Brents and thrushes.

The Hilbre Brent flock is building up nicely with 100+ birds - including the Irish colour ringed bird. Not bad considering this flock is a fairly recent phenomonen. Brents are the most charismatic of geese and their call brings back memories of going to see my first ones on the Essex coast in the early 70's.

The Hilbre birds certainly provided a spectacle  in the early morning light Sunday morning.

A small overhead passage of birds was noted with the best probalby being a flyover brambling calling with amongst a flock of Chaffinches that came in off the sea. A few Robins were grounded wit hsingles of both Blackbird and Song Thrush. Purple Sandpiper numbers are slowly increasing as are Turnstone with at least one Hilbre colour ringed bird being present.

Leaving Hilbre before high tide it was a toss up whether to go north to Southport to see a Shorelark that had been discovered the previous day or join Allan at the lighthouse and try and find our own birds. The lighthouse and the promise of a cuppa and an apple pie from the cafe won!

Thrushes were very much in evidence with 50 -60 Blackbirds around the Lingham Lane / pony paddocks area along with smaller numbers of Song Thrushes - including 6 together in one paddock. The only other sign of winter movement were good numbers of Meadow Pipits and a single female Blackcap.

A few Mistle Thrushes were also knocking around with 6 -7 together in another paddock and one bird along Lingham Lane - as was the semi-resident Grey Wagtail.

All in all a good day - especially if you include the possible Jack Snipe flushed from a flooded pond margin and a possible Water Rail heard deep in a reed mace choked pond. No sign of any Snow Buntings reported at West Kirby though...............