Finch Fest

View across Frodsham salt marsh from the top of No. 6 tank - Liverpool Airport can be seen on the opposite side of the Mersey.

Cormorants hanging out in a dead tree in No. 6 tank

Female Merlin on No. 5 tank

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The day started off with a quick trip to HGF. 2 Grey Partirdges were showing well in the field opposite the kennels. New were a pair of Goldeneye (rare this winter) - I tried to digiscope the drake, however an annoying 1st winter BHG kept mobbing them. The pair of Teal that turned up on Thursday are still present. 83 Wigeon were in residence (48 drakes) with 9 Tufties and 2 Pochard. The Great Crested Grebe pair that also turned up on Thursday were again engaged in courtship display with the third bird doing a good impression of a Billy No Mates. Other than that it was like a singles bar with 1 Redshank, 1 Lapwing, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Skylark, 1 Kestrel, 1 Pied Wagtail!!!

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At the feeding station the dynamic has changed again. For the last 2 weeks it has been all Tree Sparrows with few Chaffinches - today it was the opposite. All the birds are feeding and then hopping back into cover around the treatment works, consequently there is a much larger throughput than is immediately obvious. Today 2 Bramblings (1 male, 1 female) were joined by at least 45 Chaffinches. Also around were 11 Reed Buntings (7 males, 4 females), 9 Tree Sparrows, 5 Yellowhammers, 2 Grey Partridges, 3 Song Thrushes and 3 Greenfinches. On Friday evening 9 Grey Partridges were present (4 pairs) and a great deal of scuffling broke out again.

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In the garden the bird of the day was a cracking male Siskin on the feeders at lunch. It was associating with 7 Goldfinches. Approx 12 Chaffinches and 2 Reed Buntings were also coming in. Curiously Starlings are uncommon visitors to the garden in numbers. I usually see only significant numbers in autumn when the juveniles flatten the fat balls - the rest of the year I am lucky to see an odd bird. Consequently it was very nice to see a flock of 54 stick around in the garden this morning. Also present were 2 Crows, 24 Collared Doves, 2 Grey Partridges and a Coal Tit. A Sparrowhawk killed another Collared Dove in the garden on Thursday.

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While chauffering Karen to the hair dressers in Newton I popped round to Newton Lake this morning. A pair of Nuthatches were present around the church car park with a third bird calling nr the lake. Also present were 2 Mute Swans, 3 Canada Geese (possible the same three that visited HGF on Thursday?), 24 Teal, and 11 Tufties. 4 Jays were in Lady Lane late morning. Yesterday a Corn Bunting was present on the wires outside Holcroft Hall farm in Culcheth.

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Following a trip to the pet shop mid afternoon and diverting out of Warrington via Stockton Heath in order to avoid the chaos, I then decided to have a quick walk around Frodsham Marsh. The first bird I saw was a female Merlin perched on a fencepost on No. 5 tank. She posed nicely though she was very distant and a couple on a nature walk were thrilled to get their first ever views of a Merlin through my scope. Also present on No. 6 tank were:

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470+ Golden Plover

52 Ringed Plover

27 Dunlin

5 Ruff

82 Curlew

250+ Lapwing

1 Black-tailed Godwit

450+ Teal

45 Ruddy Duck

42 Wigeon

2 Pintail

2 Shelduck

4 Shoveler

26 Cormorant

22 Grey Heron

1 Little Egret

9 Pied Wagtails

80+ Common Gulls

1 Great Black-backed Gull (2nd winter)

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On the salt marsh 2 Greylags were feeding with 53 Canada Geese, however any hopes of a SEO sighting were dashed when I spotted several tents on the marsh. I can't believe people are allowed to camp there!

Away days

Red-breasted Goose (honest!). The poor lighting conditions and distance to the bird made digiscoping extremely difficult. It is also amazing how well this birds blends in to the dark-bellied Brent geese despite the red breast. This is a proper wild bird unlike the escapee that visits Martin Mere and points around.

Red-breasted Geese breed in the Taymyr Peninsular (Russian Arctic) and winter mainly on the western Black Sea coast.

Med gull. Three adults were present - two unringed birds had largely moulted into breeding plumage. The third bird was very shy and is still in winter plumage.

