Photos:
Oystercatchers, Tufted Ducks, Little Ringed Plovers at Moat Lane pools, Rixton
Corn Bunting, Rixton Mosses
Common and Black Terns plus Common Gull, Seaforth
Blue Tit and Stock Dove at Pennington Flash
Tuesday 3rd May
Had a wander to Pennington this afternoon. Don’t know why – I think it was just somewhere different to go. Three Black Terns and a couple of 2cy Little Gulls were the highlights along with Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper. I did see lots of Stock Doves around the reserve with at least 17 birds seen. In the evening I took Bill for a walk around HGF. A pair of Black-necked Grebes were present – they are not usually seen here in this late Spring / early Summer gap. A few of their larger Great Crested cousins were the only other birds of note.
Wednesday 4th May
Early wander to HGF this morning on a nice, sunny day. There seemed to be a bit of life around the place with two Common Sandpipers bobbing around the edge of the pool, 3 Oystercatchers and 3 Grey Herons plus a lone Swift. The only water birds were 6 Great Crested Grebes.
Visited Rixton this afternoon. The highlight was a Common Sandpiper on Moat Lane pool 1 – an uncommon bird here. Four Oystercatchers and a Little Ringed Plover were also here while the Common Terns were still on the pool next door. The mosses were relatively quiet though a couple of Wheatears and three Grey Partridges were found in Holly Bush Lane.
Thursday 5th May
I managed to nip over to Seaforth after work. It was raining and ultimately very quiet with most of the terns off away from the reserve. I spent most of my time watching the lone Black Tern flying around in front of the hide. Four Sandwich Terns had joined the 30+ Common Terns still present and a Yellow Wagtail called as it flew over my head while I walked back to the car. At HGF this evening in the rain a single Black-necked Grebe was sleeping amongst the 13 Great Crested Grebes and a Little Ringed Plover ran around the muddy fringe.
Friday 6th May
I had a thorough session around Rixton this afternoon, concentrating particularly on warblers. The following were seen / heard around Moat Lane and the mosses:
16 Whitethroat
1 Lesser Whitethroat (in same place as last year)
10 Willow Warbler
4 Chiffchaff
4 Blackcap
1 Garden Warbler (same place I heard it last year)
On Moat Lane pools were a Little Ringed Plover, an Oystercatcher and a Redshank with the Common Terns still incubating and Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear on the mosses.
I also had a mooch around the old training camp in Glazebrook. This place looks good for all sorts of birds and I didn’t go everywhere. I did find a Garden Warbler and a Cuckoo. On the way through Culcheth there were 3 Corn Buntings on the wires and a Yellow Wagtail at Frank’s Farm. Late evening in the rain produced singles of Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover at HGF.
Saturday 7th May
Early morning visit to HGF in the rain. 2 Common Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover comprised the wader line up while a pair of Grey Partridges, 2 Swifts and a pair of Reed Buntings provided other interest. Had a wander over to Rixton later. At the top of Holly Bush Lane is a field mown low, much like a lawn (presumably a turf field). The lawn was dotted around with little brown jobs and closer inspection revealed a mixed finch flock with at least 58 Linnets and 16 Goldfinches. A Stoat also ran across the lane nearby. A pair of Yellow Wagtails and a Yellowhammer were picked up further down the lane while the Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler were still singing in Moat Lane. A pair of Little Ringed Plovers were on Moat Lane pool 2 and a second pair on the tip pool. Common Terns still present.
Sunday 8th May
I spent several hours this morning in the rain looking for a long gone Iberian Chiffchaff. Enough said. At Rixton there were still a few Linnets and Goldies on the “lawn” plus 3 Wheatears further down. Three Little Ringed Plovers and a Redshank joined the terns on Moat Lane pools.
At HGF this evening, while dodging the showers I noticed a small bird out in the middle of the pool. It was a Little Grebe – rare here at this time of year and very unusual to see it alone and out in the middle. They almost always stick close to the pool edge here. Also of note was the Mute Swan SYS who appeared back but without his mate. One Common Sandpiper and four Little Ringed Plovers wandered along the edge while three Buzzards soared above the pool.
Monday 9th May
Had a wander over to Newton Marsh after work hoping to see the Temminck’s Stints. The light was harsh and views difficult and almost predictably there was no sign of the target birds (they did show up after I left!). It was interesting to see British Black-tailed Godwits which breed here and a couple of Curlew Sandpipers made up for the absent stints.
