15.09.19. Birdlog.

I was out this morning starting at Brook Furlong Lane. The sorry sight of a dead Brown Hare on the lane which had no obvious signs of any injuries and was warm to touch was very odd indeed.

Onward to the River Weaver where a pair of Mute Swan and 3 cygnets are new in and a flock of c150 Tufted Duck were noted along with 5 Great Crested Grebe which also on the river and Manchester Ship Canal. A flock of c150 Common Redshank, 6 Black-tailed Godwit and a single Common Sandpiper were at the edge of the river.

A Common Buzzard was feasting on the carcase of a Canada Goose and a Kestrel was plucking a small bird probably a European Goldfinch.

A partial leucistic Canada Goose.

Shooting was taking place on the salt marshes so not a lot to see out there today despite the WeBS count being conducted.

The ‘phalarope pool’ held 6 Ruff, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank,  several Gadwall and Eurasian Teal, 2 Common Shelduck and 2 Eurasian Wigeon, 5 more Wigeon passed overhead.

On No.6 tank were c400 Black-tailed Godwit, c80 Northern Lapwing and c20 Common Redshank were in the shallows with 20 Little Grebe were amongst the Tufted Duck, Eurasian Teal and Common Shelduck being present.

A couple of Marsh Harrier were present briefly before heading out towards the river.

I made my way to Ince for the WeBs count where the pools held 14 Eurasian Coot 5 Moorhen, 4 Tufted Duck, 7 Little Grebe, 13 Eurasian Teal, 9 Mallard, 18 Gadwall, 2 Mute Swan.

The Holpool Gutter and surrounding fields held c120 Canada Goose, 7 Moorhen, 36 Mallard ,3 Eurasian Coot and 5 Eurasian Curlew.

A Peregrine Falcon with a full crop sat on its tower at the Growhow Works digesting its meal and 3 Mistle Thrush fed nearby.

Observer and images: Paul Ralston.

14.09.19. Birdlog.

An evening visit that was full of late summer sunshine. A look over No.6 tank revealed a flock of c500 Black-tailed Godwit and whilst I was sat down looking across to the godwit throng, I could see there were 3 Ruff and c30 Common Snipe within their numbers.

Duck were very much the main feature with c750 Eurasian Teal, 6 Northern Pintail, 7 Wigeon, 97 Northern Shoveler, 187 Mallard, 12 Tufted Duck, 12 Gadwall, 54 Eurasian Coot, 30 Little Grebe and a single Great Cormorant.

A couple of Marsh Harrier flew through and hundreds of Black-headed Gull were again feasting on the rising insects from the reed bed.

The low-light of my evening watch was the random vandalism created by an half-witted prick or pricks who childishly punched a hole through my car window.

Observer and image: WSM.

Friday 13th Birdlog.

I had a stroll, due to my aching limbs, down the marsh and all the usual butterflies were about plus a Painted Lady. Dragonflies were everywhere.

The pipes had nowt apart from a distant female Stonechat.

No.6 had about 300 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Common Snipe feeding in the open. Small parties of Chiffchaff were also searching for food noisily. Bumped into Jackie and Idris Roberts and later Paul Ralston, not a bad afternoon.

Observer: Paul Crawley (images 2-4 & 6).

2 Ruff with a few Black-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Teal, hybrid duck, Northern Shoveler and Gadwall on the ‘phalarope pool’ and a Brown Hare was trying to hide in the short grass along a secluded field.

A Common Buzzard hovered over the fields while the Marsh Harrier flew over Lordship Marsh. Another Ruff was with the 5 Common Snipe, Northern Lapwing and 700 Black-tailed Godwit No.6.

Paul Ralston (images 5 & 7 & 9-10), WSM (images 1 & 8) & JS.

11.09.19. Birdlog.

A brief walk out to No.6 tank after work. I settled down on the bank and watched c900 Black-tailed Godwit in two flocks including many juveniles. Apart from a couple of Common Redshank and 103 Northern Lapwing that was about it for waders. It looks like another autumn with water levels far to high.

Ducks were enjoying the benefits of the water levels with c400 Eurasian Teal, c100 Northern Shoveler, 5 Eurasian Wigeon, 8 Northern Pintail, 12 Gadwall, 12 Common Shelduck, 50 Mallard and c50 Eurasian Coot.

There was plenty of House and Sand Martin feeding low over the tank with the occasional Yellow Wagtail rasping overhead.

Observer and images: WSM.

10.09.19. Birdlog.

I walk along Brook Furlong Lane to Marsh Farm and saw a Common Darter and Migrant Hawker dragonflies. The Butterflies were out in number with Small Tortoiseshell, White’s, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Peacock and Comma but no Painted Ladies?

There were Common Buzzard, Kestrel and Eurasian Sparrowhawk noted. The pipes across No.1 tank had 2 female Northern Wheatear with Raven and European Goldfinch were about.

Not a bad afternoon and the only remaining Cleg fly bit me.

Observer, video and images: Paul Crawley.

09.09.19. Birdlog.

A brief visit to No.6 tank after work always helps me to unwind and assist in recording the bird life of my local patch. The flock of c1100 Black-tailed Godwit were still in residence, but often hundreds peel off and head off to the Mersey estuary and some often return. A couple of Ruff were watched preening with Common Redshank and the godwit flock, and a Green Sandpiper flew in and flew out again.

The Eurasian Teal flock are increasing daily and c500 were present with c110 Northern Shoveler, 5 Pintail, 30 Gadwall and 56 Mallard.

A Eurasian Sparrowhawk upset the band of roving tits, warblers and finches while a Cetti’s Warbler was singing nearby.

A couple of critters on the path back to my car.

Earlier and over in Spike Island, Widnes the Norwegian ringed Black-headed Gull made it into its 5th autumn return to this site.

Observer and images: WSM.

08.09.19. Birdlog.

I started my walk around No.6 tank this morning where c1100 Black-tail Godwit were resting in the shallow waters with 7 Ruff and numerous Common Redshank. Reed Buntings seemed to be in every bush and caught the attention of a Eurasian Sparrowhawk which disappeared over the bank in pursuit of one them.

Linnet and European Goldfinch were flocking together and feeding on the thistle heads and several Chiffchaff could be singing in the bushes by the ‘Splashing Pool’ and along Moorditch Lane. There were more Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler and a Sedge Warbler were at the Canal Pools and good numbers of Barn Swallow, House Martin and a few Common Swift were feeding up before their long trek south.

Onto the Manchester Ship Canal path were 16 Yellow Wagtail were feeding at the edge of the canal and 5 Great Crested Grebe were fishing with some minor success. A family party of Grey Wagtail were near to Marsh Farm and 3 Common Sandpiper moved along the canal banks.

On the Weaver estuary were c300 Common Redshank and a handful of Black-tailed godwit flushed when a Common Buzzard took an interest in them all. Out on the Mersey estuary a Great Egret could be seen in the distance fishing alongside a Grey Heron.

A small flock of roosting Black-headed Gull had with them a white ringed bird, but it was to distant to read. A red ringed Black-tailed Godwit on No.6 tank didn’t revealed its other colour combination so was also unread.

A juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker flew across the river from the I C I plant and a dispersed Green Woodpecker was calling from fields by Moorditch Lane.

Observers: Paul Ralston (images 1-4), WSM (images 5-8).