CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS

31st July

Wood Sandpiper-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-One at Boathouse Flash

Black-necked Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Three (adult and two juveniles) still at east end; also Ruddy Shelduck still

 

Slavonian Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Adult still at east end; also Black-necked Grebe still

 

Caspian Gull-Widnes-Adult on River Mersey sandbank west of old Runcorn Bridge

Spotted Redshank-Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB-One at Centenary Pool from Border Hide; use reserve car park off Puddington Lane (CH64 5SF; open 09:00-19:00, £7 entrance fee for non-RSPB members)

 

Wood Sandpiper-Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB-Still at Burton Point scrape; use reserve car park off Puddington Lane (CH64 5SF; open 09:00-19:00, £7 entrance fee for non-RSPB-members)

 

Spotted Redshank-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-Still at Boathouse Flash

 

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB=10 still at Boathouse Flash

 

30th July 

Curlew Sandpiper-Pickerings Pasture-Again on River Mersey below car park (WA8 8LP)

 

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-Nine still at Boathouse Flash

Slavonian Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Adult still; also Black-necked Grebe and Ruddy Shelduck still. View from gate

 

Common Quail-Raby-Singing male by dairy farm

Ruddy Shelduck-Doddington Pool

Wood Sandpiper-Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB-Still at Centenary Pool from Border Hide; use reserve car park off Puddington Lane (CH64 5SF; open 09:00-19:00, £7 entrance fee for non-RSPB members)

29th July

Spotted Redshank-Pickerings Pasture-Still on River Mersey below car park (WA8 8LP)

Wood Sandpiper-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-One at Boathouse Flash

Slavonian Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Adult still; also 2 Black-necked Grebes and Ruddy Shelduck still. View from gate

 

Ruddy Shelduck-Widnes-Drake still on River Mersey mudflats off Spike Island

 

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-10 still at Boathouse Flash; also Spotted Redshank

 

Black-necked Grebe-Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)-10+ still yesterday; reserve open from 08:00-20:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com

28th July

Slavonian Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Adult still mid-afternoon; also 4 Black-necked Grebes and Ruddy Shelduck still. View from gate

 

Slavonian Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Adult still from Whistler Field end; view from gate

 

Ruddy Shelduck-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Still lurking with Egyptian Geese at north-west end

 

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-10 still at Boathouse Flash

 

Arctic Tern-Sandbach Flashes-Juvenile briefly at Elton Hall Flash then flew south-east

27th July

10 Spoonbill and 15+ Greenshank - Parkgate

Curlew Sandpiper-Pickerings Pasture-One on River Mersey below car park (WA8 8LP)

Black-necked Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Three; view from gate

Slavonian Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Adult still; view from gate

 

Ruddy Shelduck-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Still viewed from Whisterfield end

26th July

Wood Sandpiper - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Ruddy Shelduck-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Still viewed from Whisterfield end

 

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-7 still at Boathouse Flash

 

25th July

Ruddy Shelduck-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Still viewed from Whisterfield end

Common Redstart in private garden - Lower Heswall.

18 Avocet in two flocks flying towards Neston Marsh - Parkgate.

Slavonian Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Adult still; view from gate

 

Spotted Redshank-Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB-Still this afternoon; use RSPB car park off Puddington Lane (CH64 5SF

Blue-headed Wagtail-Hale-One this morning

Osprey-Wallasey-One flew towards New Brighton mid-morning

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-10 still at Boathouse Flash

24th July

Whimbrel-Caldy Shore

Spotted Redshank-Pickerings Pasture-One on River Mersey below car park (WA8 8LP)

Black-necked Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Three (adult and two juveniles) still; view from gate

 

Slavonian Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Adult still; view from gate

 

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-10 still at Boathouse Flash; also Spotted Redshank

 

Common Quail-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-Singing male south of Bevyl Road Flash

 

Common Quail-Burton Marsh-Two singing males still

23rd July

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-9 still at Boathouse Flash

22nd July

Common Sandpiper at Dove Point - Meols Shore.

