08.06.21. Birdlog.

We took a ramble up to the ‘phalarope pool’ along Lordship Lane where a couple of pairs of Northern Lapwing were present and agitated by us walking by their field. The cause of their concern was fairly obvious with well grown chicks following their parents through the emerging maize plants.

A male Western Marsh Harrier did its duties and several Common Buzzard and several Common Kestrel were about the area. The ‘phalarope pool’ had a Eurasian Coot, 2 Gadwall and 3 Northern Lapwing. Our walk continued to the north banks of No.6 tank and the sweltering heat of the day was taking its toll and a look across the receeding waters revealed a group of panting Black-tailed Godwit, 74 Tufted Duck and an assortment of much smaller duck species.

A Black-tailed Chaser poised on a reed stem but generally inverts were few and far between.

Observer: JS & WSM.

(image by Paul Ralston).

07.06.21. Birdlog.

We did a circuit starting off at Lordship Lane where we saw several Linnet and lots of Northern Lapwing as well as a two or three chicks. 

Returning via No 6 tank we saw a Common Buzzard. 

Perhaps the most striking sight was the webs produced by Spindle Ermine Moth caterpillars on the bushes overlooking No.6 tank.  Returning to the car we saw two Grey Heron.

Observer: David Eisner (images 1-8).

A Grasshopper Warbler was showing by The Lum. Lots of disturbance on other side of Weaver Bend flushed many birds from their nesting duties. 55 adult Pied Avocet flying around 250 Black-headed Gull. Two 1st summer Mediterreanean Gull flew along the River Weaver. A dead adult Lesser Black-backed Gull on the farside, probably a victim of its marauding of nesting species. Tufted Duck numbering high with a total of 140 from Weaver Bend to the Manhester Ship Canal and No.6 tank. Also 2 Little Rined Plover on No.6 and 2 Western Marsh Harrier seen.

Observer: Mark (Whipper) Gibson.

An after work visit to the Weaver Bend and firtsly a start at Brook Furlong Lane where the usual warblers were vocal and a male Eurasian Bullfinch was noted.

A Northern Lapwing chick was doing its best to avoid a Grey Heron and a Common Buzzard snatched a Pied Avocet from the colony.

05.06.21. Birdlog.

I was out early this morning starting at first Ince where plenty of warblers still in full song and some busy feeding their young. The first juvenile European Goldfinch fledglings were noted feeding on the weed seeds, and a trio of Eurasian Greenfinch were near to the fertlizer plant. A Grey Wagtail was collecting bugs to feed its young hidden nearby. A gang of corvids forced a Common Buzzard to take cover as it strayed to close to their rookery.

The male Western Marsh Harrier was actively hunting all over the marsh and surrounding  fields, keeping the Nortehrn Lapwing on red alert.

A Common Cuckoo was briefly heard in the distance over Lordship Marsh but I couldn’t be located.

There were 3 more Northern Lapwing chicks and 3 Common Ringed Plover chicks were feeding close together, the plover chicks benefiting from the protection of the lapwing parents who chased away any predators that came to close.

There were well over a 1000 Canada Goose with several Greylag Goose grazing on the salt marshes and watched over by a Red Fox on the bank.

A juvenile Little Grebe was seen fishing in a pool at Goldfinch Meadows LNR and several Broad-bodied Chaser dragonflies were noted.

Observer: Paul Ralston (images).

04.06.21. Birdlog.

An early evening walk along Brook Furlong Lane and the Weaver bend. There were Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, European Robin, Common Blackbird and Song Thrush still in song along the lanes hedgerows. Also seen and heard were Western Reed and Sedge Warbler with Common Reed Bunting along the river path to the ‘bend’.

A Northern Lapwing with young were at the ‘Lum’.

Observer and images: Paul Ralston.

03.06.21. Birdlog.

We undertook a 25 km hike along the River Weaver, along the dusty lanes of the marsh then out through Goldfinch Meadows Nature Reserve before sampling a tipple at The Wellington in Ince. We headed home after a great walk and some good birding.

Weston Marsh tank had its usual colonies of breeding Common Shelduck, Black-headed Gull and Pied Avocet. A pair of Pied Avocet were busy defending their nest and fortunately on the north side of the water. On the River Weaver were c12 Great Crested Grebe, 25 Tufted Duck, 12 Gadwall and 2 Mute Swan.

We walked along Brook Furlong Lane and apart from the singing Western Reed and Cetti’s Warbler from the reed beds. The two mixed songster Willow Warbler were again holding territory on telegraph wires above the lane and in the sky above drifted a Eurasian Spoonbill heading north east.

No.6 tank was next with a couple of Pied Avocet, c200 Black-tailed Godwit, 23 Tufted Duck and several Black-headed Gull.

