Events Report 2024
WelneyWWT January2024
A party of 15 Nature Group Members and local nature photographers met on Sunday for a day photographing in the main hides overlooking the Ouse Washes and on a walk around Lady Fen. Those who arrived early had good views of Kestrel and Cattle Egrets on Lady Fen though the birds were more distant and not as abundant as in previous visits. This was true for much of the day. Once the Visitor Centre was open we spent the morning visiting the hides (just about all open for the first time in a couple of months with the high rainfall).
In the afternoon, some people revisited the Hides while others took a walk round Lady fen - unfortunately no hares this visit but Chinese Water Deer, a pair of Buzzards, and lots of Egrets kept us entertained. We even found a cluster of 16-spot Ladybirds hibernating on a fence post.
LedbyAnnMilesFRPS
As usual, plenty of duck activity to keep our cameras clicking plus a large flock of Blacktailed Godwits. We returned to the cafe for a welcome lunch before returning to the reserve to explore and take more photographs.
Little Egret by Bruce Kendrick ARPS
Deeside February2024
Deeside February2024
Black-headed Gull by Greg LovettARPS
The two-day event Parkgate and Hoylake to witness the exceptional high spring tides event proved popular once again.
Parkgate, on the Wirral coast of the Dee estuary is a favourite spot for photographers to capture some graphic images. The Dee estuary at Parkgate is now salt marsh. Hidden channels fill up with the tide but when these channels are full the incoming water overflows at speed.
As we witnessed, especially on the higher tide on Monday, where it does spill over, it travels at a very fast walking pace and in volume. Rodents, in our case shrews, voles, mice, moles and even rats frantically swim to the safety of higher higher ground, the sandstone promenade, only to be picked off by their natural predators. Gulls, crows, egrets as well as raptors have a field day.
LedbyBruceKendrickARPS
Hoylake, on the other hand, 20 minutes away from Parkgate lies on the north Wirral shore and offers refuge for waders from all over Liverpool Bay.
High tide hits these shores a good 45 minutes before Parkgate. Large mixed wader flocks, up to 10,000 birds have been waiting for the tide to ebb, very close to the promenade at Hoylake. Unfortunately this grassy area is often used by dog-walkers though most heed the many notices along the promenade requesting them to let the birds settle and rest. been recorded, of knot, sanderling, dunlin and grey plover twist and turn before settling on what's left of the mud banks. When these are finally covered by these exceptional spring tides the flock will wait patiently