Lily the Pink

Pink-footed Goose, HGF

Redshank at HGF - man and nature in perfect harmony!

Shovelers at HGF - relatively rare visitors

Crap digiscoped shot, however I had to snap the Oystercatchers at HGF - it's my way of welcoming them back

Linnets on the wires at HGF

HGF frozen again this week

A few dark eyed Herring Gulls were present on Moat Lane pool this week

Lots of other gulls around

Female Harris' Hawk, Newton Lake

Argentatus Herring Gull, Richmond Bank

Scaup, West Kirby Marine Lake.

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Is it Spring yet? I’m sure it should be and some of the birds seem to think so, however it does seem like endless cold days of grey muck. The rare sunny days are to be thoroughly enjoyed. I don’t seem to have too much time at the moment to update the blog so I thought I’d have a blitz. Xxxx
Tuesday 16th Feb
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After work (Port Sunlight today) I nipped over to WK Marine Lake to have a look at the first winter drake Scaup. It was the only bird present on the water which was still as a mill pond. The Scaup was quite confiding though diving regularly. I then popped into Parkgate at dusk on my way home. A couple of drake Red-breasted Mergansers and a Black-tailed Godwit were loafing about on Boathouse Flash, a few Little Egrets flew past and down towards Burton Marsh a ring-tailed Hen Harrier and the female Marsh Harrier had a slight tiff. A Barn Owl briefly flew onto the marsh and then back into the trees just as quickly and that was that.
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Thursday 18th Feb
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Working in Slough this morning. While stood outside a factory waiting to be let in I watched a dozen or so Redwings feeding on a grass verge by the side of a main road. They suddenly disappeared – I looked up to see a Sparrowhawk floating down the road. On the way home I counted only 6 Red Kites over the M40. This evening turned out to be one of the worst drives I have ever had. It took me 5.5 hours to get back, most of it driving through heavy snow. The worst bit was on the M6 toll road where the conditions were so bad drivers could only guess where the road was.
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Friday 19th Feb
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In St Asaph today – I managed to get some time at nearby Pensarn on a gorgeous, sunny but windy afternoon. When I arrived a birder told me he had seen the Surf Scoters though at some distance. He then said he picked them out by the white patch on the back of their heads. At the distance he was talking about I could barely make out the existence of a bird in the first place even with my Kowa on maximum zoom. He left shortly after I arrived so I got on with scanning the bay. Around 2500 Common Scoters were out in the bay with at least 14 Velvet Scoters, 6 Red-breasted Mergansers and 6 Red-throated Divers also present. After repeated scanning I also found the drake Long-tailed Duck.
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I didn’t stay too long – I decided to have a bash from rainbow bridge at Old Colwyn. Common Scoter numbers were lower with around 1500 birds here and just one Velvet Scoter. I did pick up a drake Scaup, 17 Red-throated Divers and around 145 Great Crested Grebes. There were plenty of Turnstones on the rocks, mostly asleep.
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Saturday 20th Feb
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Usual stuff on Houghton Green Flash this morning. In the garden were 2 Tree Sparrows, 2 Reed Buntings, a Yellowhammer and a Coal Tit. At the feeding station only 20 or so Tree Sparrows with 15 Yellowhammers and 24 Corn Buntings on the wires. In the field by the bend 9 Stock Doves were feeding and 2 Brown Hares were present in the field opposite the farm. Late morning while running errands I spotted a Willow Tit in trees by the golf course nr Golbourne roundabout. Early afternoon, errands done, I headed for Richmond Bank. Good numbers of gulls were loafing about in the Mersey just down from the mud bank – I picked out an adult Yellow-legged Gull. When I arrived at RB a few of the Seaforth birders were already present. I settled down and began to scan the bank where a couple of thousand birds were stood – suddenly they all went up and most just buggered off. The Seaforth guys left and I stayed for a little while, scanning the few birds left. One appeared which I thought was a good candidate for a first winter Caspian Gull, however no sooner had I found it than the remaining birds also flushed. I did note the bird had very whitish and unmarked underwings when it flew off – one of the ID features of CG or YLG.
