Shore Lark, Southport
xxxA run down of the last week:
xxx
Tuesday 3rd – as usual I headed off to HGF early morning with Billy. It was, as usual, quiet though it was nice to have a sunny interlude in the heavy rain experienced in recent days. As I prepared to leave with nothing much to show I got a patch tick in the shape of a male Yellowhammer which had been skulking in the south hedge. Almost immediately after 140+ Pink-footed Geese flew over very low, heading east. Nothing much at the feeding station – I could hear Tree Sparrows chattering away but couldn’t see any. I suspect this is one of the main draws of this site – a hedge full of dead bracken which could hide a Rhinoceros! The usual Buzzard was perched nearby on its usual fence line.
Xxxx
Wednesday 4th - nothing to report from HGF. At the feeding station around 10 Tree Sparrows showed themselves with 3 Yellowhammers, a Reed Bunting and a couple of Chaffinches. It is nice to see other species are now starting to discover the feeding station. A covey of eight Grey Partridges were also present and the Buzzard was where I saw it yesterday.
Thursday 5th – 22 Tree Sparrows at the feeding station with a Reed Bunting and 2 Chaffinches, Buzzard again and 125 Pink-footed Geese flew over heading south.
Xxxx
Wednesday 4th - nothing to report from HGF. At the feeding station around 10 Tree Sparrows showed themselves with 3 Yellowhammers, a Reed Bunting and a couple of Chaffinches. It is nice to see other species are now starting to discover the feeding station. A covey of eight Grey Partridges were also present and the Buzzard was where I saw it yesterday.
Thursday 5th – 22 Tree Sparrows at the feeding station with a Reed Bunting and 2 Chaffinches, Buzzard again and 125 Pink-footed Geese flew over heading south.
Xxxx
Friday 6th – a misty early morning at HGF. A mixed flock of winter thrushes flew out of the south hedge – I estimated 12+ Redwings and 80+ Fieldfares. A flock of 15 Long-tailed Tits and 2 Blue Tits made their way noisily along the south hedge, on the water was a Ruddy Duck and a single drake Pochard. In the garden this morning were 15 Collared Doves and 42 Tree Sparrows and the covey of eight Grey Partridges were at the feeding station. A Sparrowhawk dashed across Moss Lane in Rixton this morning. On the way to work a single Corn Bunting was on the wires outside Holcroft Hall Farm in Culcheth.
Xxxx
Saturday 7th - HGF was sunnier this morning with no rain or mist. A mixed thrush flock was feeding on the lawn in the south field – 12 Blackbirds plus 6 Redwings and a Song Thrush. A Buzzard also flew out of the south hedge and 43 Lapwings wheeled over the pool. In the garden a few tits were busy on the feeders along with 14 Goldfinches – 8 Blackbirds roosted in the garden overnight. A couple of Rooks also came in – autumn and winter traditionally see Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws as regular visitors to the garden but virtually never seen through the rest of the year. At least 35 Tree Sparrows at the feeding station plus other buntings and finches.
Xxxx
Sunday 8th – this morning I woke up early despite being knackered and run down so I crawled out of my pit and did a bit of garden watching. Nine Blackbirds and three unidentified larger thrushes were kicking up a stink – a male Sparrowhawk promptly turned up, zoomed through and then glided away across the field over to the feeding station. I then went out and parked up near the feeding station while I decided what to do. Last night I had been thinking of a trip out to Hilbre with a few hours in the afternoon at Parkgate. Trouble was, it was grey, cold and raining and I didn’t have the energy to walk over to Hilbre. Even the Tree Sparrows didn’t seem keen on venturing out this morning so I headed off with Billy to Southport, partly in the hope that the Shore Lark was still there and partly because I wouldn’t have to expend too much energy to see good birds. The only Shore Lark I had previously seen was on a landfill site on a hill above Halifax, one bitterly cold and windy day.
Xxx
On arrival at Weld Rd car park I checked Birdguides to find that the Shore Lark had done a bunk. I immediately spotted a large finch flock though and wondered whether the Twite had returned. Having gone wandering with Billy, I spotted several birders a few hundred yards away intent on something. I walked over to find Sid Ashton had re-found the Shore Lark – nice one Sid! The bird was a little flighty – trouble was it kept getting disturbed by walkers who would look at the assembled birders with puzzlement and then walk straight at the lark! Good views were had though, especially when the sun came out and it was nice to stop and have a chat with a number of familiar faces.
Xxx
The combined Linnet/Twite flock made several appearances with approx 40 birds of each species present. They didn’t settle though. As usual I can only stare at a bird doing nothing but feeding for so long, consequently I started scanning around. Although it was some way from high tide I watched the distant sea and observed around 140 Common Scoters passing through and heading up the coast. I then took Billy for a walk out onto the sands – there were some distant waders with Sanderling, Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Knot all present together, however the main flocks were miles away so I headed back to the car and off to the Wirral for the afternoon.