Two Black-necked Grebes on HGF today. I have also identified three Whitethroat territories here this spring – up from the usual two. There is a distinct lack of suitable habitat to three singing males is quite good. At Rixton this evening a Greylag had joined the four Mute Swans on Moat Lane pools while Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler both sang well.
Had a wander to Pennington this afternoon. Don’t know why – I think it was just somewhere different to go. Three Black Terns and a couple of 2cy Little Gulls were the highlights along with Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper. I did see lots of Stock Doves around the reserve with at least 17 birds seen. In the evening I took Bill for a walk around HGF. A pair of Black-necked Grebes were present – they are not usually seen here in this late Spring / early Summer gap. A few of their larger Great Crested cousins were the only other birds of note.
Wednesday 4th May
Early wander to HGF this morning on a nice, sunny day. There seemed to be a bit of life around the place with two Common Sandpipers bobbing around the edge of the pool, 3 Oystercatchers and 3 Grey Herons plus a lone Swift. The only water birds were 6 Great Crested Grebes.
Visited Rixton this afternoon. The highlight was a Common Sandpiper on Moat Lane pool 1 – an uncommon bird here. Four Oystercatchers and a Little Ringed Plover were also here while the Common Terns were still on the pool next door. The mosses were relatively quiet though a couple of Wheatears and three Grey Partridges were found in Holly Bush Lane.
Thursday 5th May
I managed to nip over to Seaforth after work. It was raining and ultimately very quiet with most of the terns off away from the reserve. I spent most of my time watching the lone Black Tern flying around in front of the hide. Four Sandwich Terns had joined the 30+ Common Terns still present and a Yellow Wagtail called as it flew over my head while I walked back to the car. At HGF this evening in the rain a single Black-necked Grebe was sleeping amongst the 13 Great Crested Grebes and a Little Ringed Plover ran around the muddy fringe.
Friday 6th May
I had a thorough session around Rixton this afternoon, concentrating particularly on warblers. The following were seen / heard around Moat Lane and the mosses:
16 Whitethroat
1 Lesser Whitethroat (in same place as last year)
10 Willow Warbler
4 Chiffchaff
4 Blackcap
1 Garden Warbler (same place I heard it last year)
On Moat Lane pools were a Little Ringed Plover, an Oystercatcher and a Redshank with the Common Terns still incubating and Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear on the mosses.
I also had a mooch around the old training camp in Glazebrook. This place looks good for all sorts of birds and I didn’t go everywhere. I did find a Garden Warbler and a Cuckoo. On the way through Culcheth there were 3 Corn Buntings on the wires and a Yellow Wagtail at Frank’s Farm. Late evening in the rain produced singles of Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover at HGF.
Saturday 7th May
Early morning visit to HGF in the rain. 2 Common Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover comprised the wader line up while a pair of Grey Partridges, 2 Swifts and a pair of Reed Buntings provided other interest. Had a wander over to Rixton later. At the top of Holly Bush Lane is a field mown low, much like a lawn (presumably a turf field). The lawn was dotted around with little brown jobs and closer inspection revealed a mixed finch flock with at least 58 Linnets and 16 Goldfinches. A Stoat also ran across the lane nearby. A pair of Yellow Wagtails and a Yellowhammer were picked up further down the lane while the Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler were still singing in Moat Lane. A pair of Little Ringed Plovers were on Moat Lane pool 2 and a second pair on the tip pool. Common Terns still present.
Sunday 8th May
I spent several hours this morning in the rain looking for a long gone Iberian Chiffchaff. Enough said. At Rixton there were still a few Linnets and Goldies on the “lawn” plus 3 Wheatears further down. Three Little Ringed Plovers and a Redshank joined the terns on Moat Lane pools.
At HGF this evening, while dodging the showers I noticed a small bird out in the middle of the pool. It was a Little Grebe – rare here at this time of year and very unusual to see it alone and out in the middle. They almost always stick close to the pool edge here. Also of note was the Mute Swan SYS who appeared back but without his mate. One Common Sandpiper and four Little Ringed Plovers wandered along the edge while three Buzzards soared above the pool.
Monday 9th May
Had a wander over to Newton Marsh after work hoping to see the Temminck’s Stints. The light was harsh and views difficult and almost predictably there was no sign of the target birds (they did show up after I left!). It was interesting to see British Black-tailed Godwits which breed here and a couple of Curlew Sandpipers made up for the absent stints.
Two Black-necked Grebes on HGF today. I have also identified three Whitethroat territories here this spring – up from the usual two. There is a distinct lack of suitable habitat to three singing males is quite good. At Rixton this evening a Greylag had joined the four Mute Swans on Moat Lane pools while Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler both sang well.
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