Photos:
Common Sandpiper, Second summer and adult Mediterranean Gulls, Wheatear at Seaforth
Kestrel, Barrow Lane, NLW
Common Blue, Gatekeeper and juvenile Common Terns, Rixton
August 1st
A female Sparrowhawk flew around HGF this morning. A single Kestrel was also seen. One Common Sandpiper was around the pool edge and the sole incubating Great Crested Grebe is still there. The hatch date has long passed so I don’t hold any hope for this pair. On a wider note, none of the local Oystercatchers or Little Ringed Plovers seem to have bred at all. Haven’t even seen a LRP locally for 2-3 weeks.
August 2nd
Got back late evening after 2 days working in Brum. It was very noticeable this evening that all the local Swifts have done one. There were a few flying around over Winwick on Sunday evening but not a single bird around here tonight. Same at Rixton.
I visited Moat Lane pools on my way home and found all three juveniles had fledged and had moved to a different island. I watched them being fed for a bit and then left them to it. A male Sparrowhawk carrying prey flew over the pool and was given what for by the adults.
Late evening I walked Bill down Barrow Lane (he can now walk in a straight line and rarely falls over!). Just a single Swift here plus a single Skylark too though I think the latter are probably still here in numbers and have just gone quiet – busy feeding up for the winter.
The Reed Buntings were again in the corner of the oat field. Around 5 Yellow Wags were in the back edge of the spud patch and a flock of 40+ Goldfinches flew over here. While I was stood near the bollards, a male Sparrowhawk flew past and landed in the south running hedge. He started back at me for a split second and was off again! A Kestrel was perched on the lime mound, 2 Grey Partidges flew over the oat field and a sprinkling of gulls (mainly Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed) passed over on their way to roost. No sign of the Quail.
August 3rd
Plenty of bits and bats at HGF this morning. Most noteworthy were the 200+ House Sparrows which were flitting around in the hedgerows by Midhops. It is only in early autumn that I see such large numbers – they soon start to disperse into smaller groups. Not much to speak of on the pool with Great Crested Grebe, Coot and Tufted Duck numbers pretty much the same. A Buzzard was perched on the roof of the Kestrel barn with one of the former occupants nearby. Also heard both Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler singing but rather half-heartedly. A gang of 14 Long-tailed Tits passed down the south hedge.
At lunch I popped into Moat Lane pools – the terns have gone! I had a mooch around all the local pools but no sign – hope they do well and come back next year. A Kestrel, a Sand Martin and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were the only birds of note present. A late Oystercatcher flew over Prospect Lane while a flock of 60+ Swifts passed south over the clay pits and a larger flock of 150+ birds similarly flew over Hollybush Lane.
On the way home I passed by Newton Lake so I popped in for a quick look-see. A Green Sandpiper was still on the spit while three Teal and two Gadwall were the most interesting of the ducks present. The usual Cormorant was busy drying itself.
Late evening I had a quick stroll down Barrow Lane. It was very quiet – a few Tree Sparrows were making noise around Parkside Farm but little else seemed to be moving. When I reached the former site of the mound, three Yellow Wagtails flew over, calling, and dropped into the spud patch and a fourth then lifted out from the back edge and flew off to the south. There were some Reed Buntings in the NE corner of the oat field and a flock of 13 Lapwings kept wheeling around the fields. 25+ Swifts passed through south and a Kestrel was again perched on the lime mound with a second bird hunting nr Parkside Farm.
Coal Tit and a flock of 10+ Long-tailed Tits in the garden today plus a sizeable mixed finch flock in Waterworks Lane of Greenfinches and Goldfinches.
August 4th
Very early visit to HGF. I just managed to dodge the rain! The Great Crested Grebe which had nested in the NW corner has now abandoned the nest – the second time this pair have failed this summer and the fourth overall on the pool. Two adult Little Grebes were new in.
After work I nipped over to Seaforth for a quick hour. It was relatively quiet and the birds that were present were very edgy. Gulls were constantly coming down to bathe and were spending literally seconds on the deck before flying off again. I did manage to see three Meds – the first being a second summer and the next two adults. The freshwater pool is building up a flock of Tufted Ducks with 170+ present plus 4 Pochard. A Wheatear was on the mound. Other birds seen:
3 Common Sandpipers
150+ Common Terns
57 Cormorants
170+ Dunlin
580+ Redshanks
6 Black-tailed Godwits
6 Curlews
20+ House Martins
Late evening I visited Moat Lane pools just to see if the terns were coming back to roost. They weren’t – a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Kestrel and a juvenile Whitethroat were about all that was showing.
5th August
Nothing much new at HGF – the Coot flock continues to build up slowly with 46 birds currently present. The two adult Little Grebes were still present and two Kestrels were hunting over the east side.
Late evening I took Bill for a walk down Barrow Lane. It was very quiet – a juvenile Kestrel was on the wires by Parkside Rd and a few Tree Sparrows chattered by the farm. The fields were generally quiet until a few Grey Partridges started calling and then moving about. A covey of 9, two pairs and another calling bird were all picked up. Another Kestrel was on the lime mound and 40+ Swallows moved through.