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-Eight still at Boathouse Flash

 

Common Quail-Burton Marsh-Two singing males off Burton Point

 

Common Quail-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-Singing male still distantly from Bevyl Road Flash

Black Guillemot-Hilbre Island-One east of Hilbre

Arctic Tern-Sandbach Flashes-One at Elton Hall Flash

 

Sandwich Tern-Marbury CP-Two at Budworth Mere

 

Common Scoter-Marbury CP-One at Budworth Mere

Sandwich Tern-Neumann's Flash-Two

21st July

2 Whimbrel at Dove Point - Meols Shore.

Quail heard on marsh but distant - Parkgate.

Black-necked Grebe-Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)

26+ still; reserve open from 08:00-20:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com

Ruddy Shelduck-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Still viewed from Whisterfield end

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-Eight still at Boathouse Flash; also 2 Spotted Redshanks

20th July

Quail-Singing male still between Boathouse Flash and Old Baths-Parkgate

Ruddy Shelduck-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Still viewed from Whisterfield end

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-Nine still at Boathouse Flash; also Spotted Redshank

9 Spoonbill, Spotted Redshank, 70 Redshank, 17 Greenshank, Water Rail + chick Boathouse Flash. Barn Owl hunting marsh.

Male Yellow Wagtail - Parkgate.

4 Mediterranean Gull (incl 1 juv) - Meols Shore.

19th July

3,050 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Wildfowl Collection.

Quail heard briefly this morning, also 10 Spoonbill, 3 Water Rail (1 chick), 11 Avocet, 16 Greenshank, Spotted Redshank and a Ruff, 4 Marsh Harrier and a Barn Owl hunting over the marsh - Parkgate.

Ruddy Shelduck-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Still viewed from Whisterfield end

18th July

Black-necked Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Two juveniles still at north end

Ruddy Shelduck-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Still viewed from Whisterfield end

10 Spoonbill - Parkgate.

240+ Sandwich Tern, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 10 Dunlin and a Shoveler over high tide - Hoylake Shore.

17th July

Ruddy Shelduck and 2 B;ack-necked Grebes-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Still viewed from Whisterfield end

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-Nine still at Boathouse Flash

Common Quail-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-Singing male on saltmarsh

16th July

10 Avocet, 7 Spoonbill, 5 Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank, also a Barn Owl over the marsh - Parkgate.

Spotted Redshank-Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB

Osprey-Parkgate-One flew south-east

Ruddy Shelduck-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Still on west side

Spotted Redshank-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-One at Boathouse Flash; also 7 Eurasian Spoonbills still

ODICE PERGRATA – A POTENTIAL FIRST FOR BRITAIN

On 27 July, an Odice pergrata was trapped at Bramhall, Cheshire, in what is believed to be the first British record of this species.

Odice pergrata is currently known from the Iberian Peninsula, with confirmed records from Portugal and Spain.

The moth has been retained to allow its identity to be formally confirmed, following standard procedure for a record of this significance. Remarkably, the moth was trapped by a lady who had only taken up moth trapping about a week earlier, making this an extraordinary introduction to the hobby.

Many thanks to Steve Hind for retaining the moth so that visiting recorders and photographers could examine and photograph this exceptional find.

A genuine MEGA and a memorable day for everyone fortunate enough to witness this historic discovery.

BIRDGUIDES REVIEW OF THE WEEK:20TH-26TH JULY 2026

Mostly settled conditions produced a mini-influx of Mediterranean waterbirds and the first concerted seabird arrival of the season. Most of the attention, however, was pointed firmly towards a South-East Asian mega in the English countryside. Read more>

PORTLAND MIGRANTS AND A DEVONSHIRE WAINSCOT FINALE

I stayed down in Oxfordshire this weekend instead of heading back home to Cheshire, as the weather was looking great, so I arranged to do some moth trapping with my good friend Alan Lewis on Portland in Dorset.

Me in the sun arriving at Portland

We met up on Friday night at Freshwater Bay in Portland and set out seven traps along the coastline, hoping to catch a few migrant moths.

Freshwater Bay, Portland

As soon as the sun went down, the traps were switched on.

By morning we'd had a brilliant night. Silver Y moths were well into the two hundreds, unbelievable numbers.

We had also trapped seven Striped Hawk-moths, but the highlight was a moth I never thought I'd get there, a Rosy Underwing. It was first spotted torched on a cliff before we managed to pot it.