Another Med gull shot.

And another....

Confiding Little Egret. I watched it slowly work its way up a channel and past me - consequently it didn't see me until it had walked past.

Dark-bellied Brent geese. The dark-bellied race originates from western Siberia as opposed to the pale-bellied race which originates from Svalbard, Greenland and NE Canada.

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I have been out on the road this week so not much to add. I started on Monday morning with a trip to Barrow-in-Furness before heading south towards Southampton. Just got back this evening. Two Bramblings, one male and one female, were in the garden Monday am. Otherwise a few recent snaps.

A plethora of Tree Sparrows

Tree Sparrows and a female House Sparrow at the Waterworks Lane feeding station

Male Kingfisher at the back of the pool off Moat Lane, Rixton

Oystercatchers at Houghton Green Flash

Oystercatchers with Wigeon and 3 Redshank

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Today has been very dull, grey, cold and extremely windy - hence the very poor attempts at digiscoping. At HGF the westerly wind was blowing the scope around all over the place and coupled with low light levels (and thus slow shutter speeds) I really struggled to get any half decent shots today.
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The Tree Sparrow numbers at my feeding station in Waterworks Lane have been going up and up over the last week or so. I thought John Tymons count of 34 the other day would be impossible to beat, however this afternoon birds just kept piling in until a maximum of 39 was observed. Where are they all coming from? I have decided that the collective noun for Tree Sparrows is now a plethora - 39 is in these parts!

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A male Brambling was also present at the feeding station with 2 females being seen in the garden earlier in the day. The feeding station also held 12 Yellowhammers, 6 Reed Buntings, 3 House Sparrows, 20+ Chaffinches and 2 Grey Partridges. In the garden the highlight was 4 Mistle Thrushes which came in several times in order to have a serious falling out with each other. 2 Reed Buntings and approx a dozen Chaffinches also around.

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At HGF 87 Wigeon were present with 13 Tufties, 2 Pochard and a Great Crested Grebe. The latter is half way to moulting into breeding plumage and is possibly the bird that spent most of the winter here until recently. Nice to see it back from its 2 week break! Both Oystercatchers are now present. The field to the south of the pool has been partially ploughed and held 3 Skylarks. There were large numbers of gulls today which were commuting between the pool and some recently ploughed fields behind Midhops farm. Approx 350 BHG's with 20+ Herring and 10+ Common gulls counted on the pool with more gulls distant. A Buzzard flapped lazily down the treeline to the east of the pool.

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A quick trip to Rixton this afternoon resulted in nice but distant views of a male Kingfisher loitering at the back of the pool. 12 Tufties, 11 Gadwall, 5 Canada Geese, 2 Little Grebes and 4 Cormorants were on the pool with a Heron on the far side. In the wood a Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling and over 40 Chaffinches flew out in dribs and drabs - all headed towards the mosses.

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On the way home I diverted along Holly Bush Lane where 2 male Kestrels and a Buzzard were hunting over the mosses. Nearly all the fields here have been ploughed recently. In one 362 Lapwings were stood very quietly and 150+ Fieldfares were present with 300+ Starlings further along.

Iceland hat trick

Second winter Iceland Gull, Richmond Bank, Warrington. Note the relatively small size when compared to the surrounding Herring Gulls. The mantle is clearly showing grey adult ype feathers.

A very large first winter Iceland Gull at Richmond Bank. This bird could easily be mistaken for a Glaucous Gull, however it is long-winged and the bill is a bit too delicate and not pink enough for Glaucous Gull.

The two Iceland gulls in the same shot - second winter bird bottom left and first winter top right. Note the size difference between the two.

Second winter Iceland Gull

First winter Iceland Gull

Black-headed Gulls squabbling, Newton Lake

Drake Teal, Newton Lake. This is the first time I have seen Teal coming for bread, though the pair tended to circle around the outside of the Mallard/Tufty/Coot flock.

