Cattle Egret & Bittern!!
The change of weather and an influx of birders for the Birdfair brought a flurry of new sightings, at 08.10 Brian Wooley saw a Cattle Egret drop onto the edge of the Mere, it was seen by a few people before disappearing but was seen around lunchtime in flight from UU hide. A Little Egret was also seen later on the reserve.
Another surprise was a Bittern which flew past the Harrier Hide just as the reserve warden was telling a group about how the extension of the reedbed was hopefully going to encourage Bearded Tits and Bitterns! Is this the same bird from this summer or a new winter visitor?
New birds came thick and fast with 2 European White-fronted Geese giving close views feeding on the potatoes with Pink-feet and Whooper Swans from Raines Hide on Top Mere. A Green-winged Teal was seen from United Utilities and a Goldeneye was on the Mere.
A fantastic flock of c600 Black-tailed Godwit were around the Mere and 4 Dunlin were seen from Ron Barker Hide. Among the raptors were a fem/imm Merlin, 4+ Marsh Harrier, a Barn Owl and Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and Kestrel.
Other sightings included a Woodcock flushed near Janet Kear Hide, also a male Bullfinch by Gladstone Hide. The Tawny Owl was in Ivy near the Kingfisher Hide and a Water Rail was seen on the large pond at the start of the Reedbed Walk, also a Kingfisher on the pond as well. And with c750 Whooper Swans and a few thousand Pink-footed Geese in the area all in all a cracking days birding!
