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ellesmere port, CHESHIRE, United Kingdom

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31 August 2017

SENSE OF SMELL IS KEY TO NAVIGATION ACROSS OCEANS

A new study into how shearwaters navigate at sea has shown that olfactory information is a key requirement.CLICK ON LINK

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 31ST AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Hilbre-Spotted Flycatcher 


Hoylake-Wheatear on rocks by Lifeboat Station 


Burton RSPB-Pectoral Sandpiper (juv) 










30 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 30TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Burton RSPB-Juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper,Cattle egret and 7 Great White egrets.

Heswall Shore-118 Little Egret,2 Marsh Harrier (1m, 1juv),Peregrine,2 Grey Wagtail,Whinchat.


Leasowe Lighthouse-Spotted Flycatcher by duck pond.

Burton Marsh-Green Woodpecker,2 Stonechat,4 Wheatear,Yellow Wagtail,3 Great White Egret this morning,10 Wheatear,3+ Stonechat and Hen Harrier.

Hilbre-3 Whimbrel, 1 Wheatear and 4 Gannet.

CHESHIRE
Moore Nature reserve-Osprey-Perched in tree from Norton Marsh hide.

Frodsham Marshes-Osprey

Hale-4 Great white egrets off Hale lighthouse.






PECTORAL SANDPIPER-BURTON RSPB-30TH AUGUST 2017

I visited Burton RSPB this morning hoping to see a Juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper that had been found late yesterday afternoon.The bird was soon found on arrival with a flock of Dunlin in front of the visitors centre on the main scape.





PECTORAL SANDPIPER
Pectoral Sandpipers have been seen annually over the last 15 years at Burton RSPB with only two years 2007 and 2010 where they were not recorded.
The Western Cattle Egret was also still present on the reserve and showed well.
 CATTLE EGRET
A great mornings birding!Autumn is here bring on the MEGA!









29 August 2017

PHOTO OF THE WEEK 23-29TH AUGUST 2017

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BIRDGUIDES REVIEW OF RARE BIRDS THIS WEEK IN BRITAIN-23RD-29TH AUGUST 2017

REVIEW OF THE WEEK CLICK ON LINK

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 29TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Burton RSPB-Pectoral Sandpiper (juv) and 1 Cattle Egret.

Burton Marsh-2 Green Sandpiper,Juv/fem Marsh Harrier,Hen Harrier(Ringtail) and a Great White Egret.

Parkgate-Marsh Harrier (fem) and a Grasshopper Warbler (heard).

Caldy-4,100 Black-tailed Godwit.

West Kirby-3,000+ Black-tailed Godwit and 250 Sandwich Tern.

28 August 2017

URBAN GULLS ARE ASTUTE FOOD STEALERS

A new study, published in the British Ornithologists’ Union (BOU) journal Ibis, has found that urban gulls are more effective at stealing food from their cohorts than their rural counterparts.CLICK ON LINK

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 28TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Lingham Bridge-2 Kingfisher and a Little Owl along River Birkett.

Caldy-2,700 Black-tailed Godwit.


Burton Point-4 Great White Egret,2 Kingfisher,Wheatear,Whinchat,Swift and a Green Sandpiper.

CHESHIRE
Inch Marshes-Great White egret.



27 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 27TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Burton Marsh-Marsh Harrier (fem).

Leasowe Lighthouse-2 Wheatear on groyne,Greenshank in gutter and a Whimbrel over.


CHESHIRE
Sandbach Flashes-2 Juvenile Spotted Redshank.

Newchurch Common-Smew

Hale-2 Great White egret-Mersey Estuary.

Pickerings Pasture-Caspian Gull-Mersey Estuary.

26 August 2017

PURPLE SWAMPHEN-ACCEPTED BY THE BBRC



The British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (BOURC) has announced that it has accepted Western Swamphen on to its British list following last year’s well-watched bird at Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk, from 31 July – 5 August and subsequently at Alkborough Flats, Lincolnshire, from 30 August in to early January 2017.CLICK ON LINK
 

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 26TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Hilbre-Black Tern this morning.