Female Teal, Newton Lake

Tufted Duck, Newton Lake

Tufted Ducks, Newton Lake

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The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the three Iceland Gulls I saw at Richmond Bank this afternoon. There is a large mud flat in the middle of the Mersey here which is exposed at low tide. The location is also virtually next door to Arpley tip and to Moore Nature Reserve. Consequently a decent number of gulls were hanging around here after the tip had closed. Aside from the first and second winter birds photographed, a third juvenile flew over our observation point.

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This morning I spent a bit of time at Newton Lake and was surprised to see a pair of Teal attempting to come for bread, though they were generally timid around the larger ducks. 17 Tufties were present and a Grey Wagtail was, as usual here, skipping along the path.

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The morning had started with a male Brambling in the garden again. The head is starting to moult back into breeding plumage - I hope this bird stops around for another few weeks. The Grey Partridges visited late afternoon and a pair of Reed Buntings were also present though it was a bad day for the Collared Doves. One was found this morning plucked in the front garden, clearly a victim of "madam" - our nickname for the local female Sparrowhawk. While I stood in the kitchen having my lunch another dove simply fell off a branch in the large Ash tree and landed in front of the bird table - stone dead!

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Nothing much doing at the feeding station today though John Tymon yesterday had large numbers of Tree Sparrows and Yellowhammers and also had a female Merlin. My only birds of note yesterday were a mixed thrush flock nr Culcheth primary school (58 Redwings, 18 Fieldfares) and a flock of 38 Fieldfares in a field nr Glazebrook village. The male Brambling was present again in the garden.

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A quick trip to Penny late afternoon bagged a Little Egret from the New Hide, though the little skulker only showed its head and neck, preferring to hide behind vegetation and a couple of Grey Herons.

Spring is on the way!

Carrion Crow at the feeding station

Photo from the weekend. While waiting for the Hawfinches to appear this female Kestrel continually flew down to a puddle in the path. I'm not sure whether she was drinking or taking in grit to aid digestion.

Reed Bunting at Waterworks Lane feeding station this morning

Tree Sparrows at the feeding station

Yellowhammers at the feeding station

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The signs of Spring approaching are increasing. Song Thrushes and Skylarks have been singing away for several days now, however some more notable sightings this morning. First of all one of the local Oystercatchers was present at HGF this morning, back from its winter holiday. Over the last 3 years the first bird has been back on 15th, 4th and 10th (2006-08) so the bird is slightly later than usual - maybe a sign of the extended cold winter.

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A Lapwing was also on territory in the field to the south of the pool. On the pool 87 Wigeon were present, 49 of these were drakes - a male to female ratio of 1.29:1. Three Redshanks were also present with a few aythya ducks, however the pool is relatively quiet at the moment with no sign of any grebes.

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At the feeding station this morning were 29 Tree Sparrows, by far my biggest count of the winter. 12 Yellowhammers, 4 Reed Buntings and 4 Grey Partridges. 3 Lapwings were on territory in the field opposite Highfield Lane.

That was the Cas that wasn't!

