CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 25TH MARCH 2017

WIRRAL

Hilbre-31 Little Gulls,Merlin,Stonechat and small fall of Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs.

Leasowe-Glaucous Gull on sea.

Gilroy-5 Sand Martin and a Swallow.

BurtonMarsh-3 Great White Egret.

Burton RSPB-1 Little Gull (1st year).

Meols-Water Rail.

CHESHIRE

Hale-Lapland Bunting,2 Water pipit's and a Spotted Redshank.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN

EASTERN BLACK REDSTART-1st Winter male-Skinningrove-Cleveland.

HUDSONIAN GODWIT-Adult again at Boat Cove NT-Perranuthnoe-Cornwall.

DAYOUT BIRDING IN CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL

I started off this morning's birding at Hale where I soon connected with the Drake Garganey on Town lane,the bird had been found the previous day on Carr lane pools.

DRAKE GARGANEY

I spent a good hour looking for the Lapland bunting which had also been seen the previous day but couldn't relocate it.A single Water pipit put in a brief appearance on Carr lane pools before being flushed.A Raven was calling overhead and there were also 3 little grebes on the pool.

 RAVEN

LITTLE GREBE

Moving on from here I called in at Burton RSPB where the Little Gull was showing well.

1ST WINTER LITTLE GULL

I also saw my first Chiffchaff of the year as I was walking around the reserve.

 CHIFFCHAFF

There were plenty of birds on the reserve today with 71 Avocets returning along with good numbers of Black Tailed Godwits.A single Spotted Redshank was seen from the Marsh Covert hide and a flyover Sparrowhawk.

 SPOTTED REDSHANK

SPARROWHAWK

Moving on towards Burton point I connected with 21 Whooper Swans,thousands of Pink footed geese,Great White egret and my first 2 Wheatears of the year.

WHEATEAR

Walking back to the car I spotted a Common Lizard sat out in the sun on a fence.

COMMON LIZARD

The evening was spent at Leasowe looking for Spring migrants but it was very quiet.I did connect with a Greenshank on the groyne though.

GREENSHANK

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 24TH MARCH 2017

WIRRAL

Leasowe-11 Little Gull flew east.

Burton Point-3 Wheatear and a Stonechat by sheep pens.

Neston Marsh-7,000 Pink-footed Geese.

Frankty Cemetry-Willow Warbler in song.

Newton-West Kirby-2 Wheatear in field and 2 Sand Martin.

Denhall Quay-Short-eared Owl.

Parkgate-2 Short-eared Owl.

West Kirby-Drake Goosander in Caldy Wildfowl Collection (off Column road).

Burton Marsh-Hen Harrier (ringtail),3 Great White Egret and 20 Whooper Swan.

Burton RSPB-Little Gull (1st year),71 Avocet,Marsh Harrier,9 Chiffchaff,Cetti's Warbler and a Spotted Redshank. 

CHESHIRE

Hale-Lapland Bunting-one in the hedgerow by stubble field to north of Carr Lane Pool.Drake Garganey,Water pipit and Cattle Egret.

Hartford-Waxwing-20 at end of Carriage Drive by primary school car park.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN

KILLDEER-1ST winter-still-Sandwick-Mainland,Shetland.

EASTERN BLACK REDSTART-1st Winter male-Skinningrove-Cleveland.

HUDSONIAN GODWIT-Adult again at Boat Cove NT-Perranuthnoe-Cornwall.

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 23RD MARCH 2017

WIRRAL

Burton RSPB-2 Spotted Redshank,Little gull and 3 Wheatear.

Burton Marsh-2 Great White egrets.

CHESHIRE

Sandbach flashes-Snow goose,2 Little ringed plovers and a Merlin.

Neumann's Flash-Adult Mediterranean gull.

Northwich-50 Waxwings behind Charles Darwin primary school.

Gowy Meadows-Juv Glaucous gull at Landfill site.

Hale-5 Water pipits,Garganey and Ring ouzel over Town lane.

GRAND OPENING OF PETE ANTROBUS BIRD HIDE

I visited Neumann's flash in Northwich today to celebrate the grand opening of Pods hide.My best mate Pete died suddenly last year and the money raised in donations was given to FOAM-Friends of Anderton and Marbury by his loving wife Debbie.