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I then left and decided to wander around Rixton. In the fields at the top of Hollybush Lane was a flock of Fieldfares. At least five Buzzards and four Kestrels were around while a flock of 50 or so Linnets were feeding down near Prospect Lane. On Moat Lane pool were 97 Tufted Ducks and a few Gadwall but not much else. I then headed for home – as I approached Hole Mill Farm I saw some ducks land on Glaze Brook so I stopped for a butchers. Around 70 Teal and 3 Little Grebes were swimming around on the brook or sleeping on the muddy banks. I then spotted a small wader next to one of the Teal and immediately thought Common Sandpiper followed by “could this be something more interesting?” I went back to the car for my scope and suddenly the land owner arrived wanting to know what I was doing. He soon left me alone, however by then the birds had all flown.
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Sunday 21st Feb
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An early morning walk around Moore in the snow yielded little. A dozen or so noisy Siskins, a few Redwings plus Nuthatches, Great Spots and a Treecreeper. I left as the weather worsened. Late morning at HGF and everything was frozen. The Wigeon flock and good numbers of gulls (including large species) plus the local Lapwing flock were all stood on the ice. Late afternoon at Newton Lake, 94 Teal, a few Tufties and Gadwall plus a pair of Little Grebes and a drake Goosander. The escaped female Harris’ Hawk was perched in a nearby tree. The garden was busy today with 5 Yellowhammers present plus 31 Collared Doves (high count this winter) and best of all, a pair of Grey Partridges. Ironically this is the first sighting of these birds in the garden all winter – for the previous five winters we have lived here they have been regulars. Nearly 40 Yellowhammers were at the feeding station today but few Tree Sparrows.
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Tuesday 23rd Feb
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Feeding station today – 19 Corn Buntings, 31 Tree Sparrows and a few Yellowhammers. Not much change at HGF with everything still stood on ice. Moat Lane pool was interesting at lunch – it was covered in gulls with 240+ Black-headed Gulls, 145+ Herring Gulls and 70+ Lesser Black-backs plus a few Common Gulls. Quite a few dark-eyed Herring Gulls too. Looked on Glaze Brook again – just a few Teal and a lone Little Grebe though the field opposite held 4 Buzzards and a small flock of Fieldfares.
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Wednesday 24th Feb
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After work (Port Sunlight today) I called in at Parkgate. It was a bit deserted to be honest. I found a distant female Marsh Harrier down in the direction of Burton Marsh. A couple of locals confirmed that since the recent high tide nothing is roosting at Parkgate and the birds are all down nr Burton Marsh. At dusk the Barn Owl treated us to a hunting spectacular with stonking close views – a gorgeous fox also strolled by.
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Friday 26th Feb
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Around 60 Tree Sparrows at the feeding station today with 14 Yellowhammers and a few Chaffies. A single Grey Partridge visited the garden this morning. HGF was interesting for a change – four Shovelers were present and the Oystercatchers were back (a little later than usual) but best of all was a Pink-footed Goose grazing on the bank.

