Never heard of the place, until this last week, when a Black Redstart and Twite had drawn my attention. I arrived at Knott End early, then took a look around the area where the birds had been last seen, no show, but there was plenty of other birds to look thru, out on the mudflats were Redshank, Oystercatchers, Dunlin, and Curlews. Out on the sea, I picked up plenty of Shelduck and also Eider.
Around 9:30am, an hour after I’d been there, other birders started to arrive, couple of guys pointed a Peregrine out on the mud flats, it had taken a seat on a tree branch, and during the morning sat there for a while, until a dog walker disturbed it and took flight, there was still no sign of the target birds. I got talking to another couple, local birders, after the chat, I decided on going around the back of the hotel, where the couple said, that that’s where the Black Redstart usually hangs out. Sure enough after about five minutes of looking I spotted it, a distance away, and I couldn’t get nearer due to railings, I put other birders on to it, then went taking video footage of other birds that were around, the Twite were a no show.
Then it was down to Southport for Snow Bunting and Twite, but on looking around Southport they were a no show here too, could have been down to the amount of dogs and walkers about, so I went to RSPB Marshside for the rest of the day. At Marshside were plenty of Tufted Duck, Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Moorhen, Canada Goose, last place to look around was across the road at the saltmarsh, here I saw Marsh Harrier, Grey Heron, plenty of Pink footed Geese, Canada Geese, Little Egret, and Great Egret to finish the day
Video of the Day can be seen HERE
Birds at Knott End: Black Redstart, Black headed Gull, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Curlew, Dunlin, Eider, Great Black backed Gull, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Magpie, Mallard, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Redshank, Shelduck, Turnstone, Woodpigeon (18)
Birds at Marshside: Black headed Gull, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Coot, Great Egret, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Lapwing, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Moorhen, Pink footed Goose, Pintail, Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Duck, (16) 109/200
Huddsbirder 