#LOCAL BIG YEAR

28th March

News came out this morning that a female Ring Necked duck had been found at Acre nook sand quarry so a quick detour on my way to me mam's in Holmes chapel and the bird was on.Not in my radius but nice to see and a great find by the observer.A male has turned up now with the female on the 14th of April

Ring Necked Duck

April 9th

A quick detour whilst out shopping and a Whimbrel was seen on the Wallasey coastline,probably the over wintering bird from Seaforth.

April 10th

News came out first thing that 2 male Ring ouzels were at Hoylake langfields.On arrival the two birds showed really well in a ploughed field.

After cracking views of these stonking birds,I spent a few hours at Leasowe where I saw my first Sand martin of the year.

April 11th

This morning Graham Connolly had found a male Pied flycatcher by the road side in Moreton.

Pied Flycatcher

(C)Graham Connolly

I arrived on site but there was no further sign of the bird.Then I rang Jane turner as she thought she mightn't have an Iberian Chiffchaff in her garden.Jane had already caught the bird and done all the recordings but the bird was in a bad way so she had released it.The bird had no fat on it what so ever so after a good feed in Janes garden the bird had turned up again,happily feeding around her conservatory.I soon got on the bird on arrival and it looked really pretty good for Iberian after belting views.Poo sample gathered and sound recordings have gone off so we will wait and see on this one!Fingers crossed.

April 12th

I spent the morning at Hale looking for migrant birds this morning and connected with my first Willow warbler and Swallow of the year at Pickerings pasture.A Water pipit put in a brief but showy appearance and 2 Barnacle geese and a Greenshank were on Hale marsh.3 Little Ringed plovers,2 Avocet and a Common sandpiper were on Carr lane pools and a fly over House martin headed towards the Mersey.

2 Barnacle geese were on Hale marsh

The evening was spent at Leasowe where I saw my first male Redstart of the year and another two Ring ouzels

April 14th

Spent the morning at Coastguards for high tide in Wallasey.I connected with 37 Sandwich terns and had 2 Swallow flying overhead.

First Sandwich terns of the year

After high tide I headed for Leasowe where I saw my first Reed warbler of the year and 2 sedge warbler.Good numbers of Blackcap,Willow warbler and Chiffchaff were about along with a male Ring Ouzel from yesterday.

Up to 14 Blackcaps were seen throughout the area

There back!2 sedge warblers were back in the small pond along with a Water Rail calling

Moving on from Leasowe I called in at Hoylake where 73 White wagtail had been reported from Red rocks to Kings gap,it didn't take long to relocate the birds.

White Wagtail

A visit to Red rocks after this produced my first Grasshopper warbler of the year and a Whitethroat in full song.Another Reed warbler was calling and a male Sparrowhawk flew over low towards the golf course

Whitethroat

Red Rocks Nature Reserve

After leaving here it came out on the Wirral's Whats app group that an Osprey had flown over Leasowe and was heading for Hoylake.I drove towards Kings gap and looked to the skies.News then came out the bird had landed at Dove point on the beach and was eating a fish.I met Chris williams on arrival who put me straight on the bird!What a bird,I had been looking up at the skies for the last two weeks and here was one sat out in the afternoon sun.

The view I got of the Osprey on arrival

Over the next hour the bird just sat on the beach eating a fish.

Walking further down the beach the Osprey eventually took off after being attacked by Herring Gulls and flew straight over us and headed south towards the fields.

The Osprey looked injured on flight flews with damage to its outer primary feathers,the bird was refound sat in some willows off Park lane which wasn't that far away and  unbelievably stayed there until sunset and roosted.

A fantastic days birding on the North wirral coast and some quality birds added to the list!

 

CHESHIRE BIRD NEWS AND MEGAS

SUMMARY OF DAILY BIRD NEWS

Apr 14th

2 Black Tern-Budworth Mere-Northwich

Black tern

(C)Malc Curtin

Common Redstart-Gowy meadows

29 Black necked Grebe-Woolston Eyes

Ring Necked Duck-Two (drake and female) still on west side viewed from footpath off Whisterfield Lane-Acre Nook Sand Quarry

Ring Necked Duck

3 Ring Ouzel and Redstart-Male-Bickerton Hill

Grasshopper warbler,Whitethroat and Reed warbler-Red Rocks

73 White Wagtail most between Red Rocks and Kings Gap - Hoylake Beach.

2 Ring Ouzel,Kingfisher,2 Sedge Warbler,2 Reed Warbler,2 Swallow,2 Wheatear, 14 Blackcap and 12 Willow Warbler - Leasowe Lighthouse.

