Lesser Yellowlegs Inner Marsh Farm - a Wirral first.

A few months ago Mark Payne &  I were looking at the plans of the proposed expansion at Inner Marsh Farm with Colin Wells the RSPB's Dee Estuary site manager and contemplating the arrival of an American Wader or two on the new scrape.

Fast forward to yesterday morning when I phonecall for Barry Barnacal alerted me to the presence of a possible Lesser Yellowlegs on the new scrape................. B*gger! I was still in Majorca enjoying the last day of our holiday. Lesser Yellowlegs was not only a Wirral first but a County first for me as well.

Luckily the bird was still there this morning albeit distant. There was some initial confusion with some latecomers confusing a Ruff with the Yellowlegs but eventually the small group of birders  all got onto it.

However, something spooked the Lapwings and the whole flock flew with the Yellowlegs heading towards No. 2 pool infront of the hide. Being quick off the mark I was the first one into the hide and relocated it at the back of the pool. Closer but still not really photographable.

Lesser Yellowlegs with Ruff.

Lesser Yellowlegs with Starling.

News from Saltney is the owner of the Purple Swamphen has turned up to try and recapture it with a fishing net. He claims to have two paairs and lives a few streets away. This is the female of a pair that escaped a few weeks ago. The male gave itself up a couple of days later but the female remained on the loose. Maybe its genuine but it sounds a bit dodgy to me. If he lives so close why has he left it three weeks to try and recapture the bird when all the locals we saw this morning say its been present for at least three weeks? Its currently evading capture and there's a group of birders cheering it on.. Maybe someone should contact the guy and ask him why they're not close ringed.