Brockholes

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull, Brockholes Quarry

Drake Garganey in eclipse plumage, Brockholes Quarry

Brockholes Quarry

Little Owl, Lady Lane in Croft

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Last night on my way home I popped down Lady Lane in Croft. One of the Little Owls was perched in the tree next to the usual one, a second bird was in the hollow of the usual tree but tucked up behind a splinter of bark and very hard to spot. I decided to check out the harrowed field that Jonathan was watching the other day while I was in the area. 14 Stock Doves and the same number of Black-headed Gulls in the field plus a pair of Grey Partridges. I then noticed a female Kestrel - she was running around on the ground and snapping up worms and beetles. She was soon joined by a juvenile bird who hung around begging for food. They eventually flew off towards the church and there incurred the displeasure of the local Mistle Thrushes!

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This morning was extremely wet. The juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker was back on the feeders, the number of Greenfinches increased with four males, a female and a juvenile being present. Not much else though. I decided to go for a wander around HGF even though it was raining heavily - the visit paid off with three juvenile Black-necked Grebes having joined the three adults present yesterday. These are the first juveniles this year dispersing from Woolsten Eyes. A Cormorant and a Common Sandpiper were present at the pool along with the usual suspects. On the bare field by Midhops mum and dad Yellow Wagtail were just ambling along with a pair of Grey Partridges also present.

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This morning I also had a quick wander around the back lanes. On Waterworks Lane a female Kestrel was perched on a water tower at the treatment works and was calling. I thought she must be calling to a juvenile but I couldn't see one - the male was perched on a nearby pylon. I then spotted a family group of four Kestrels flying around together at the far end of Waterworks Lane - this was what was bothering the female. Presumably this was an intruding family of birds from around Hermitage Green. Three male Yellowhammers were singing, a Buzzard was perched on a pylon off Highfield Lane and a backish looking hen Pheasant was nestled in long grass near the end of Waterworks Lane. She had one well grown juvenile with her and was relaxed when I moved the car on the lane near her - she simply settled down to sleep!

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This afternoon I decided to have a quick hour at Brockholes Quarry. The drake Garganey was still present - it seems to be hanging around with a female Teal. Also there were at least three Kestrels, a Hobby, a Buzzard, a juvenile Med Gull, a Green Sandpiper and three Common Sandpipers. This seems to be a busy little spot with birds moving around a lot - I think it needs to be watched carefully. The Med Gull was only in for around 10 minutes and the Green Sand simply flew in, landed and then took off again!

Lazy day

Starlings on the west lawn

Juvenile Starling on the Silver Birch outside the conservatory

Juvenile House Sparrow in the Silver Birch

Hen House Sparrow

Cock House Sparrow

Juvenile Robin - this character has been hanging around the garden for weeks

Juvenile Collared Dove - it is only just starting to grow its neck ring

Adult Collared Dove

Juvenile Great Tit

Juvenile Blue Tit

Frodsham Marsh - looking west along No. 6 tank with the Welsh hills in the background

Looking across No. 5 tank towards the ex ICI (now Ineos) site

The River Weaver in the foreground at Frodsham Marsh. The Mersey estuary is in the background with the lighthouse at Hale Village (centre right) and John Lennon Airport at the back, left.

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This morning after finally crawling out of my pit I decided to have a mooch around Frodsham Marsh. No. 6 tank seems to have more water in it at the moment though a lot of work appears to be taking place creating a road around the north west edge. 85 Black-tailed Godwits were present, all huddled together a few feet from the shore. 56 Dunlins were scurrying around and a single Ringed Plover was the only other wader of note. The dodgy hybrid Ruddy Shelduck was still around with 86 of its common cousins, including a fairly recent brood of nine. No sign of the BNG or any Ruddy Ducks. At least 2 Reed Warblers were still singing in the reed beds and lots of Goldfinches were flitting around.

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At HGF this morning the numbers continue to fluctuate. 60 Coots, 30 Tufted Ducks, 5 Pochards, 4 Little Grebes (2 juveniles), 3 Black-necked Grebes and 13 Great Crested Grebes were present along with the two sub-adult Mute Swans who seem to have been present now for months and the drake Wigeon who is now well into eclipse plumage. I watched the female Yellow Wagtail feeding young nr Midhops; the ploughed section has now been harrowed and is attracting Skylarks, Linnets and various other little borwn jobs. At least 55 House Sparrows were in the hedges nr Midhops, a Buzzard was also perched on a telegraph pole.

