NESTON SEWAGE WORKS AND LEASOWE LIGHTHOUSE

Spent 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

 Good numbers of Goldfinch were seen

 There were four Grey Wagtails feeding in the fields

Anyway there was no sign of the Pipit so I moved onto 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.

Oystercatchers

There are good numbers of Goldfinch on the Wirral this year 

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

Little Egret

OLD STOMPING GROUND

Visited Marbury county park this morning to try and get some photos of the Bittern that has been showing well there all week.On arrival I gave it an hour but there was no sign but did see two Kingfishers and a flock of Long tailed tits were on the bird table in front of the hide.

Long Tailed Tit

With there be no sign of the Bittern I made my way down mere path and soon heard a Lesser spotted woodpecker calling,the bird flew towards the carpark and landed in the trees in the centre of the park.I heard the bird again and soon got on it,it was a female.

Female Lesser SpottedWoodpecker

The Lesser Spotted woodpecker showed for about five minutes and then flew.Great bird and a good start to the mornings birding.Whist walking back towards the hide I was walking down the steps when the Bittern popped up on top of the reeds,just as I got my camera out it had gone,typical!Anyway I waited a good hour and then it showed in the reedbed.

Bittern

 A great mornings birding and nice to back on my old patch.

LAPWING HALL POOL AND ACRE NOOK SAND QUARRIES

Working in Nether Alderley, I've started spending my dinner hour birding the local sand quarries, which are only a stones throw from where I work. As a kid, I used to go birding regularly with my dad around Chelford sand quarries when I was growing up in Holmes Chapel and have seen Long-tailed ducks and Lesser spotted woodpeckers in the recording area over the years. The quarries I've started watching again are Acrenook Sand Quarry, where the Caspian tern was found in July 2013, and Lapwing Hall Pool. There is a link below of the area and the other surrounding quarries in the area.Most quarries are unaccessible to the public, which is frustrating, but the number of bird species recorded over the years is in the 190's. Regular birding in the area is based on the common species of wetland, woodland, and farmland birds.

Click Link Below 
Map Of Chelford Sand Quarries

The Two Quarries I'm Birding

Lapwing Hall Pool with Shutlingsloe in the Peak District in the distance

Acre Nook Sand Quarry

Anyway, after a brief description of the area, I visited today and soon found the long-staying black-necked grebe on Lapwing Lane pool along with Wigeon, Shoveller, Tail, Goldeneye, Coot, Murray, Greylag, and Canada Goose.

 Black-necked Grebe

Goldeneye

Walking around the pool, I also saw Meadow pipit and flushed 6 Snipe.

Meadow Pipit

Walking back to the car, I looked in at Acrenook, where I connected with Lapwing, Shelduck, and Mute Swan, and a green woodpecker was calling from the Mosses.

 Shelduck

Mute Swan

The field across from Lapwing Farm had Fieldfare and Redwings in it before a Sparrowhawk got them all up. Dunnock, Goldcrest, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Wren, Blue, and Great Tits were in the hedgerows.

Redwing

Dunnock

A good hour of birding, and it really breaks the day up, and I'm really lucky to have it on my doorstep so close to work.