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

WIRRAL
Heswall-9 Great White Egret,2 Whooper Swan,5000 Shelduck,300 Pintail,9 Great White Egret,37 Little Egret,Marsh Harrier,Peregrine and 1000 Curlew.

Thurstaston-2 Greenshank,Little Stint and 3 Pintail.

New Brighton-2 Leach's Petrel and a Little Gull

Hilbre-145 pale-bellied Brent Geese and 180 Grey Plover.

Caldy-200 Knot and 4,020 Black-tailed Godwit.

Burton RSPB-
Cattle Egret Main Scrape
Mediterranean Gull Main Scrape
Little Stint x3 Main Scrape
Greenshank Main Scrape
Spotted Redshank Main Scrape
Egyptian Geese x3 Main Scrape
Marsh HarrierOver Reedbed
Great Egret x3 Burton Marsh
Golden Plover x18 IMF
Wood Sandpiper IMF
Water Rail (Heard) Along Boardwalk
Cetti`s Warbler (Heard) Along Boardwalk
Goldcrest x2 By Old Toilet Block

CHESHIRE

Hale-Wood sandpiper-Carr lane pools.

Pickerings Pasture-15 Little stint and 2 Curlew Sandpiper.

Neumann's Flash-Juv Black Tern.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN

WHITES THRUSH-Buness-Fair Isle-Shetland.

ISABELLINE WHEATEAR-On the airport-St Marys-Isles Of Scilly.

CEDAR WAXWING-Juvenile at  St Warna's cove-St Agnes-Isles Of Scilly.

AMERICAN CLIFF SWALLOW-1st winter over airfield-St Mary's-Isles Of Scilly.

SHETLAND DAY 17-HORNEMANN'S ARCTIC REDPOLL@DUSKY WARBLER

We started off todays birding at Isbister for first light as one of the lads needed Arctic Redpoll.The bird was soon found feeding by a stream and showed really well.The bird had been identified as a Hornemann's which is a subspecies of Redpoll which breeds in Greenland and neighbouring parts of Canada.

                                         HORNEMANN'S ARCTIC REDPOLL

OTHER BIRD SEEN TODAY:

4 Yellow browed warblers.

2 Lesser Whitethroat.

12 Twite.

1 Goldeneye.

9 Wigeon.

1 Goosander.

4 Grey Heron.

3 Redwing.

1 Song Thrush.

16 Whooper Swans.

2 Sanderling.

1 Ringed plover.

9 Dunlin.

2 Grey Wagtail.

10 Goldcrest.

70+ Fulmar

1 Little Stint.

The evening was spent at the back of our house where we are staying in Gulberwick  were we finally connected with an elusive Dusky warbler that had been found the previous night.

Dusky Warbler

This was our last night on Shetland after 2 and half weeks birding which was hard going with the weather but are team did find a Pallas's grasshopper warbler which made the holiday and I saw a Yellow breasted bunting.ROLL ON NEXT YEAR!

SHETLAND DAY 16-FOUR RUSTIC BUNTING'S IN A WEEK!

The weather continues to be cold and damp with scattered showers and the birding seems to be getting harder everyday with less migrants around.We birded just north of Lerwick today.

LIST OF BIRDS SEEN TODAY:

1 Little Bunting-Self found

8 Yellow Browed Warbler.

5 Blackcaps

1 Slavonian Grebe

1 Sedge Warbler

2 Chiffchaff

4 Song Thrush

8 Robins

4 Wheatear

6 Redwing

48 Tufted Duck

2 Goosander

1 Woodcock

We heard about another Rustic Bunting just south of Lerwick as we were heading home so we called in and saw it which made it number 4 for the trip.

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

WIRRAL
BURTON RSPB
Great Egret -x5 Burton Marsh
Marsh Harrier Immature-Burton Marsh
Green Woodpecker-Burton Point
Golden Plover x39-IMF
Greenshank x2-IMF
Wood Sandpiper-IMF
Goosander 3-Bridge Screen Pool (Photo)
Water Rail-Bridge Screen
Cetti`s Warbler-Reedbed Screen
Grey Wagtail-Reedbed Screen
Cattle Egret-Main Scrape
Little Stint-Main Scrape
Avocet x2-Main Scrape
Mediterranean Gull-Main Scrape
Egyptian Geese x3-Right Of Main Scrape
Pink-Footed Geese x300+-Back Field
Kingfisher-Over Reception Pool

Denhall Quay-Possible Pallid Harrier,2 Hen Harrier,5 Marsh Harrier,Short-eared Owl and 25 Ruff.

