A good morning at Frodsham

Photos:

Black Terns and Common Sandpiper at Pennington Flash

Corn Bunting at Rixton

Mating Avocets and Grasshopper Warbler at Frodsham Marsh

Friday 22nd April

I started the Bank Holiday with the usual early morning trip to HGF. The water was dead with just a few Great Crested Grebes kicking around. Two Sparrowhawks (pair) flew out of the wood by the M6 and very briefly displayed before moving off. Following yesterdays incident with the Magpie trying to take the young Blackbird it was good to see mum and dad feeding two youngsters in the garden today.

The cat appeared during the afternoon and soon attracted the attention of the resident maggies who started an unholy racket and also summoned assistance. Before long 8 maggies, 2 Crows, a Rook and a Jackdaw were all perched in the large Ash tree screaming abuse at the cat! The highlight was a male Willow Warbler which appeared and began singing. Four years out of the last 6 a Willow Warbler has appeared in the garden for a brief visit – always in the Silver Birches. This is the first time one has stayed around to sing – this bird was present most of the day. Two Tree Sparrows also appeared.

I did nip over to Pennington Flash to watch the 7 Black Terns that had arrived. Typically as soon as I got to PF and found it busy I wanted to leave so I didn’t stay long. Anti-social so and so I am! Also had a quick mooch around Rixton this afternoon. I watched a pair of Bullfinches in Moss Side Lane, a pair of Teal on Moat Lane pools and found 3 Wheatears in Holly Bush Lane. I have noticed recently that a field off Prospect Lane has been attracting various pigeon species - there were around a dozen or so Stock Doves here the other day and 24 were present today.

Saturday 23rd April

I had a very enjoyable couple of hours at Frodsham Marsh this morning. I used to come here regularly but have neglected the place this winter and this was my first visit for months. At No. 6 tank a couple of birders were already there watching a very showy Grasshopper Warbler. I tried digiscoping it but the camera kept trying to focus on the reeds blowing in the wind. Soon gave that up as a bad job. Two Avocets were on the small pool in the northern corner with a Green Sandpiper and a Black-tailed Godwit. A Cuckoo gave stunning views as it flew past us twice at close range. A female Marsh Harrier also appeared on several occasions and then a ring-tail Hen Harrier briefly appeared seemingly from nowhere at the other side of the pool and flew around briefly before dropping into a small valley beyond the pool. At least 5 Wheatears and a few Ringed Plovers plus 9 Snipe were also seen and I picked up 4 more Grasshopper Warblers reeling as I walked round. A small flock of 23 Blackwits also flew past and a Weasel ran across the path in front of me.

This afternoon I had another wander over to Rixton. The Stock Dove count in Prospect Lane was up to 45 with a lot of scraggy Feral Pigeons present too. Five Wheatears were in the fields off Holly Bush Lane while on the wires were 6 Corn Buntings and a Yellowhammer. On the tip pool was a pair of Little Ringed Plovers plus the pair of Shelducks and a Redshank. On Moat Lane pool 1 were a pair of Redshanks while another LRP was on pool 2. Eslewhere I watched a male Bullfinch taking food into a nest site. I also found a couple of Tree Sparrows scratching around in the dirt in the yard at the farm in Prospect Lane.

In the garden today were 4 Tree Sparrows.