I visited Gowy Meadows this morning with my son Dylan to look for a Glossy ibis, which was reported from here yesterday. The bird had been reported from here on the 14th February as well, but only showed for 15 minutes before flying off east.
The reserve is a lowland grazing marsh with the river Gowy running through it, and is owned by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust. A link to the site is below:
Gowy Meadows with Stanlow oil refinery in the background
The River Gowy runs through the meadows
As soon as we arrived, I met up with a birder who had been on site since first light but hadn't seen the bird, but we continued to look as the site is so vast. On the first pool we walked up to were 4 Teal and 2 Jack snipe flushed, 2 Mallard and 4 Stonechats were seen on the fence line.
Stonechats
A Buzzard flew overhead along with 2 Skylarks and a skein of Canada Geese.
Buzzard
Canada Geese
As we continued towards the river, a Grey heron flew from the riverbank, and 2 Mandarin were on the river but flew high over the tip. Mute swans were on the river and and a count of over a 100 Linnets were in the trees at the base of the tip. Hundreds of gulls were around the tip, but no white wingers could be picked out or in the surrounding fields.
Grey Heron
Over 100 Linnets were around the base of the tip
Gowy Landfill Site
Mute Swan
A great morning birding and a fantastic site that I will visit again, but no sign of the target bird, but hopefully it will be relocated in the area.
