Set off early to Marbury Country Park in Cheshire on a quest to find the Lesser spotted woodpecker that is regularly reported there. The weather report was non too bright but as it was reasonably fine I thought Id take my chances. This is the best time of year to see this woodpecker as they are calling and there are few leaves on the trees. Come May when the leaves are on the trees this sparrow sized woodpecker would I imagine be impossible to find. In over twenty years of bird spotting I have never seen this bird and this year I am determined to track them down. I have also never been to Marbury before so I am looking forward to this visit.

First impressions upon arrival were very good. There are lots of wonderful old trees and rolling pastures and even the weather has brightened up as for now there are blue skies. As I set off the first bird I see is a nuthatch. This I find encouraging as I love these birds. At the ranger station I pick up a map and discover just how huge this place really is. It is not just one reserve but many all joined together with a huge range of mature habitats. Not really knowing which way to go I follow the sign marked bird hide.

The bird hide is situated overlooking the main mere and on the steep side at the front there is a feeding station. From here there are a huge number of blue tits and great tits all fighting over feeding rights on a very large nut feeder. Long tailed tits, dunnocks, robins, chaffinches and male reed buntings can also be seen. To one side in the trees there are a pair of greater spotted woodpeckers fighting and the raucous call of the jay can be clearly heard from the trees behind us. The yaffle of the green woodpecker and the bubbling call of the nuthatch is everywhere. Nuthatches appear very common here and they also come frequently to the feeder. The water rail also puts in a brief visit giving good views out in the open. They seem to be everywhere lately.

 

The kingfisher can also be watched from here. As I sit I hear its high pitched whistle and see it flying low over the water below and then disappear into some overhanging branches. For most of the day it flies backwards and forwards many times, its neon colours flashing in the sunlight but frustratingly I cant get a clear view of it perched. It is to be towards the end of the afternoon before I am rewarded. Their high pitched whistle advertises their arrival. The first appearance close by is to be a brief one. Two quick photographs and she is gone. The second time we are treated to a much more lengthy visit as she perches on a branch quite close by and allows me to get my photographs. No fishing, just sitting and watching the world go by and then she is off once more.

Out over the water there are a huge number of great crested grebes. I think these must be non breeding birds as around the edge of the water several adult pairs patrol and growl at anything that comes too close. Little grebe can be seen fishing on the edge of the reed bed with a few goldeneye also still being present. Further up the lake there are many Mallards, cormorants, Canada geese and a single pink footed goose. In the sky there is also a single buzzard soaring round high up on the thermals.