11.10.14. Birdlog
There were plenty of Wigeon out on the rising tide with several hundred seen. A juvenile Marsh Harrier (see image above) flew to the east along Frodsham Score while 6 Little and 2 Great White Egret were obvious out on the salt marsh. Also present were the 2 Whooper Swan (possibly ringed?) from earlier in the week. 3 Green Sandpiper were on the Manchester Ship Canal. The incoming tide forced in 135 Oystercatcher, 500 Lapwing, 21 Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Dunlin and Curlew.
An early start and a walk out to do some vismiging from the banks of No.4 tank: 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 9 Pied and 4 Grey Wagtail (flyng south), 32 Meadow Pipit (south), 43 Skylark (south),Swallow, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, finches and two Swallow were moving south. 1 Stock Dove (south), 1 Jay, 4 Song Thrush, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 4 Dunnock (south), and finally a Wheatear which didn’t appear to be going anywhere sat it out on the banks of the score.
High tide and a watch overlooking No.6 tank saw 700 Dunlin, a Curlew Sandpiper, 2 juvenile and an adult Little Stint, 21 Ruff, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 100 Lapwing, 2 Ringed, 6 Grey and a single Golden Plover. A Peregrine briefly flew in and had a go at the wader throng but a female Sparrowhawk caused the worst damage by scooping up a Dunlin from the flock forcing everything to depart back to the river. Ducks continued to loiter on the flooded parts of the tank with 3 Pintail, 34 Tufted Duck and 64 Common Teal adding a little padding to the day. 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker in the white poplar trees above the tank and a Chiffchaff with the Long-tailed Tit flock.
Also noted was a Red Admiral Butterfly and several Migrant Hawker Dragonflies.
The Peregrine seen earlier was sat aloft the blue-topped chimney.
Observer: WSM
A Rock/Water Pipit was noted flying east along the Manchester Ship Canal towards Marsh Farm.
Observers: Tony Broome, Frank Duff.
The Weaver Estuary was alive with birds and included 16 Little and 5 Great Crested Grebe, 430 Tufted Duck, 210 Redshank and 120 Coot. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew along the Weaver causeway and tallied the third of the day or an extremely flighty solo bird?
Observers: Stewart Clubbe, WSM.
Marsh Farm was the end of day venue with a Common Sandpiper, several Pied Wagtails and Kingfisher along the canal below the farm. Out on the mudflats were 400 Curlew and 2 Little Egret.
Observers: Stewart Clubbe, Tony Broome (images 2-4), Frank Duff, WSM (image 1).
