Waxwings March on!

Waxwings, Culcheth

Goldeneyes, Seaforth

Meadow Pipits, Seaforth

Pied Wagtail, Seaforth

White Wagtail, Seaforth

Whooper Swans at HGF courtesy of John Tymon

Little Ringed Plovers, HGF

Lesser Scaup, Marshside

Gadwall, Marshside

Short-eared Owl, Hesketh Out Marsh

Little Ringed Plover, Rixton

Dipper, Halton

Redshank, Bull Beck, Caton

Pink-footed Goose, Bull Beck

Greylag, Bull Beck

Great Black-backed Gull, Skerton Weir

Cormorant, Skerton Weir

Billy at Halton

First summer Mediterranean Gull, HGF courtesy of Robert Adderley

Buzzard, Rixton

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Thursday 24th March

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HGF this morning saw 5 Black-necked Grebes present. The four birds from the day before were around plus a new bird, a very small one which was getting hassled by the others. This makes 7 birds through so far. I visited again late morning in the sunshine. When I arrived a birder was stood on the north bank watching 2 Buzzards and 3 Spars spiralling up on a thermal. A little later while watching the water I noticed the Wigeon flock all spook and fly in a panic into the water from the grassy bank where they had been feeding. The cause of their alarm soon drifted over the water – a Peregrine and possibly the culprit behind the recent dead gulls.

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Note from yesterday – Robert Adderley found a first summer Mediterranean Gull on HGF. To give you an indication of how good a find this is, I have faithfully scanned every gull flock here for nearly 6 years and seen a Med on just one occasion! Nice one Robert!

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Early evening I wandered over to Rixton. On Moat Lane a pair of Bullfinches were chasing off an intruding male while a walk up towards the mosses produced a largish mixed finch flock of Greenfinches and Goldfinches, a couple of Jays and a Chiffchaff. The usual 2 Green Sandpipers, Redshank and a few Teal were on the pool (or mud) at the base of the tip. A pair of Oystercatchers and decent numbers of Tufted Duck were present on Moat Lane pool 2. Later I headed off to another location where I don’t usually bother going. I was there around 20 minutes before dusk and suddenly an owl flew out of a nearby thicket of hawthorn and blackthorn and right past me. The bird was seen sufficiently well to narrow it down to Long-eared or Short-eared. Given the habitat and my gut feeling just watching the bird I would go for the former. It is also an area where historically LEO’s have wintered.

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Friday 25th March

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Three Black-necked Grebes present this morning. The small bird that was new yesterday has gone and so has the first bird to arrive back a week earlier. Maybe they paired up overnight? 7 Sand Martins fed over the water this morning and a Nuthatch flew down the south hedge. A male Corn Bunting singing on the wires near the kennels was the first one back on territory. Sadly the farmer has ploughed up the south field and all the Skylarks that were present here have done one. Late morning here I saw 5 Buzzards on a thermal above the pool. As I watched them a sixth bird flew out of the small wood near the M6 and flew off. It was in sight for around 3 seconds though in that time I did note it had a gleaming unmarked white tail with a black band at the end. I didn’t note any other details or see the bird again. I won’t repeat the expletives that followed.

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At mid day I wandered over to Rixton. 3 Little Ringed Plovers were present on Moat Lane pool 1, 3 Chiffchaff’s were singing nearby and in the woodland opposite I found a Blackbird with a completely white head – a very striking bird. In the evening 3 Little Ringed Plovers were present on the tip pool as was a single Green Sandpiper. I tried again for the owl I had seen the night before but there was nothing doing. In Waterworks Lane this morning were 6 Tree Sparrows, 2 Stock Doves, 2 Grey Partridges and a Buzzard.

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Saturday 26th March

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HGF early doors and 5 Black-necked Grebes present at the pool. The three birds from yesterday plus a new pair were there making 9 birds through so far. 26 Sand Martins were feeding over the water. Then we headed up to the van

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Later in the morning I headed over to Bull Beck in Caton. Plenty of Curlews, Redshanks, Oystercatchers and geese were there. 9 Sand Martins were flying around. With the Greylags I noticed a Pink-footed Goose. It seemed quite tame and just stared at me while I digiscoped it from the opposite bank of the river. Later at Halton I saw one Dipper flying to its nest site and a couple of Nuthatches also going to a nest site. 13 Goosanders flew up river in 4 groups, however it was relatively quiet, no doubt due to Lancashire Fire Authority conducting rescue training in the river and more canoes than there were ships in the armada! 3 singing Chiffers were to be had while at nearby Skerton weir 45 Sand Martins and a Great Black-backed Gull were the pick of the birds on show.

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Sunday 27th March

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Early morning I decided to head off to Preston. Spur of the moment thing – I wanted to see the juvenile Iceland Gull again. Problem was, it had buggered off. I then had a think about where to go and headed over to Marshside. Aside for a couple of flying visits this is the first time I have been here in 15 months. After looking at the Lesser Scaup for a bit I wandered off again. For some reason I can’t get excited about this place. I headed off next to Hesketh Out Marsh.

