Al Orton's Birding & Wildlife Blog

Monday, October 12, 2026

Latest Cheshire & Wirral Bird News

12th October

Marbury Country Park

Glossy Ibis-Still in the field north of Budworth Mere

Sunday, October 11, 2026

Day 4 A Sora Rail at Porth Hellick-Isles Of Scilly

With so many birders on the Isles of Scilly, an early start was needed this morning as we wanted to get into the bird hide at Porth Hellick to look for a Sora Rail that had been present for the last few weeks.

We left the house at 7.00am, and my good friend Higgo kindly gave us a lift to Porth Hellick. As dawn arrived, a Glossy Ibis showed briefly before flying off, while three Greenshanks were present on the pool. We didn't have to wait long before the Sora Rail appeared, giving us some excellent views. This was my third Sora Rail on Scilly, following the birds in 2005 and 2013, so it was great to catch up with another one.

BirdGuides Review of the Week: 5th-11th October 2026

After a short spell of easterlies at the start of October, attention immediately swivelled back west this week at the prospect of transatlantic arrivals, appetites raised by the exciting appearance of a Yellow-throated Vireo in Iceland on the 6th. Read more>

Latest Cheshire & Wirral Bird News

11th October

Great Budworth

Glossy Ibis-Still north side of Budworth Mere by Kid Brook spit.

Pickerings Pasture

Short-eared Owl.

Hoylake

Great Skua and a Curlew Sandpiper-One by RNLI Hoylake Lifeboat Station (CH47 3AL).

Thurstaston

3 Whooper Swans (2 adults, 1 juv) on Dawpool Bank before flying W on rising tide

Parkgate

3 Short-eared Owls off Old Baths.

Saturday, October 10, 2026

Day 3 The Scilly Isles–A Great Start to the Holiday

What a night! It never stopped raining, and the moth trap didn't catch a Common Forest Looper, suggesting they may have already finished flying for the year. However, I did trap my first Flounced Chestnut and a Merveille du Jour, and to my total disbelief, at around 5am, in the pouring rain, two- yes, two Slender Burnished Brass moths came to the pheromone lure! I was totally made up, having already tried for this species twice in Cornwall earlier in the year without success. To finally get two in one night was a brilliant result and a great start to the holiday.

Flounced Chestnut

Merveille du Jour, translating from French as the "Wonder of the Day".

Slender Burnished Brass-What a moth!

After that excitement, I met up with Marc Hughes, Owen Parsons, and Neil Howes, and the holiday officially began as we gathered at the quay in Penzance to catch the boat to the Isles of Scilly.

Penzance Quay

The Scillionian ship

The Boys

The crossing was excellent, with some great views of tuna jumping out of the sea and dolphins alongside the boat. The seabirds also put on a good show, with two Sabine’s Gulls, a Sooty Shearwater and a Grey Phalarope among the highlights.

It was great to be back on the islands, and with the moths already providing a memorable start, I was looking forward to what the coming week might produce.

Here are the highlights from the day:

Rose-coloured Starling

Yellow-browed Warbler

Wilson's Snipe-My third for Scilly after seeing the 2007 and 2011 birds
(c) Marc Hughes

Latest Cheshire & Wirral Bird News

10th October

Neumann's Flash

Glossy Ibis-One at the north end; either use the car park (CW9 5LS) or park in the New Warrington Road layby (CW9 6DA).

Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)

Yellow-browed Warbler-One in private area of No 4 Bed; reserve open from 08:00-20:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com.

Hale

Leach's Storm Petrel-One flew west past the lighthouse this morning

Hilbre

22 Leach's Petrels, 5 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Arctic Skuas (one flew over Obs garden!), 2 Great Skuas, Arctic Tern, Kittiwakes and 285 Common Scoters.

Arctic Skua

Leach's Petrel

New Brighton

Leach's Petrels, Manx Shearwater, Kittiwake, Mediterranean Gull, Arctic Tern, Spoonbill (flew north) and a Sabine's Gull in Mersey Mouth.

Leasowe Gunsites

6 Leach's Petrels, Manx Shearwater, Arctic Skua and a Great Skua.

Hoylake

Leach's Petrel, Arctic Tern and a Manx Shearwater.

Burton RSPB

Glossy Ibis, Whooper Swan and a Cattle Egret.

Caldy Wildfowl Collection

5500 Black-tailed Godwits.

Friday, October 09, 2026

Latest Cheshire & Wirral Bird News

9th October

Hoylake

Arctic Skua off Hoylake Shore.

Leasowe

Leach's Petrel - Leasowe Gunsite.

New Brighton

2 Leach's Petrels (one was blown into the river and one flew west), a Little Gull and a Manx Shearwater.

Day 2 Freshwater Bay to Cornwall – A Day of Birding and Moth Trapping

After a night's moth trapping at Freshwater Bay, where I trapped some fantastic moths, the plan today was to head down to Cornwall for some birding before setting up the moth traps again tonight. The main target for the night is the Common Forest Looper, a moth I've been keen to find, and I'll also be putting out a pheromone lure in the hope of attracting the Slender Burnished Brass moth.

Here are today's highlights.