The ‘phalarope pool’ was again quiet with 6 Black-tailed Godwit and two male over flying Western Marsh Harrier.

Observers: JS & WSM (images).

02.06.21. Birdlog.

We walked along Moorditch Lane to the ‘phalarope pool’ and en route we spotted c250 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Gadwall, smaller numbers of Common Shelduck, Mallard, Eurasian Teal and c50 Tufted Duck.

A male Western Marsh Harrier flew over and several Common Raven were eyeing up a deceased ewe on No.3 tank.

Observers: JS & WSM (images 5-6 & 8).

Images 1-3 by Phil Barker.

Images 4 & 7 by Paul Ralston.

01.06.21. Birdlog.

A look across the Mersey Estuary from Weston this morning produced hundreds of Canada Goose with their respective creche also numbering hundreds.

The massing of #erminespindlemothcatapillars on #FrodshamMarsh is spreading along the north bank of No.6 tank. @BBCSpringwatch pic.twitter.com/mdE8iX6bSV

— Frodsham Birder (@FrodshamBirder) June 1, 2021

When we arrived on the marshes we headed along the north track of No.6 tank and apart from c50 Tufted Duck and c180 Black-tailed Godwit the highlight was the massing numbers of tens of thousands of Spindle Ermine moth caterpllar. One particular shrub was covered completely and even spilling out onto the vegetation around its base.

The ‘phalarope pool’ had a single Black-tailed Godwit and a couple of Northern Lapwing. The male Western Marsh Harrier flew through and headed out to the Canal Pools.

Observers: JS & WSM (video).

31.05.21. Birdlog.

An early evening walk from Ince and by No.4 tank. A Peregrine was hunting over the Holpool gutter while 2 Red Foxe were hunting on the marsh.

A male Western Marsh Harrier was carrying prey. A Eurasian Oystercatcher chick blending in with the background and a very late European Golden Plover on No.3 tank.

Hundreds of Canada Goose were grazing on Frodsham Score with Common Shelduck, Mallard and Gadwall present. A Red Fox a different one from yesterday was walking the same track and another was seen back at Ince after a pheasant started alarm calling`

Observer and images: Paul Ralston.

30.05.21. Birdlog.

I was out early doors starting my walk at Ince. I watched a Stoat swimming the brook after a Water Vole which managed to evade capture while I was there. Several Eurasian Coot and Common Moorhen were busy with their young as were Western Reed and Sedge Warbler.

The male Western Marsh Harrier was seen hunting over the area and a Red Fox tried its best to sneak up on a Brown Hare which had the itelligence to stand next to me and subsequently put the fox off its track.

One of several Cetti’s Warblers were seen singing from the scrub and also had a territorial dispute with another male.

Not much on the ‘phalarope pool’ other than a few moulting Eurasian Teal , Mallard, 5 Common Shelduck and a pair of Tufted Duck.

Both Northern Lapwing and Common Ringed Plover chicks were seen in a field on the marsh and a Western Yellow Wagtail was showing well.

Skeins of Canada Goose were flying in from the south to join the hundreds already on the Frodsham Score.

Observer: Paul Ralston (images).

Red Fox

We took a 17.24 km hike through the marsh and looped around Frodsham Hill for superb views of it and the Mersey Estuary. The secluded site for breeding Black-headed Gull and Pied Avocet had plenty on it with a flock of c300 Black-tailed Godwit. The Western Marsh Harrier was also spotted from the hill but much on the estuary was lost due to the heat haze.

Observers: JS & WSM.

29.05.21. Birdlog.

A mid morning ramble along Brook Furlong Lane and a brief encounter with Mark (Whipper) Gibson who had walked down to the ‘bend’ and had heard a Lesser Whitethroat singing on the banks of the I.C.I tank.

Sightings from #FrodshamMarsh can be found here: https://t.co/AxFMypBqSF pic.twitter.com/vf7HHZKIks

— Frodsham Birder (@FrodshamBirder) May 29, 2021

I had one of two mixed singer Willow Warbler (‘Chillow’) into Chiffchaff tunes. A few Cetti’s Warbler were present with both Sedge and Western Reed Warbler.

The River Weaver was quiet with the only notable sightings included a few Pied Avocet and a pair of Great Black-backed Gull struggling to drag a dead Bream ashore. A Peregrine flew over folded its wings and dove into a flock of birds on the Weaver Bend.

Observer: WSM (video).

An early evening walk along the River Weaver. Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat and Cetti’s Warbler were all vocal along Brook Furlong.

A female Peregrine caught a feral pigeon with a much smaller male waiting for a morsal, but the lady was not sharing.

Observer: Paul Ralston (images).