I did the rounds on Saturday and whilst the cast at Shotton Pools was pretty much unchanged, Connah’s Quay is starting to produce some interesting birds.
Close scrutiny of the Wagtails on the Ash Pool produced a couple of juvenile Yellows amongst the throngs of Pied and a single juvenile Wheatear dropped in too for a few minutes before mysteriously vanishing.
There seems to be plenty more vegetation on the reserve this autumn, with the stately Teasel legion – much to the delight of the local Greenfinches and Bumblebees.
Plenty of Ragwort too, with tens of Gatekeepers filling their boots; in fact many flutterbuys were on the wing including Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Small Heath and Red Admiral.
Oakenholt Marsh was dominated by the increasing Canada Geese and the hundreds of Black-headed Gulls are still holding sway on the mudflats although wader numbers are building.
Notable shorebirds included a couple of Common Sandpipers and a brace of Spotted Redshanks, but Greenshanks were conspicuous by their absence – just one on the Bunded Pools, although a punter earlier in the week had recorded twenty-four!
More migratory waders in the shape of a pair of Green Sandpipers were on the reservoir at Shotton Pools that also contained a rather bedraggled looking Kingfisher.
Quite a few Warblers were skulking around the fruiting shrubs and bushes, but all kept discreetly from view with the exception of a Garden Warbler.
Ace Cetti-hunter Denzil had one of the aforementioned here a couple of weeks ago too, but if it was still on the manor it effortlessly gave me the slip.
Until later.
Hi Paul
ReplyDeleteI haven't managed to find the Cetti's myself since either.
I presume the Garden Warbler was in the area to the left of the Hide where the brambles are,because it was there that I recorded it for several day's in succession along with the Cetti's.
I was at Shotton yesterday........in fact I'm there most day's at some stage,but the best that I could manage was a Kingfisher on the Pond Dipping pool,a sparrowhawk,and a single Common Sandpiper on the dry pool,but no Greens.
I had a cracking day on the 2nd of August though,with a Water Rail and a Green Sand on the reserve,and then 7 Common Sands,5 Stonechats(Family) and a Grasshopper Warbler on the estuary and public footpath.
Interestingly I visited Inner Marsh Farm the other day which was disappointingly quiet,but the walk along the road to Burton Point was excellent with Kestrels,Warblers,Ravens,Egrets and Buntings in very good numbers.
I would like to say though,that although that particular day was pretty uneventful on the reserve itself,I do think that when they open up the new reserve eventually,it looks as if it's going to be a brilliant place to visit.
Cheers Denzil