Greylake RSPB
This morning until 13:00 -
4 curlew, 3 crane, 1 red kite, 2 Marsh Harrier, distant peregrine. And still a number a wigeon,shoveler and teal.
No sign of the Merlin or Hen Harriers.
Merlin was photographed posing in front of hides again yesterday morning (someone else got little ringed plovers on tealham)
I spoke to a couple today who said merlin turned up after 4pm on Sunday, but we only had great views of a peregrine (meanwhile catcott had at least 8 marsh harrier, red kite and another peregrine). Len photographed a black tailed godwit in the morning (FB)
According to the “regulars” at Greylake yesterday the Merlin hasn’t been seen since last Friday 14th March. Not much of note from the hide except for a fly-by Peregrine.
Nearby about 100 Cattle Egret in their usual field at Pedwell.
Most days it tries to snatch snipe in front of the hides
So the Merlin is still present daily..?
Can pretty much repeat 28 Jan message, plus 16 gadwall displaying today when there was only 1 pair yesterday
Photos of Egyptian geese coming up recently, along with the merlin and hen harriers
Both male and ringtail hen harriers have been reported/ photographed here over last couple of days. Merlin still taking snipe as well
14-Jan-2025
Missed the Red-legs, but finally had great views (this year) of the Merlin this morning at Greylake, click on the X (Youtube) link below for photo & video clip. Counted 86 Cattle Egrets in the fields along main rd between Pedwell & Greinton.
Most unusual thing today was 3 red legged partridge on the main road by greylake inn (others reported the cattle egret flock was back at greinton, but I didn’t drive that way)
11-Jan-2025
Quiet at a frozen Greylake this morning: Very few duck, 4 Bearded Tits, 3 GW Egrets & 3 Marsh Harriers. A Pair of Barn Owls & 4 Cranes early evening yesterday.
07-Jan-2025
A ringtail Hen Harrier was the best for me on a quiet morning from the hide at Greylake RSPB (09:45/12:00) also a female Marsh Harrier with a pale greyish-white tail, and a very showy Water Rail from the raised viewing screen (tree house).
Later (per X-Twitter) around 14:30, the juv/fem Merlin showed up for the first time today
An hour and a half at Greylake today produced Male and ring-tailed Hen Harrier, one female Merlin ,one Barn Owl, two or three Marsh Harrier , plus hundreds of Lapwing , a few Snipe, Water Rail, Stonechat, Reed Bunting and the usual duck and heron species .
For my latest YouTube video click on the link below. It shows the Baikal Teal, Merlin & Bearded Tits at Greylake and the Glossy Ibis at Pedwell, plus others.