Return of the Blackwits - 23 July 2012

The north bank of the River Mersey at Pickerings Pasture can be a special place at times and on this fine, sunny morning it was spectacular.

The view that greeted us as we parked up was a sandbank full of colourful Black-tailed Godwits (200+) that had just arrived back from their Icelandic breeding grounds. Restless and flighty at times but what a joy it is to see these birds take flight in large numbers and then experience them thundering over-head.

The Blackwits were the star attraction but there were plenty of Redshank and Lapwing too. And we even found a Common Sandpiper at the Ditton Brook confluence.

Black-tailed Godwit returning from Iceland

Common Centaury on the north bank of the Mersey