Heswall Shore-68 Little Egret,400 Dunlin,100 Knot,6670 Redshank,1500 Curlew.








25 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 25TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Hilbre-5 Black Tern in tern roost this evening.

Heswall Shore-4 Red-breasted Merganser,33 Great Crested Grebe,93 Little Egret,2 Marsh Harrier (1 male,1 juv),2 Peregrine,16 Ringed Plover,6000 Redshank,1300 Curlew.


Caldy-3,000 Black-tailed Godwit (incl 227 juvs)


CHESHIRE
Newchurch Common-Smew

Hale-2 Great White egrets-Mersey estuary off Lighthouse.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
PIED BILLED GREBE-Loch Feorlin-Argyll.

23 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 23RD AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Hoylake Shore-Black Tern (juv) in tern roost at high tide.

Red Rocks-3 Arctic Skua and 2 Great Skua.

CHESHIRE
Hale-Garganey-Eclipse drake-though elusive; best viewed from Carr Lane.

Sandbach Flashes-Turnstone.

22 August 2017

PHOTO OF THE WEEK 16-22 AUGUST 2017

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BIRDGUIDES REVIEW OF RARE BIRDS THIS WEEK IN BRITAIN-16TH-22ND AUGUST 2017

REVIEW OF THE WEEK CLICK ON LINK

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 22ND AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Red Rocks-Black Tern (juv) high over Bird Rock and an Eider.


Heswall Shore-Marsh Harrier,3 Peregrine,37 Grey Plover,31 Ringed Plover, 200 Dunlin,6150 Redshank,1500 Curlew,Whimbrel and 2 Raven.

Leasowe-Yellow Wagtail and 5 Wheatear in horse paddocks.


Hoylake shore-120+ Common Tern and 80+ Sandwich Tern.










21 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 21ST AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Hoylake Shore-800 Ringed Plover and 4,000 Dunlin, 20 Common Scoter flew west.

Caldy-3,500 Black-tailed Godwit.


Hilbre-202 Little Tern,300 Sandwich Term and 150 Common Tern.


CHESHIRE

Newchurch Common-Smew

MEGAS IN BRITAIN

YELLOW WARBLER-Culverwell-Portland-Dorset.

20 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 20TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Hilbre-2 Arctic Skua and c60 Little Tern.


Burton Point-Great White Egret,Green Sandpiper,Marsh Harrier,Peregrine,Merlin,Yellow wagtail,Whinchat,Wheatear and a Cetti's warbler.

Burton RSPB-Spotted Flycatcher and a Lesser Whitethroat.


Parkgate Marsh-Marsh Harrier.

CHESHIRE
Hale-Great White egret-On Hale marsh and Curlew Sandpiper.




19 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 19TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Hilbre-7 Arctic Skua,12 Manx Shearwater,2 Fulmar and 8 Kittiwake.


Caldy-3,500 Black-tailed Godwit.

Burton RSPB-Hen Harrier,Marsh Harrier and a Cattle Egret.


CHESHIRE
Hale-Great White egret-On Hale marsh.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
AMERICAN WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Murcar GC-Aberdeenshire.

18 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 18TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Heswall Shore-Peregrine,68 Ringed Plover,73 Grey Plover,300 Dunlin,5000 Redshank,14 Black-tailed Godwit,1500 Curlew,9 Whimbrel and a Yellow Wagtail.


Caldy-3,100 Black-tailed Godwit (15 colour-ringed and 179 juveniles).

Burton RSPB-Hen Harrier which flushed 40 Snipe,Cattle Egret and a Hobby.


CHESHIRE
Sandbach Flashes-Cattle Egret on Crabtree Lane.

Pickerings Pasture-2 Curlew Sandpiper.

17 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 17TH AUGUST 2017

CHESHIRE
Hale-3 Great White egrets-Left Decoy wood roost this morning.

Newchurch Common-Female Smew-In the northern corner of the larger pool this afternoon.

Sandbach Flashes-Cattle Egret.


MEGAS IN BRITAIN
AMERICAN WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Murcar GC-Aberdeenshire.

