11.10.15. Birdlog

11.10.15. Birdlog

I met Paul Kurs on the motorway bridge at 9 am, we struck off on foot down to the River Weaver opposite Redwall reed bed on our way to the Weaver Bend.

On route were 150 lapwing in the ploughed field on the right of Brook Furlong Lane, the usual Dunnock, Robin and Blackbird were plentiful.

We were followed by a female Great Spotted Woodpecker going from telegraph pole to telegraph pole.

Once on the ‘bend’ the usual Tufted Duck and a couple of Great Crested Grebe were present, suddenly, out of the reed bed under our feet a bird flew low scraping the water heading across the river.  Once it settled we had it in our binoculars and looked at each other and both said Red-necked Grebe (images 2-3) a bird in partial summer plumage! We watched it for 10-15 minutes and it looked quite settled feeding away.

After leaving the ‘bend’ we headed towards Marsh Farm.  Usual birds on route mostly Goldfinch and Meadow Pipit.

A large skein of Pink-footed Geese were heading over towards the Mersey Estuary.

Over on Frodsham Score was a Merlin being harassed by a Kestrel. Lots of Lapwing and a small flock of Black-tailed Godwit were spooked by the Merlin.

We back tracked to the motorway bridge for a drink and then headed to No.6 tank. A quick scan on the water were large numbers of Tufted Duck, Common Teal, Shoveller, a couple of Pintail and Pochard.

Looking across No.3 tank a Sparrowhawk was noted and also another Merlin. We then looked out across the estuary where a Peregrine was keeping the Lapwing flocks mobile.

All in all a great mornings birding!

Observers Shaun Hickey (all images), Paul Kurs.

The WeBS count was kindly made by Macduff today and included: 210 Tufted Duck, 80 Shoveler, 20 Pintail, 1000 Common Teal, 21 Gadwall, 6 Common Pochard, 20 Wigeon, 20 Common Shelduck, 18 Mallard, 12 Mute Swan 12 Coot and 6 Moorhen.

Observer: Frank Duff.

There is approximately a mile and a quarter from Hale Park/lighthouse and Frodsham Marsh so when you add in: 13 Avocet (FD), 4 Great White Egret (DC), 2 Little Egret (WSM) on the south side then, a Great Skua and a Firecrest (per Dave Craven) on the north side we are looking at some pretty credible birding on and about the Mersey Estuary today. This doesn’t include the large numbers of shorebirds, ducks and raptors out there.

Observers: FD, DC, WSM.

I am guiding a walk next Sunday 18th on Frodsham Marsh for further details: http://www.record-lrc.co.uk/forum/calendar.php?view=event&calEid=1520

10.10.15. Birdlog

10.10.15. Birdlog

Thought that I’d give viz-migging a go on a date which should be within the optimum time period of September and October. But standing on the NE corner of No.4 it was obvious it was not going to happen. It was so quiet with no birds that I could honestly say they were not moving.

There were 2 Little Egret out on Frodsham Score, 10 Greenfinch in the Elders, 2 Grey Wagtail mobbing a Sparrowhawk and a flock of about 120 Pink-footed Geese that flew over northwards in a noisy skein that broke up into skein-lets, my first of the autumn. There was one intriguing sighting when a Blue Tit flew past closely followed by a small green bird I didn’t get onto fast enough, but got the impression that it had creamy-yellow stripes on it… I saw where it went but couldn’t relocated it?

As I walked off I stumbled on a lovely, delicate, translucent fungi that reminded me of the ones illustrated in children’s story books a delicate Glistening Parasol.

As I drove away from No.4 tank, the cattle were grazing in the scrape next to the Splashing Pool, the contractors working on No.3 (mitigation area) had left the gates open as they’d entered. They’d also knocked a fence down and the cattle were walking out onto the track (take note farmer).

I then tried another look for a Yellow-browed Warbler but failed miserably, the bushes along No.6 tank were largely empty except for a few Chaffinch and tits. Standing at the top of the halfway ramp on No.6, a Cetti’s Warbler began to sing in the phragmites below and it did so for over half an hour, coming as close to me as 5 metres, but frustratingly never showed itself. A Red Admiral flew past as I waited and a Redpoll species went over calling.

I moved to Brook Furlong Lane to resume my warbler search. A couple of Jays, an increase in Song Thrush numbers and a Great-spotted Woodpecker…but no warblers.

On my way back to Lordship Lane I met another birder, Mark, who’d just had an adult winter plumaged Mediterranean Gull on No.6 with the Black-heads and a few Chiffchaff on his walk along No.6 to No.4. I decided to go and have a look and the ‘med’ was still there on the water with about a 100 Black-headed Gull and a single Common Gull. With an assortment of ducks which included 30+ Shoveler, 20+ Wigeon and a couple of Pintail, lots of Teal and Tufted Duck, the water was full of birds but looking into the sun is was never easy to see and I moved on, driving the full length of Lordship Lane as far as the construction site cabins.

Apart from 51 Curlew in a field with 4 Common Buzzard, one of which was doing it’s best to resemble a Rough-leg, and a small flock of Linnet in with one of the large rambling flocks of Goldfinch, I didn’t see much else.

Observer and images: Tony Broome