The warden saw a Snow Bunting take off from the new saltmarsh at high tide today and head off high towards Southport.
Another birder listed 15 -20 Whooper Swans with 6 Mute Swans mingling.
There were 300+ Pink-footed Geese, 50+ Wigeon, 70+ Mallard, 700+ Teal, 4 Tufted Duck and a Pintail. 6 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 900+ Lapwing, 195 Golden Plover, 12 Grey Plover, 4 Ruff, a Greenshank, 7 Dunlin, 30+ Snipe (undoubtedly more present), 150+ Skylarks, 50+ Starlings, 1 Grey Wagtail, 40+ Meadow Pipits, 4 Tree Sparrow, 4 Reed Buntings and 30 Fieldfare heading east. Also 6 Grey Partridge and a single Black-tailed Godwit.
Raptors included 5 Buzzard, 3 Merlin, a Peregrine, 2 Sparrowhawks and 7 Kestrels.
Although outside the HOM recording area around the River Douglas, Fieldfares were everywhere! An estimated 1200 in four flocks plus 4 Redwings and a single Brambling there too.
Helped along by a blustery northerly 5 Whooper Swans have arrived on the reserve. Also present this morning were 2 Grey Plover, 50 Golden Plover, 600+ Lapwing, 1 Ringed Plover, Greenshank, Peregrine, a Sparrow-hawk, 7 Kestrel, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 6 Reed Buntings and 5 Grey Partridge.
Sorry this report is a little late but perhaps to be extended later.
Early Thursday morning from a border reported 11 Fieldfare, 3 Bramblings, 41 Jackdaws (a flock of 37), 7 Chaffinch, 14 Greenfinch, 4 Siskin, 385 Starlings and a Song Thrush all heading up river. On the reserve - Goldcrest and Brambling in aa hedge, 2 Corn Buntings, 18 Long-tailed Tits, a Merlin, male Sparrowhawk, 2 Marsh Harriers, a Scaup, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, a Ruff, Greenshank, Grey Plover, 15 Golden Plover, 4 Grey Partridge and 100's of Skylarks.
Yesterday evening a Great White Egret was spotted 200m west of viewing area, and about 30 Little Egrets heading upriver. Also 2 Marsh Harriers (an adult and a juvenile ), Sparrowhawk, Merlin, Peregrine, Buzzard, 3 Kestrels, Barn Owl, 80 Mallards, 900 Teal, 1300 Lapwings, 4 Ruff, a Kingfisher piping in the ditch near the car park, 18 Tree Sparrows & 850 Starlings. Several Pipistrelles around the farm house on the edge of darkness. All on an evening following a spectacular sunset.
An almost verbatim report from one of our watchers -
At 5.05 pm yesterday evening the reserve was bathed in glorious sunshine and some interesting birds were to be seen. 5 Grey Plover, 1 Greenshank and 13 Redshank on the main lagoon plus a tight Teal flock of >150 birds, 3 Little Egrets and 1 GREAT WHITE EGRET flew past towards Banks. There were 2 late Swallows and 2 lost Jays by the car park and a Grey Wagtail coasted over.