16 August 2017

FEARS THAT SALLY,NORFOLK'S RARE MONTAGU'S HARRIER,KILLED!


Chris Packham 'devastated' by missing Montagu's harrier


CLICK ON LINK


Sally, a rare Montagu’s harrier, has gone missing from her Norfolk breeding site leading to fears that she may have been killed.

CLICK ON LINK

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 16TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Heswall Shore-29 Great Crested Grebe,63 Little Egret,4500 Redshank,2000 Black-tailed Godwit,2 Whimbrel,4 Yellow Wagtail and 2 Grey Wagtail.Lesser Whitethroat at the Sewage Works.

Burton RSPB-7 Ruff, 31 Dunlin,2 Greenshank,Green sandpiper,16+ Snipe,2 Marsh harrier,Cattle egret,Kingfisher and a Hobby

CHESHIRE
Sandbach Flashes-Cattle Egret

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
AMERICAN ROBIN-Male apparently present recently,photographed by a non-birder-Stronachlachar-Forth-Scotland.

15 August 2017

AN EVENINGS BIRDING AT BURTON RSPB

I called in at Burton RSPB this evening as a Wood sandpiper had been reported.I met up with Colin wells (Warden) as I arrived and he walked down to Marsh covert hide with me.It was nice to catch up with him as I haven't seen him for ages and he is due to retire in October.Anyway after reminiscing about the old times it was back to birding and we both spent a good while looking for the Wood sandpiper but there was no sign.A Greenshank was present and good numbers of Greylag geese.


 GREENSHANK
THERE WERE GOOD NUMBERS OF GREY LAG GEESE ON THE RESERVE
Moving on towards Inner marsh farm hide a Buzzard flew over and good numbers of Little egrets were seen.
THE BOARDWALK TOWARDS INNER MARSH FARM HIDE
Arriving at the hide there were good numbers of birds.40+Dunlin,2 Ruff,50 Lapwing,4 Little Egrets,1 Snipe and 20+ Black tailed godwits.
 RUFF
 BLACK TAILED GODWITS AND DUNLIN
 LITTLE EGRET
SNIPE
IT WAS A LOVELY EVENING TO BE OUT BIRDING
As I was walking back to the car a Great white egret landed in front of me.



I hung around near the reception hide on the way back looking out for the Cattle egret but it didn't show but I did have good views of Avocet and two more Ruff.
AVOCETS
SUNSET OVER THE RESERVE
A cracking evenings birding which was topped off with great views of Badger near the carpark.

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 15TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Burton RSPB-Cattle Egret and Great White Egret

CHESHIRE
Sandbach Flashes-Female Garganey and Redstart.


BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON-THE QUARRY-DINGLE GARDENS-SHREWSBURY-SHROPSHIRE.

I visited Shrewsbury this morning to try and see the long staying Black-Crowned Night heron that has been present since April 22nd in Quarry park near the city centre.The bird was originally found at Venus pools but was then relocated in the park at the Dingle lake.

 THE PARK WAS A MASS OF COLOUR ON ARRIVAL

THE DINGLE LAKE
The Night heron was soon located asleep in some bushes but did eventually move just to preen before falling back to sleep.It spent the next hour just sat in the sun.

AMERICAN BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON
This bird has been re identified through photographs which were taken over the first couple of weeks as birders visited as the sub species Hoactli.The bird apparently is very tame and they are kept in captivity which makes the birds origin questionable.I have seen this sub species of Night heron before back in February 2008 at Mere Sands wood nature reserve in Lancashire which also stayed a few months.
Anyway it's a smart bird that has stayed in tranquil surroundings and is only an hour's drive down the road which was well worth a mornings visit.








14 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 14TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Caldy Wildfowl Collection(next to Column road)-3,300 Black-tailed Godwits (103 juvs) and  18 Mandarin duck.

Heswall Shore-Marsh Harrier,Peregrine and at least 44 Little Egrets.3 Juv Yellow Wagtail's around the boats near Sheldrakes Restaurant.


Burton RSPB-Cattle egret-Showing from visitors centre.


