I visited Inner Marsh Farm yesterday to catch up with the elusive Lesser Yellowlegs and combine it with a walk down the Dee shore from Neston. Walking from Neston was quite quiet really, no sign of Cettis Warblers at Neston Sewage Works and Neston Old Quay, however, there was a distant Marsh Harrier on the outer-marsh. Lots of common passerines starting to move through with good numbers of Whitethroats, Chiff-Chaffs, and Willow Warblers. Also good numbers of common butterfly species, with Wall Brown, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Small Tortershell, Peacock, Comma, Green-Veined White all in good numbers. Dragonfly's included Brown Hawkers, Migrant Hawkers, Southern Hawkers, and Common Darters.
The Lesser Yellowlegs showed well on no.2 pool most of the afternoon, and it was interesting to see one in more heavily marked summer plumage compared to winter plumage, it reminded me of Marsh Sandpiper to a certain degree. An adult Hobby (see if you can spot it in the wheres Wally type picture below) performed well for over an hour hunting dragonfly's and then returning to same perch. These are cracking birds and it is great to see them increasing in numbers in the North-West. Not much else at IMF apart from 20+ Little Egrets and 3 Ruff.
IMF really has the potential to become a flagship RSPB reserve with the creation of new scrapes, habitat creation, introduction of sluice gates already in place, and 4 hides, visitor centre and believe it or not toilets, all due to be completed by next spring. Who knows in the future there could be Marsh Harriers and Bitterns breeding there one day!
The Lesser Yellowlegs showed well on no.2 pool most of the afternoon, and it was interesting to see one in more heavily marked summer plumage compared to winter plumage, it reminded me of Marsh Sandpiper to a certain degree. An adult Hobby (see if you can spot it in the wheres Wally type picture below) performed well for over an hour hunting dragonfly's and then returning to same perch. These are cracking birds and it is great to see them increasing in numbers in the North-West. Not much else at IMF apart from 20+ Little Egrets and 3 Ruff.
IMF really has the potential to become a flagship RSPB reserve with the creation of new scrapes, habitat creation, introduction of sluice gates already in place, and 4 hides, visitor centre and believe it or not toilets, all due to be completed by next spring. Who knows in the future there could be Marsh Harriers and Bitterns breeding there one day!
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