Hobby 2
Hen Harrier 1
Greenshank 2
We arrived at Marshside to discover that yesterdays Long-billed Dowitcher had not been relocated by 10am, and with the Southport airshow threatening to disturb every bird in the area, it seemed that we were unlikely to connect with the American wader today. We were just about to walk down to Nels hide, when a text from a friend had us dashing back to the car – the dowitcher had been relocated at Inner Marsh Farm on the Dee.
Ninety minutes later we were in the hide watching the bird. It was a well marked juvenile, with a distinct supercillium. It’s 10 years since I saw my last dowitcher, and I had forgotten how small they are compared to the nearby Black-tailed Godwits. In fact it was nearer to Snipe size.
The supporting cast was excellent, with two Hobbies spectacularly hawking for dragonflies over the marsh, at times quite close, and a ringtail Hen-Harrier occasionally scattering the Lapwings right in front of the hide.
Long-billed Dowitcher Year 217
Long-billed Dowitcher
Stoat
No comments:
Post a Comment