CHESHIRE
Hale-Wood Sandpiper-Carr lane pools.

Pickerings Pasture-2 Curlew sandpiper -6 Little Stints and Yellow  browed warbler-In trees by car park.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
ISABELLINE WHEATEAR-On the airport-St Marys-Isles Of Scilly.

BUFF BELLIED PIPIT-On the pool by the toilet block-Grutness-Mainland-Shetland

CEDAR WAXWING-Juvenile at  St Warna's cove-St Agnes-Isles Of Scilly.

AMERICAN CLIFF SWALLOW-1st winter still over beach at Porth Hellick Bay-St Mary's-Isles Of Scilly.

SHETLAND DAY 15-RED FLANKED BLUETAIL-ISBISTER@PARROT CROSSBILL-LERWICK

We left the accommodation at 8.00am this morning, and the weather was dreadful, with driving rain and a stiff north westerly wind. We headed towards Tingwell and did some birding around there, where we connected with another Common Rosefinch before it got swept up a hill in the wind. We decided there was no point staying out with the weather conditions and started to make our way back to the accommodation when Harry spotted a dog Otter in Tingwell Loch. It showed really well, but no photos due to driving rain!

Around 12.30pm news came through that someone had found a Red Flanked Bluetail at Isbister, so we headed there and got good views.

MY SIXTH RED FLANKED BLUETAIL FOR BRITAIN

Leaving here, we headed back to Lerwick, where we jammed in on two stunning Parrot crossbills.

 THIS INFLUX OF PARROT CROSSBILLS ARE THE FIRST ON SHETLAND FOR 23 YEARS

List of Other Birds SEEN TODAY:

1 Yellow Browed Warbler

1 Slavonian Grebe

1 Common Rosefinch

3 Goosander

2 Parrot Crossbill

1 Red Flanked Bluetail

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

WIRRAL

Wallasey-Sooty Shearwater,3 Leach's Petrel,4 Manx Shearwater,12 Little Gull,Great Northern Diver and 3 Red-throated Diver.


Hoylake-5 Leach's Petrel.


Hilbre-18 Leach's Petrel,3 Black Tern,2 Arctic Tern,Pomarine Skua, 5 Arctic Skua and 3 Eider.


Oakenholt Marsh-Leach's Petrel.

Parkgate-2 Marsh Harrier.

New Brighton-13 Leach's Petrel and 9 Red-throated Diver.

Denhall Quay-Pallid Harrier.

West Kirby-68 Brent Geese.

Burton RSPB-Greenshank x10 (IMF 6+Bridge Screen 4),Ruff x3 IMF,Golden Plover x3 IMF,Marsh Harrier Over Reedbed,Cattle Egret Main Scrape,Little Stint x2 Main Scrape,Wigeon Bridge Screen Pool,Peregrine IMF,Water Rail IMF and Wood Sandpiper IMF

CHESHIRE
 Pickerings Pasture-9 Little stint- flew towards Hale Marsh and 2 Great white egrets.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
ISABELLINE WHEATEAR-On the airport-St Marys-Isles Of Scilly.

BUFF BELLIED PIPIT-On the pool by the toilet block-Grutness-Mainland-Shetland

CEDAR WAXWING-Juvenile at  St Warna's cove-St Agnes-Isles Of Scilly.

AMERICAN CLIFF SWALLOW-1st winter still over beach at Porth Hellick Bay-St Mary's-Isles Of Scilly.

BLYTHS PIPIT-In hedge on west side of meadow opposite Boscregan Farm then lost to view-Nanquidno Valley-Cornwall.

SHETLAND DAY 14-BUFF BELLIED PIPIT-GRUTNESS @PARROT CROSSBILL-SAND

We were on the road this morning early and left the accommodation for 7.00am as we wanted a full days birding.First target bird of the day were Parrot Crossbills that have arrived in Shetland over the last couple of days.They  haven't been seen on the Islands for the last 23 Years so we headed to Sand on the mainland to try and see them.It didn't take long before I saw a female bird at the top of a conifer tree.