Striped Hawk-moth

Rosy Underwing

The Rosy Underwing is a rare autumn visitor to the British Isles, with only a small number of records, mostly along the south coast during September. Since 2002 it has occurred in the Channel Islands with some regularity and may even be becoming established there. In Europe, it occurs in central and southern regions, where it inhabits mixed woodland.

We trapped some cracking moths during the night...

Purple Marbled

Tree Lichen Beauty

NI Moth

Cresent Dart

Scarce Bordered Straw

Pearly underwing

Bordered Straw

By daybreak, we made our way to the Portland Bird Observatory, where Martin Cade, the warden, had also set out several traps overnight. There were birds everywhere as well, and I couldn't believe my eyes when we scoped out to sea. We counted about 550 Mediterranean Gulls bobbing around on the water. Unbelievable! It was the biggest colony I'd ever seen in Britain.

Mediterranean Gulls

(c)Martin Cade

Martin had also trapped some cracking moths overnight, and I was finally about to join the Eastern Bordered Straw Club. What a moth!

Eastern Bordered Straw

This rare immigrant was unknown in Britain until 1958, when three appeared during a larger influx into Europe. Since then there have only been a handful of records, although the big influx in 2006 more than doubled the total number ever recorded in Britain. Other moths trapped of note were:

Cosmopolitan

White-speck

With Portland done, our next plan of action was to meet up with Cambridgeshire moth-er Mark Howes at Bolberry Down in Devon to try and trap the Devonshire Wainscot.

After the drive down, I had to get some sleep in the van, as I'd been awake for the best part of 24 hours. After a good afternoon's sleep and some food, I felt refreshed and ready to go again.

Between us we set up nine moth traps along the coastline, but things weren't looking great.

A weather front had moved in from the west; it had started raining, and the wind had really picked up. We trapped a few moths, but nothing like the numbers we'd hoped for. On the final walk around at first light, it looked like we were going to dip on the Devonshire Wainscot.

I wandered over to the trap I'd tucked under a cliff out of the worst of the wind. I opened it up and, lo and behold... there it was!

A Devonshire Wainscot.

At the death we'd managed to trap one. Get in!

Devonshire Wainscot

The Devonshire Wainscot is a local species found mainly around the coasts of south-west England and south Wales. It inhabits grassy cliffs and coastal grassland, with the larvae feeding on a range of grasses.

What a great weekend with some brilliant company, loads of quality moths and a few very special lifers thrown in for good measure. The Rosy Underwing was never on my radar, and to finish the trip with a Devonshire Wainscot made it even sweeter.

Roll on the next adventure!

JUNIPER PUG MOTH -ASHTON UPTHORPE DOWNS-OXFORDSHIRE

This evening I visited Ashton Updown Downs hoping to trap one particular species that I still needed for my list – the Juniper Pug. 

Ashton Updown Downs is one of the few remaining large areas of chalk grassland in the Berkshire Downs and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The downland grassland that once covered much of the Downs is now largely confined to the steeper slopes, making sites like this nationally important for nature conservation. 

Ashton Updown Downs

The reserve is also home to the largest stand of juniper scrub in the Berkshire Downs and Chilterns. Juniper, our only native conifer, has become increasingly scarce, and this population is now the only significant one remaining across the Berkshire Downs and the Chilterns.

Juniper

I set the trap up just before dusk and settled in for what turned into a three-hour moth session.

Thankfully, it didn't take long for the trap to produce exactly what I had come for. Sitting amongst the first arrivals was a Juniper Pug, my target species and another welcome addition to my list. 

The Juniper Pug is a fairly distinctive moth, usually a dark brownish-grey species that is closely associated with chalk and limestone districts. However, it can also be found in parks, gardens and suburban habitats where ornamental conifers are planted. It flies in a single generation between July and September, with the caterpillars feeding on juniper (Juniperus), including garden varieties, as well as other cultivated conifers.

Finding it so early in the session was a real bonus and made the evening worthwhile almost immediately.

A BIRDER’S ROLLERCOASTER: MISSES, MOANS AND MAGIC MOMENTS

The afternoon of 13 July started with a report coming through of a Spur-winged Lapwing at Cavenham Heath in Suffolk. The news was unconfirmed, but the report that it was displaying to nearby Northern Lapwings was enough to get the heart racing.

