Juvenile Red-backed Shrike, Frodsham Marsh
Buzzard, Rixton moss
Buzzard, Houghton Green Flash
Sparrowhawk (juvenile), Glazebrook. This bird was in a field north of Dam Head Lane and was constantly calling.
Very ropey shot of a Black Tern, Seaforth
Juvenile Red-necked Grebe, Pennington Flash, courtesy of John Tymon
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HGF this week has been relatively quiet this week. A Shoveler early in the week was a welcome visitor for a single day. On Monday a Chiffchaff was singing in the south hedge – the next day two were present. I wonder why they start singing again – odd given that they don’t breed here either. Virtually all my Chiffer records are from March, April, August and September – hardly any in the summer. Three Little Grebes were present this week, a single Common Sandpiper on Tuesday and around 130+ Linnets. The water birds gradually declined in number during the week.
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Moat Lane pools (Rixton) remain fairly quiet. I had 2 Green Sandpipers one evening which flew off number 2 pool and headed towards the tip pool – I later found them there. Having been present on pool 1 since mid-March, the Mute Swan JP4 flitted over to pool 2 on Wednesday. The water levels are so low I have observed dog walkers on the various islands – possibly hence his move. On Thursday he flitted over to the tip pool (possibly because other dog walkers were sending dogs into pool 2 now) – here he was harassed by the resident pair from the fishing pools. Friday he was back on pool 2 again. A few Jays and a Sparrowhawk on Woodend Lane were present around the mosses – otherwise very quiet.
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On Friday afternoon I took Tom Jones, a colleague and also as it happens a birder, to Rixton Mosses. There we encountered the local falconer (he put on a free display in Hollins Green recently) – he had with him a young female Gyr and an older female Peregrine. We stopped for a natter and watched the falcons put through their paces – amazing to watch. The Gyr was a bit suspicious of us and gave us a couple of high speed passes no more than 10-15 feet away – awesome! Being a young bird she tired quickly – I still can’t get over the size of this bird.
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I had a brief visit to Seaforth during the week – Black Tern, Black-necked Grebe, Med Gull and a wide range of waders including a Greenshank and 3 Common Sandpipers. It looked like one of those interesting days when anything could turn up and I was a bit miffed I had only around 40 minutes on site. A visit to Frodsham on Friday morning more than made up for it with a superb juvenile Red-backed Shrike. The bird showed well eating various insects and flitting around the small quarry area near the farm – cracking bird.
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A trip to Pennington (again flying visit) during the week produced a juvenile Red-necked Grebe, a Black Tern and a couple of Goldeneye. I thought I could see John Tymon’s Yellow-legged Gull on a distant buoy, however I didn’t have time to walk around to the far side to check it. In Winwick this week just odds and sods – I saw a female Sparrowhawk on Waterworks Lane and the following day a Collared Dove was murdered in the garden. A covey of 8 Grey Partridges are in the field behind our house and an uncommon visitor was a Jay on Highfield Lane.
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Moat Lane pools (Rixton) remain fairly quiet. I had 2 Green Sandpipers one evening which flew off number 2 pool and headed towards the tip pool – I later found them there. Having been present on pool 1 since mid-March, the Mute Swan JP4 flitted over to pool 2 on Wednesday. The water levels are so low I have observed dog walkers on the various islands – possibly hence his move. On Thursday he flitted over to the tip pool (possibly because other dog walkers were sending dogs into pool 2 now) – here he was harassed by the resident pair from the fishing pools. Friday he was back on pool 2 again. A few Jays and a Sparrowhawk on Woodend Lane were present around the mosses – otherwise very quiet.
Xxxxx
On Friday afternoon I took Tom Jones, a colleague and also as it happens a birder, to Rixton Mosses. There we encountered the local falconer (he put on a free display in Hollins Green recently) – he had with him a young female Gyr and an older female Peregrine. We stopped for a natter and watched the falcons put through their paces – amazing to watch. The Gyr was a bit suspicious of us and gave us a couple of high speed passes no more than 10-15 feet away – awesome! Being a young bird she tired quickly – I still can’t get over the size of this bird.
Xxxxx
I had a brief visit to Seaforth during the week – Black Tern, Black-necked Grebe, Med Gull and a wide range of waders including a Greenshank and 3 Common Sandpipers. It looked like one of those interesting days when anything could turn up and I was a bit miffed I had only around 40 minutes on site. A visit to Frodsham on Friday morning more than made up for it with a superb juvenile Red-backed Shrike. The bird showed well eating various insects and flitting around the small quarry area near the farm – cracking bird.
Xxxxx
A trip to Pennington (again flying visit) during the week produced a juvenile Red-necked Grebe, a Black Tern and a couple of Goldeneye. I thought I could see John Tymon’s Yellow-legged Gull on a distant buoy, however I didn’t have time to walk around to the far side to check it. In Winwick this week just odds and sods – I saw a female Sparrowhawk on Waterworks Lane and the following day a Collared Dove was murdered in the garden. A covey of 8 Grey Partridges are in the field behind our house and an uncommon visitor was a Jay on Highfield Lane.
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