RSPB Saltholme

I had a trip to Saltholme today, having absent mindedly left my scope and tripod there some three weeks ago.

At the Watchpoint, a Water Rail was performing for its adoring small audience with cameras clicking furiously. Then a Short Eared Owl did a flypast, then a circuit and another flypast - even more frantic camera action.

This was only my third visit and I had not ventured to the south of the reserve before. There were a large number of Lapwings across the reserve, but particularly around the south pools. On several occasions the birds on these pools were spooked by something. On one occasion it was a female Sprawk, who sat on a bank until a Carrion Crow decided to chase it away. On other occasions I think it was just Lapwings being over excited, especially since the Golden Plovers did not react.

There was a Perigrine over the tall chimney things (or whatever they are), but it was too distant to cause any reaction over the reserve and it eventually drifted seaward when a microlight passed by.

I'm sure one of the Pintails was stuffed, it had its head under its wing for twenty five minutes and not a feather moved.

One good view of a Little Egret flying south past the visitors' centre. Not a lot from the Phil Stead hide, but a pleasant surprise to have a Great Spotted Woodpecker fly by.

I did not stretch my old bones as far as the Long Eared Owl roost; evidently there was one showing very well. Maybe next time.