31 January 2017
30 January 2017
AFTERNOON'S BIRDING ON THE NORTH WIRRAL COAST
PURPLE SANDPIPER
DUNLIN
THE PONTOON AT NEW BRIGHTON IS A GREAT PLACE TO GET GOOD VIEWS OF PURPLE SANDPIPER
Moving on from New Brighton I headed towards Hoylake where I had a look for a Snow Bunting which had been reported yesterday around the life guard station but there was no sign of it.There were good variety of waders on the beach and I had good views of Knot and Grey Plover.
KNOT
With the weather now turning I headed for West Kirby marine lake where I soon found the 2 Goosanders,12 Red breasted mergansers and 2 Goldeneye which have present on the marine lake for a while.
GOOSANDER
GOLDENEYE
RED BREASTED MERGANSER
LOOKING OUT FROM THE MARINE LAKE TOWARDS HILBRE ISLAND
A quick call in at Heswall on the way home to see some more Waxwings rounded off a nice afternoon's birding.
29 January 2017
28 January 2017
COLD LOVING SPECIES THREATENED BY CLIMATE CHANGE AND HABITAT LOSS
Some of the UK's best-loved birds and butterflies could be wiped out as there is not enough habitat for them to cope with the effects of a warming climate, a study involving British Trust for Ornithology and Butterfly Conservation has revealed.CLICK ON LINK
BTO WINTER RAFFLE
The BTO is the UK's leading charity dedicated to monitoring wild bird populations to inform their conservation. We undertake scientific research and activities, through a partnership between scientists and UK-wide volunteers, to provide objective information and advice about changing wildlife and environments to inform policies and decisions which will support a wildlife-rich environment in the long term.CLICK ON LINK
27 January 2017
26 January 2017
25 January 2017
23 January 2017
22 January 2017
THE TOP 10 WESTERN PALEARCTIC VAGRANTS OF 2016
As a continuation of last year's popular 'TOP 10 Craziest Western Palearctic vagrants of 2015' article, here I present an updated top 10 for the year 2016. There weren't quite as many individual stand-out records as in 2015 yet nonetheless the year served up several new birds for the region, including some genuine shocks, as well as some classy and popular vagrants.CLICK ON LINK
21 January 2017
20 January 2017
BOU TO ADOPT IOC WORLD BIRD LIST
The British Ornithologists' Union (BOU) has announced that it is to adopt the International Ornithological Congress (IOC) World bird list for all its ornithological needs, including the British list, from 1 January 2018.CLICK ON LINK
19 January 2017
WAXWINGS IN ELLESMERE PORT
It's turning out to be a tremendous winter for Waxwings throughout the UK and Cheshire and Wirral hasn't gone without seeing good numbers being recorded during this influx.I have been lucky this year where I live in Ellesmere port as I found five birds at the beginning of the month and up to 20 have spent the last two weeks at Alder drive in Great Sutton.I visited the area this morning and soon connected with 15 birds as I drove into the drive.
15 WAXWINGS WERE PRESENT THIS MORNING
On arrival I was greeted by a few of the local residents who were made up that the birds had stayed and they couldn't believe how many birders had visited the area.A free cup of tea and biscuits went down well why taking a few photos.HAPPY DAYS!
18 January 2017
17 January 2017
BIKING BIRDER BREAKS EUROPEAN GREEN YEAR LIST RECORD
Chris Boardman, Jason Kenny, Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins all feature on the list of illustrious British cycling champions... but how about Gary Prescott?CLICK ON LINK
GULLS,MINK AND NUTRIENTS IMPLICATED IN POCHARD DECLINE
Reasons for the recent decline of Common Pochard have been scientifically investigated for the very first time by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT).CLICK ON LINK
LONG TAILED DUCK-ASTBURY MERE COUNTRY PARK-17TH JAN 2017
I was passing Congleton this morning so I called in to Astbury mere to try and see the female Long Tailed duck which has been present since last Wednesday.I parked up the car and soon found the bird.
LONG TAILED DUCK
The last record of Long tailed duck at this site was twenty one years ago.
PATCHWORK CHALLENGE 2016-THE WINNERS
It's the end of year update and, contrary to custom, it's the all-important tables first and the December update second — after all, it is the final standings that we're all interested in!CLICK ON LINK
16 January 2017
14 January 2017
13 January 2017
ALIEN BIRD RISK FROM PET TRADE
The trade in caged birds poses a risk to native species if the pets escape into the wild, UK researchers say.CLICK ON LINK
12 January 2017
10 January 2017
SANDPIPERS GO THE EXTRA 8,000 MILES TO HAVE AS MUCH SEX AS POSSIBLE
Small birds were observed travelling to as many as 24 different breeding sites in Alaska within six weeks, further than flying from Paris to Moscow.CLICK ON LINK
Further reading by Bart Kempenaers CLICK ON LINK
Further reading by Bart Kempenaers CLICK ON LINK
9 January 2017
RED KITES GENERATE MILLIONS FOR THE ECONOMY
People visiting Dumfries and Galloway to see the region’s red kites have contributed over £8.2m to the local economy, a new report has found.CLICK ON LINK
8 January 2017
REVIEW OF THE WEEK OF BIRDS RECORDED IN CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL 1ST JAN- 7th JAN 2017
WIRRAL BIRD SIGHTINGS
Burton RSPB-2 Spotted Redshank were present on the 4th.A Water pipit was seen on the 5th.A Male and Ringtail Hen harrier were present over the reserve on the 7th.On Burton marsh a Short eared owl was seen daily along with a Hen Harrier.A Great White Egret was seen on the 4th and 6th.Hilbre Island-2 Scaup were present on the 2nd until the 5th.A Velvet Scoter was seen on the 4th.A Snow Bunting was seen on the path onto the islands on the 5th.
