Today on the Wirral

Today at West Kirby Marine Lake.

About 1000  Dunlin putting on a stunning flight display

while some were just a little jumpy

Red Breasted Merganser

 



 Cormorant

 

 

An hour before I picked up my #1232 life bird with a 1st winter Laughing Gull at New Brighton.

A foxes tail.....

So we have at least a few Foxes feeding in the garden.

As in a previous post we have a rather poorly Fox that is suffering with Sarcoptic Mange. We are trying to catch this one and get it some medical attention. Below is a short clip which shows that at least it hasn't deteriorated from its first sighting a few weeks ago and importantly it is eating. I put water out as well to help beat off dehydration that it will suffer. The food I am putting out does have drops of medication on it so hopefully even if we don't catch the fox, it will be receiving some sort of treatment.... lets hope it works.

A bit of a surprise was this fine looking fella that came to feed.

and as a bonus we have footage of the Badger that is visiting

 

 

Fieldfare

With the first major snowfall of this winter, as expected some of the winter thrushes have paid a visit this morning. This fantastic Fieldfare sat atop of one of my trees and spent 10 minutes calling. Its a wonderful sound, if you haven't heard it before you can play the call here

 

this mornings snowfall

 

 

At last.......

got a bogey lifer today.

Eurasian Bittern at Budworth Mere. Brief sighting as it walked within the reeds. I thought I had an image or two of a reed bed with a "spot it if you can" Bittern.

 

Bittern....... yeah right

 



Anyway in there was a Bittern! "honest Guv"

 

life bird 1231, UK bird 246

 

at least this Jay kind of made things a little easier for me

 

 

and finally this Cormorant didn't need to eat again for a while after downing this......

 

 

now what's for dessert?

 



 

Badger prints

still no joy catching the poorly Fox ( see post below) but got this paw print  in the snow from the  garden this morning from the Badger that has been terrorising my lawn. 

 



Another Fox in the garden

unfortunately this fella is mite infested. It has Sarcoptic Mange or Canine Mange. The mite responsible is called Sarcoptes Scabiei.

I have had foxes in broad daylight sleeping, but this fella is obviously desperate for food I would think so is visiting known food areas in broad daylight.

I believe there is a free treatment that I can register for that I put in food, its gotta be worth a try.

update*** I have contacted the National Fox Welfare Society who will try and help on this case. I will update with anymore news as and when.