Nice white-wingers at Moore

Photos:

Juvenile Iceland Gull, adult Mediterranean Gull, adult Yellow-legged Gull, first winter Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe and pair of Gadwalls all at Moore NR
Tree Sparrows at my feeding station while a Sparrowhawk and a Buzzard share a thermal overhead
Green Sandpiper and Grey Wagtail at Newton Lake

14^th March

I was working in Sheffield today. The drive over was a bit dodgy  -a real pea souper this morning. Four Red Grouse flashed across the front of the car on the Snake Pass – Cold Harbour moor. Going home was better – the sun had come out, however the large amount of moisture still in the air created a horrendous haze. I did get home just in time for a dusk visit to HGF but there was nothing new there.

15^th March

An overcast day today. This morning 55 Woodpigeons were perched up in the Ash Trees in the garden, as was a Mistle Thrush. There was little at the feeding station and a visit to HGF didn’t produce anything new either.

An early morning trip to Rixton produced a little better – Green Sandpiper on Moat Lane pools where I also spotted a Bullfinch and 70+ Fieldfares in the stubble at the top of Holly Bush Lane.

16^th March

A new arrival this morning at HGF was a drake Gadwall. Otherwise still quiet. The feeding station was a little busier – 62 Tree Sparrows, 10 Yellowhammers, female Reed Bunting, 2 Grey Partridges and 3 Stock Doves.

Late afternoon I made a brief visit to Moore and Pumphouse Pool where plenty of gulls were present. There was  large turnover of birds with nothing stopping down for longer than a few minutes, however at any time there were several hundred birds on the pool. This made watching difficult – trying to keep track of what was coming and going. I also noted that, unlike last time, the population present was evenly split between adult Lesser Black-backed and first winter Herring. I eventually picked out a juvenile Iceland Gull which stayed down for all of 30 seconds and then the sun made viewing virtually impossible from the top hide. I moved then to the more distant lower hide where at least lighting was OK. I managed an adult Mediterranean Gull and an adult Yellow-legged Gull before everything then buzzed off.

17^th March

This morning’s early trip to HGF produced little other than a first winter Mute Swan. 37 Tree Sparrows, 9 Yellowhammers, female Reed Bunting and Stock Dove were present at the feeding station. There may be more birds here, however at the moment I never stay long enough to see what turns up over a longer period of time. At Rixton the Green Sandpiper was present on Moat Lane pools, as was a Great Crested Grebe – first one on here for months. A singing Corn Bunting was the pick of the birds on the mosses – I also had two more on the wires in Culcheth.

After dropping Karen off in Newton, I headed for Newton Lake and found my second Green Sandpiper of the morning. Only 5 Teal were present – looks like they have all departed now – with a Nuthatch and 2 Grey Wagtails providing some further interest.