CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS

March 22nd

Russian White-fronted Goose and Dark-bellied Brent Goose- In the field with the fishing pond in it, next to the manor lake -Thornton Hough

2 Mediterranean Gulls-Elton Hall Flash-Sandbach Flashes

2 Little Gulls-1 adult and 2nd CY-Gunsites-Leasowe

4 Spotted Redshank-Burton RSPB

61 Black-necked Grebes-Woolston Eyes-Permit ONLY

7 Water Pipit-Frodsham Marshes

Drake Scaup - West Kirby Marine Lake.

Black redstart-Female-type still behind Coastguard Rescue Station-Meols

Eurasian Stone Curlew-One heard flying north-west-Sandbach

Red Kite-Burton RSPB

Red Kite-Rudheath Woods-Northwich

March 21st

Drake Scaup and a drake Goldeneye - West Kirby Marine Lake.

3 Wheatear on sea defence rocks by Lifeboat - Hoylake.

At least five Wheatear spread across various horse paddocks this morning - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Willow Warbler, 5 White Wagtail, Swallow, 2 Wheatear, 26 Siskin, 4 Lesser Redpoll and a Brambling, around the island waders included 15 Purple Sandpiper, 65 Turnstone, and 15 Ringed Plover, also 126 Brent Geese (1 dark-bellied), out to sea were Sandwich Tern and 3 Little Gull - Hilbre.

550 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Knot, 15 Oystercatcher, 12 Wigeon and 17 Barnacle Geese - Caldy Wildfowl Collection.

7 Common Buzzard kettling over Grange Hill this morning - West Kirby.

4 Spotted Redshank - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Shorelark-Still in muddy field near metal gate along Gritstone Trail between telephone mast and Old Man O'Mow-Mow Cop

Mar 20th

Shorelark-Still in muddy field near metal gate along Gritstone Trail between telephone mast and Old Man O'Mow-Mow Cop

Greater Scaup-Adult drake still on sea off lifeboat station-Hilbre Island

Ring Ouzel in a private garden, flew towards Heswall -Pensby.

2 Wheatear on rocks by Lifeboat, good numbers of Meadow Pipits - Hoylake.

Green-winged Teal off Old Baths - Parkgate.

At least 6 Wheatear in the area today, also 2 White Wagtail - Leasowe Lighthouse.

3 Wheatear by Lifeguards end of Harrison Drive - Wallasey.

3 Wheatear - Burton Point.

Spoonbill - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Mar 19th

Shorelark-Still in muddy field near metal gate along Gritstone Trail between telephone mast and Old Man O'Mow-Mow Cop

43 Black-necked Grebe and 1st Winter Greater Scaup-Woolston Eyes-PERMIT ONLY

2 Common Cranes flew SE early morning - Burton Point.

Willow Warbler *first of spring* - Burton Mere Wetlands.

3 Little Gull and a Red-throated diver off East Hoyle Bank, also 3 Sand Martin - Hoylake.

3 White Wagtail plus c54 Pied Wagtail in horse paddocks - Leasowe Lighthouse.

16 Chiffchaff (singing) along Wirral Way between Neston and Heswall.

18th Mar

Common Crane-Two flew south over Lower Heswall and continued up estuary-Heswall

4 Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate

Green-winged Teal off Old Baths - Parkgate.

19th March

43-Black-necked Grebes and 1st Winter Female -Woolston Eyes-Permit ONLY

Shore Lark-In field by the wall along the Gritstone Trail between the telephone mast and the Old Man O'Mow-Mow Cop

Common Crane-Two flew south-east, viewed from Burton Point-Burton RSPB

Willow Warbler *first of spring* - Burton Mere Wetlands.

3 Little Gull and Red-throated diver off East Hoyle Bank, also 3 Sand Martin - Hoylake.

3 White Wagtail plus c54 Pied Wagtail in horse paddocks - Leasowe Lighthouse.

18th March

2 Common Cranes flew up the estuary at 15.35hrs - Lower Heswall.

Common Crane seen on wet grassland this evening - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Green-winged Teal in channel off Target road early morning - Heswall Shore.