WIRRAL WADER FESTIVAL-SEPTEMBER 2017





13 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 13TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Leasowe Lighthouse-2 Greenshank on groyne and a Wheatear on embankment.


Burton Mere RSPB-Cattle Egret and a Great White egret.


Burton Point-3 Great White Egret and 2 Marsh Harrier over the marsh.


MEGAS IN BRITAIN

BAROLO SHEARWATER-One flew past Infirmary hill-Porthgwarra.

11 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 11TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Burton RSPB-Cattle Egret,Little Stint,2 Greenshank,Green Sandpiper,5 Ruff,2 Snipe and c60 Dunlin.

Hoylake shore-3 Manx Shearwater at high tide.


West Kirby-2,000 Dunlin, 2,000 Redshank and 2,700+ Black-tailed Godwit as high tide came in.


CHESHIRE
Sandbach flashes-Garganey.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
AMERICAN WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Murcar GC-Aberdeenshire.

10 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 10TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Burton RSPB-Little Stint.

Heswall Shore-58 Little Egret,juv Marsh Harrier,11 Grey Plover,4000 Redshank,1000 Curlew,Kingfisher and juv Yellow Wagtail in sewage wks.


West Kirby-Cubbins green-2,850 Black-tailed Godwit.

CHESHIRE
Newchurch Common-Female Smew on eastern side of larger pool.

Hale-Cattle Egret with 37 Little Egrets on shore c.500m W of lighthouse.

7 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 7TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Red Rocks-4 Arctic Skua.


Hoylake Shore-9 Manx Shearwater, 2 Arctic Skua and 30+ Gannet over high tide.


Caldy-2,700 Black-tailed Godwit. 
CHESHIRE
Newchurch Common-Female Smew on eastern side of larger pool.

Sandbach flashes-Garganey.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
PIED BILLED GREBE-Loch Feorlin-Argyll.

6 August 2017

BLUE ROCK THRUSH-ACCEPTED BY THE BBRC

Good news this morning as the BBRC have accepted the Blue Rock Thrush that I saw back in December last year.CLICK ON LINK FOR WRITE UP

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 6TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Red Rocks-40+ Manx Shearwater,7+ Arctic Skua,2 Red-throated Diver and 25+ Gannet.

Heswall Shore-33 Little Egret,2000 Dunlin,3000 Redshank,Spotted Redshank,860 Black-tailed Godwit,535 Common Gull,790 Black-headed Gull,3 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Grey Wagtail at the sewage wks.

CHESHIRE
Newchurch Common-Female Smew on eastern side of larger pool.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
AMERICAN WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Murcar GC-Aberdeenshire.

5 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 5TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Hilbre-47 Little Tern,300 Sandwich Tern,60 Common Tern,9 Whimbrel and 2 Peregrine.


Leasowe-1 Kingfisher along River Birket by Lingham Lane.


Heswall Shore-75 Lapwing, 11 Ringed Plover, 4000 Dunlin, 2000 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 1080 Curlew, 5 Whimbrel, 4 Yellow Wagtail in the Sewage Wks.


CHESHIRE
Sandbach flashes-Garganey.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
AMERICAN WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Murcar GC-Aberdeenshire.

4 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 4TH AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Heswall Shore-1 ad Curlew Sandpiper,41 Little Egret,280 Oystercatcher,150 Knot,2 Turnstone,4300 Dunlin, 4000 Redshank, 800 Curlew and 6 Whimbrel.

Thurstaston-Good passage of Swifts including a flock of 250 over fields.


Lower Heswall-1 Yellow Wagtail flew north.


MEGAS IN BRITAIN
AMERICAN WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Murcar GC-Aberdeenshire.

PIED BILLED GREBE-Loch Feorlin-Argyll.















3 August 2017

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 3RD AUGUST 2017

WIRRAL
Caldy-2,300 Black-tailed Godwit.


Hilbre-500+ Sanderling betwen the isalnds as the tide went out.

Heswall-4,000 Dunlin.


Lower Heswall-About 400 Swift.

CHESHIRE

Newchurch Common-Female Smew on eastern side of larger pool.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN

BAROLO SHEARWATER-One flew past-Prawle Point-Devon.