FEMALE PARROT CROSSBILL

We carried on a looking around the site but we cound only find this single bird and a Pied Flycatcher.

PIED FLYCATCHER

Moving on from here we called in at numerous places and saw good numbers of migrant birds.

LOOKING OVER TOWARDS STOMNESS VOE ON THE WAY BACK TO CENTRAL MAINLAND

We called in at Lower Voe mid afternoon and connected with another Rustic Bunting and a Red Breasted Flycatcher.

RED BREASTED FLYCATCHER'S HAVE BEEN IN GOOD NUMBERS ON SHETLAND THIS YEAR

OUR THIRD RUSTIC BUNTING OF THE TRIP

Whist we were watching this news came out that a Buff Bellied Pipit had been found at Grutness on a pool near the toilet block so we headed south.The bird was showing on arrival not far from the road,at last a Yank passerine could this be the start of something big!

 WHAT A LITTLE CRACKER! MY FOURTH FOR BRITAIN

BIRDERS WATCHING THE BUFF BELLIED PIPIT

A good days birding and hopefully more birds will be found as the weather is set to calm down a bit.

LIST OF BIRDS SEEN TODAY:

1 Pied Flycatcher

1 Red Breasted Flycatcher

2 Spotted Flycatchers

4 Redstart

8 Chiffchaff

1 Willow Warbler

6 Song Thrush

8 Yellow Browed warblers

1 Parrot Crossbill

50+ Meadow Pipits

10+ Skylarks

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

WIRRAL
Hilbre-3 Leach's Petrel,2 Great Skua,Black Tern and an Eider.

Hoylake-Leach's Petrel,Little Gull and a Great Skua on the beach.

West Kirby-60 Brent Geese.

New Brighton-Little Gull (ad).

Burton RSPB-Great Egret x4 Burton Marsh,Little Stint IMF,Wood Sandpiper IMF,Ruff x5 IMF,Pintail Bridge Screen Pool,Cattle Egret Main Scrape,Egyptian Geese x3 Main Scrape,Pink-Footed Geese x121 Main Scrape,Marsh Harrier Over Reedbed,Green Woodpecker Burton Point,

Kingfisher Reedbed Screen,Goldcrest x2 Marsh Covert Wood,Pectoral Sandpiper IMF

CHESHIRE
Neumann's Flash-Northwich-Male Goosander.


MEGAS IN BRITAIN
ISABELLINE WHEATEAR-On the airport-St Marys-Isles Of Scilly.

BUFF BELLIED PIPIT-On the pool by the toilet block-Grutness-Mainland-Shetland

CEDAR WAXWING-Juvenile at  St Warna's cove-St Agnes-Isles Of Scilly.

AMERICAN CLIFF SWALLOW-1st winter still over beach at Porth Hellick Bay-St Mary's-Isles Of Scilly.

SHETLAND DAY 13

Had a lie in this morning as I was shattered.The weather was a bit better when I got up and the sun was out!.News came out just after lunch that a Cedar Waxwing had been found on the Scilly isles by Will Wagstaff.Five of the lads needed it so I dropped them at the airport at 3.30pm so they could get off the island and hopefully see the bird tomorrow.That now leaves just three of us so we headed out again down south for the last few hours of daylight.

LIST OF BIRDS SEEN TODAY:

1 Garden Warbler

7 Chaffinch

20+ Skylark

14 Raven

1 Little Stint

1 Jack Snipe

1 Merlin

4 Yellow Browed Warbler

9 Whooper Swan

1 Common Crane

2 Spotted Flycatcher

6 Song Thrush

1 Dunnock

4 Redstart

2 Goldcrest

2 Brambling

4 Sisken

40+ Meadow Pipit

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

WIRRAL
Hoylake-2 Leach's Petrel,2 Sabine's Gull (juvs),Black-throated Diver and 2 Arctic Tern.


Wallasey-4 Manx Shearwater,1st winter Little Gull,2 Merlin and 3 Brent geese.

Hilbre-4 Leach's Petrel,5 Manx Shearwater,3 Arctic Skua,Mediterranean Gull,6 Black Tern,2 Arctic Tern and 4 Eider.