THE AREA WHERE THE PROJECT STARTED

PODS HIDE NOW IT IS COMPLETED

 DEBBIE OPENING THE HIDE

A GREAT TURN OUT FOR THE OPENING OF THE HIDE

Everyone that has been involved in the project has done a fantastic job on the hide and its surroundings.A Mediterranean Gull put in a brief appearance as well as were in the hide.

 MEDITERRANEAN GULL

BREEDING SWALLOWS SWITH HEMISPHERES

A new study has found that North American Barn swallows are now proliferating in Argentina, having switched their entire annual cycle by six months.CLICK ON LINK

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 22ND MARCH 2017

WIRRAL

Parkgate-short eared owl

CHESHIRE

Bollington-23 Waxwings next to Coronation gardens-Palmerston street. 

Sandbach flashes-Avocet-Pumphouse flash.

Maw Green tip-Great white egret-2 Juv Glaucous gulls and Juv Iceland gull.

SNOW GOOSE-SANDBACH FLASHES-21ST MARCH 2017

I visited Sandbach this afternoon as a blue-morph Snow goose had been found on Pumphouse Flash. The bird showed well on arrival, and this was my first sighting of this species in Cheshire and Wirral.

SNOW GOOSE

Other birds of note were three Little Ringed Plover, which were my first of the year.

LITTLE RINGED PLOVER

Hopefully the Snow Goose will be accepted, but I will leave that to the powers that be. It's a good insurance tick and a great find by Patch regular Janet Jones.

BIRDGUIDES REVIEW OF RARE BIRDS THIS WEEK IN BRITAIN 15TH-21ST MARCH 2017

REVIEW OF THE WEEK CLICK ON LINK
BY JOSH JONES

PHOTO OF THE WEEK 15TH-21ST FEBRUARY 2017

CLICK ON LINK

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 21ST MARCH 2017

WIRRAL

Parkgate-2 Great White Egret.

Burton RSPB-Cattle Egret,Little Gull and 3 Spotted Redshank.

CHESHIRE

Sandbach-32 Waxwings on Abbey road.

Sandbach flashes-Blue morph Snow goose,Juv Iceland gull,juv Glaucous gull and Mediterranean gull-Pumphouse flash.

Woolston Eyes-3 Black necked grebes-N03 bed.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN

EASTERN BLACK REDSTART-1st Winter male-Skinningrove-Cleveland.

ATTEMPTED PREDATION OF A NORTHERN WHEATEAR BY AN ISABELLINE SHRIKE

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AMERICAN WILDLIFE SYSTEM TO SUFFER MASSIVE BUDGET CUTS.

Just days after the US Refuge System celebrated its 114th birthday, the Trump Administration has announced dramatic and damaging cuts to conservation programs.CLICK ON LINK

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 20TH MARCH 2017

WIRRAL

Burton RSPB-Little Gull (1st year) and 3 Sand Martin.

Meols-Greenshank.

Parkgate-Hen Harrier (ringtail).

CHESHIRE

Spike Island-Willow Warbler.

Kelsall-Waxwing-22 still in orchard at Eddisbury from farm-west of Yeld lane.

Sandbach flashes-Juvenile Glaucous gull-Pumphouse flash and Juvenile Glaucous gull-Maw green tip.

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 19TH MARCH 2017

WIRRAL

Burton RSPB-Little Gull,3 Spotted redshank and Little ringed plover.

Gayton-Common Whitethroat-Wirral way.

Bidston-Willow warbler singing east side main lake at Bidston moss.

CHESHIRE
Kelsall-Waxwing-Flock still in orchard at Eddisbury from farm-west of Yeld lane.

Maw Green Tip-Juvenile Glaucous gull and Juvenile Iceland gull.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN

BLUE ROCK THRUSH-Adult male-Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire.

KILLDEER-1st Winter-Sandwick-Mainland-Shetland.

PUFFINS SET TO BENEFIT FROM HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND GRANT

An RSPB Scotland project to aid conservation efforts for Puffins has been awarded £49,800 by the Heritage Lottery Fund.CLICK ON LINK