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

WIRRAL
Caldy-2 very red Knot and 1,900 Black-tailed Godwit.

Meols-Common Sandpiper on groyne.

CHESHIRE
Woolston eyes-Garganey.

Sandbach flashes-Garganey.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN

BAROLO SHEARWATER-Probable flew west past Runnel Stone this afternoon-Porthgwarra-Cornwall.

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

WIRRAL
Greasby-Red Kite heading NW.

Caldy-1 Knot (in full summer plumage),18 Mandarin and 1,600 Black-tailed Godwit.

Parkgate-4 Greenshank.

Heswall-22 Whimbrel.

CHESHIRE
Woolston eyes-Garganey.

Sandbach flashes-Garganey.

BEE-EATERS-EAST LEAKE-NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

I visited East Leake this morning to try and see 7 bee-eaters that have taken up residence in the quarry and are attempting to breed. The RSPB has set up a viewing area there are constantly monitoring the birds.

 Parking Sorted

It didn't take long to see the birds when I arrived, as they were flying around feeding. Six individual birds were seen. The bee-eaters were always distant, but I did manage to get some record shots.

Bee-eaters

European bee-eaters have attempted to nest on six known occasions in Britain:

• In 1920, a pair made a nesting attempt in a sand bank of the River Esk at Musselburgh, Scotland. A local gardener captured the female, keeping her in a greenhouse, and she died two days later, after laying a single egg.
• In 1955, three pairs of bee-eaters nestled in Streat Sand Quarry near Plumpton, East Sussex. The birds were first found on 12 June, although the birds' presence only became widely known at the start of August. One nest was accidentally destroyed by machinery in July, but seven young fledged from the two remaining nests towards the end of August. An RSPB wardening operation was instigated, and in total, over 1,000 people visited the site. The birds remained until 24 September.
• A pair nested at Bishop Middleham Quarry, County Durham, in 2002. The birds were first found on 2 June, and within a few days started to undertake courtship feeding and copulation; five chicks hatched, but one died in the nest, one died before fledging, and a third disappeared and was also believed to have died. Durham Wildlife Trust (with RSPB assistance) set up a wardening post during the period when the birds were nesting. The news was released to rare bird information services, and the national news media also reported on the birds' presence. In total, some 15,000 people visited the site during their stay; the adults and both fledged young were seen to leave on 28 August, when they flew off high to the south.
• A pair took up residence on farmland adjacent to the River Wye, near Hampton Bishop, Herefordshire, in the summer of 2005; by mid-July the adults were bringing insect food to the riverbank nesthole, confirming that eggs had hatched. A wardening operation was set up by the RSPB, with public access granted, resulting in about 2,000 people seeing the birds. However, on the evening of 29 July, foxes predated the nest, and the birds soon left the site.
• A pair excavated a nest hole at a coastal site in Dorset in 2006, but this attempt failed.
• Two pairs of bee-eaters nested on the Isle of Wight in 2014. A viewing area was set up and run by RSPB and local volunteers, enabling thousands of people to enjoy watching the adults hawking near the (hidden) nest site. Success rates are unknown.
• Two pairs of bee-eaters nested in a Low Gelt sand quarry near Brampton, Carlisle in the North Pennines, Cumbria. The birds were found on Friday, 31 July 2015, and were put under the RSPB's 24-hour nest protection programme. A viewing area was set up 200 m from the nest.

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

WIRRAL
Burton RSPB-Wood Sandpiper and a Great White Egret.

Hewsall-2 Peregrine,350 Dunlin,4100 Redshank,1000 Curlew,9 Whimbrel,1 Ad Mediterranean Gull.

Neston-Marsh Harrier.


Burton marsh-2 Greenshank and 2 Raven over off Denhall Lane.

CHESHIRE
Woolston Eyes-Wood sandpiper.

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

WIRRAL
Heswall-Peregrine,400 Dunlin,3350 Redshank,900 Curlew,3 Whimbrel,Ad Mediterranean Gull and a Yellow Wagtail.

Caldy-Common Sandpiper and 1,250 Black-tailed Godwit.

Burton RSPB-2 Curlew Sandpiper,2 Spotted Redshank,Common Sandpiper and 2 Great White Egret.

CHESHIRE

Woolston Eyes-Wood sandpiper.

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

WIRRAL
West kirby-Mediterranean Gull (ad).

Hilbre-Arctic Skua,6 Whimbrel,Willow Warbler and a Wheatear.


Hoylake-2 Little Tern,3 Arctic Tern,24 Common Tern (8 juv) and 113 Sandwich Tern (30 juv).

Meols-Common Sandpiper on the groyne also 3 Mediterranean Gull after high tide.

Heswall marsh-Hobby.

Burton RSPB-4 Spoonbills flew towards Burton marsh.

CHESHIRE
Hale-Stone curlew this evening viewable from Town lane.

RARE AND SCARCE BIRDS IN CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL

My good friends Allan Conlin and Eddie Williams have just finished writing there new book Rare and Scarce birds in Cheshire and Wirral.Ray Scally has done the illustrations which are stunning pieces of art work.You can pre order the book for £19.99 including post and packaging at rarebirdingwirral@gmail.com.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK 19TH JULY-25TH JULY 2017

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BRITISH PUBLIC LACKS CONNECTION WITH NATURE

Worrying new research published today (24 July 2017) has revealed that seven in 10 people in Britain report that they are losing touch with nature.CLICK ON LINK

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 24TH JULY 2017

WIRRAL
Caldy-Ruff and 1,100 Black-tailed Godwit.

Heswall-4 Whimbrel.

Burton marsh-Redstart (juv) in scrub and Grasshopper Warbler.

CHESHIRE
Frodsham marshes-Common scoter-NoTank.

Sandbach Flashes-Female Garganey.

Woolston Eyes-Wood Sandpiper.

Rosethern Mere-Juv Purple heron-reported yesterday.

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

WIRRAL
West Kirby-2 Mediterranean Gull (ads).

Meols-Mediterranean Gull (ad),Greenshank and a Whimbrel.


Hoylake-Little Tern,22 Common Tern and 559 Sandwich Tern.

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