GOWY MEADOWS NATURE RESERVE

I visited Gowy Meadows this morning with my son Dylan to look for a Glossy ibis, which was reported from here yesterday. The bird had been reported from here on the 14th February as well, but only showed for 15 minutes before flying off east. 

The reserve is a lowland grazing marsh with the river Gowy running through it, and is owned by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust. A link to the site is below:

http://www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/reserves/gowy-meadows

Gowy Meadows with Stanlow oil refinery in the background

 The River Gowy runs through the meadows

As soon as we arrived, I met up with a birder who had been on site since first light but hadn't seen the bird, but we continued to look as the site is so vast. On the first pool we walked up to were 4 Teal and 2 Jack snipe flushed, 2 Mallard and 4 Stonechats were seen on the fence line.

Stonechats

A Buzzard flew overhead along with 2 Skylarks and a skein of Canada Geese.

Buzzard

Canada Geese

As we continued towards the river, a Grey heron flew from the riverbank, and 2 Mandarin were on the river but flew high over the tip. Mute swans were on the river and and a count of over a 100 Linnets were in the trees at the base of the tip. Hundreds of gulls were around the tip, but no white wingers could be picked out or in the surrounding fields.

 Grey Heron

 Over 100 Linnets were around the base of the tip

Gowy Landfill Site

Mute Swan

A great morning birding and a fantastic site that I will visit again, but no sign of the target bird, but hopefully it will be relocated in the area.

DINNERTIME BIRDING

I managed to get three hours of birdwatching during my dinner hours this week at Acre Nook and Lapwing Pool. The Black-necked grebe has been present all week, and I spotted five mandarin ducks in the far pool at Acre Nook, which were new to me in the area. Unfortunately, I could only get scope views of them as they were too distant for the camera. Here are a few photos I managed to take this week.

Acre nook quarry with the new workings and Bosley Cloud in the background

Lapwings have totalled up to 500 over my three visits

 A count of 46 Shoveler

 26 Goosanders were on Acre Nook

Shelduck

 Buzzard

Teal

Greenfinch

Wigeon have topped over 200 on both quarries

Tufted Duck

Canada Geese

Gadwall

Starling

These 2 Oystercatchers dropped in for a few minutes before flying east

Treecreeper

I am starting to compile a life list for the area, which I will add to my web page over the coming days.

NESTON SEWAGE WORKS AND LEASOWE LIGHTHOUSE

I spent the late morning looking around for the Water pipit at Neston, as it had been reported showing well in the fields next to the sewage works. I trudged through the wet fields, but there was no sign of it. I carried on walking down to Neston reed bed and saw plenty of different species of birds.

 Redwings were in good numbers in the surrounding fields

 Neston reed bed

 Song Thrush

 Little Egret

 Pink-footed geese were flying around on the marsh

 A good number of Goldfinches were seen

 Four Grey Wagtails were feeding in the fields

Anyway, there was no sign of the Pipit, so I moved on to Leasowe to see if anything had dropped in late afternoon.

Leasowe Lighthouse

 Footpath off Lingham Lane, which leads to the horse paddocks

I started off walking down Lingham Lane and saw good numbers of Blackbirds and Goldfinches in the surrounding fields. A Goldcrest was flitting around the brambles near the bridge.

Goldcrest

The horse paddocks at Leasowe

The horse paddocks held good numbers of Curlew and Oystercatcher, and at least 40 Goldfinch were feeding in the area.

Oystercatcher

Moving onto the seafront, the tide was out, but a Little egret was feeding on the shoreline.

Little Egret