Shapwick Heath

Starlings swarming over Shapwick Heath

Sunset over Shapwick Heath

The pool from Noah's Hide

Great White Egret in the egret roost at Shapwick Heath.

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At the beginning of last week I was working in Bridgwater, Somerset. I had worked out that Shapwick Heath nature reserve was just a few miles away so I decided to pay it a brief visit before heading home after work. I knew little about the place other than that it is quite large and divided into two sections - I was also aware that a Great White Egret was seen here sporadically.

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I drove along the long road to the east section and noted that the car park was full and there as a long line of cars parked along the road edge. As a pub is nearby I assumed there was a function or something there - surely all these people weren't visiting the nature reserve? Wrong. I parked, got out of the car and around 100,000 Starlings flew directly over. This was why so many people were here. I finally realised that this area is a major Starling roost site and a major attraction featured in Autumn Watch. The Starlings actually roosted a mile or so up the road this evening - the birds I had seen were simply passing through. I walked around to the first reed bed and another flock of around 100,000 birds was swarming over the pool - making fantastic shapes in the evening sky. Stunning and what a spectacle.The website below gives more information on these birds.

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www.foxybiddy.com/page/starlingspectacular/3

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Shapwick Heath is located on the Somerset Levels - you can see Glastonbury Tor from the car park. Thousands of years ago it was swampland which was reclaimed by neolithic farmers. Essentially I walked alongside a drainage ditch the size of a canal with extensive reedbeds and pools on either side and fragments of woodland surrounding them. It appeared to be a marvellous place. I walked west along the drainage ditch just enjoying the glorious evening. A Sparrowhawk flew over, no doubt attracted by the Starlings. I arrived at Noah's Hide which is an elevated hide overlooking a large pool which was clearly once dry land. The tops of long dead trees protrude from the water and provide a perfect roost site for 100+ Cormorants. A tin hut sticks out of the water in one area. The pool was full of birds with Wigeon, Teal and various aythya ducks in large numbers.

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A birder who arrived at the same time I did soon spotted a female Long-tailed Duck. Shortly after I found a red-head Smew and a Whooper Swan. A pair of Pintails was present and a dozen or so Goldeneye. Alas I didn't have too long to spend here and soon set off back. I walked back soaking up the sounds of the fading evening - the guttural gargling of Cormorants, the whistling of Wigeon and at least four singing Cetti's Warblers. Three Tawny Owls were also calling from various parts of the reserve. At one point I looked back over the reed beds towards Noah's Hide and discovered the egret roost. At least 25 Little Egrets were present and the nearest bird, sitting up in the tree, was the Great White Egret!

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I continued back towards the car park and stopped in front of a reed bed when small passerines starting dropping in. I soon twigged they were Pied Wagtails and I eventually counted at least 310 of these birds dropping in to roost. All the time a Bittern was booming from the reedbed behind me. It was soon dark and I arrived back at the car park for the long slog home. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this brief visit - this place is magical. The best bit is I will be working in Bridgwater at least once each month - I can go back!

Catching up

Corn Bunting, Waterworks Lane

Corn Buntings in the hedge near the feeding station

Brambling, Moore NR

Lesser Redpoll, Moore

Goldeneyes, HGF

The main pool at Rixton Clay Pits

Pochard and Tufted Duck, Rixton Clay Pits

Pochard - it was hard trying to digiscope this duck as it kept hiding behind a small island

