Brighton for some Laughing Gull Shots,  it was a real pea souper here with visibility down to maybe thirty feet at times and with no prospect of it lifting.

But the Gull was pleasing the crowds not just having a kip. The last one I had managed to catch was some years ago at Porthmadog.

 

With the tide raising the

Turnstones had moved on to the pontoons and were enjoying the bread thrown for the Gulls.

 

And the Purple Sandpiper.

 

A good day out with some nice Birds had,

It was cold but nothing too bad if you could stay out of the wind.

Oh! Snow Buntings? well yes seen but this time no photographs were taken.

 

So with more from the other day to process, thanks for dropping in and we hope to see you again soon.

Paul