8th November
Hoylake Shore
Glossy Ibis on marsh still, between Beach Road and Kings Gap.
Leasowe Lighthouse
Woodcock flew south.
Hilbre
4 Pochards flew south, 2 Puffins off the north end, and a Woodcock.
Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB
Short-eared Owl-Two; use RSPB car park off Puddington Lane (CH64 5SF; open 09:00-17:00, £7 entrance fee for non-RSPB-members)
Gowy Meadows
Little Bunting-One reported yesterday.
7th November
Hoylake Shore
Glossy Ibis on marsh still, between Beach Road and Kings Gap.
Parkgate
Hen Harrier (ringtail) flying south.
Hilbre Island
Slavonian Grebe.
Burton Mere Wetlands
30+ Great White Egrets and 9 Cattle Egrets.
Neston Marsh
Russian White-fronted Goose-One in fields south of The Harp Inn with Pink-footed Geese.
Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)
Water Pipit-One briefly on No 3 Bed from John Morgan Hide; reserve open from 08:00-16:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com
6th November
Hoylake Shore
Glossy Ibis on marsh off Beach Road this morning; 2 Snow Buntings flew into marsh off Tennis Courts (east of Lifeboat Station)
Parkgate
3 drake Pochards on Boathouse Flash.
Heswall Shore
1050 Shelduck, 900 Pintail, 400 Teal, 4300 Oystercatcher, 750 Lapwing, 155 Golden Plover, 4000 Knot, 3500 Dunlin, 60 Bar-tailed Godwit, 670 Curlew, 860 Redshank at high tide.
Astbury Mere CP
Greater Scaup.
Acre Nook Sand Quarry
Slavonian Grebe-Adult again
5th November
Hoylake
Glossy Ibis-One on the beach.
Widnes
Ruddy Shelduck-Drake still on the River Mersey mudflats off Spike Island.
Sandbach Flashes
Hen Harrier-Ringtail flew over Pumphouse Flash; park along Clay Lane.
Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)
Hawfinch-One at No. 4 Bed but mobile; reserve open from 08:00-16:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com.
Hilbre
537 Brent Geese (1 dark-bellied) and 2 Purple Sandpipers.
Hoylake
Glossy Ibis-One on the beach.
Ringtail Hen Harrier, 12 Marsh Harriers, Merlin, 3 Kestrels and 2 Barn Owls this morning.
After finishing work this morning, I headed down to Portland in Dorset for the afternoon, where Martin Cade, the Bird Observatory Warden, had trapped six Red-headed Chestnut moths over the last couple of nights and kindly saved a few for me to see.
After a brew and taking some photos of these scarce moths, I headed down to the Bill Lighthouse, where I got cracking views of a Snow Bunting. It wasn't at all bothered by my presence and showed really well.
Other birds of note included a Northern Wheatear and good numbers of Pied Wagtails and Rock Pipits.
By the time I left Portland, the sun was going down after another successful afternoon of birding and mothing on the island.
Acre Nook Sand Quarry
Common Scoter-18 at the north end.
Ness
2 Crossbills overhead heading SE.
Parkgate
3 Whooper Swans and a Merlin this morning; 3 Barn Owls, 2 Short-eared Owls, and 10+ Marsh Harriers late afternoon at 3
Burton Marsh
Short-eared Owls.
Burton Marsh
Short-eared Owl-Three from Station Road.
Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB.
Short-eared Owl-Two again off Old Baths car park.
Marbury CP
Common Scoter-Female at Budworth Mere; use Marbury Country Park car park (CW9 6AT; parking fees apply)
Britain and Ireland were buffeted by the first two named storms of the season (Austen and Boelo, respectively). Read more>
Burton Mere Wetlands
Bittern showed well by the reedbed screen this morning.
Neston Marsh
Short-eared Owl-Two off Old Quay