Wigeon, HGF

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Monday 8th Feb – Sunday 14th Feb
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Been driving all over the place recently and consequently had not much chance to update the blog. Last week I drove over 1400 miles and spent 23 hours driving on top of my normal working week – this includes a 5.5 hour slog back from Slough on Thursday in a blizzard. To make matters worse – due to someone running into my car on the M6, all of the travelling was done in a Pope Mobile aka a Citroen C4. I got to the point where I never wanted to set foot in a car again! Anyway – some catching up to do.
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The beginning of the week before last started off with the usual morning trip to HGF. Nothing much to report really – Wigeon flock up to 70 birds and around 90 Lapwings in the field opposite the kennels. A drive through Culcheth on the way to work yielded a large mixed flock of corvids right by the roadside which didn’t flush when I stopped the car to watch them. Moat Lane pool was busy and had 98 Tufties and around 30 Gadwall with various other water fowl. However when I went back the following day I found some scrotes fishing from a dinghy on the pool. A few aythya ducks had gone over to the clay pits, however everything else had scarpered.
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The day after the fishing guys had been present, the birds had returned though in lower numbers. Three Wigeon had turned up and four Mute Swans were engaged in fisticuffs – territorial disputes! Earlier that morning while visiting HGF I caught up with the Linnet flock near Midhops – 53 birds were present on the wires. As the flock at the start of the winter was more than double this size I wonder whether the birds have dispersed or this is the mortality rate in the harsh conditions.
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On the Thursday I was working in Droitwich and discovered I was only a mile or so from Upton Warren NNR a place I had only visited once before. I decided to rectify that on my way home! It probably wasn’t the best time for a mooch as the flashes were all frozen, however I thoroughly enjoyed my late afternoon diversion. A feeding station has been set up around the first hide which is elevated. Because there is a largish open space, the feeding area didn’t have the gloomy atmosphere many feeding stations like PF have – you can also see the birds approaching in the hedges. Part of the flashes are also viewable from this hide too – what a cracker! There were plenty of tits, finches etc with 10 Reed Buntings and 8 Bullfinches joining in. A Water Rail climbed into one of the feeding cages and various other common birds were seen. From the second hide a large flock of Lapwings could be seen in the fields opposite and a Green Woodpecker flew over the hide. A Little Egret was also roosting on the main lake. I only had a little time to spare, however I will be going back to this lovely little place.
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Friday morning and the Linnet flock at HGF had increased slightly to 56 birds. At the feeding station the Tree Sparrow numbers have dropped off somewhat with 43 birds present this morning, however Yellowhammer numbers were up to around 35 birds. I haven’t had much chance to view the feeding station over the last week – also the farmer is now using the viewing spot to move manure through into the field. This has resulted in a loss of obscuring vegetation which has resulted in the birds spooking more. Also the tractor tyres grind the seed into the ground. Consequently I have been feeding further down the hedge which makes the birds harder to spot. Interesting visitors this week included a Weasel and a domestic hen.
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While driving along Golbourne Road I saw a Merlin chasing something towards the feeding station. Later while driving through Culcheth I spotted a flock of 23 Fieldfares in a field near Kenyon Wood. Finally to round the day off I spent 20 minutes at dusk watching both Little Owls in their usual tree off Lady Lane.
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On the Saturday morning (13th) I decided to have a wander round Moore. It turned out to be a fruitless day for gulls with none seen at all on Birchwood Pool. I later did walk round to Pumphouse Pool where 500 or so gulls had been present – they flushed shortly after I and a chap called Harry arrived. They didn’t return. There was no sign of the LSW, however I did latch onto a small group of Lesser Redpolls and spent half an hour or so watching them feeding. A single Siskin flew over calling. At the feeding station I found a female Brambling – other birds seen this morning included Redwings, Jays, Nuthatches and Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Not a sensational day for birds but an enjoyable wander round nonetheless.
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Around 20 Fieldfares landed in the garden today and stayed for a while. A Stock Dove was also present and 9 Goldfinches were busy on the feeders. A couple of Reed Buntings were also flitting around and best of all today, two Coal Tits were present most of the day. At HGF late afternoon three Goldeneyes were present with the two drakes engaged in courtship displays whilst the lone female slept and completely ignored them!
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Sunday morning I paid a visit to Pennington – my first of 2010. I was interested in the Long-eared Owl for reasons which will become apparent – having turned up at the hide I couldn’t make head nor tail of the directions posted on the Manchester birding website. To come back to the reason for being there – I had found a Long-eared Owl here in early Nov 2008. I had made specific notes that the bird was well to the right of its usual location, was in the back of a bush and could only be seen from one specific window. To my knowledge the LEO was not reported here again until a few days ago. I found it almost exactly where I had last seen it over 15 months ago and, after talking to John Tymon, it was where he and Charlie Owen saw it yesterday. I wonder of the bird has been here all along and no one has really looked for it? I certainly never bothered. One other thing - no Little Grebes seen at PF today or at Moore yesterday - both places that usually have quite a few. I have barely seen any in the last 2 months or so - where have they all gone?
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I didn’t stay long at PF. At HGF a Great Crested Grebe was a welcome visitor while the garden and the feeding station were busy today. The Coal Tits were back again, a couple of Jackdaws were thieving peanuts and various tits, finches and buntings flitted in and out of the garden. At the feeding station around 40 Tree Sparrows were chattering away with 14 Corn Buntings perched up in the nearby hedge. They were quite confiding and stayed around for a while. A couple of Skylarks buzzed around calling – I wonder if these are local birds back on territory as I haven’t seen the wintering flock for a few weeks now. JT turned up and we watched over 500 Herring Gulls coming off the Mersey and circling high to the north of Winwick. And then I had to drive down to Somerset where I was working the next day!

