Blue-winged Teal and Great White Egret, Marshside

A last minute descision to abort a visit to Ingleton due to the weather, resulted in us taking a detour to Marshside at Southport, with amazing results. We arrived just on high tide, which was about 9.5m and walked down the old sand winning track to the sea. There were lots of waders on the track itself, including Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Knot, and then most surprisingly there was a Great White Egret on the edge of the tideline at quite close range. It flew over the marsh and joined a group of 13 Little Egrets.

Then we made our way to Nel's hide, where there was a pale, sandy looking female Red-crested Pochard, and from there we went back to Junction Pool and discovered that a Blue-winged Teal had just been found. In the five minutes or so that I watched it, I saw it's blue wing, yellow legs and the pale spot at the base of the bill.

Also today, a couple of hundred Pink-feet and a Wheatear.


Spot the Blue-winged Teal. It's the bird on the left with the pale spot near its bill. The other ducks are Shoveler. There maybe more, click to find out >>>