Five Miles Of Mersey Mud - 14 April 2013

WeBS Log 4/13

Conditions:
Rain carried in strong north-westerly wind
Temperature: 14ºc
Visibility: Fair

High Tide:
Level: 8.7m (Chart Datum)
Time:  14:18 BST

The photo is included as reminder of some of the tranquil, sunny days that I enjoyed during the winter WeBS counts. Lately, count days seem to attract the worst of the weather and today was particularly bad at Oglet Shore, where I had no other option but to walk 1.5 miles east to west and directly into the driving rain.

My numbers were well down with Dunlin certainly having moved on by now, and Curlew probably flocked up on the Hale farmland as they prepared to leave. On a positive note, I still had 239 Redshank and the 45 Oystercatcher was a good number.

Five Miles of Mersey Mud - 11 March 2013

I walked my Mersey Estuary patch today and with a temperature of -4ºc with easterly wind-chill factor, it was no wonder that my high-water numbers were lower than normal on the 5 miles of shoreline from Garston through to Hale Head.

However, I still had 1,000+ birds and picking out 5 Twite near to the sailing club proved to be a real warmer.

Here are the numbers:

Ringed Plover - one of nine east of Garston Dock

3,000 Mud-lovers - 19 February 2013

Today I did a low tide count on the Mersey shore-line between Garston Dock and Oglet Bay and found 3,000+ birds (not counting the many gulls). Early fog made counting quite difficult but it soon lifted, leaving a pleasant spring(ish) morning. Here are the numbers:

• Black-tailed Godwit (17)
• Buzzard (1)
• Canada Goose (2)
• Cormorant (1)
• Curlew (76)
• Dunlin (1,337)
• Grey Heron (1)
• Kestrel (1)
• Lapwing (75)
• Mallard (217)
• Oystercatcher (352)
• Raven (1)
• Redshank (461)
• Ringed Plover (14)
• Shelduck (212)
• Teal (248)
• Great Spotted Woodpecker (1)
• Green Woodpecker (1)

Also, a few hundred gulls, 50 Goldfinch, 200+ Woodpigeon, 100+ Crows, 10 Stock Dove, plus a few of Dunnock, Wren, Song Thrush and Reed Bunting.

OK it's not a fantastic species count, I know, but I won't grumble at seeing over 3,000 birds on my doorstep. Mersey magic!

Thank-you PK for helping at Oglet.

Oystercatchers on Garston Shore