Latest Cheshire & Wirral Bird News

 

7th October

Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB

Spotted Redshank-Still at Bevyl Road Flash

A Successful Night for Juniper Carpet–East Oxfordshire

Last night I headed out for a short moth-trapping session in East Oxfordshire with my good friend Alan Lewis, with one particular moth in mind that we both needed for our lists: Juniper Carpet. Earlier in the year, I had found a good site in a valley full of Juniper bushes, where I had also trapped Juniper Pug, so we decided to target this area for Juniper Carpet.

It didn’t take long after dusk before we found our first one, clinging to a Juniper bush. Over the next couple of hours we managed to see another five, giving us a total of six Juniper Carpets.

Juniper Carpet

The Juniper Carpet is a late-season moth, flying during October and November. It is found across Britain, Europe and the Near East, wherever its foodplant, Juniper, is found.

We also trapped a Plumed Fan-foot, which was a new moth for me. The species seems to have been undergoing a good dispersal over the last few days, so it was great to get one here in Oxfordshire.

Plumed Fan-foot

Originally from southern Europe, Plumed Fan-foot was first recorded in Britain in Kent in 1995 and was initially considered a rare immigrant. Since then, it has become established in Britain and has continued to spread, with records increasingly coming from further inland.

We also trapped two very worn Juniper Pugs, which added to the interest of the session.

Juniper Pug

A good few hours mothing with Alan, and two more new species for my list. Another successful night out!

Latest Cheshire & Wirral Bird News

6th October

Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB

Spotted Redshank-Still at Bevyl Road Flash, and 4 Barn Owls over the marsh.

Burton Mere Wetlands

Short-eared Owl-One; use reserve car park off Puddington Lane (CH64 5SF; open 09:00-19:00, £7 entrance fee for non-RSPB members).

Wigg Island

Ruddy Shelduck-Male again.

Hale

Little Stint-One on the River Mersey

Fisher’s Estuarine Moth-Tankaton-Kent

After a tip-off from my good friend James Hunter, I headed down to Tankerton in Kent this evening, hoping to see Fisher’s Estuarine Moth. I waited until dusk, and it didn’t take long to see my first one. It was great to finally see this highly localised, special moth.

Fisher’s Estuarine Moth

Fisher’s Estuarine Moth is one of Britain’s rarest and most localised moths. In Britain, its distribution is limited to a few areas along the north Essex and north Kent coasts, with Tankerton Slopes and the nearby Swalecliffe being significant sites for the species in North Kent.

This moth is closely associated with Hog’s Fennel, the only foodplant used by its caterpillars in Britain. The larvae primarily develop inside the stems and roots of this plant, making the Fisher’s Estuarine Moth a highly specialised species.

Hog’s Fennel

Tankerton provides an ideal habitat, with its north-facing slopes supporting large areas of Hog’s Fennel, alongside rough grassland. Due to its importance for the moth, Tankerton Slopes and Swalecliffe have been designated as a Special Area of Conservation.

Adult Fisher’s Estuarine Moths are relatively large, boasting a wingspan of approximately 42–58 mm. They are primarily brownish and mottled in appearance, and the adults are nocturnal, typically active from early September to late October.

As a protected species, Fisher’s Estuarine Moth is rarely found outside its very small number of known habitats. Its close relationship with Hog’s Fennel and its restricted distribution make it a particularly interesting moth to spot in Britain.

Artist Mark Anthony has created this stunning artwork, celebrating this precious local species.

BirdGuides Review of the Week: 28th September-4th October 2026

After a September starved of any real easterly winds, the excitement on the east coast was palpable at the prospect of a run of easterlies stretching back into eastern Europe between Tuesday and Thursday. Read more>

Latest Cheshire & Wirral Bird News

5th October

Neumann's Flash-Northwich

Glossy Ibis-One, then flew north.

Glossy Ibis

(c) Greg Baker

Sandbach Flashes-Elton Hall Flash

Cattle egret-One, then flew towards Pump House Flash at 7:45am and did not get relocated.

Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB

Yellow-browed Warbler-One near ramp to Border Hide; use reserve car park off Puddington Lane (CH64 5SF; open 09:00-19:00, £7 entrance fee for non-RSPB-members)

West Kirby Marine Lake

7+ Goosander and 5 Red-breasted Merganser 

Latest Cheshire & Wirral Bird News

4th October

Burton Marsh

Yellow-browed Warbler-One between Nets Cafe and Station Road.

Hilbre Island

Eurasian Spoonbill- Eight flew west, and Yellow-browed Warbler- One trapped, ringed and released in the observatory garden.

Eurasian Spoonbill

(c) Alan Hitchmough

Yellow-browed Warbler

(c) Steve Williams

Maize Wainscot–An Incredible Run of South Coast Records

Maize Wainscot is one of Britain’s rarest moths, so the recent run of records along the South Coast has been pretty remarkable.

The species is mainly found across southern Europe and North Africa, with its range extending around the Mediterranean and into parts of the Middle East. In Britain, it has historically been an exceptional rarity. The first British record was on the Isles of Scilly in 2011, and it was not recorded on mainland Britain until 2021, when three individuals were found in Devon.

This autumn has seen an incredible run of records, with several individuals appearing along the South Coast within a very short period.

The first of this recent run was at Bonchurch on the Isle of Wight on 23 September, followed by a record at Lewes in Sussex on 29 September. Then, on 30 September, further individuals were recorded at Weymouth in Dorset, Portland Bird Observatory and Bracklesham Bay in West Sussex.

With Maize Wainscot suddenly turning up at several sites, I decided to head down to Portland as Martin Cade, the warden at Portland Bird Observatory, had trapped two Maize Wainscots. Seeing one of such a rare British moth was a fantastic experience and made the journey well worth it.

Maize Wainscot 

There were also some other good moths in the traps. Martin had trapped a Golden Twin-spot, which was a species I needed. It is now classed as a local species at Portland, but it was still a very welcome addition to my list.

Golden Twin-spot

He had also trapped a Brindled Ochre, another excellent moth to see and a very scarce species in Dorset.

Brindled Ochre

A lovely afternoon, and it was great to catch up with everyone. Portland, what a place; it just keeps delivering great moments!