3 Greenshank, flew towards Heswall along the channel on rising tide - Thurstaston Shore.

2 Sand Martin *first of spring* - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Plenty of birds moving with a good passage of Wood Pigeons along North Wirral, plus Chiffchaffs coming in off the sea at Hoylake with Siskins and Redpolls moving too.

Black Redstart still by Landmark Stables behind Coastguards - Meols.

Green-winged Teal off Old Baths - Parkgate.

4 Eurasian Spoonbill-Boathouse Flash-Parkgate

3 Spotted Redshank-Burton RSPB

17th March

Shore Lark-In field by the wall along the Gritstone Trail between the telephone mast and the Old Man O'Mow-Mow Cop

Green-winged Teal off Target Road - Hoylake

Spotted Redshank-Burton RSPB

16th March

Common Scoter-Drake at the south end-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Cheshire

Shore Lark-In field by the wall along the Gritstone Trail between the telephone mast and the Old Man O'Mow-Mow Cop

15th March 

31 Little Gull, 165 Gannet, 220 Common Gull (west), 16 Purple Sandpiper, Scaup, Peregrine, 175 Meadow Pipit, 4 Long-tailed Tit and 7 Goldcrest - Hilbre.

5 Spoonbill on Bevyl Road flash, also 22 Avocet - Parkgate.

1150 Pink-footed Geese roosted overnight, 295 Shelduck, 2350 Oystercatcher, 270 Grey Plover, 130 Golden Plover, 2500 Knot, 3000 Dunlin, 390 Curlew, 2850 Redshank over high tide this morning - Heswall Shore.

Slavonian Grebe-Sweeney Wetlands

3 Spotted Redshank-Burton RSPB

14th March 

3 Wheatear (1 in coastal paddocks and 2 in 'Hoopoe Hollow') - Leasowe Lighthouse.

35 Russian White-fronted  Geese and 2 Spotted Redshank - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Scaup (drake) - Hilbre.

5 Spoonbill (2 ad & 3 imm) on Boathouse Flash, Green-winged Teal (drake) off Old Baths - Parkgate.

Dark-bellied Brent Goose-thornton Hough

Caspian Gull-1st-winter on sandbanks on River Mersey-Widnes

Harbour Seal-One in River Mersey off Paddington Meadows this morning (present since 7 February; ranging between No 4 Bed, Woolston Eyes NR, and Warrington Rowing Club)-Woolston Eues=Permit ONLY

Eurasian Bittern-Two flew to roost this evening (one in rushes off Old Baths and one in rushes off Boathouse Flash); also 3 Short-eared Owls off the golf course

Slavonian Grebe-Sweeney Wetlands

Caspian Gull-Two 1st-winters still at WSR Recycling Centre, Ditton Road-Widnes

Greater Scaup and 28 Black-necked Grebes-Woolston Eyes-Permit ONLY

Common Scoter-Two (one drake) displaying on the pool off Moat Lane-Rixton

Shore Lark-In field by the wall along the Gritstone Trail between the telephone mast and the Old Man O'Mow-Mow Cop

13th March

Slavonian Grebe-Sweeney Wetlands

Russian White-Fronted Goose-26 still in the field between North Pool and the road at Mere Farm Quarry-Chelford

Green-winged Teal-Drake still at the new flash off Old Baths car park-Parkgate

Shore Lark-In field by the wall along the Gritstone Trail between the telephone mast and the Old Man O'Mow-Mow Cop

12th March

Greater Scaup-Adult drake still on West Kirby Marine Lake

Shore Lark-In field by the wall along the Gritstone Trail between the telephone mast and the Old Man O'Mow-Mow Cop

Spotted Redshank-Burton RSPB

30 Black-necked Grebes -Woolston Eyes-Permit ONLY

11th March

2 Green-winged Teal (drakes) on new flash off Old Baths - Parkgate

250 Black-tailed Godwits - Caldy Wildfowl Collection

Ruddy Shelduck-One still on River Mersey off Spike Island-Widnes

Greater Scaup-Adult drake still on sea off lifeboat station-Hilbre Island

Shore Lark-In field by the wall along the Gritstone Trail between the telephone mast and the Old Man O'Mow-Mow Cop

Eurasian Spoonbill-Two adults still opposite Coastguard Lane-Padgate

10th March

Green-winged Teal (flew to Boathouse Flash) and 2 Spoonbill - Parkgate.

