Hugh’s News – 15 October 2020

Just when things seemed to be going in the right direction with Covid, we have had a set-back.  Hopefully this situation will not last too long.

There is definitely an autumnal feel to the weather now – I had a frost on the car windscreen last Sunday!  This change in conditions is starting to show in the birds we might see, as the breeding migrants continue to depart and the winter birds arrive.  Pink-footed Geese numbers rise daily with at least a couple of thousand already present on the marshes.  I have not managed to catch a good photo of a skein flying overhead in that classic V formation, so my challenge to all you photographers is to try to obtain one for inclusion in the next Hugh’s News!

I keep mentioning Egrets in these posts, as they often provide interesting stories and photo opportunities.  By coincidence, I have three separate items on Egrets this time.

Bill took a nice illustrative photo that shows the size difference between Little Egret and Great White Egret.

Margaret saw lots of Little Egrets off Meols prom, seemingly sunbathing she thinks! But on the way to West Kirby there was a lonesome one who kept popping up from the sand dunes!  It eventually took off in the direction of Heswall.

Great Egrets have quickly become part of the furniture on the Dee Estuary in recent years, but a whopping 39 were counted flying into the roost at the heronry at Burton last week!

I saw one Great White Egret catch and eat a fish in the reed bed, a regular spot for seeing them. Does anyone recognise the fish species?

Finally, the number of Cattle Egrets has built up to 10.

This week I gave a talk to children at Great Meols Primary School, on birds and the environment.  They were very attentive, and I was pleasantly surprised by their knowledge.  Arguably a better behaved audience than at WBC!  It was a pleasure to help one of our local schools, and maybe inspire a few of the pupils to further an interest in birds, wildlife and nature.

Following up on progress with the new hide at Burton Mere that we donated to, the new boardwalk has been installed that will bypass the steep steps, and work is now beginning on preparing the ground for the hide itself. It is hoped to open the hide in November.

Keep smiling, stay safe.

Hugh Stewart