Twiching at Marton Mere & Newton Marsh 25th May 2009

A previously unplanned visit but after seeing a rare bird report so close to home plus a little arm twisting from Reece took us up to Marton Mere to see the Laughing Gull. It's the first time we'd 'twiched' a rare bird so does this make us twichers? Reece says a definate 'NO!'.
As we walked onto the mere we met a birder who pointed us to the east side of the mere so off we walked. As we approached we saw many scopes pointed onto the mere from where people usually feed the birds so we set up on the path near the bench as no one was there. First look through the scope and Reece was on it so a few quick photographs before before it disappeared on us. We were lucky though and it hung around for a further 10 minutes before flying off to a different part of the mere and away from our view. Heading back we called into the container hide and the hide with the feeders but nothing really to report from any of them. Amongst the reeds and trees around the mere we noted 3 Sedge Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Linnet, 15+ Reed Bunting, 10 Whitethroat (lifer for Reece), 1 Goldfinch, 2 Dunnock and 6 Magpie. On the way back we called in at Newton Marsh. We counted 28 Black Tailed Godwit along with a Heron, 2 Shellduck and the usual Moorhen, Coot and Mallard.