Dee Estuary - bits and bobs

An afternoon talk at Ness Gardens gave me a chance to check out a few locations on the Dee estuary during the morning. It didn't exactly go to plan as the Burton marsh Siberian Chiffchaff had gone AWOL during that period and the Great White Egret had melted away. All the decent birds seemed to materialise whilst I was immersed in a talk on Dragonflies and Butterflies - there weren't many of those about either!!

The first of many 'out of county' missions planned for 2014, yielded a few useful early ticks including Pink-footed Goose, plus a small group of Barnacle Goose (keeping themselves apart from everything else), Stonechat and Northern Wheatear...

When the rain came down, I relocated to the decadence of the Burton Mere visitor centre! Worthwhile for a few waders: Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe, Curlew and a big 300+ flock of Dunlin wheeling about over the scrape. Little Egret and Water Rail too - a worthwhile 'shelter'!