Burton RSPB-Little Stint x4 Main Scrape,Ruff x7 Main Scrape,Spotted Redshank x7 Main Scrape,Egyptian Geese x3 Main Scrape,Cattle Egret Main Scrape,Pink-Footed Geese x70+ Back Field,Skylark x6 Back Field,Stonechat Fence Right Of M/Scrape,Wood Sandpiper IMF,Peregrine Over Scrape,Kingfisher Reception Pool,Grey Wagtail Bridge Screen.

CHESHIRE

Woolston Eyes-Yellow Browed Warbler.

Sandbach Flashes-2 Whooper Swans.

Neumann's Flash-Northwich-Whooper Swan.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN

ISABELLINE WHEATEAR-On the airport-St Marys-Isles Of Scilly.

AMERICAN CLIFF SWALLOW-By Old Grimsby quay-Tresco-Isles Of Scilly.

SCOPS OWL-Ryhope-Durham.

CEDAR WAXWING-Juvenile in elms beyond coastguard cottages-St Agnes-Isles Of Scilly.

BIRDGUIDES REVIEW OF RARE BIRDS THIS WEEK IN BRITAIN-27TH SEPTEMBER-3RD OCTOBER 2017

REVIEW OF THE WEEK CLICK ON LINK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK 27TH SEPTEMBER-3RD OCTOBER 2017

CLICK ON LINK

SHETLAND DAY 12

We were on the road for 7.00am this morning and headed down south and birded till 4.00pm due to the weather again; it hammered it down!

LIST OF babies SEEN TODAY

7 Twite

9 Wheatear

6 Chiffchaff

2 Reed Warbler

8 Yellow Browed warbler

2 Goldcrest

1 Common Crane

7 Song Thrush

19 Redshank

16 Linnet

9 Spotted Flycatcher

7 Sisken

6 Brambling

30+ Skylark

60+ Meadow Pipit

10 Turnstone

2 Garden Warbler

5 Dunlin

8 Ruff

1 Little Stint

1 Willow Warbler

14 Swallow

9 Redstart

9 Raven

 THESE EMOJI BALES HAVE BEEN DONE FOR CHARITY

CLICK ON LINK

LOOKING OVER Spiggi

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 2ND OCTOBER 2017

WIRRAL
Hoylake Shore-Grey Phalarope,2 Leach's Petrel,2 Pomarine Skua (ad) flew west,Arctic Skua,2 Great Northern Diver,19 Red-throated Diver,4,000 Common Scoter,4 Arctic Tern and 4 Great Skua.

New Brighton-Long-tailed Skua (juv) and a Pomarine Skua (ad).


Caldy-3740 Black-tailed Godwit and c150 Knot.

Hilbre-Black-throated Diver,Great Skua,2 Eider,400 Razorbill,500 Guillemot,500 Gannet and 7,000 Common Scoter.

Neston-5 Marsh Harrier,Peregrine,Merlin and 2 Greeat White Egret.


Burton Point-Pallid Harrier.

Parkgate Marsh-Marsh Harrier.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
ISABELLINE WHEATEAR-On the airport-St Marys-Isles Of Scilly.

AMERICAN CLIFF SWALLOW-By the Abbey-Tresco-Isles Of Scilly.

ARE WIND FARMS AND BIODIVERSITY ON A COLLISION COURSE?

Renewable energy production is growing rapidly as part of global efforts to combat climate change. However, one of the major forms of renewable energy, wind farms, can have negative impacts on biodiversity through mortality associated with turbines, according to new research from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).CLICK ON LINK

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 1ST OCTOBER 2017

WIRRAL
Denhall Quay-Pallid Harrier,6 Great White Egret.4 Marsh Harrier,3 Greenshank,Mediterranean Gull,Short-eared Owl and 2 Merlin.

Parkgate Marsh-2 Marsh Harrier displaying and Great White Egret.

Red Rocks-Greenish Warbler-Identification of bird early yesterday morning has been confirmed from sound recording. 

Burton RSPB-Wood Sandpiper,Little stint and Curlew sandpiper.

CHESHIRE
Frodsham Marshes-2 Curlew sandpiper and 4 Little Stint.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
ROSE BREASTED GROSBEAK-Near post office-St Agnes-Isles Of Scilly.

ISABELLINE WHEATEAR-On the airport-St Marys-Isles Of Scilly.

PALLAS'S GRASSHOPPER WARBLER-In irises by Burn of Collafirth, 300m southwest of South Collafirth at Barnafield-Mainland-Shetland.