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In the garden at least 65 juvenile delinquents (Starlings) present for most of the day, continually squabbling and generally hammering the fat balls. Far from being irritated by the noise I actually find their antics entertaining. A couple of Coal Tits, juvenile Robin and Blackbird and 5 Goldfinches were also mooching around the garden and two Swifts flew around the house - rare for these birds to be actually inside the garden!

Bloody typical!

Wood Sandpiper, Conwy RSPB

Curlew, Conwy RSPB

Sheena is a punk rocker.....juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker in the garden. A dodgy photo taken on a rainy day through two windows.

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In my last posting I stupidly ventured my opinions on the departures of local Yellow Wagtails and Oystercatchers. The next day John Tymon kindly sent me a photo of a Yellow Wag taken at HGF and then while sitting down to dinner that evening an Oystercatcher flew over the garden. Bloody typical! That will teach me to open my gob - probably won't stop me though!!!

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I have a slightly interesting tale to tell regarding the recent Terek Sandpiper on the Wirral. Having joinded the 100 or so birders lined up at high tide to scan the salt marsh, the word came down the line (me being at the bottom end) that the bird had been seen in the middle of the grass with a large bunch of Redshanks. While everyone was scanning that area, I was idly sifting through a small string of waders approx 100 yds away and that were directly opposite me.

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I noticed an unusual wader approx two thirds the size of the adjacent Redshanks and began to take an interest. The bird had greyish/brown upper plumage, bright yellow legs and like a Common Sandpiper had a bit of a whitish patch between the carpal point on the wings and the breast side, though not as extensive as a Common Sand. Trouble was I couldn't see the bill because the bird was constantly preening. The other issue I had was that, never having seen a Terek before and in my rush to get there having neglecting a gen up on the species, I couldn't remember key ID points except for the bill. Eventually I got a brief flash of the bill - it was long and upcurved. Surely this was the Terek Sandpiper? At this point I decided a second opinion was required, turned to the guy next to me to find him otherwise occupied and when I then turned back to the site just seconds later, the bird was gone!

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I decided to keep quiet at that point and fortunately everyon present got reasonable views of the bird on mud flats when the tide turned. Back at home though I studied more photos of this species and I am now absolutely certain I was watching the Terek at that point. Plenty of other birds around too with a very white leucistic Redshank, a Whimbrel, at least 800 Curlews and 13 Little Egrets.

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While working in N Wales this week I managed to escape for a few minutes and connect with the Wood Sandpiper there - my third of the year. Common Sandpiper, Blackwits, Little Egrets and over 400 Curlews on the estuary completed the ensemble. In the garden the juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker is visiting regularly. At HGF a single Common Sandpiper is the only wader in the last few days. The water fowl numbers keep fluctuating - the BNG's went up to four and back down to two this morning while the Little Grebe numbers did exactly the opposite. A juvenile Yellow Wagtail was having a tiff with a juvenile Pied Wag yesterday - this morning male and female Yellow Wags were flitting near Midhops while a Corn Bunting called nearby. On the way to work this morning three Yellow Wags flew over Holcroft Hall Lane while Karen nearly ran over six Grey Partridges in Waterworks Lane!

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Oh and it's bloody wet, cold and windy!

A good day at the local patch

Little Egret, Houghton Green Flash

Juvenile Little Ringed Plover, HGF

Song Thrush decimating the snail population in the garden

New family addition - a Netherland Dwarf named Jet!

Three Goosanders dropped in to Pennington Flash - 2 females and a drake in eclipse plumage. The latter look very like the females - the white wing patches give them away.

Great Crested Grebe on nest, Pennington Flash

Lower Foulridge Reservoir, nearly drained. In summer it regularly shrinks, however I have never seen the water this low!

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Monday 13th was not a bad day for local birding. I turned up at HGF in the morning and had my usual scan of the pool. Nothing obvious different so I got the scope out and began zooming in on the east bank where waders usually congregate. I immediately found an adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover - I hope this is the resident pair having bred successfully. I then turned around and noticed a white blob on the west bank that hadn't been there - it was a Little Egret! Never saw it fly in - patch tick no. 113. I did manage to get reasonably close to digiscope it (I had left my 450D at home - typical) though the light was so bright I struggled to get some decent pics. The bird was still present when I left though the first of the dog walkers had just arrived so I don't think it will have stayed long.

