Owls and Stonechats!

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 Owls and Stonechats



​We started the day at 11:10am with a visit to the Discovery Hide but didn't see much other than the usual winter waterfowl. We then ventured on the long path to the Ron Barker Hide. We arrived at the hide and first viewed the ground floor before heading upstairs. There were many Greylag Geese, Northern Lapwing and Common Shelduck in the lake as well as a few Little Grebes in a nearby ditch filled with water. I then arrived at the second floor, which serves as a higher viewing platform for the lake. There were two people talking about a European Stonechat they'd seen. Since I'd never seen a European Stonechat, I politely asked them if I could see it. Luckily, they let me see through their scope; which was pointed at a male European Stonechat singing and dancing on top of a bush, doing its mating call. They also pointed out the Little Grebes in the ditch as well as the Great Egret that was on the bank of another ditch. I then set off to the other side of the reserve at around 4:30. Since it was a special birding festival, they allowed us to stay in the hides until 6:00. I arrived at the United Utilities Hide at around 4:45 and when I arrived, I saw a lot of people trying to find something. I asked one of the bird watchers what they were trying to find and he said that if I had good enough eyes, I might catch a glimpse of an elusive Short-Eared Owl. These owls don't come often here so I didn't miss this opportunity. I asked one of the two gentlemen at the front of the hide if I could see through his scope to find the Short-Eared Owl. Thankfully, he was kind enough to let me look through his scope and, Lo and behold, there it was. A male Short-Eared Owl sitting on the floor of the reedbed in the center of the scope. I admired it for a few minutes before it eventually took off at 5:00. By that time it was getting dark so we headed back.

Location: WWT Martin Mere, Fish Ln, Burscough, Ormskirk L40 0TA, UK

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