Ashton's Flash a new Cheshire mere in the making?

As you may or not already know we've had a lot of rain over the past few months (years) and some of it has found its way into Neumann's Flashes neighbours once dry(ish) confines namely Ashton's Flash.
So much so that we now have a new mere on the patch that will hopefully rival Rostherne or even Burton Mere Wetlands. Fingers are crossed for the arrival this year of some mega Cheshire cripplers that us local patchers can feast our eyes upon before the hordes descend (remember the stilt fiasco).

from Bund bench

from the far corner bench

The hide over at Neumann's, Bund hide is to say the least a bit draughty what!

I've still not seen the dwarf birder who uses the lower viewing window!!

The latest patch year tick was floating just across the water viewable from both upper and lower windows a pair of Pintail. A rather nice grip back having missed probably the same pair way back on the 1st of January.

One and a half Pintail puts me on 94 for the year.  100 up by the end of March now looking virtually impossible especially with these damn snow storms still coming. Still you never know in this game and that's what makes it so enjoyable (and sometimes bloody frustrating)...roll on spring!

TTFN

Orinoco

Mystery goose sp on the mere had me zapping down there pronto to find not the claimed Egyptian Goose but a much rarer Orinoco Goose!!! from South America.

A distant 'record shot' of the fence hopper (apparently plastic duck brothel near to Sandbach patch). I won't be submitting this to the CAWOS rarities committee cos I didn't find it...shame!
Got me out birding though and nearby on Kid Brook spit the first Redshank of the patch year was going about its business.
Next day on the same bit of mud the first LRP of the year and the earliest by 8 days I reckon.

TTFN