Xxxx
I called in briefly at New Brighton over high tide hoping to see Purple Sandpipers on the pontoon in the marina, Instead I got just four Turnstones and squadrons of Black-headed Gulls. Next stop was Parkgate where it was very warm and sunny and surprisingly devoid of birders. One young guy was watching the marsh with a scope – as soon as I got out he approached me and told me that a previous birder had pointed out a Peregrine perched on dead wood way out on the marsh. I got the impression that he couldn’t pick it up due to his scope not being the best in the world – I put my scope on it, confirmed it was a Peregrine and let him have a look. I zoomed out slightly and found a Merlin perched on a tussock near the Peregrine which I showed the guy – as we were looking a Short-eared Owl flew over both Merlin and Peregrine! Promising start.
Xxxx
The guy left but other birders began to arrive. By then I had found another Peregrine, another Merlin, three Kestrels, 12 Little Egrets and a couple of Stonechats. There was no sign of a Spoonbill and no mention of it by anyone present while I was there, nevertheless one was later reported. I wonder if this was by the Decca pools earlier on? The owls were up and about frequently and had a few tussles – at one point two tangled and as they separated one of the Merlins shot through the space between them. At least two Ringtail Hen Harriers showed and at one point landed next to each other on the marsh. It was difficult to keep track of how many harriers there were. They would drop into cover, I would get distracted by a SEO and then a harrier would suddenly appear again – same one or a different bird? Eventually I managed to see three Ringtails up in the air at the same time in addition to 5 SEO’s. Late on a Barn Owl appeared hunting opposite the car park and quickly caught a vole which it flew off with. A very pleasant couple of hours.
Xxxx
This morning a trip to HGF produced increases in some birds. Present this morning were:
Xxxx
54 Coot
2 Mute Swans
22+ Mallard
1 Pochard (female)
18 Tufted Duck
3 Little Grebes
1 Great Crested Grebe
15 Wigeon
104 Black-headed Gulls
2 Common Gulls
4 Meadow Pipits
1 Redshank
Xxxx
In the garden this morning14 Woodpigeons were loitering with the usual Collared Doves. At the feeding station were eight Grey Partridges (a female Pheasant was here yesterday) but no other birds. Mid morning I passed through again after spending the morning “parked” on the M6 – lots of birds were flitting in the bushes just further up the lane. As I approached the bushes emptied and I counted 85+ (eighty five) Tree Sparrows plus 8 Greenfinches, 4 Yellowhammers and some Chaffies. This confirms to a degree a theory I have. I have noticed that Tree Sparrows will come down for a feed and then will disappear, often into the water treatment works. I think that only part of the flock is present at the feeding station at any one time – when they have topped up they rotate back out to a safer place to lie up. Presumably this may be due to increased raptor presence which will almost certainly happen when so many birds are feeding here.
Xxxxx
Lunch today (sunny and warm) and a quick mooch to Moat Lane pool. Numbers here are starting to build up a little – 52 Coot plus 18 Tufted Ducks, 8 Gadwall, 6 Mallard, 3 Little Grebes and a Heron. A Sparrowhawk floated lazily overhead and a Jay screamed nearby. On the mosses were 4 Buzzards and 3 Kestrels but little else.
Friday 6th – a misty early morning at HGF. A mixed flock of winter thrushes flew out of the south hedge – I estimated 12+ Redwings and 80+ Fieldfares. A flock of 15 Long-tailed Tits and 2 Blue Tits made their way noisily along the south hedge, on the water was a Ruddy Duck and a single drake Pochard. In the garden this morning were 15 Collared Doves and 42 Tree Sparrows and the covey of eight Grey Partridges were at the feeding station. A Sparrowhawk dashed across Moss Lane in Rixton this morning. On the way to work a single Corn Bunting was on the wires outside Holcroft Hall Farm in Culcheth.
Xxxx
Saturday 7th - HGF was sunnier this morning with no rain or mist. A mixed thrush flock was feeding on the lawn in the south field – 12 Blackbirds plus 6 Redwings and a Song Thrush. A Buzzard also flew out of the south hedge and 43 Lapwings wheeled over the pool. In the garden a few tits were busy on the feeders along with 14 Goldfinches – 8 Blackbirds roosted in the garden overnight. A couple of Rooks also came in – autumn and winter traditionally see Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws as regular visitors to the garden but virtually never seen through the rest of the year. At least 35 Tree Sparrows at the feeding station plus other buntings and finches.
