To add to Brians post about the wildlife on Marloes Mere today.
When Mel Felton and I were there this afternoon, we also spotted the juvenile cuckoo at Marloes Mere. Only got a very poor-quality shot on a very distant fence post of it.
I saw a glimpse of it flying over the sedges to the east of the Mere. It was only when it landed and Mel got her scope onto it that she correctly identified it. It then flew off to the south of the mere not far from Britton Hide where we lost it over the hedge.
We had 3 Snipe fly over us early on after being flushed by something on Mere.
We saw the Mallard being flushed but did not see the reason why. Again, I missed the Harrier!!
There was 1 Dunlin and 1 Ringed Plover on the soil section on edge of pool. We also saw 2 teal on one of the more distant ponds and a total of 3 Little Grebe. There were several Pied Wagtail across the area.
Just as we were leaving a Sparrowhawk flew across the Mere heading northwards.
Some Reed Bunting were in the willows along the edge of the old track. Two Blue Tits flew past us at the Britton Hide. A good-sized flock of goldfinch and linnet were observed to east of the mere as we left.
The highlight though must be the last bird we saw of the day!
We decided to take a walk around the Deer Park and Mel went 'is that a bird in that bush', sadly I cannot repeat the exact words Mel next muttered but she identified it as a Wryneck. Grabbed a few record shots in the dying light. That is my very first Wryneck, however brief the encounter, as it duly lifted over the blackthorn and did what Wrynecks do best which is disappear!
 |
| Wryneck |