Counting Kites

A Raven sneaks in on the Buzzards at Gigrin

This is a very striking Buzzard!

This Buzzard has some sort of growth in its right eye and is obviously blind on this side. It is probably a bit of an advantage here - it couldn't see the kites swooping down on that side and consequently didn't duck as much as the other Buzzards.

Juvenile Black Kite, Gigrin Farm. The gloomy conditions were matched by my DSLR malfunctioning again, hence the dodgy shots.

Red Kites at Gigrin - at least 220 birds came to feed

Raven doing a country dance!

A few shots of the only sunny valley in Wales!

The salt marsh at Pilling Lane Ends, completely under water

Wigeons at HGF

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Monday 1st Feb
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This morning was sunny and cold (-3°C) with the pool at HGF approximately 10% frozen. The wintering Redshank was present though there is little change. The Wigeon flock is around 64 birds though few Coots have returned to the pool since it was frozen echoing Jonathan’s observations with Silver Lane pools. Around 500 Woodpigeons were around, most perched in the trees beyond Myddleton Farm. By contrast the pool off Moat Lane was around 90% frozen today and I observed 31 Coots walking across the ice in single file – it reminded me somewhat of march of the Penguins! The reason for the walk was two skin-headed scrotes with an air rifle – they were taking pot shots at pretty much anything and all the other wildfowl present soon flew off. A Redwing flew over calling. In the garden early doors were 5 Reed Buntings and a single Tree Sparrow though five House Sparrows were a welcome and now rare sight!!!
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Tuesday 2nd Feb
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I was working in Blackpool this morning. On the way in I spotted a couple of Whooper Swans on a flooded field – probably somewhere around the back of Marton Mere. It was grey and raining and a thoroughly miserable morning. In the early afternoon I was inspecting a property in Thornton and afterwards I took my lunch break at nearby Pilling Lane Ends. The tide was in by the time I got there and had completely flooded the marsh. Although there was a breeze, the sea was like a mill pond and was dotted around with ducks. On the top of the banking and on a few exposed islands were lots of waders while opposite I could clearly see Heysham Power Station with the south lakes peaks snow capped in the background. Approximate numbers of birds seen: Xxxx
Bar-tailed Godwit At least 20
Raven 1
Redshank At least 700
Shelduck At least 2600
Dunlin At least 800
Curlew At least 550
Oystercatcher At least 3500
Wigeon At least 1900
Great Crested Grebe 7
Pintail 6
Pink-footed Goose At least 650
Knot At least 3000
Red-breasted Merganser 4
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Wednesday 3rd Feb
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Little to report. A Stock Dove was with the woodies in the garden this morning. At Waterworks Lane feeding station 16 Yellowhammers but nothing else.
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Thursday 4th Feb
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Overnight a blanket of snow and everything is white again this morning. The Wigeon flock at HGF has increased to 74 birds. Waterworks Lane was busy – on the wires were a stonking 36 Corn Buntings with around 30 Linnets nearby. Around 20 Tree Sparrows and 16 Grey Partridges also made their presence known. In the afternoon I had a trip to St Asaph so I diverted briefly to Pensarn (lunch break again!). When I got out of the car a chap asked me what all the birds were scattered all over the bay – really close. When I looked I could see nothing – the chap said they must have flown away! It soon became apparent that the scoter flock had been very close in shortly before I arrived. Bugger! Anyway I got the scope out and picked out a couple of Velvet Scoters in the 1500 or so Common Scoters. I then picked out another 14 birds in flight when a nearby birder tipped me off. At least 9 Red-throated Divers were also present, however everything was just too distant to spot any Surf Scoters!
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Friday 5th Feb
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At least 55 Tree Sparrows were present at the feeding station this morning. On the way in to work a flock of around 40 Fieldfares were feeding in a field off the A57 in Rixton. A visit to Moat Lane pool at lunch revealed a busy stretch of water – 88 Tufted Ducks, a few Pochard, 27 Gadwall, 3 Cormorants plus Coots etc. In a field north of Glazebrook 43 Fieldfares were joined by a couple of Mistle Thrushes. On the way home from work the Little Owl was perched in its usual tree while a Grey Partridge called from behind the bales.
