ACRE NOOK AND LAPWING HALL POOL BIRD SIGHTINGS- AUGUST 2016

After a good end to July patch birding for the whole of August was very disappointing and hard birding.Whilst other sites were getting Greenshank,Whimbrel,Wood Sandpipers and other bits I failed to find anything of note only a long staying Black necked grebe which is still present on the 1st of September on Lapwing hall pool.There were two present from the 14th to 16th

BLACK NECKED GREBE

Gull numbers continued to rise with over 500 visiting Acre nook along with 72 Curlew on the 21st.There were over 150 Canada geese on the 11th along with Teal and Shoveler in good numbers.Lapwing numbers have been over 100 throughout the month and at least 10 Mandarin were present.Hobby's were seen on the 2nd and the 14th a Jay was also present around the pool on the 24th.

CANADA GEESE

CURLEW

JAY

Lapwing hall pool continues to hold 60+ Tufted duck,2 Wigeon,34 Coot were counted on the 16th.There were 9 Little grebes on the 19th along 7 Great crested grebes and 14 Mute swans.A Great spotted woodpecker was seen on the 6th which unbelievable was a first for the year.

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER

As you can see a very poor month for birds but hey thats patch birding!

AN EVENING'S BIRDING AT CARR LANE POOLS-HALE

Leaving Birkenhead I called in at Carr lane pools in Hale to try and photo the two Wood sandpipers that have been around for a while.On arrival the birds were still present but were over the other side of the pool in the sun.

WOOD SANDPIPERS

9 Ruff were present along with 6 Snipe and 4 Little Ringed plovers.

RUFF

An Egyptian goose appeared from the reeds as I was leaving. 

EGYPTIAN GOOSE

HOODED CROW-BIRKENHEAD PARK

A Hooded crow was reported on the North wirral coast near Birkenhead north station on the 15th August but after a quick dash up the M53 the bird had flown.I visited Birkenhead this afternoon after it had been relocated on the cricket pitch.On arrival it didn't take long to connect with the bird as it sat under the cricket porch.

The bird then flew onto the field and showed really well.

AN EVENING ON HILBRE ISLAND

My good friend Allan Conlin and his partner Paula were spending the week on holiday in the bird observatory on Hilbre Island https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilbre_Islands so me and Dianne arranged a evening walk over to the islands for a few glasses of red and hopefully catch a glimpse of the stunning sunset on the north wirral coast weather permitting.We parked the car up at West kirby and started the 2 mile walk over to the islands

LOOKING BACK TOWARDS WEST KIRBY

DIANNE APPROACHING HILBRE ISLAND

We soon reached the bird observatory where Allan put me straight on to an adult Black tern he had found in with the Sandwich and Common Terns.As we all sat talking outside the observatory I picked up a Sedge warbler skulking around in the pittosporum. 

 GOOD NUMBERS OF SANDWICH TERN WERE OFF HILBRE 

 HILBRE BIRD OBSERVATORY

Other birds of note whilst sat drinking a nice vintage was a Whimbrel that flew over calling and a Peregrine hunting over middle eye.Moving round to the front of the observatory the sun started to set and we were to witness a perfect end to a great evening.

THIS IS THE LIFE! ME AND ALLAN ENJOYING A GLASS OF WINE

A great evening spent with good friends in wonderful surroundings and well worth a visit if you've never been over to Hilbre before.For all the latest bird news on the islands visit https://twitter.com/hilbrebirdobs?lang=en-gb

NEW FERRY BUTTERFLY PARK

I visited a new butterfly park today with Dianne at New ferry on the Wirral.The site is owned by the Cheshire wildlife trust who have transformed the site over the years from some railway sidings just off Bebington railway station.For further information on the site http://www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/reserves/new-ferry-butterfly-park.

