Run of rarities

White-tailed Lapwing (White-tailed Plover), Seaforth

First summer Mediterranean Gull, Seaforth

Swift, Seaforth

Wilson's Phalarope, Seaforth

Common Terns, Seaforth

Juvenile Magpie in the garden

One from last week - this is the reedbed which hosts the Great Reed Warbler!

Greenfinch, HGF

Grey Heron, Halton

Grey Wagtail, Halton

Lesser Redpoll, Marshaw

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I seem to be having a run of good fortune at the moment - good birds cropping up while I am in a position to go and see them. This week's local birds have coincided with me working in the NW for the first time in a few weeks. I have forgotten most of the birds I have seen lately so here is a very brief summary.

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The Wilson's Phalarope showed well from Hide A at Seaforth earlier in the week. A tentative theory has been put forward that this might be the same bird that graced Martin Mere last year and Seaforth in 2008 (both of which I saw). It sort of makes sense, however you have to ask where it has been hiding in between these visits. Lots of Common Terns and a couple of Sarnies plus various gulls and waders, including a first summer (faded) Med Gull.

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Yesterday the mega appeared in the form of a rare Lapwing. I asked Pete Kinsella if he had found it (he does find everything else) - he responded by saying that they had walked into the hide and found a visiting birder who had apparently refound the Wilson's. Pete scanned the causeway where the birder was pointing and calmly said "where is it in relation to the White-tailed Lapwing?" It's a better story than the reality!

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Also managed to see the female Buethroat on the Wirral though the scene there was more like a sketch from Catch the Pigeon - one of the birders trying to flush it even looked a bit like Dick Dastardly. Anyone under the age of 40 probably won't remember this anyway. I soon left.

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HGF remains dead - 40-50 kids each night and litter everywhere but no birds. Tonight just 1 Mute Swan and 2 Coots - this is nothing short of criminal. It has been a summer of hardly any hirundines or Swifts either - there are no swarms of insects around the banks which I put down to water abstraction. I have not seen a Yellow Wagtail since 21st April - their disappearance is probably down to farming practices. Whichever way you look the place is doomed. On the plus side the newly mown lawn in the south field tonight was covered by around 400 Starlings. There are also 2 pairs of Little Ringed Plovers kicking around.

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The garden is getting busy with juvenile birds of various species. A Magpie left the nest a little early on Monday and was found exhausted on the lawn. We gave it shelter for a few hours until it came round and then released it. The bird spent the next several days walking around various parts of the garden and today it finally gained the power of flight!

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On Sunday night I arrived home and wandered round the back of the shed in gloom to where I store the bird food. A bird flew up into the Sycamore - I expected a Robin feeding on spilled seed and was extremely surprised to see a Lesser Redpoll staring back at me no more than three feet away. They really are tiny and delicate looking up close. I haven't seen it since.

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Elsewhere Common Terns and Lesser Whitethroat still at Moat Lane while usual stuff at Caton and Halton including a soaring Sparrowhawk being mobbed by Swallows.