Whixall Moss - Highlights

The highlights of two days spent at Whixall Moss this week started with several Stonechat...

Two Marsh Harriers! Only one was close enough...

Plus decent views of the Great Grey Shrike...

Sadly the closest encounter came in the worst of the light...

Venus Pool - Mediterranean Gull

A routine chore at VP is to go through the Gull contingent on arrival! Normally there's nothing of note but this afternoon I struck lucky with a 1st Winter Mediterranean Gull :-)

It was only present a couple of minutes but that's time enough for some action!

Just one or two unfriendly moments as it barged through the Lapwings and pecked a Black-headed Gull!

Then a short flight to the south end of the middle island...

And moments later - it was off...

An obliging flypast heading south...

Med are always welcome here!

Venus Pool - Dunlin x 2

Just two Dunlin present today so I set myself a target of photographing them together...

The first one progressing towards winter plumage..

The second lagging behind a bit, answers to 'spotty'!

Rapidly approaching me!

Picking tasty morsels on the way...

Then worn out by it all, having a bit of a scratch!

Gotta make the most of them. They and other passage waders will soon be 'memories'! 

Venus Pool - Common Scoters

 A miserable start to the day saw torrential rain produce a group of five Common Scoters drop in on the adjacent fishing pool...

Here they are with a male at the head...

The four female / 1st winter birds with similar plumage patterns apart from one paler cheeked less contrasty bird...

Nice find for John Martin!

Venus Pool - Dunlin

There were six Dunlin present today! Five were stand offish, whilst the other one was a little poser, such a shame about the light!

Finding some tasty morsels in the mud!

Then just posing!

Always love to see a ruffle!

Venus Pool - Little Egret (ringed)

There were just two Little Egret present at Venus Pool today and one of them was colour ringed (J6) see colour scheme below. This one rung a bell that I'd seen it before?  An upload it to the BTO and we have a result...

Here's the combination, nicely visible with quite a few keepers!

I'm grateful to Barry Trevis for getting back to me with data! Make your sighting count! Some interesting travels are unveiled.

Ringed in the nest as one of a brood of two on 20 June 2020 on the south island at Verulamium Lake, St Albans, Herts.

 14 July 2020  - seen on the same island having fledged the nest

 7 July 2021 - re-sighted at Fairburn Ings Nature Reserve, near Castleford, West Yorkshire

 24 October 2021 - Venus Pool, Shrewsbury

 17 November 2021 - Venus Pool

 21 November 2021 - Venus Pool

 8 July 2022 - Brockholes Nature Reserve, Preston

 20 October 2022 - Venus Pool (your latest observation)