Cattle Egrets...Marshside

Mike and I recently visited RSPB Marshside as the bird activity had recently increased bringing in some interesting birds.The star attraction was two long billed dowitchers which showed from time to time although always distantly.Five cattle egrets had also been showing well and it is suspected that they may have bred in the area as they have been around for most of the summer months.Cattle egrets have bred this year at Burton Mere Wetlands on the Wirral.This is yet another sign of our warming climate as southern European birds are colonising Britain.

We enjoyed a lovely afternoon at Nel's Hide which was busy with birders hoping for a sighting of the dowitchers.Mike thought they could have been roosting in with the godwits on the far side of the reserve making it very difficult to pick out in amongst the hundreds of godwits and other waders.I enjoyed the wonderful settled sunny weather and was quite happy photographing the other birds present.I have shown below shots of the cattle egrets in close attendance with the grazing cattle.I also managed a decent flight shot of a male pintail and some of the many pink footed geese in the area.The shoveler posed nicely for the camera and looked splendid in the glorious afternoon light.The final images are a couple of shots of the scene from Nel's hide and a glorious sunset as we left for home.Thanks for looking in and I will be back soon with more from my travels.