17.11.18. Birdlog.

Out this morning with a walk around No.4 and No.6 tanks. A large flock of skittish Lapwing spent more time in the air than on the ground with 4 tailing Black-tailed Godwit and c50 Common Snipe amongst them.

Over on No.3 tank was c250 Pink-footed Goose grazing on the fields they took to the air but settled soon after and landed closer to Marsh Farm. On the Canal Pools were 5 Mute Swan, 3 Little Grebe and many Canada Goose resting on the water with c 2000 more on the Frodsham Score salt marsh.  A distant group of swans close to the Ince Berth were possibly the Whooper Swan herd from the marsh interior but were to far away to ID.

The fields alongside the Holpool Gutter held c2500 Lapwing, c 500 Golden Plover, 8 Mute Swan, 6 Greylag, 2 Pink-footed Goose, several Curlew and c100 Curlew in the field adjacent Rake Lane.

Walking along Lordship Lane a large flock of Linnet with Reed Bunting and Meadow Pipit were feeding in the fields and hedgerows. a mixed flock of Redwing, Fieldfares Blackbird and Song Thrush were stripping berries off the hawthorn hedgerow near the blue slurry tank and the whooper group could be seen grazing in the distance.

More winter thrushes were on the bank of No.6 where a late Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly was enjoying the sunshine. It all ended with 3 Stonechat were also noted along Lordship Lane.

Observer: Paul Ralston (images 1-4 & 6).

Mid morning and I took the opportunity to check the fields from the foot bridge that crosses the M56 at the bottom of Smithy Lane in Helsby. The Whooper herd were not to be seen bit it was good to check this area out for a further expedition.

A look over No.6 tank revealed a solitary drake Pintail, 24 Shoveler, c300 Common Teal and several Gadwall. A ‘bib’ flock of 250 Common Snipe flew over and settled down on the sludge tank, I can only presume these are birds dislodged from the shooters’ fields to the east of No.5 tank because there was a lot of blasting with guns coming from that direction.

No.3 tank tank had several Wigeon and a few Pink-footed Goose with the ubiquitous Canada Goose.

Walking along the Manchester Ship Canal and a Green Sandpiper was dozing asleep on the far bank while out on Frodsham Score the flocks of plovers PR had earlier were still present. A couple of Great White Egret were gutter dancing while out on the tidal channels on the Mersey estuary were a couple more joining several Grey Heron fishing the incoming tide. A few Little Egret were about but generally their numbers were low. The huge Canada Goose herds had a couple of feral Barnacle Goose hiding in their midst. A female Marsh Harrier drifted in from the east and quartered the salt marshes and the same bird was seen to go to roost at dusk on No.6 tank.

A couple of Cetti’s Warbler, a Chiffchaff and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were all on No.4 tank.

Observer: WSM (images 5 & 7-13).

15.11.18. Birdlog.

Another quick dash down to the marsh and the sun was dipping its toes into the western horizon as I arrived. There are always birds to see nevertheless and flocks of Lapwing were ranging in from the Mersey estuary. Apart from a couple of Common Snipe I wasn’t able to find any Ruff this evening but c20 Shoveler and several hundred Common Teal were gathering closely to roost together. A small skein of Pink-footed Goose circled the area before heading off to the sunset. Over the distant reed bed a female Marsh Harrier was quartering the area before dropping into her roost.

Walking back and an obliging Barn Owl was perched up on a fence post along Moorditch Lane and remained there until the only light available was from the traffic on the M56.

Observer and images: WSM.

There were 2 Marsh Harrier earlier in the day as seen by Guy Groves & Lou.

13.11.18. Birdlog.

A very quick after work trip down to the marsh for a grab and dash birding session.

The light had more or less diminished by the time I arrived but I did manage to see 624 Common Teal, 20 Shoveler, 4 Mallard, c400 Lapwing and 10 Ruff.

Observer and image (from achieve): WSM.

11.11.18. Birdlog (Lest We Forget).

I started at Kinsey Lane, Ince today where a large mixed flock of Linnet, House Sparrow, Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail were attempting to eek out an existence while the much larger Curlew were feeding in and out of the grazing sheep. The lane leading to Ince Berth held an increasing nomadic flock of Redwing, Blackbird and Song Thrush with smaller numbers of Fieldfare. A pair of Sparrowhawk were targeting the finch and thrush flocks and caused a lot of activity from them.

The pools held 15 Gadwall, 10 Common Teal, 2 Shoveler, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Little Egret and a Grey Heron along with 10 Common Snipe moving between the pools.