Scaup (drake), 3 Goldeneye, 3 Goosander and 10 Brent Geese (one dark-bellied) - West Kirby Marine Lake.

Crossbill flew low over horse paddocks (going west) - Leasowe Lighthouse.

40 Russian White-fronted  Geese - Burton Mere Wetlands.

17 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre.

Eurasian Bittern-Budworth Mere-Northwich

Shore Lark-Still in field by the wall along the Gritstone Trail between the telephone mast and the Old Man O'Mow and Wheatear-Mow Cop

Caspian Gull-Adult-Sandbach Flashes

20 Black-necked Grebes and 1st winter female Greater Scaup-Woolston Eyes-Permit ONLY

9th March

20 Black-necked Grebes-Woolston Eyes-Permit ONLY

Eurasian Spoonbill-One flew from Decoy Marsh towards Pickerings Pastures-Hale

Black Redstart (fem) by coastguard station - Dove Point, Meols.

Good views of both Scaup (drake) and a Common Scoter - West Kirby Marine Lake.

2 Russian White-fronted Goose

-Burton RSPB

Slavonian Grebe-Sweeney Wetlands

Shore Lark-Still in field by the wall along the Gritstone Trail between the telephone mast and the Old Man O'Mow and Wheatear-Mow Cop

8th March

Slavonian Grebe-Sweeney Wetlands

Black Redstart (fem) by the coastguard station and the Landmark Stables -Dove Point- Moels

Dark-bellied Brent Goose in field with Greylag Geese -Thornton Hough

Greater Scaup-Adult on sea-Hilbre Island

Eurasian Spoonbill-Burton RSPB

Scaup (Drake) - West Kirby Marine Lake

FINAL DAY-AGADIR COAST-DAY 11

Our final day in Morocco has come to an end, and what a brilliant trip it’s been.

We headed north from Agadir today, looking for gulls and migrants. For the first time on the trip, we had rain, and plenty of it, but it didn’t stop the birds.

There was a steady movement of migrants throughout the day. Common Cuckoo, Black-eared Wheatear, Whitethroats, Orphean, Subalpine, Sardinian and Spectacled Warblers were all active in the bushes, while Pallid Swifts and hirundines streamed overhead almost constantly.

Sardinian Warbler

Black-eared Wheatear

Spectacled Warbler

Gulls were a big feature. We had great views of Audouin’s Gulls, with a couple at our first stop and around 15 later on. There were also huge numbers of Lesser Black-backed and plenty of Yellow-legged Gulls. A nice group of 22 Slender-billed Gulls flew straight through, and we picked up Sandwich Terns and a few Gannets moving along the coast.

Waders were excellent too, including Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stints, Bar-tailed Godwit (our first of the trip), Whimbrel, Curlew, Sanderling and Turnstone. Stone-curlews showed really well, those yellow eyes are something else!

Stone-curlew

Bald Ibises were once again a highlight, feeding along the coastal dunes and occasionally flying overhead. We also had over 250 Spoonbills pass by and around 100 Greater Flamingos feeding in the shallows, with Osprey and Marsh Harrier seen overhead.

Bald Ibis

Spoonbill

One of the standout moments was seeing a herd of Scimitar-horned Oryx in the National Park, a really encouraging conservation success.

To round off the day, four Black-crowned Night Herons flew over us as we walked to our final meal along the seafront, and I couldn’t have scripted it better.

We also managed to read a good number of rings, including Audouin’s Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls from different countries, a Mediterranean Gull, and some ringed Flamingos. Always interesting to see where these birds have come from.

Audouin’s Gull

All in all, an amazing trip, great birds, great company, and excellent guiding from Hamid. We finished on 189 species, which says it all really.

Now it’s time for one last meal, a few drinks, and to relive the highlights. Safe to say this won’t be the last trip together.

NORTHERN BALD IBIS AND RED-NECKED NIGHTJAR MAGIC-DAY 10

It was the penultimate day of our Birdwatching Morocco tour with Hamid, and what a thrilling shift in scenery! After more than a week exploring the mountains and desert, we’ve finally reached the Atlantic coast, beginning at the Oued Souss River just south of Agadir. 