TWENTY SIX SPECIES OF BUTTERFLY HAVE BEEN RECORDED AT THE PARK

Anyway we had a good walk round and what a cracking little reserve they have established over the years and the volunteers were really friendly and helpful regarding what species of butterfly were around.

 COMMON FIELD GRASSHOPPER

 GATEKEEPER

 SMALL TORTOISESHELL

 COMMON BLUE

 BRIMSTONE

 SMALL SKIPPER

 SPECKLED WOOD

THE BUTTERFLY PARK

Other Moths I have seen this month have included:

 YELLOW TAIL MOTH

 BUFF TIP MOTH

 LARGE YELLOW UNDERWING MOTH

SMALL MAGPIE

JURRASIC AUK!

It was last seen on British shores 200 years ago - but the great auk could soon return.

CLICK ON LINK

WESTERN SWAMPHEN-MINSMERE,SUFFOLK

I was just walking out of Burton RSPB on sunday afternoon after seeing a Spotted crake when I received a twitter message that a Purple Swamphen had been found at Minsmere in Suffolk. The bird was apparently ringed,so I just drove home and thought nothing more of it. I then received a text of Fred fearn saying that the bird was now apparently unringed after photos had been taken and it had been re identified has a Western race that breeds in Spain and Portugal. There have been several records of Purple Swamphen in Britain,though these have generally related to Grey headed Swamphen which are kept in captivity in this country and most records have been found to be escapes out of someones collection like the Saltney bird in Chester in July 2010.There has been a northward dispersal of this species though in France in 2016 though so you never no it was a good insurance tick!Anyway plans were made by the other lads who were going down in the morning which really gripped me off but I couldn't do anything till tuesday regarding being in work monday morning and having a busy workload but I new I would end up going and hopefully the bird would stay.

The bird showed all day on the monday so I when I left off work in the evening I made the long journey with my partner Dianne to Suffolk.We arrived at Minsmere just after 11.30pm and slept in the car. I set my alarm for 5am and it was soon going off so we made are way straight down to the south hide in the pouring rain!WHEN WILL IT STOP!.I soon picked up the Swamphen weaving in and out of the far reeds,it had stayed and I had seen it.Thankfully the bird had stayed in its favoured area that it had been in for the last two days because it could easily have just disappeared into the vast reed beds at this reserve.

WESTERN SWAMPHEN

The weather was now getting even worse and we were both bloody freezing and wet threw, I just fired away a few record shots of the Swamphen that wont win any prizes and walked back to the car,another down pour came down so we dived into a hide for shelter and a quick look what was about.Black tailed godwits were in good numbers along with 6 Spotted redshank.

BLACK TAILED GODWITS

A Marsh harrier was sat perched distantly and 4 Bearded tits were seen from the hide.

MARSH HARRIER

Just as we were about to leave the hide I picked up a Bittern flying over the reed bed.

BITTERN IN FLIGHT

The rain had now eased a bit so we headed back to the car, on are way back we saw a Water rail and a young family of Whitethroats.

WATER RAIL

COMMON WHITETHROATS

The reserve opened at 9.00am so we nipped into the cafe and had some much deserved breakfast and a hot drink.

    A JUVENILE ROBIN KEPT US ENTERTAINED WHILST HAVING ARE BREAKFAST

Moving on from Minsmere we called in at Westleton heath which I last visited on the 11th May 2008 to try and see a Spectacled warbler which I dipped which was eight years ago,how time flies.

THE COMMON HEATHER WAS IN FULL BLOOM ON WESTLETON HEATH

A good walk around the heath soon produced 9 Dartford warblers and a Woodlark fly over.

9 DARTFORD WARBLERS WERE SEEN ON THE HEATH

Getting back to the car the rain started again so we decided to head back north.The Swamphen was in the bag and it is now up to the powers that be to decide if it is an escape or a true vagrant to our shores.Like the Chestnut Bunting,Dalmation Pelican and Lammergeier we will just have to wait and see!If the Chinese Pond Heron can go on!!!!!!