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On the way back to the south bank a Willow Tit called from the east hedge and then flew out. When I got to the south bank, a Common Tern suddenly arrived, dropped into the water just a few yards away, came out with a fish which it promptly dropped and then it flew off west! All action with the usual suspects present including three Black-necked Grebes and 4 Herons. The Ringed Plover and up to four adult Little Ringed Plovers have been present on and off during the week plus a single Common Sandpiper. This morning the Little Grebes were up one to four though the aBlck-necks were down one to two. Sounds like the hit parade!

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There has been no sign of Yellow Wags for ten days now and I think that's it for the year. In every one of the last four years the birds have left the area shortly after the juveniles have become mobile - the third week in July is the latest I have seen a resident bird. Also gone, I suspect, are the Oystercatchers. I don't think either of the local pairs bred successfully (again) and I have seen only one sighting of a single bird in the last fortnight. Again my records show these birds being gone by the third week in July at the latest.

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A female Sparrowhawk has been around the pool and the Skylarks appear to have bred successfully, as do the Linnets and Reed Buntings. The Starling flock has moved off towards Peel Hall and there is nothing much on the ploughed field nr Midhops except for Lapwings and an adult Heron which doesn't appear to move for three days! Someone has released a domestic rabbit by the pool - it is a big, dark beige bunny which is twice the size of the locals but already a bit wild. Not sure how long it will last.

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In the garden the Stock Dove, a Song Thrush, the Jay and both female and juvenile Great Spotted Woodpeckers have been in and out plus the usual sprinkling of finches. Juvenile Coal Tits have also been present on the feeders. A juvenile Little Owl was present on Lady Lane earlier in the week - it looked like it had been kicked out of the nest and was trying to snuggle into a hollow in the front of the tree trunk without much success. I didn't go birding this weekend due to last weeks illness which was compounded by a raging toothache which the dentist has not yet fixed. I did nip into Pennington on Saturday morning where it was quiet with just three Goosanders of note. Last Thursday on a trip back from the dentist I nipped into Lower Foulridge Reservoir which is looking good for waders and did have quite a few Little Ringed Plovers and Common Sandpipers amongst the usual stuff. At Frodsham yesterday on the way home from work one of those dodgy hybrid Ruddy Shelducks was present long with a Black-necked Grebe, 200 Dunlin and 19 Blackwits.

Reflections

Common Sandpiper, HGF
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Today has been wet and cold, a million miles away from the weekend in Norfolk! One thing I did notice over there was the relative lack of people - I noticed it too at Rutland Water which is massive, however I saw only one other birder there, in the distance. Dersingham Bog was idyllic for me, wandering around the place with no noise from people or traffic and lots of wildlife - I saw five Roe Deer including a doe with her faun and also heard a Muntjack barking.
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One very nice bloke called Hugh did turn up - although he was there for the moths he also turned out to be an excellent birder and very good company. It was a very pleasant evening wandering around with Hugh and I learned a lot from him - I am very tempted to start catching moths now! It is rare I get to go birding at dusk in the summer - the sounds of the night were very enchanting. Also thanks to Jonathan and Mike Chorley for tips on where to see various birds though Mike is a bit sick about missing the Cas! The other thing I really liked was the call of the Golden Oriole - it was very musical and pleasant and I kept wanting the bird to call constantly.
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Anyway back home to the cold and wet. Sunday evening a flock of 17 Linnets on the lines off Parkside Road in Newton, however a trip to Newton Lake for Nuthatches drew a blank. On Monday both Little Ringed Plovers were present by the pool and also a large group of Lapwings in the ploughed area - eighty three birds present. The water birds were pretty much as was, 6 Reed Buntings and the same number of Linnets were hanging around Midhops. It was nice to meet Frank again from Moore NR - he is very good company for a wander around the pool.
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At lunch a quick trip to Moat Lane pool produced a fly over Yellow Wagtail. I went back after work to the mosses on the way home (it is actually a bit of a short cut) - very few gulls on the tip but hundreds of corvids and two Buzzards wandering around on the tip face. The two Redshanks were present again at the pool, four male Corn Buntings were singing on the wires but otherwise a bit quiet. I then had a brief wander to Waterworks Lane just after a thunder storm - the air was full of Swifts with at least 290 in the air plus around 30 Swallows. Usually I only see a few odd Swifts around Winwick - wonder where they all came from.
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Today I was ill and off work for the first time in 18 months, however I stupidly took Billy for a quick walk to HGF in the morning. The heavens opened and we got soaked! There were plenty of birds around though with 2 Little Ringed Plovers, a Ringed Plover and 2 Common Sandpipers making a cracking wader line-up for this place. The Coot numbers were up to 44 with 34 Tufties, 4 Pochards, 3 Little Grebes, 3 Black-necked Grebes and 13 Great Crested Grebes on the water. Look what happens when it is raining - no people and plenty of birds! A Heron and a Cormorant also there but little in the ploughed field. At home a Stock Dove was in the garden this afternoon and a Sparowhawk flew over Myddleton Lane this evening.

