Eleven intrepid birders gathered at Marbury Country Park car park just four days before Christmas, to inspect the bird population of the park, and then to inspect the Christmas menu at the “Spinner and Bergamot” at lunchtime (where we were joined by another 3!)
The day was cold, grey but rainless, so we were able to enjoy our watching without a soaking. Redwing was the first bird of note behind the Info Centre, and we were soon ‘scoping out the identification details. We walked down to Budworth Mere through a fairly quiet park, but at least the Great Crested Grebes had come out to play on the mere. A Buzzard lifted above the wooded horizon while we studied Coal Tit amongst others on the hide’s feeders. We gave the reeds the severest of examinations hoping to pick out the winter-resident bittern, but with no success.
And then the azure and orange torpedo arrived, whirring across the mere in front of the hide. A Kingfisher! And just when we thought it had disappeared along the south shore of the mere, it whirred back again, and gave all of us good views of this brightest of British birds. More use of the telescope revealed Goldeneye and Great Black-backed Gull on the mere, and we found a Fieldfare behind the hide. One of the rangers spirited your intrepid leader away to find and focus on the two roosting Tawny Owls, and the whole group were treated to excellent views of these two resident owls through the telescope, before trying to find the birds through their own optics (not an easy task!)
When all had gazed their fill we walked along the paths on the south side of Budworth Mere, where a Treecreeper and Long-tailed Tits entertained us. We reached the path to the Woodland Hide, where a scruffy Great Spotted Woodpecker pinballed between the tops of various trees, causing much ache as we craned our necks to watch. Nuthatches vied with the Tits and Finches at the Hide’s feeders, and a female Bullfinch was spotted around the edge of the dipping pond close by.
We walked back through the Lime Avenue, adding Mistle Thrush and Jay to our grand total of 43 species, before the call to the pub could no longer be denied. There we fought a dogged rearguard action to keep Chicken and Turkey off the days list, however enjoyable they both were in providing sustenance for the hungry.
(PS Pat and I returned to the Mere 8 days later, seeking a Black-throated Diver, which had of course flown off a couple of hours before. The weather was foul, but we did see the Bittern as it flew across the reed bed, and the Tawny Owls as well, although they were even harder to pick out in the swaying tree tops)
Marbury CP 21 Dec 2011
| Name | Location |
| Greylag Goose | Seen near sailng club slip, Budworth Mere |
| Canada Goose | One on Budworth Mere |
| Shelduck | One seen on northern margins of Budworth Mere |
| Gadwall | At least 3 pairs on northern margins of Budworth Mere |
| Wigeon | Seen on northern margins of Budworth Mere |
| Mallard | Several on Budworth Mere |
| Tufted Duck | Several on Budworth Mere |
| Goldeneye | Three on Budworth Mere |
| Great Crested Grebe | Several on Budworth Mere |
| Great Cormorant | Seen on northern margins of Budworth Mere |
| Grey Heron | Budworth Mere. |
| Sparrowhawk | Seen western end of Budworth Mere |
| Buzzard | Seen to the north of Budworth Mere |
| Moorhen | Seen on Budworth Mere |
| Coot | Several on Budworth Mere |
| Curlew | Seen on northern margins of Budworth Mere |
| Black-headed Gull | Marbury Country Park |
| Mew Gull | Budworth Mere |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | Budworth Mere |
| Great Black-backed Gull | One on buoy Budworth Mere |
| Wood-Pigeon | Seen near Info Centre Marbury Country Park |
| Tawny Owl | 2 seen near boathouse Budworth Mere |
| Kingfisher | Flew past hide at W. end Budworth Mere thrice. |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | Seen near woodland hide & feeding station |
| Jay | Lime Avenue, Marbury Country Park |
| Magpie | Lime Avenue, Marbury Country Park |
| Jackdaw | Marbury Country Park |
| Carrion Crow | Seen near woodland hide |
| Coal Tit | Feeders west end of Budworth Mere |
| Great Tit | Seen on feeders near Info Centre Marbury CP & west end of Budworth Mere |
| Blue Tit | Seen on feeders near Info Centre Marbury CP & west end of Budworth Mere |
| Long-tailed Tit | Seen near boathouse and near Woodland Hide, Budworth Mere |
| Nuthatch | One heard near boathouse, more seen near woodland hide & feeding station |
| Treecreeper | One seen near boathouse. |
| Wren | Marbury Country Park |
| Robin | Seen near boathouse |
| Blackbird | Seen near boathouse |
| Fieldfare | Rear of reed bed hide, Marbury Country Park |
| Redwing | Seen near Info Centre Marbury Country Park |
| Mistle Thrush | Lime Avenue, Marbury Country Park |
| Starling | Seen near Info Centre Marbury Country Park |
| Chaffinch | 1st seen near Info Centre Marbury Country Park |
| Bullfinch | Female seen near woodland hide |