Driving through Agadir, we saw our first Northern Bald Ibis. Hopefully, we will see this bird today.

Can't tick this!

Oued Souss River

Scanning from the nearby bridge soon produced our first Mediterranean Gulls, while the mudflats held a classic lineup of waders, including Dunlin, Grey Plover, and Ringed Plover. Adding to the spectacle were impressive numbers of Spoonbills and Flamingos feeding across the estuary.

From there, we headed south to Souss-Massa National Park. Along a dusty farm road teeming with hundreds of sheep, we sifted through a gathering of Cattle Egrets when one dark shape stood out. The mystery bird quickly resolved itself into one of the world’s rarest species: the Northern Bald Ibis. This iconic Moroccan bird is thankfully making a comeback, and we were thrilled to see more than 60 individuals strut just yards away in the field.

Northern Bald Ibis

Cattle Egret

The same area also hosted several races of Yellow Wagtail. We noted flava, flavissima, and iberiae, along with a few apparent hybrids. Two Spectacled Warblers and several Subalpine Warblers, Zitting cisticola and even more interest at the stop.

Zitting cisticola 

(c) Jack Pettit

Continuing along a nearby riverbank produced another wave of exciting birds. A stunning Western Olivaceous Warbler sang from close range while migrants were clearly arriving. 

Western Olivaceous Warbler

A handsome male White-spotted Bluethroat showed beautifully, joined by a Common Redstart, a Turtle Dove, and a freshly arrived Grasshopper Warbler reeling from the vegetation.

 Turtle Dove

(c) Jack Pettit

Then we heard the unmistakable downward whistle of one of the area’s most sought-after species. Soon we were enjoying superb views of several Black-crowned Tchagras, with at least three birds showing well.

Two Western Orphean Warblers and several singing Common Quails rounded out an exceptional stop.

Lunch brought its own rewards.

We all had lunch overlooking the beach

A close Stone Curlew loafed nearby while two Gannets cruised offshore and numerous Sandwich Terns streamed north. A walk along the beach produced our first Sanderlings, along with Oystercatchers, Whimbrels, and Turnstones.

Stone Curlew

(c)Dennis Morrison

In the afternoon, we explored deeper within Souss-Massa National Park.

At one point, we passed a group of roadside birders clearly focused on something special. Our guide, Hamid, suggested we move on and return later once the crowd had dispersed. The target was a Red-necked Nightjar, and he was confident it would remain in place.

The next few hours flew by as we enjoyed more of the park’s incredible scenery. Avocets fed in the shallows alongside Flamingos and Spoonbills, and the surrounding fields were bright with spring flowers.

Unfortunately, when we returned to the nightjar site, disaster struck. Mammal watchers searching for an endemic rodent had accidentally flushed the bird. It had disappeared, and we were gutted. It was the first real disappointment of the trip.

To lift our spirits, we returned to the Oued Souss River, where bird activity remained fantastic. New additions included Spotted Redshank, Ruff, White Stork, Little Stint, Little Gull, and Black-tailed Godwit. Hundreds of Flamingos and Spoonbills fed in the evening light while two Ospreys called to each other overhead. Gull-billed Terns hawked insects right in front of us, providing wonderful close views. 

White Stork

Gull-billed Tern

Osprey

As an added bonus, we noted a ringed Greater Flamingo from Andalucía and a ringed Spoonbill that had originated in the Netherlands.

Feeling bad about the missed nightjar, Hamid had one more plan. After picking up food so he and his driver could break their Ramadan fast at sunset, we headed to another site in hopes of redemption.

Lads on site waiting, listening for the Red-necked Nightjar

The evening air soon filled with the sounds of Stone Curlews calling while our first Eurasian Curlews passed overhead. Then suddenly we heard it: the distinctive “gok-gok” call of a Red-necked Nightjar.

Moments later, the birds appeared. Up to four nightjars were flying around us, wing-clapping and displaying in the fading light. It was an unforgettable show and far more exciting than simply seeing one resting on the ground during the day.

Malc, happy hes seen the Nightjar

We headed back elated after an extraordinary day of birding on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. Yet again, Morocco proved why it is such a spectacular birding destination.