24.02.15. Birdlog

24.02.15. Birdlog

We parked up again at Lower Rake Lane in Helsby and walked onto the marsh from there. The sight of a dead Badger on the bridge that crosses the M56 and close to Spring Farm wasn’t a good start to the day. On a more positive note were the herd of 25 Whooper Swan (including 5 juveniles) in fields east of Hill View Farm.

Continuing our walk to the Holpool Gutter was uneventful until we reached the mouth of the gutter. We sat out in the bleak wind hunched up in a hollow surrounded by sheep shit savouring a Roy Keane style prawn sandwich and a flask of coffee…only at Frodders!

The tide was only 9.3 metre so was not expected to flood the salt marsh but it would be high enough to provide some interest. Small flocks of several hundred strong Dunlin were wheeling around and soon settled within a 1000 flock of Golden Plover stretched across the area in front of the ‘Old Magazine’ and close up to the Manchester Ship Canal wall. Three Black-tailed Godwit, 120 Grey Plover, 6 Oystercatcher and small numbers of Redshank were really the highlight for shorebirds. The lack of any egrets was interesting but perhaps solved sometime later.

15 Pink-footed Goose were with the Canada’s on the score and made all the hardship of putting up with the weather conditions worth while.

A Green Sandpiper was in the Holpool Gutter as we walked back and 4 Little Egret were popping out of the field ditches by Rake Lane. I assume all the egrets had enough of their routine on Frodsham Score disrupted by the really high tides and recent strong cold winds and sought shelter at these inland ditches?

There was little of interest along the tracks walking back to the car but a brief glimpse of an Ostrich at the back of a small holding required a double take! 30 Redwing and small numbers of Fieldfare were in loose flocks and a healthy chirping group of House Sparrows was good value.

A pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker were chasing each other at the back of Spring Farm.

Observers: Sparky, WSM (and images)

22.02.15. Birdlog

22.02.15. Birdlog

Out this morning before the high tide and a change in the weather. Curlew and Black-tailed Godwit again on the approach road to Ince Berth with Redwing in the hedgerows. Onward to the Manchester Ship Canal where 7 juvenile Mute Swan were with a large flock of Canada Goose on the waters as was the raft of Coot, a single Great Crested Grebe and a lone Little Grebe.

Out on the salt marsh there were more Canada Goose and a party of 10 Pink-footed Goose with just the one Little Egret noted.

A flock of waders took to the air as a Merlin shot through then concentrated on a Starling flock which bunched up only to change tactics and flew in a long line only inches above waters of the canal and disperse into the nearby fields.

A solitary Mute Swan joined singles each of Bewick’s and Whooper Swan in fields alongside the Holpool Gutter. The rest of the winter swan herd of Whooper Swans had relocated and can now be viewable from fields (Lordship Marsh) by the M56.

Further on my ramble and a visit to No.6 tank resulted in seeing Mallard, Tufted Duck, Common Shelduck, Shelduck, Common Teal, Shoverler and Common Pochard all of which took shelter below the eastern banks.

Along Lordship Lane a female Peregrine passed overhead in pursuit of a Wood Pigeon and 3 Stonechat sat on the fence by the ‘model flying club’ field.

Observer: Paul Ralston (images 1 & 2).

Additionally, 7 Ringed Plover (first for the year) and 230 Golden Plover came onto No.6 tank during high tide but generally a poor showing considering the mega tide on the river.

Observer: Frank Duff.

Other birds news: The Eastern (infused) Jackdaw was still present at the Park Road lake, Runcorn this morning.

Nigel Case: Image 3.

21.02.15. Birdlog

21.02.15. Birdlog

A big tide out on the River Mersey pushed the shorebirds from their feeding to seek a dry area to roost and brush up before the ebb. In bright sunshine, hail and a cold wind some of them made their way across to No.6 tank.

6000 Dunlin, 86 Grey Plover, 500 Golden Plover, 600 Curlew, 350 Black-tailed and a solitary Bar-tailed Godwit, 500 Lapwing, 25 Knot and 100 Redshank. With all this shorebird activity it wasn’t long before a marauding Peregrine with its dial set on cruise control flew over the area and caused pandemonium over the river.

Observer: Frank Duff.

Image: WSM

20.02.15. Birdlog

20.02.15. Birdlog

An earlier dart from work and a couple of hours birding before him upstairs closed the curtains for the day. A large gathering of Lapwing on No.6 tank numbering 1500 were with 340 Golden Plover and 243 Dunlin all stayed beyond sundown.

Ducks were gathered to spend the night on the water at No.6 tank and included 12 Cormorant, 10 Pochard, 14 Tufted Duck, 2 Gadwall, 12 Mallard, 17 Common Shelduck, 234 Common Teal and a drake Pintail.