Norfolk

Caspian Tern, Welney WWT

Note the size of this tern compared to the Shovelers (right) and also look at that huge dagger like bill - you could dig up the roads with that!

Gatekeeper, Lakenheath Fen

Large Skipper, Lakenheath Fen

Ringlet, Lakenheath Fen

Ringlet, Weeting Heath

Spotted Flycatcher, Weeting Heath

Stone Curlews, Weeting Heath

Roe Deer, Dersingham Bog

Dersingham Bog

Green Sandpipers, Rutland Water

Green Sandpiper

Drake Teal in eclipse plumage, Rutland Water

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Thursday started with a trip to HGF in the morning. All the usual suspects present plus a Common Sandpiper wandering along the eastern bank. I then headed off to Barleythorpe nr Oakham (approx 2 miles from Rutland Water) for a company event. The EEF offices have extensive gardens here and quite a few birds were flitting around. I didn't have the luxury of the bins but did pick up a few obvious birds including three Green Woodpeckers (one juvenile), a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Bullfinches and a Tawny Owl. The best bird to appear was a Barn Owl which flitted around for a few minutes while I sat with my back to it chatting to a colleague, completely oblivious to its presence!

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Friday after work and I nipped over to the Lyndon Reserve at Rutland Water. Currently the two pairs of Ospreys breeding here have decided to do so in areas off limits to the public, however a young male has been hanging around in the vicinity of last years nest. As time was limited I made a quick enquiry at reception to find the male had gone over to the Egleton part of the reserve for the day. I duly headed off to the same where reception confirmed he had been perched on a post on lagoon 4 all day. As I approached lagoon 4 I saw him flying off in the distance - bloody typical! At the Crake hide I found three Green Sandpipers showing very well opposite the hide. Off then to Norfolk - on the way I spotted a Red Kite from the car somewhere near Peterboro.

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In the evening I headed off to Dersignham Bog. This is a large bowl-shaped area with sloping sides covered in heather, coniferous forest around the rim and a bog in the base. It is also famous for Nightjars. Having arrived I quickly found a couple of Green Woodpeckers and 2 singing Garden Warblers. A Kestrel also flew through the area in a manner resembling a Hobby. A Roe Deer with a faun showed up - later on three more Roe Deer also appeared at various points. Three Woodcocks flew over as dusk arrived, one of them roding. The first Nightjar started churring at around 21:45 - eventually at least five birds were churring. I managed three sightings of birds in flight from at least two different birds but nothing close. On the way back to the car two Tawny owls (adult and juvenile) began calling.

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Saturday morning, 06:45 and I arrived at Weeting Heath on the border between Norfolk and Suffolk. This is, essentially, a large field full of rabbits (easily over 200) with the grass cropped short. This is, apparently, ideal habitat for Stone Curlews. Even this early the heat haze made viewing difficult though I didn't have to wait long for 2 adults to appear. They did, however keep their distance and disappeared after 30 minutes or so. A Garden Warbler was singing nr the entrance and down at the woodland hide two Spotted Flycatchers showed well and a Green Woodpecker also showed up.

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Leaving Weeting Heath I headed off a few miles down the road (and in to Suffolk) to Lakenheath (Hockwold) Fen. It was extremely hot and still - the air seemed to be full of butterflies. Lots of Reed and Sedge Warblers also in evidence. Another Green Woodpecker (juvenile) was the first sighting followed by a male Marsh Harrier nr the visitors center. Down by plantation 2 I managed to get a couple of brief views of a male Golden Oriole in flight along with a brief glimpse of a juvenile. At least three Cuckoos were calling here along with a booming Bittern and a screaming Water Rail. A pair of Marsh Harriers showed up to conduct a food pass and an adult Green Woodpecker made its presence known. After watching four Bearded Tits (a bogey bird for me) and another female Marsh Harrier at the end of the track, a birder announced the arrival of a Caspian Tern at nearby Welney and that signalled a treck back to the car park for all the birders present. A Hobby flew over the path on the way back.

