I started my walk from Ince this morning and with not a great deal on the pools apart from a handful of Mallard, Eurasian Teal, Gadwall, 2 Mute Swan and a single Little Egret. Onward in isolation to the Manchester Ship Canal path and a look over Frodsham Score saltmarsh which held more ducks with the addition of several Common Shelduck, 4 Little Egret and 4 Grey Heron. There were 2 Northern Wheatear on the far canal bank and Sand Martin, Barn Swallow and House Martin all noted.
Looking over the ‘phalarope pool’ and 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Redshank eventually the Pectoral Sandpiper flew in and landed next to a godwit where it stayed feeding. The scrapes on No.3 tank held a good number of Black-tailed Godwit and Pied Avocet could be heard calling nearby.
The Canal Pools had a pair of Great Crested Grebe with a nest hidden in the reed bed and a Northern Wheatear on the bank. The godwit flock on the mitigation pools also had a summer Dunlin feeding alongside.
The female Long-tailed Duck was still enjoying the company of the Tufted Duck on No.6. Passerines singing included Reed Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler and Common Whitethroat.
Observer: Paul Ralston (images 2-7).
No.4 tank and the surrounding area with 8 Eurasian Whimbrel, 12 Eurasian Curlew a Grasshopper Warbler and 11 separate calling Cetti’s Warbler.
Observer: Robby Brown.
After I had finished my weekend work I paid a shorter visit to the marsh for some mind wellbeing and where better than a walk on the marshes.
The Pectoral Sandpiper was still present on the ‘phalarope pool’ and approached much closer and in better light than yesterday. A flock of 6 White Wagtail were busy fly-catching over the pools and both a 1st summer Western Marsh Harrier and a Western Yellow Wagtail flew over.
A solitary Ruff was on No.6 tank lacking the glamour from a few hundred metres away.
A couple of Common Swift were high over Weston Road having just crossed Frodsham Marshes.
Observer: WSM (images 1 & 5-12).