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HOM was better – fewer people and more space. As I wandered up to the viewing screen a pair of Grey Partridges flushed. There weren’t a lot of birds around – a pair of Avocets flew off a far pool but the best two birds were a female Marsh Harrier which gave superb flying views just as Jonathan arrived. A Short-eared Owl was later found by Jonathan. It initially went to ground, however I later spotted it up in the air being hassled by a Crow. The owl then spiralled up and up with a Crow in constant attendance and was eventually so high we lost it. I wonder why Crow’s are so persistent when mobbing owls? I then headed back to Preston but still no Iceland Gull.

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Late afternoon we had to head back home so in the evening I wandered over to HGF. Earlier, I later found out, John Tymon had seen 30 Whoopers fly over! 5 Black-necked Grebes still present and a few Sand Martins. Around 20 Linnets were flitting in and out of the south hedge. 6 Little Ringed Plovers were also flying around the pool while around a third of the remaining Wigeon have done a bunk in the last few days. Male Reed Bunting and male Pheasant in the garden this evening.

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Monday 28th March

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The whole area was covered in fog this morning – couldn’t see a thing at HGF. I visited again at dusk and rather than birding ended up having two barneys with a couple of pissed up blokes who were driving a canoe while under the influence and generally scaring all the birds. The conversations were quite predictable – “I’ve been coming here for 20 years and no one has said anything before” followed by “if the owner didn’t want anybody boating he would have put signs up at the entrance” (there are two!) and then “always someone like you who wants to stop me having some pleasure with my mate” – whatever that meant! I tried educating them which wasn’t working too well and then the discussion deteriorated. By the time I had finished it was too dark to see much though I could make out the five Black-necked Grebes close in and a couple of Little Ringed Plovers stood at the water’s edge and watched the arguments.

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Four Tree Sparrows, a Yellowhammer, a Pheasant and a Reed Bunting in the garden today and 2 Grey Partridges peering through the gap in the back hedge. At Rixton this evening 2 Little Ringed Plovers were flying above Moat Lane pool 2. The tip pool was empty (though lots of gulls on the tip) and 5 Chiffchaffs were singing on Moat Lane. I also watched three Great Spotted Woodpeckers fly one behind the other over the lane.

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Tuesday 29th March

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HGF quiet though 5 Black-necked Grebes still present this morning. This evening at Rixton a pair of Little Ringed Plovers were present on Moat Lane pool 1 while four birds were on the tip pool along with the usual 2 Green Sandpipers and a Redshank. Three pairs of Grey Partridges on the mosses and the white-headed female Blackbird was seen in the wood again. Around 110 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were also on the mosses. Two pairs of Grey Partridges in Waterworks Lane. Also had a brief wander over to Newton Lake this evening. The pen Mute Swan was wandering forlornly around her usual nest site – she still hasn’t found a mate following the death of her old mate during the winter. Five Canada’s were present – the usual pair and possibly the three birds that have been flitting on and off HGF for the last 2 weeks. 12 Gadwall, 12 Tufties and 8 Teal completed the water birds line up while a male Sparrowhawk glided low over the pool.

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Wednesday 30th March

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HGF still quiet. Five Black-necked Grebes still present. 9 Tree Sparrows in the garden. After work I drive through Culcheth on the way home and stopped to watch a flock of 31 Waxwings feeding in an ornamental shrub. The local residents came over to ask what the birds where so I explained and showed them through the scope. They were fascinated. So was I. Later I went to HGF at dusk and stood chatting to Chris while 189 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew over to roost on the Mersey.

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Thursday 31st March

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HGF this morning and more Wigeon have left on migration - just 14 birds left now. The usual 5 Black-necked Grebes also present. 3 Tree Sparrows in the garden today and three pairs of Grey Partridges in Waterworks Lane.

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After work I called in at Seaforth. Strangely there wasn't a single hirundine around and very few gulls. I stood in the hide overlooking the long bank and there was just a few Pied Wag's scratching around. A sudden commotion made my go outside and all of a sudden 40+ Pied Wagtails, 8 White Wagtails and 15+ Meadow Pipits appeared from somewhere. On the pool was a single drake Scaup, 28 Goldeneyes and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers. A Reed Bunting called from somewhere near the main hide and the wader line up constituted 270+ Redshanks, 112 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Dunlin and a single Knot. Pleasant mooch around.

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Friday 1st April

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At HGF early this morning a small flock of winter thrushes flew out of a roost - 8 Fieldfares and 2 Redwings. 5 Black-necked Grebes there but now down to just 2 Wigeon. Only 4 Coots and 14 Tufties - the pool has a deserted feel about it. Late evening 26 Sand Martinds were feeding over the water.

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After work this evening I wandered over to Culcheth. Just a single Waxwing was present at this site and all the berries have been scoffed. While driving over to Rixton I noticed a Waxwing flock in School Lane (Hollins Green). 20 birds were here feeding on an ornamental berry shrub of some kind. I do like finding Waxwings! On the tip pool was a Redshank and 2 Green Sandpipers. Four pairs of Grey Partridges and a Buzzard on the mosses.