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At Welney (back in Norfolk) a twitch was well and truly underway with lots of birders scurrying off to the hide - they needn't have rushed as the Caspian Tern was fast asleep. For a tern it is a beast of a bird, easily the size of a Shoveler duck and with a huge, thick, dagger-like bill. Not much else you could mistake it for! The tern woke up from time to time but showed no sign of moving. Also here on the pool were 4 Ruff, 2 Snipe, 7 Avocets and 33 Black-tailed Godwits. All too soon it was time to go home - the end of my brief Norfolk adventure - the first time I have birded here.

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At home this evening a quick trip around the back lanes produced a Yellowhammer on Waterworks Lane and a juvenile Kestrel begging from a parent on Highfield Lane - the first sighting of a young Kestrel here this year. A Sparrowhawk was also spiralling up nearby. At HGF three Black-necked Grebes were present with increases in Coot and Tufted Duck numbers. In the field nr Midhops I eventually found 2 juvenile Yellow Wagtails perched in the barley - the male soon appeared nearby. This morning the Black-necked Grebes were down to two again with no sign of the Yellow Wags - the Common Sandpiper was back though!

It's all yellow.....

Male Yellow Wagtail, Rixton Moss

Brimstone Moth, HGF

Skylark, HGF

Cuckoo, Rixton Moss

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Yesterday started with the Jay back in the garden - nice to see it sticking around. A quick wander early morning to HGF produced a second Black-necked Grebe on the pool. A Cormorant and 2 Grey Wagtails (adult plus juvenile) at the pool with Coot and Tufted Duck numbers also increasing. The ploughed bit nr Midhops has been ploughed again and was devoid of birds today other than 5 Mistle Thrushes and a Heron.

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At lunch I had a quick snoop around Rixton. A Buzzard flew over the large pool and was later seen on Holly Bush Lane being mobbed by Lapwings. The two Redshanks were still present on the pool at the base of the tip and a Yellow Wagtail flew over Woodend Lane. A flock of at least 40 Goldfinches was flitting up and down HBL - many of them juveniles. The tip was completely devois of any species of gull but over 300 corvids were scattered on the various mounds.

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On the way home from work a Little Owl was perched in its usual tree off Lady Lane and at home a Coal Tit was on the feeders. The Starling flock at HGF this evening numbered around 500 birds. I spent a while this evening cleaning litter and bags of dog shit from around HGF - I filled two black bin bags and only got as far as the gate. While I was doing this a gang of teenagers took the piss - they later walked back along the path I had just cleared and scattered litter all over it. Scum! I have reported the issues around HGF to the council.

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This morning and everything pretty much as was at HGF. A juvenile Black-headed Gull was the first here this year. The Heron in the field doesn't appear to have moved at all in the last 24 hours and the 5 Mistle Thrushes were also still there. On the way into work a Yellow Wagtail called from the peat mound on Holcroft Hall Lane - only one Corn Bunting on the wires though.

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After work I had a quick trip around Rixton again. The two juvenile Great Crested Grebes are growing fast. On the next pool which is usually off limits (I will henceforth refer to it as Moat Lane pool 2) the family of Canada Geese are still present along with seven Tufties. Another eight Tufties flew over and a male Sparrowhawk carrying prey also appeared. Plenty of warblers singing tonight, mainly Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers. An adult Linnet was present with a youngster.

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At the tip there was no sign of the Redshanks, however over 90 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were flying around. A large crane has been positioned on top of the main mound - a Buzzard and over 400 Starlings were perched on it. At the botto end of Holly Bush Lane a male Yellow Wagtail was perched in the top of the rape crop. I pulled alongside in the car and he just looked at me. At this point I cursed having left the 450D at home, however when I got out of the car, the Yellow Wag ignored me. I managed to set the scope up and get a few digiscope shots before he got bored and flew off!

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5 Yellowhammers and 3 Corn Buntings were visible on the lanes along with a flock of 62 Goldfinches. On Woodend Lane two adult Cuckoos were perched on the telephone wires - at one point a Kestrel landed on the wires next to a Cuckoo - they both seemed to ignore each other. The Cuckoos hung around for a while before disappearing though they were distant after the initial sighting. Another three Linnets also appeared - when the numerous Swallows and House Martins are included these lanes seem to swarm with birds this evening.

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Back at HGF late evening and the usual flock of 500+ Starlings was joined by a flock of 25+ House Sparrows - a bird I rarely see in numbers here. A Yellow Wagtail was also perched on the wires nr the kennels - the third location I have recorded this species at today.