Photos:
Canada Geese with young, Yellow Wagtail and Common Tern with chicks at Rixton
Wood Sandpiper, Altrincham sewage works
Great Crested Grebe, Houghton Green Flash
Saturday May 21st
Took Bill to Bull Beck for a walk. It was tipping down. I spotted three Common Sandpipers on different territories. I then retreated back to the van and didn’t bird again today.
Sunday May 22nd
Couldn’t be bothered to get up and go out this morning. I eventually headed over to Heysham early afternoon, just as the squalls were disappearing and the sun came out. Consequently I missed all the skua action. I did see a few things – 7 Manx Shearwaters in and four out being the most notable. A couple of Razorbills flew past close in, two Sandwich Terns and a single Arctic Tern were also picked up along with 5 Gannets.
Monday May 23rd
14 Great Crested Grebes at HGF and one is perched on a nest. Its chances of survival aren’t good – there is no cover whatsoever and it is too close to the bank. Two pairs of Little Ringed Plovers and the local pair of Oystercatchers also there plus a small flock of 16 Canada Geese and single Coot and Tufted Duck. Not much but compared with recent weeks this is busy!
At Rixton this evening the Lesser Whitethroat was still rattling away and an Oystercatcher and three Little Ringed Plovers were on the various pools. I have finally worked out there are three pairs of LRP’s at Rixton and two pairs at HGF. The Common Terns were still there and by the way the female was acting on the nest I think there may be young. Possibly at least three incubating Black-headed Gulls here too. A male Yellow Wagtail was in Holly Bush Lane.
Tuesday May 24th
HGF quite again. 16 great Crested Grebes on the pool with the incubating bird still OK. Interestingly the numbers of GCG’s are varying each day and also by the hour. The dusk counts are always higher than the morning counts and I have seen birds flying in during the day a couple of times now.
Wednesday 25th May
Had a nice wander around the old training camp in Glazebrook at lunch. Not as many vocal warblers as previously but still plenty of activity. I found 2 male Yellowhammers on the far side near the fields. Also here I enjoyed watching drama Bullfinch style as an intruding male tried to prise away a female under the nose of her mate. He didn’t take very kindly to this and a scrap ensued – the female didn’t seem to be the least bit bothered. Shortly after I heard a Willow Tit call and soon found the noise maker along with a second bird taking food to a nest site. There were plenty of warblers around with a female Blackcap giving me a severe ticking off as presumably I had strayed too close to her nest while in the next bush three juvenile Dunnocks observed with interest. Overhead were 2 Buzzards and a Kestrel.
After work I nipped over to Altrincham sewage works for a butchers at the Wood Sandpiper. I’ve never been here before and was amazed to find it is only 10 minutes from work over the back roads. I rang Sid just to make sure I was barking up the right tree and then off I went. The skulky wader took me quite a time to find – difficult viewing through the fence and there was lots of vegetation for it to hide in. Eventually it showed reasonably well until flushed by a pony. Five Little Ringed Plovers were also in residence.
I also called in at Moat Lane pools. I was able to confirm this evening the presence of two chicks in the nest and also that at least 2 Black-headed Gulls are currently incubating. Three Oystercatchers and three Redshanks were also on pool 2 while next door one of the Shelducks was asleep on an island and a small flock of Canada Geese had arrived. A male Bullfinch was flitting around pool 1.
At HGF late evening I was pleased to see the Great Crested Grebe still incubating while 15 other birds fished or slept nearby. Single Coot and Tufted Duck present plus 2 Canada Geese – 2 pairs of Little Ringed Plovers were on the far edge. In the garden were a pair of Yellowhammers and a Tree Sparrow.
Took Bill to Bull Beck for a walk. It was tipping down. I spotted three Common Sandpipers on different territories. I then retreated back to the van and didn’t bird again today.
Sunday May 22nd
Couldn’t be bothered to get up and go out this morning. I eventually headed over to Heysham early afternoon, just as the squalls were disappearing and the sun came out. Consequently I missed all the skua action. I did see a few things – 7 Manx Shearwaters in and four out being the most notable. A couple of Razorbills flew past close in, two Sandwich Terns and a single Arctic Tern were also picked up along with 5 Gannets.
Monday May 23rd
14 Great Crested Grebes at HGF and one is perched on a nest. Its chances of survival aren’t good – there is no cover whatsoever and it is too close to the bank. Two pairs of Little Ringed Plovers and the local pair of Oystercatchers also there plus a small flock of 16 Canada Geese and single Coot and Tufted Duck. Not much but compared with recent weeks this is busy!
At Rixton this evening the Lesser Whitethroat was still rattling away and an Oystercatcher and three Little Ringed Plovers were on the various pools. I have finally worked out there are three pairs of LRP’s at Rixton and two pairs at HGF. The Common Terns were still there and by the way the female was acting on the nest I think there may be young. Possibly at least three incubating Black-headed Gulls here too. A male Yellow Wagtail was in Holly Bush Lane.
Tuesday May 24th
HGF quite again. 16 great Crested Grebes on the pool with the incubating bird still OK. Interestingly the numbers of GCG’s are varying each day and also by the hour. The dusk counts are always higher than the morning counts and I have seen birds flying in during the day a couple of times now.
Wednesday 25th May
Had a nice wander around the old training camp in Glazebrook at lunch. Not as many vocal warblers as previously but still plenty of activity. I found 2 male Yellowhammers on the far side near the fields. Also here I enjoyed watching drama Bullfinch style as an intruding male tried to prise away a female under the nose of her mate. He didn’t take very kindly to this and a scrap ensued – the female didn’t seem to be the least bit bothered. Shortly after I heard a Willow Tit call and soon found the noise maker along with a second bird taking food to a nest site. There were plenty of warblers around with a female Blackcap giving me a severe ticking off as presumably I had strayed too close to her nest while in the next bush three juvenile Dunnocks observed with interest. Overhead were 2 Buzzards and a Kestrel.
After work I nipped over to Altrincham sewage works for a butchers at the Wood Sandpiper. I’ve never been here before and was amazed to find it is only 10 minutes from work over the back roads. I rang Sid just to make sure I was barking up the right tree and then off I went. The skulky wader took me quite a time to find – difficult viewing through the fence and there was lots of vegetation for it to hide in. Eventually it showed reasonably well until flushed by a pony. Five Little Ringed Plovers were also in residence.
I also called in at Moat Lane pools. I was able to confirm this evening the presence of two chicks in the nest and also that at least 2 Black-headed Gulls are currently incubating. Three Oystercatchers and three Redshanks were also on pool 2 while next door one of the Shelducks was asleep on an island and a small flock of Canada Geese had arrived. A male Bullfinch was flitting around pool 1.
At HGF late evening I was pleased to see the Great Crested Grebe still incubating while 15 other birds fished or slept nearby. Single Coot and Tufted Duck present plus 2 Canada Geese – 2 pairs of Little Ringed Plovers were on the far edge. In the garden were a pair of Yellowhammers and a Tree Sparrow.
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