The Marsh Harrier was out over No.4 tank quartering the reed beds there. A Sparrowhawk caused a bit of consternation with the local Redshank and at least two pale morph Common Buzzard were on No.5 tank.

There were five Stonechat together on the fence line dividing No.5 tank and I guess it wont be long before they make their move to a heathland or moorland across the country?

Observer and images: WSM.

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Other news: A Chiffchaff was on Runcorn Hill  today.

A little belated but some additional sightings from Frodsham Score earlier today. Two Great White Egret, 4 Little Egret and Grey Heron.

Observer: Paul Ralston (image 5).

19.02.15. Birdlog

19.02.15. Birdlog

An hour over the high tide today produced the following: 9 Ruff feeding with Curlew on the approach road to Ince Berth with Redwing and Fieldfare in attendance. On to the Manchester Ship Canal bank and flocks of Linnet, Goldfinch and a flock of mixed tits were moving along the path.

The herd of Whooper and Mute Swan numbers were down to 34. Out on the salt marsh the farmer was making an attempt to get the ewes and lambs to high ground with several attempting to swim to safety from the tide.

One, probably two Great White Egret were out on the waters edge with several Little Egret with great numbers of Dunlin, Golden Plover, Lapwing and Redshank taking to the air as a Peregrine passed by. On the way home through Ince several hundred Black-tailed Godwit fed by the Pig farm and along Kinsey Lane both House and Tree Sparrow sat in the hedgerow with Grey and Pied Wagtail in the fields along the lane.

Observer and images: Paul Ralston

16.02.15. Birdlog

16.02.15. Birdlog

An after work visit and a walk around the tracks of No.6 tank. A large gathering of c1000 Lapwing were roosting up on the water margins of the sludge bed with smaller numbers of Golden Plover, 30 Redshank, 100 Common Teal, 12 Shoveler, 24 Common Shelduck, 2 Gadwall and 7 Tufted Duck.

The mitigation area held both Redshank and Common Teal. There were c30 Raven feasting on three dead sheep in the fields. Starlings were gathering in flocks before they streamed out to the east and I guess the large reed beds of Woolston Eyes?

Out over the reed beds of No.4 tank was the female Marsh Harrier presumably settling down for the night.

Along the Lordship Lane were 3 Common Buzzard including a dark morph bird. A Kingfisher was in the broad ditch at the junction of Moorditch and Lordship Lane.

The winter thrush flock continue to feed on the flooded horse paddock field on Moorditch Lane,

Observers: Sparky, WSM (and images).

Industrial Evolution

Industrial Evolution

An isolated stunted Elder tree stands with its shoulder to the prevailing westerly winds on the exposed banks of No.4 tank.

One of the now disused and in disrepair drainage towers is slowly being concealed by the reeds and scrub. In its heyday the tower would have stood tall and helped to reduce the volume of rain water on the active No.4 tank.

The Common Buzzard is one species that have increased dramatically over the last 20 years and is now the commonest bird of prey on the marshes occupying a variety of habitats.

Frodsham Hill, or Overton Hill, as it is sometimes known, rises to 500 feet (152 metres).

The wooded hills of Frodsham and Helsby are clear landmarks on the Cheshire plain and forms the northern end of the Mid-Cheshire Ridge, a range of sandstone hills that extends southwards to Delamere Forest and Tarporley.

No.4 tank is never far from industry but at times it has a unique wilderness and is often a place of solitude for the wildlife that inhabit the marsh. The dence phragmites reed beds are some of the largest in Cheshire.

The pot-holed track along the southern border of No.3 tank with the distant works of Ineos Chlor across the River Weaver.

A backdrop of industry with Marsh Farm nestled below and the newly created wetland mitigation of No.3 tank. All the surrounding industry evolved because of the Weaver Valley and its proximity to the River Mersey and the sea beyond. That’s something to bear in mind when the wind turbine developers start work here this year. We’re expecting good things to come out of this site in the coming years.

Another Common Buzzard watches from the old timber left over from the old magazine out on Frodsham Score jetty. A lamb settles in a hollow and the omnipresence Raven scuttles in the distance.

A bleak landscape on the raised banks bordering Frodsham Score and the ghost of the rusty Allan Williams Turret Pillbox sits in defence of Weston Point and Liverpool (well, that’s what it was erected fo)r. See here for additional information. https://frodshammarshbirdblog.wordpress.com/2015/01/12/life-on-marsh/

Finally, another Common Buzzard to polish off this post sits on an old tree growing out of an old sheep pen on Frodsham Score.

All images: WSM.