More gulls at Moore

Photos:

Sparrowhawk, Tree Sparrows and Yellowhammers at the feeding station

Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Snipe and Mallard with amphibian (I think a Toad) all at Moore NR

8^th March 

New for HGF this morning was a drake Goldeneye. It’s been a good winter for this species here. Very quiet otherwise though. 

At Waterworks Lane 16 Yellowhammers were present at my feeding station. This is typical at this time of year when birds start moving through – the numbers will drop off again soon enough but they are very welcome while they are here. 70+ Tree Sparrows were also present and a male Sparrowhawk then turned up, virtually unseen. He didn’t catch anything and just perched up in the bottom of the hedge. The small birds, however, hadn’t had time to move and their only option was to disappear into the depths of the hedge. It was quite interesting to see the Spar perched there, seemingly unconcerned about anything, while an angry chattering and buzzing came from the hedge surrounding him. After around ten minutes of this, maybe he got fed up because he then launched himself into the hedge. He eventually flew away with nothing. The usual Buzzard and Kestrel were also present in the opposite field. 

Late afternoon while passing Moore I diverted to Pumphouse Pool for a brief pit stop. As with Sandbach the other day there has been a build up of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Pumphouse Pool was full of adults. In contrast, Birchwood Pool was filled with first winter Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. Why the segregation? I did eventually pick up an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Lesser Black-backed which seemed to have a serious cut and a few Snipe entertained by the water’s edge off to the far right of the top hide. I also watched a drake Mallard with a Toad – he seemed to be following a duck and quapping the toad while the duck completely ignored him. Eventually he dropped the lifeless amphibian and swam away.