Xxxx
Sunday 8th – this morning I woke up early despite being knackered and run down so I crawled out of my pit and did a bit of garden watching. Nine Blackbirds and three unidentified larger thrushes were kicking up a stink – a male Sparrowhawk promptly turned up, zoomed through and then glided away across the field over to the feeding station. I then went out and parked up near the feeding station while I decided what to do. Last night I had been thinking of a trip out to Hilbre with a few hours in the afternoon at Parkgate. Trouble was, it was grey, cold and raining and I didn’t have the energy to walk over to Hilbre. Even the Tree Sparrows didn’t seem keen on venturing out this morning so I headed off with Billy to Southport, partly in the hope that the Shore Lark was still there and partly because I wouldn’t have to expend too much energy to see good birds. The only Shore Lark I had previously seen was on a landfill site on a hill above Halifax, one bitterly cold and windy day.
Xxx
On arrival at Weld Rd car park I checked Birdguides to find that the Shore Lark had done a bunk. I immediately spotted a large finch flock though and wondered whether the Twite had returned. Having gone wandering with Billy, I spotted several birders a few hundred yards away intent on something. I walked over to find Sid Ashton had re-found the Shore Lark – nice one Sid! The bird was a little flighty – trouble was it kept getting disturbed by walkers who would look at the assembled birders with puzzlement and then walk straight at the lark! Good views were had though, especially when the sun came out and it was nice to stop and have a chat with a number of familiar faces.
Xxx
The combined Linnet/Twite flock made several appearances with approx 40 birds of each species present. They didn’t settle though. As usual I can only stare at a bird doing nothing but feeding for so long, consequently I started scanning around. Although it was some way from high tide I watched the distant sea and observed around 140 Common Scoters passing through and heading up the coast. I then took Billy for a walk out onto the sands – there were some distant waders with Sanderling, Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Knot all present together, however the main flocks were miles away so I headed back to the car and off to the Wirral for the afternoon.
Xxxx
I called in briefly at New Brighton over high tide hoping to see Purple Sandpipers on the pontoon in the marina, Instead I got just four Turnstones and squadrons of Black-headed Gulls. Next stop was Parkgate where it was very warm and sunny and surprisingly devoid of birders. One young guy was watching the marsh with a scope – as soon as I got out he approached me and told me that a previous birder had pointed out a Peregrine perched on dead wood way out on the marsh. I got the impression that he couldn’t pick it up due to his scope not being the best in the world – I put my scope on it, confirmed it was a Peregrine and let him have a look. I zoomed out slightly and found a Merlin perched on a tussock near the Peregrine which I showed the guy – as we were looking a Short-eared Owl flew over both Merlin and Peregrine! Promising start.
Xxxx
The guy left but other birders began to arrive. By then I had found another Peregrine, another Merlin, three Kestrels, 12 Little Egrets and a couple of Stonechats. There was no sign of a Spoonbill and no mention of it by anyone present while I was there, nevertheless one was later reported. I wonder if this was by the Decca pools earlier on? The owls were up and about frequently and had a few tussles – at one point two tangled and as they separated one of the Merlins shot through the space between them. At least two Ringtail Hen Harriers showed and at one point landed next to each other on the marsh. It was difficult to keep track of how many harriers there were. They would drop into cover, I would get distracted by a SEO and then a harrier would suddenly appear again – same one or a different bird? Eventually I managed to see three Ringtails up in the air at the same time in addition to 5 SEO’s. Late on a Barn Owl appeared hunting opposite the car park and quickly caught a vole which it flew off with. A very pleasant couple of hours.
Xxxx
This morning a trip to HGF produced increases in some birds. Present this morning were:
Xxxx
54 Coot
2 Mute Swans
22+ Mallard
1 Pochard (female)
18 Tufted Duck
3 Little Grebes
1 Great Crested Grebe
15 Wigeon
104 Black-headed Gulls
2 Common Gulls
4 Meadow Pipits
1 Redshank
Xxxx
In the garden this morning14 Woodpigeons were loitering with the usual Collared Doves. At the feeding station were eight Grey Partridges (a female Pheasant was here yesterday) but no other birds. Mid morning I passed through again after spending the morning “parked” on the M6 – lots of birds were flitting in the bushes just further up the lane. As I approached the bushes emptied and I counted 85+ (eighty five) Tree Sparrows plus 8 Greenfinches, 4 Yellowhammers and some Chaffies. This confirms to a degree a theory I have. I have noticed that Tree Sparrows will come down for a feed and then will disappear, often into the water treatment works. I think that only part of the flock is present at the feeding station at any one time – when they have topped up they rotate back out to a safer place to lie up. Presumably this may be due to increased raptor presence which will almost certainly happen when so many birds are feeding here.
Xxxxx
Lunch today (sunny and warm) and a quick mooch to Moat Lane pool. Numbers here are starting to build up a little – 52 Coot plus 18 Tufted Ducks, 8 Gadwall, 6 Mallard, 3 Little Grebes and a Heron. A Sparrowhawk floated lazily overhead and a Jay screamed nearby. On the mosses were 4 Buzzards and 3 Kestrels but little else.
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