Female Merlin - Pilling Lane Ends on Sunday. I digiscoped about 40 shots of this bird and in every one that came out reasonable she has her head around her back, under her wing, up her arse...
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A Peregrine was also perched on a tussock at the edge of the marsh. For the fourth time this winter I dipped on the Bean Geese but I did catch up with the Hawfinches at S Res. Anyway 5000 Pink-footed Geese swirling over your head is always an awesome sight.
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I got a bit excited when I arrived at HGF this evening and saw large numbers of gulls on the water for the first time in weeks. Every one however was a BHG - then I noticed this one. In the field, through the bins, I immediately thought it looks like a Caspian Gull. Head shape and bill shape looked good so I got out the scope. The first thing I saw through the scope was the bird flying away from a dog that had swum into the pool - I got the scope clearly on the underwing pattern and low and behold the P5/P10 formula looked ideal for Cas.
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At this point I ran round the far side of the pool for better views - and all the excitement evaporated. The eye was pale and not dark, in better oight conditions the mantle is clearly too pale and is typical argenteus, the wings don't look long enough and the bill has a slightly bulbous end.
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Oh well - I tried! I suspected this bird must have some Cas genes in it (hence the P5/P10 formula) so maybe it is a hybrid Herring/Caspian from eastern Europe? However Mr Mckercher thought there were few pro-Caspian features in this bird so I clearly have a lot to learn!
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A recent trip to Downholland Moss revealed 5 Pink-footed Geese with neck rings. I have just got back the info on these birds.
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FVL was ringed as an adult female in Mannabeinafla, A-Huna, Iceland on 25/07/2000. The bird was next located in Aberdeenshire (Loch of Strathbeg) in the following year and has since flitted between the Lancashire mosses and Aberdeenshire with the odd foray into Perthshire (Loch Leven) and Norfolk.
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IJF was ringed as an adult male in Round-up Hill, Thjorsarver, Arness, Iceland on 27/07/2000. This bird was observed in East Lothian and Dumfrieshire in 2002 and then Norfolk in the same year. He was then spotted at Martin Mere in 2004 and then no records until mine 2 weeks ago.
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IZU was ringed as an adult male in Oddkelsalda, Thjorsarver, Arness on 29/07/2000. Since then it has been a regular visitor to the Lancashire mosses but has not been recorded elsewhere.
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LNJ was first ringed in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire on 2nd April 2006 as a juvenile male. This bird also appears to be flitting regularly between Aberdeenshire and the Lancashire mosses with an odd foray into South Lanarkshire.
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LPB was first ringed in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire on 2nd April 2006 as a juvenile (sex not recorded). This bird also appears to be flitting regularly between Aberdeenshire and the Lancashire mosses with an odd foray into South Lanarkshire and Midlothian.
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Yesterday on the way home I popped into the feeding station at HGF for a quick butchers. A pair of Grey Partridges were present, engaged in courtship display. A second pair then appeared, the male of which chased the male from the first pair. The female of the second pair then chased the female of the first pair before a third male appeared and all then settled down feeding. Occasional disputes occurred - it was clear that the belly patch on the second male was much larger and darker than those on the other 2 males. The lone male then walked off just before a third pair appeared and pandemonium ensued with partridges chasing each other all over the place.
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The usual covey of four birds (definitely separate from the above birds) has been present in the garden for the last 2 days. Also yesterday on a quick lunch break I spotted a finch flock numbering over 250 birds in the air above the tip at Rixton but I couldn't get near them for ID.

Grey day

Starling pinching raisins

The Robins were in usual agressive mode

The Long-tailed Tit flock visited virtually every corner of the garden

Jackdaw swiping the peanuts

The usual covey of Grey Partridges

The local Feral Pigeon - there only ever seems to be one bird in the village

Pair of Collared Doves going for a walk

Coal Tit

Male Kestrel in Waterworks Lane

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Very grey morning with poor light and some rain. After brief visits to Waterworks Lane and HGF I decided to photograph birds in the garden through the conservatory window. Birds observed in the garden this morning:

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4 Grey Partridges

1 Brambling (male)

6 Chaffinches

11 Greenfinches

6 Goldfinches

1 Reed Bunting (male)

2 Blue Tits

3 Great Tits

2 Coal Tits

14 Long-tailed Tits

3 Robins

2 Dunnocks

4 Blackbirds

1 Feral Pigeon

2 Wood Pigeons

18 Collared Doves

2 Magpies

1 Rook

3 Jackdaws

2 Crows

2 House Sparrows

11 Starlings

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22 species in just over an hour though I suspect Karen will not be happy that the Magpies are building a nest. Last year, having built a nest in the same place, the female Magpie started virtually every morning at 5am by perching on the roof and begging for food. A very irritating noise. While watching from the conservatory 33 Pink-footed Geese flew very low over the house heading NW.

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The garden remained busy all day with most birds seen returning several times. The Collared Dove flock increased to 30 and the 23rd species of the day turned up in the form of a Mistle Thrush.

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At the Waterworks Lane feeding station this morning the birds were very flighty - they flew off several times, particularly when a shotgun was fired nearby. Birds seen were:

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3 Bramblings (male and 2 females - the male was different to the bird in the garden)

20+ Chaffinches

17 Tree Sparrows

2 House Sparrows

9 Yellowhammers

3 Reed Buntings

1 Grey Wagtail

2 male Song Thrushes were singing, one at the treatment works and one by the farm. A male Great Spotted Woodpecker was also in the trees by the farm.