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Saturday 6th Feb
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What a cracking day! Sunshine and blue skies after weeks of grey muck didn’t half lift the spirits. Today was technically a non-birding day though it didn’t quite turn out like that. Early am I took Bill for the usual walk around HGF. On a whim I decided to walk along the hedge running down Delph Lane – almost immediately I found two Goldcrests and followed these tiny little birds all the way down the hedge. Great to see some of the small stuff has survived the winter so far. A Song Thrush singing nearby was another sign that Spring is not too far away – or was it just high spirits on a glorious day!
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The garden was busy all day with birds flitting all over the place. While working in the back garden at lunch two skeins of Pink-footed Geese (210 then 250) flew over 20 minutes apart – their calls heralded their approach long before I saw them. Early afternoon I was loafing about in the front garden and idly watching a large movement of big gulls coming off the Mersey and heading north of Winwick where they were picking up a thermal and circling high. Suddenly a few smaller gulls flew low across Myddleton Lane – one of them was an adult Mediterranean Gull!
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In the afternoon I took Karen and Billy for a walk around Wigan Flashes after diverting away from Dunham Massey (the place was packed). As soon as we arrived three more skeins of Pink-footed Geese (250, 180 then 215) flew over heading north. We walked round to Pearsons Flash and sat on a bench while a pair of Mute Swans climbed out of the water to see if we had some food. A pair of Goldeneyes flew off the back of the pool and landed right in front of us – they then loitered for 20 minutes or so as if they were checking for food too. On the way back to the car a Woodcock flew across the path in front of us while at the feeding station the usual Willow Tits had been joined by a female Mandarin.
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Sunday 7th Feb
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Today would have to go some to beat yeserday’s non-birding day and sadly it disappointed. I headed off in the morning for Gigrin Farm and spent a couple of hours driving through thick fog. I did get one patch where I drove through a valley in bright sunshine – the views were stunning. Sadly the fog returned at the far end of the valley. I seem to get down to Gigrin at least once each year – the place has changed a bit since my first visit five years ago. More birds, more people, more facilities. It feels more like an RSPB sales job now than simply a farm feeding spectacular birds.
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Anyway the bird spectacle was superb, even if the weather wasn’t. At feeding time over 220 Red Kites were joined by at least 18 Buzzards, 7 Ravens, a Heron and lots of other corvids. Given the very gloomy conditions I had thought it might be a struggle to pick out the juvenile Black Kite, however when it did come in I found it quite conspicuous and relatively easy to track. This cracking bird had three lengthy spells at the site over the next hour – largely as a result of being mobbed by some of its larger cousins. It was interesting watching the Buzzards – they would fly down into the meat and spend half their time ducking swooping kites while trying to snatch some food.
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On the way home I called in at a little reserve called Llyn Coed Y Dinas. It is literally 100 yards off the main road, however it isn’t signed and most people drive past without knowing it’s there. The reserve consists of a pool with an elevated hide at one end and a few trees – nothing spectacular, however I have seen some good birds here over the years. Today, unfortunately was not one of these times. Best spot was a trio of Goosanders and I spent most of the time watching tits on feeders outside the window no more than a couple of feet away. I will be back in the summer – there is no better place to watch Sand Martins (colony at the side of the hide), Reed Warblers (reeds all around the hide which looks down on them) and Green Sandpipers. The usually present Kingfisher was absent today. I arrived home at dusk and added a Tawny Owl at HGF to the list of birds this weekend.

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By the way - check out the vidoe clip of this Peregrine with a Woodcock

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