A female Sparrowhawk flew around HGF this morning. A single Kestrel was also seen. One Common Sandpiper was around the pool edge and the sole incubating Great Crested Grebe is still there. The hatch date has long passed so I don’t hold any hope for this pair. On a wider note, none of the local Oystercatchers or Little Ringed Plovers seem to have bred at all. Haven’t even seen a LRP locally for 2-3 weeks.
August 2nd
Got back late evening after 2 days working in Brum. It was very noticeable this evening that all the local Swifts have done one. There were a few flying around over Winwick on Sunday evening but not a single bird around here tonight. Same at Rixton.
I visited Moat Lane pools on my way home and found all three juveniles had fledged and had moved to a different island. I watched them being fed for a bit and then left them to it. A male Sparrowhawk carrying prey flew over the pool and was given what for by the adults.
Late evening I walked Bill down Barrow Lane (he can now walk in a straight line and rarely falls over!). Just a single Swift here plus a single Skylark too though I think the latter are probably still here in numbers and have just gone quiet – busy feeding up for the winter.
The Reed Buntings were again in the corner of the oat field. Around 5 Yellow Wags were in the back edge of the spud patch and a flock of 40+ Goldfinches flew over here. While I was stood near the bollards, a male Sparrowhawk flew past and landed in the south running hedge. He started back at me for a split second and was off again! A Kestrel was perched on the lime mound, 2 Grey Partidges flew over the oat field and a sprinkling of gulls (mainly Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed) passed over on their way to roost. No sign of the Quail.
August 3rd
Plenty of bits and bats at HGF this morning. Most noteworthy were the 200+ House Sparrows which were flitting around in the hedgerows by Midhops. It is only in early autumn that I see such large numbers – they soon start to disperse into smaller groups. Not much to speak of on the pool with Great Crested Grebe, Coot and Tufted Duck numbers pretty much the same. A Buzzard was perched on the roof of the Kestrel barn with one of the former occupants nearby. Also heard both Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler singing but rather half-heartedly. A gang of 14 Long-tailed Tits passed down the south hedge.
At lunch I popped into Moat Lane pools – the terns have gone! I had a mooch around all the local pools but no sign – hope they do well and come back next year. A Kestrel, a Sand Martin and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were the only birds of note present. A late Oystercatcher flew over Prospect Lane while a flock of 60+ Swifts passed south over the clay pits and a larger flock of 150+ birds similarly flew over Hollybush Lane.
On the way home I passed by Newton Lake so I popped in for a quick look-see. A Green Sandpiper was still on the spit while three Teal and two Gadwall were the most interesting of the ducks present. The usual Cormorant was busy drying itself.
Late evening I had a quick stroll down Barrow Lane. It was very quiet – a few Tree Sparrows were making noise around Parkside Farm but little else seemed to be moving. When I reached the former site of the mound, three Yellow Wagtails flew over, calling, and dropped into the spud patch and a fourth then lifted out from the back edge and flew off to the south. There were some Reed Buntings in the NE corner of the oat field and a flock of 13 Lapwings kept wheeling around the fields. 25+ Swifts passed through south and a Kestrel was again perched on the lime mound with a second bird hunting nr Parkside Farm.
Coal Tit and a flock of 10+ Long-tailed Tits in the garden today plus a sizeable mixed finch flock in Waterworks Lane of Greenfinches and Goldfinches.
August 4th
Very early visit to HGF. I just managed to dodge the rain! The Great Crested Grebe which had nested in the NW corner has now abandoned the nest – the second time this pair have failed this summer and the fourth overall on the pool. Two adult Little Grebes were new in.
After work I nipped over to Seaforth for a quick hour. It was relatively quiet and the birds that were present were very edgy. Gulls were constantly coming down to bathe and were spending literally seconds on the deck before flying off again. I did manage to see three Meds – the first being a second summer and the next two adults. The freshwater pool is building up a flock of Tufted Ducks with 170+ present plus 4 Pochard. A Wheatear was on the mound. Other birds seen:
3 Common Sandpipers
150+ Common Terns
57 Cormorants
170+ Dunlin
580+ Redshanks
6 Black-tailed Godwits
6 Curlews
20+ House Martins
Late evening I visited Moat Lane pools just to see if the terns were coming back to roost. They weren’t – a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Kestrel and a juvenile Whitethroat were about all that was showing.
5th August
Nothing much new at HGF – the Coot flock continues to build up slowly with 46 birds currently present. The two adult Little Grebes were still present and two Kestrels were hunting over the east side.
Late evening I took Bill for a walk down Barrow Lane. It was very quiet – a juvenile Kestrel was on the wires by Parkside Rd and a few Tree Sparrows chattered by the farm. The fields were generally quiet until a few Grey Partridges started calling and then moving about. A covey of 9, two pairs and another calling bird were all picked up. Another Kestrel was on the lime mound and 40+ Swallows moved through.
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