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A male Kestrel posed for photos (pity the light was naff) and 2 Buzzards were present - one on the usual fenceline opposite the feeding station and one in a field off Highfield Lane. A flock of thrushes was also present at the latter location comprising 105 Fieldfares and 14 Redwings.

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At HGF there was nothing much new. The Linnet flock was flitting around the field to the south of the pool and numbered approx 55 birds. A Buzzard was with a large flock of corvids in a ploughed field behind Midhops farm.

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In Culcheth this afternoon a mixed flock of thrushes were feeding in the field opposite the primary school - 145+ Redwings and 95+ Fieldfares.

Friday 13th

Houghton Green Flash photographed from the south bank

HGF earlier this week when the pool was 90% frozen

The rising sun lighting up the north bank - the sun also illuminates the Wigeon flock. Gorgeous.

The kennels and the "lawn" in the south field. I don't know why this area of short grass has been created, however it is popular with many birds. Herons and Buzzards can often be seen just standing on the grass while up to 12 Song Thrushes have been seen feeding together here.

The Oak trees by the gate in the south hedge. This is a prime congreation spot for the Linnet flock of late.

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This morning the ice had melted. It was a mild morning with the rising sun lighting everything up a nice golden colour. The first thing of note was the Skylarks in the field south of the pool flitting around and singing. The males have been engaged in song flights over the last few days. Last week a flock of 20 Skylarks was flying around this field. A few Meadow Pipits (Mipits) were also present while the Linnet flock began assembling on the wires near the kennels - around 20 birds were present when I left. There was no sign of the recent flock of 250+ Lapwings.

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On the pool some of ther aythya ducks had returned after being driven away by the ice. 10 Tufted Ducks and 11 Pochard were back. A female Ruddy Duck was tagging along with the Tufty group and 83 Wigeon were scattered all over the pool. The Coot flock is down to 46.

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The covey of 4 Grey Partridges visited the garden this afternoon for the fourth time this week. Nine Goldfinches were also lined up for the feeders this morning. On Waterworks Lnae 15 Yellowhammers and 5 Tree Sparrows were at the feeding station with 3 Reed Buntings. Hardly any Chaffinches and no Bramblings were seen - a male Song Thrush was singing nr the treatment works.

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At lunch I managed to escape to New Moss Wood for half an hour. It was generally very quiet though it was nice to get out and walk round in the mild weather. After hearing nothing but singing Robins things started to pick up briefly on a section of path I call Bullfinch alley. I have never failed to pick up Bullfinches here and true to form one started calling. 2 Goldcrests scurried about in a bush by the path and a Great Spotted Woodpecker began calling. 2 Willow Tits flew across the path into a tall tree and a third Goldcrest appeared further down the path. After that it went quiet again apart from a Jay flying across the access road.

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On the way home there was no sign of the Golden Plovers but 80+ Fieldfares were in a field at the edge of Glazebrook village.

Ducks, Geese and Swans

Whooper Swans with Pink-footed Geese on Plex Moss. 110 birds were seen - down from 400 the previous day.

Whooper Swans, Plex Moss

Whooper Swans

Whooper Swans in flight over Plex Moss

Pink-footed Geese and Whooper Swans on Plex Moss

Pink-footed Geese in flight over Plex Moss

Pink-footed Geese on Downholland Moss

Pink-footed Geese, Downholland Moss. Approximately 8500 birds were present plus another 2500 on Plex Moss.

Med Gull, Moore Nature Reserve. This bird spent most of its time hiding behind a Herring Gull - I picked it out by the colour of the bill which was all I could see.

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Houghton Green Flash had an influx of aythya ducks overnight. There was no sign of yesterdays Golden Plovers and the pool was still at least half frozen. The following birds were seen:

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86 Wigeon

80 Mallard

33 Pochard

18 Tufted Duck

1 Ruddy Duck

50 Coots

4 Cormorants

1 Ruddy Duck (female)

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On the way back to the office from a trip to St Asaph today I noticed a large flock in the field nr the Biffa site off the A57 in Rixton. Mostly Lapwings but a quick scan revealed 40 Golden Plovers.