Onto the Manchester Ship Canal path and 7 Whooper Swan made up of 4 juvenile and 3 adult were at the edge of the Frodsham Score salt marsh where a single Great White Egret and several Little Egret were on the marsh with another Great White seen later flying along the canal and dropping down behind the bank adjacent to Marsh Farm.

The fields alongside the Holpool Gutter had c2500 Lapwing, c700 Golden Plover, 8 Mute Swan (one wearing a green darvic ring) and several Curlew and c100 more on Lordship Marsh later.

The Whooper Swan herd could be seen in the distance near the M56. A flock of c100 Pink-footed Goose were grazing with the cattle on No.3 tank, while the ‘Splashing Pool’ could only muster 3 Mallard.

Back along the canal path and a pair of Stonechat sat in the brambles and a very pale Common Buzzard passed overhead. The ‘Score’ was quiet with wildfowlers seen leaving the saltings with their morning bounty of Canada Goose. Out at the river edge there were flocks of Dunlin moving with the high tide and masses of Starling creating a living carpet moving about the salt marsh.

A Green Sandpiper was in the company of 2 Redshank tucked in along the canal bank.

Observer and images: Paul Ralston.

This is a better one Bill pic.twitter.com/IgvcpCK84V

— Shaun (@shaunkhickey) November 11, 2018

Video from the WeBS count of a shimmering flock of Dunlin by Shaun Hickey.

10.11.18. Birdlog.

A lot more shoe leather was used up again today with a walk out to the Weaver estuary to cover for the one of the WeBS counters absence.

Redwall reed bed held a couple of Stonechat with another bird (male) on the pipes that cross No.1 tank.

There was an impressive count of 22 Great Crested Grebe with the first (10) Goldeneye of the autumn/winter by the wooden jetty. The (132) Tufted Duck were in three groups and one group had 5 drake Common Pochard for company. There were also 9 Mute Swan, several Gadwall, 6 Moorhen and 17 Coot. A Common Sandpiper hung out with c56 Redshank, c300 Lapwing and 17 Black-tailed Godwit on the marshy margins.

A watch over Frodsham Score from the Weaver Sluice Gates and the incoming tide on the Mersey marshes brought 15 Little Egret with 5 attendant Great White Egret and 12 Grey Heron. All these along with the Black-headed Gull flocks made short work of any voles or fish that may have been forced out from cover with the flooding water. There were several thousand Dunlin swirling around in the distance with a few hundred making landfall close to the edge of the Manchester Ship Canal, c400 Curlew, c150 Golden Plover, c100 Redshank and 2 Oystercatcher. No Knot, Grey Plover or wintering Bar-tailed Godwit was unusual.

Walking back along Brook Furlong Lane and small numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare were in the hawthorn hedgerows.

There was a much reduced count of aytha on No.6 tank with 286 Common Teal, 23 Shoveler and just the 5 Mallard. Further out over the reed beds a ringtail Hen Harrier was sparring with one of three Marsh Harrier. I assume the ringtail was the same bird which frequented Woolston Eyes and Hale as well today?

Three Common Buzzard flew over together while a couple of Kestrel were actively hunting. The usual Peregrine was sat aloft the blue topped chimney at Weston Point.

Before I set out it was unseasonal to hear and see a singing Chiffchaff in my yarden this morning.

Observer and images: WSM.

08.11.18. Birdlog.

A good selection of birds from the meagre light that was available in the 30 minutes of birding after work this evening. A ringtail Hen Harrier dropped immediately into its roost while 2 Marsh Harrier took a more leisurely pace before coming into roost. There were 6 Ruff that concealed themselves within a roosting flock of c400 Lapwing.

The fields by Hill View Farm still hold on to the wintering herd of 14 Whooper Swan.

As the light faded c8000 Starling flew in and circled the area before dropping in their reed bed roost (1000’s more heading east).

Observer and image: WSM.

Earlier in the day Sean O’Hara watched 320 Pink-footed Goose drop into No.3 tank.

05.11.18. Birdlog.

A day off and a short walk along the River Weaver. A few Redwing were foraging along Brook Furlong Lane while a nearby Kestrel was watched eating a small rodent on top of its telegraph post perch. A flock of c1000 Starling were feeding near to Marsh Farm and several Raven were about the farm buildings.

There were 2 Great Crested and 4 Little Grebe fishing in the Manchester Ship Canal, also present was a wintering Common Sandpiper also on the estuary. A group of 10 Meadow Pipit were feeding in the rocky shoreline. A herd of 14 Mute Swan were on the Weaver estuary alongside good numbers of Common Teal, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Gadwall and Common Shelduck.

A Kingfisher sat on patiently ready to strike if any fish presented a target.

Observer and images: Paul Ralston.