16.02.14 Birdlog
Went to the marsh from Elton again. A couple of hundred Curlew near the Pig farm. A respite from the rain clearly enjoyed by the birds as several species of the commoner passerines showing themselves on the marsh on this sunny day; Blue Tit, Great Tit, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Robin and Reed Bunting, the Skylark now doing their display flight. A small flock of 10 Redwing and a couple of Fieldfare by the old birdlog and a Stonechat by the dung heap near Marsh Farm.
Lots of Corvids, including c15 Raven here to take advantage of the recently started lambing season, a sub-adult female Marsh Harrier on No 6 tank, 38 Coot feeding on the grassy banks on No. 3 tank by the Canal Pools. Two sightings of Sparrowhawk (on No. 3 and at Marsh Farm), a Peregrine on the Power Station chimney. I could see several hundred Lapwing in the distance towards the West and over the Manchester Ship Canal, but oddly not one Lapwing or Golden Plover on No. 6 tank in spite of it being high tide? Good numbers of Buzzard with some starting to pair up.
Also noted was a Fox on the Frodsham Score as well as two WeBS counters/birders with binoculars and scope. Did they all swim across or did they share a boat? (Mike and Ian shared a boat. Eds)
Ciao from Guido Isidoro.
The WebS counters scored top drawer with 2 Guillemot on the rising tide close to the Weaver Sluice gates at the eastern edge of the score. A female/1cy Marsh Harrier out on the salt marsh was some reward for all the effort put in by counters doing this work.
Elsewhere on the marshes other counters added a Great White Egret, an additional Guillemot (possibly killed by a Great Black-backed Gull) and a rintail Hen Harrier.
Observers: Ian Coote, Mike Buckley (and image).
A walk along the track above No. 6 tank at dusk was rewarded with a sighting of a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier quartering the reedbed on the sludge tank below. 56 Tufted Duck, 28 Shoveler, 6 Common Pochard, 4 Pintail, 12 Common Shelduck was a much improvement from yesterdays assembly and 400 Lapwing roosting up made up for Guido missing them earlier. 
The Chiffchaff was more obliging along the western end of No. 5 tank but proved difficult to get a photograph (see opposite).
Guido’s Peregrine was still sat on top of the chimney at Weston Point and a pair of Kestrel were pair bonding.
Observers: Sparky, WSM (images).
