Not A Shot Was Fired!

For once I had a rare non-photo birding day yesterday, although I did take my camera with me. I went to Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB on the Wirral in search of the elusive Spotted Crake which had been present on and off for most of the week.

I'd usually only travel for an hour or so like this after a confirmed sighting report, but yesterday I just had to get out of the house, having not done any birding since going to Yorkshire a couple of weeks back.

Well, unsurprisingly, the Spotted Crake didn't show despite an array of birders all eagerly looking through their scopes trying to spot it. That said, there was a really good range of other species on show from the reception centre including Little Ringed Plovers, Avocets, Ruff, Water Rail, Black-tailed Godwits, juvenile Shelduck and Starlings, Teal, Lapwings and the ubquitous Canada Geese, Moorhens, Coots and Black-headed Gulls with young.

Although I didn't go looking, I believe a juvenile Redstart, two Hobbies and a Cattle Egret were on site at the Inner Marsh Farm end, with Greenshank and Green Sandpiper having been seen recently too.

Some good banter with the watching birders made for a very pleasant few hours before the rains came down. Not a shot was fired - I should have more days out like this.