I was still smarting from not being able to go for the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater on Papa Westray, Orkney, which had been found the day before. Unfortunately, work commitments meant I couldn’t make the journey north, with the following day already tied up. It was one of those moments where birding takes second place to reality, but that didn’t make it any easier!

So instead, I headed over to Suffolk to try my luck with the Spur-winged Lapwing. On arrival, I met up with Steve Gantlett and Neil Bostock, but there was no sign of the bird. We searched and waited, but as the afternoon wore on there was still nothing.

I stayed until dusk with Steve, hoping that at any moment the bird would appear, but it just wasn’t meant to be. As the light faded, the thoughts of Papa Westray were still nagging away at me.

Bloody work! Any other day and I would have been heading north.

The next morning, I woke up and, as expected, the photos eventually started appearing across social media. My good friend Sam Viles had done what every birder hopes to do;  he had moved quickly and connected with the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater.

Fair play to him!

What a bird!

(c)Sam Viles

That was the real kick in the teeth. A bird I desperately wanted to see had slipped through my fingers, and then another incredible thing happened.

Over the weekend, news broke of a first-summer Long-tailed Shrike in a remote area of Gloucestershire. Even more frustratingly, the bird had apparently been present since 8 July, and it was a different individual from the one at Crail, Fife, which I had seen the previous week.

Not only that, it was only around twenty minutes from where I had been staying while working for the last couple of months.

Unbelievable!

You put in the miles, chase birds all over the country, and then another one appears almost on your doorstep. That’s birding for you!

Anyway, moan over. That’s exactly why we twitch. The highs, the lows, the missed chances, and those unforgettable moments when everything finally comes together.

Then came Monday morning.

My mate Steve Tomlinson arrived at work with a big smile on his face and that look birders know all too well.

“You coming to see another one this afternoon?”

After finishing work, we jumped in the car and made the short drive to Eastleach Martin. The result? Absolutely fantastic views of the Long-tailed Shrike.

(c) Adrian Webb

Standing there watching it, I honestly couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Two Long-tailed Shrikes in the space of a month, something I never would have dreamed possible.

From the frustration of missing the bee-eater to the sheer joy of watching another Long-tailed Shrike just down the road, it summed up everything that makes birding so addictive.

You take the knocks, you suffer the misses, but then you get moments like this.

And that’s why I keep going.

PENSYCHNANT ASHWORTH'S RUSTIC WEEKEND 2026

Our annual pilgrimage to Pensychnant Nature Reserve nearly didn’t happen this year after a devastating wildfire swept across Sychnant Mountain earlier in the week. The fire destroyed around 230 acres of heathland, leaving much of the mountain blackened and inaccessible. Sadly, this meant our planned search for the rare Ashworth’s Rustic on the mountain had to be cancelled.

Utter devastation

Thankfully, the event itself was back on, though trapping could only take place around the nature reserve, not on the mountain.

Not wanting to miss the chance of seeing this iconic Welsh moth, Jenna and I headed into Snowdonia and found an alternative site to trap for the night.

Three traps were put out around Llyn Ogwen

It turned out to be well worth the effort, with over 20 Ashworth’s Rustic coming to the traps by morning. 

Morning mist over Llyn Ogwen

We took several back to Pensychnant so visitors could enjoy seeing this incredible species up close.

Pensychnant nature reserve

The Ashworth's rustic is a very localised species, occurring only in the mountainous regions of North Wales, where it inhabits slate and limestone hills. 

The single generation flies between June and August, when it comes to light.

It was great to catch up with familiar faces and meet new ones throughout the day.

Marc congratulating me on saving the day by trapping the Ashworth's Rustic

Alongside the Ashworth’s Rustics, there were over 50 species of moths on display, including Clearwings, Hawkmoths and a fantastic selection of micros and macros. The gallery was once again filled with beautiful wildlife artwork, and, as always, there was plenty of tea, cake and moth chat.

Best bit of the day: Karen's homemade cakes.

A huge thank you to Julian, Karen and all the volunteers for making the weekend possible despite everything that had happened. Considering the circumstances, it was a brilliant event and one we’ll certainly remember