Parkgate-4 Hen Harriers(1 Male) were present on the 5th.
Neston Marsh-2 Water Pipits were present around the sewage works on the 2nd and a Green Sandpiper.A Great White Egret was seen on the 3rd along with a Ringtail Hen Harrier.
Arrowe Park Lake-30+ Mandarin Duck were present on the 7th.
Heswall Marsh-2 Twite were 150m south of Sheldrakes with a small finch flock on the 6th.
West Kirby Marine Lake-45 Brent Geese were present on the morning of the 7th this is the highest ever number for this site.There were also 3 Goosander and 3 Red-breasted Merganser.
CHESHIRE BIRD SIGHTINGS
Newchurch Common-The redhead Smew and Red Crested Pochard remained all week.
Chelford-The Black necked grebe was still present throughout the week at Lapwing hall pool.
Sandbach Flashes-2 Great White Egrets were present on the 1st and 2nd.A Yellow Legged Gull was seen on the 2nd and 4th.
Woolston Eyes-A Siberian Chiffchaff was trapped and ringed on the 1st.
Frodsham Marshes-2 Little Stints remained throughout the week and a Great White egret was seen on Frodsham score on the 2nd.
Hale-7 Water Pipits were seen on Carr lane pools on the 3rd,there were only two present by the 4th.Also on the 4th 3 Bean Geese flew over the pools.
BEAN GEESE
(C)D.CRAVEN
Ince Marshes-A Great White Egret was present on the 3rdMoore Nature Reserve-A Bittern was seen in the eastern reed bed on the 2nd,4th and 5th.
Marbury County Park-2 Bitterns were seen at dusk in the Coward reed bed on the 1st.1 bird was present on the 4th and 6th.
BITTERN
Warrington-A juvenile Glaucous gull flew over the junction of the A49 and A574 on the 5th.Richmond Bank-An adult and 3rd-winter Caspian Gull were present on the 3rd.
The Waxwing influx continued with good numbers of birds being seen all over Cheshire and the Wirral at numerous sites.
I FOUND FIVE WAXWINGS MYSELF ON THE 4TH IN ELLESMERE PORT
SATURDAY BIRDING
I had a drive down into Staffordshire this morning after the fog had eventually cleared to try and see three Tundra Bean geese that were present at Whitmore.This was a new site for me but I eventually found it and parked up on Bent lane to find a flooded field that had been dammed by the local farmer,he had also dropped off hundreds of old potatoes for the geese.The three Bean geese were present on arrival in with a flock of Grey Lag geese.
TUNDRA BEAN GOOSE
I hadn't seen a Bean goose for years so to see three together on a site that a farmer had man made was nice to see.There was also a Pink Footed goose in with the flock and two Pintail.
PINK FOOTED GOOSE
This was a great site that hopefully will get some good birds in the future.
THE FLOODED FIELD OFF BENT LANE
Moving on from here I headed back into Cheshire and called in to my regular site for Marsh Tit.I didn't have to wait that long until one came on to the feeders and showed really well.
MARSH TIT
Four birds were eventually seen on the feeders during my visit.
6 January 2017
SCHOOL CHILDREN SET TO SURVEY BRITISH BIRDS
Tens of thousands of schoolchildren across Britain will be swapping books for binoculars this term to take part in the RSPB's Big Schools' Birdwatch.CLICK ON LINK
BOOMING GOOD AFTERNOON AT MARBURY COUNTRY PARK!
I visited Marbury country park this afternoon after finishing my course at work and jammed in on a Bittern as I arrived at the hide.
BITTERN
Luck or what,some guy had sat for over two hours looking for it.Other birds of note were a drake Goldeneye,two Kingfishers and two Goosanders.
BLUE TITS MISSING FROM GARDENS AFTER WASHOUT SUMMER
The latest figures from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) show that Blue Tit numbers are down, probably due to the unusually wet summer.CLICK ON LINK
4 January 2017
AN AFTERNOON'S BIRDING AT MOORE NATURE RESERVE
I set off mid morning for Moore nature reserve and as I was driving through my home town of EllesmerePort I noticed five Waxwings in a tree by the side of the road.Parking the car up by the side of the road the birds flew onto some small rowan trees.
With the the Northwest going through an influx of these stunning birds I was made up to find these just down the road from my home.Anyway I reported them out to the birdnews service and left them for other birders to enjoy.
I arrived at Moore in Warrington and headed straight for the feeding station where I soon connected with a Willow tit and a good selection of other woodland birds.
WILLOW TIT
GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER
LONG TAILED TIT
JAY
Moving onto the eastern reed bed I gave it an hour but there was no sign of the Bittern that had been reported but I did see two Green Woodpeckers.
GREEN WOODPECKER
My next destination was Pickerings pasture where I soon found the resident Bullfinches around the carpark,three males were present along with five female birds.
BULLFINCH
Hale was my next stop where I soon got good scope views of two Water Pipits off Town lane.
CARR LANE POOLS-HALE
Moving on into Hale I had a look for the Little owl in its favoured spot but there was no sign.I couldn't resist a picture of my partner Dianne stood by giant John middleton.
JOHN MIDDLETON
A good afternoon's birding which was finished off with the sunset at Hale lighthouse.
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