2 Ruddy Shelduck,Long-tailed Duck,9 Spotted Redshank,Garganey (male),Green Sandpiper,2 Yellow Wagtail,2 Whimbrel,4 Wheatear plus several Common Whitethroat - Burton Mere Wetlands.

490 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Widfowl Collection.

37+ Sandwich Tern and 2 Swallow - Wallasey Shore.

Osprey landed on shore and ate a fish then flew inland and landed in tree near Park lane!! - Meols Shore.

(C)Patrick Earith

(C)Sean O'Hara

Common Whitethroat,Wheatear,2 Stonechat (pair) and 2 Raven - Gayton Marsh (off golf course).

14 Red-breasted Merganser and 2 Eider (pair) out in main Dee channel seen off Thurstaston.

MEGA NEWS

BLACK BROWED ALBATROSS-Bempton Cliffs-East Yorkshire

BELTED KINGFISHER-Samlesbury-Lancashire

Apr 13th

3 Ring Ouzel-Bickerton Hill

Common Redstart-Higher Marston

Common Redstart

(C)Malc Curtin

Western Osprey-One flew north over Radnor Mere-Alderley Park

Western Osprey-One flew north-Wigg Island

Ring Ouzel,6 Common Redstart,15+ Wheatear and a Grasshopper Warbler - Hoylake Langfields.

Ring Ouzel in tree by Wirral Way - Caldy.

Ring Ouzel - Burton Point.

Osprey over - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Ring Ouzel, 3 Grasshopper Warbler,Common Redstart,Sedge Warbler and 21 Wheatear - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Common Redstart in fields inland of Meols.

Common Redstart

(C)Graham Parry

69 Sandwich Tern and a drake Eider - Wallasey Shore.

240 Shelduck, 1pr Eider, 1pr Wigeon, 24 Little Egret,165 Oystercatcher, 183 Grey Plover,Golden Plover,200 Knot,1200 Dunlin,Common Sandpiper,6 Whimbrel, 460 Curlew,Greenshank,2800 Redshank - Heswall Shore.

42 White Wagtail - Hoylake Beach.

MEGA NEWS

BLACK BROWED ALBATROSS-Bempton Cliffs-East Yorkshire

BELTED KINGFISHER-Samlesbury-Lancashire

Apr 12th

Yellow Wagtail-Over-Croft

Yellow Wagtail-One in flooded horse paddock opposite former Fiddle I’th Bagg pub, Old Alder Lane-Winwick

Ring Ouzel-At least two in fenced field above Goldford Lane car park and Common Redstart-Bickerton Hill

Common Redstart-One along drystone wall between mast and Ackers Wood-Mow Cop

Yellow Wagtail-Leek Field-Newchurch Common

1st Winter Little Gull-Tatton Park

4 Little Gull and 6 Yellow wagtail-Acre Nook sand Quarry

Ring Ouzel,15 White Wagtails,Tree Pipit and Yellow Wagtail-Hoylake

Little Stint-Meols

Ring Ouzel-Female at Carr Lane Pools viewed from Carr Lane and water Pipit-Hale

2 Garganey,Sedge Warbler and Female Long Tailed Duck-Burton RSPB

Ring Ouzel-Male-Station Road-Burton Village

White Wagtail,Reed Warbler,Sedge Warbler,18 Black Necked Grebe and Kittiwake-Headed north-Woolston Eyes

Ring Ouzel,Little tern and Grasshopper warbler - Hilbre.

Ring Ouzel

Little Tern

Great Egret in gutter,30+ Wheatear,10+ Swallow,House Martin,2 Sand Martin, c20 Willow Warbler and c10 Chiffchaff - Meols Common (between east end of prom and groyne).

Tree Pipit,Short Eared Owl,6 Common Redstart (males) off Park Lane,5 Ring Ouzel,30+ Wheatear and 2 Grasshopper Warbler - Leasowe Lighthouse.

2 Ring Ouzels

(C)Graham Connolly

Common Redstart

(C)Pete Sutton

MEGA NEWS

BLACK BROWED ALBATROSS-Bempton Cliffs-East Yorkshire

BELTED KINGFISHER-Samlesbury-Lancashire

Apr 11th

Western Osprey-Flew North-Neumanns Flash-Northwich

Common Redstart-Fisherman's Path-Budworth Mere-Northwich

Tree Pipit-Meols

White Wagtail,Yellow Wagtail and Female Ring Necked Duck-Acre Nook Sand Quarry

Yellow Wagtail-Sandbach Flashes

12 Black necked Grebe-Woolston Eyes

Lots of Hirundines flying through today.

Ring Ouzel in Kerr's Field,7 Wheatear in paddocks towards Meols - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Grasshopper reeling,Little Ringed Plover,2 male Garganey,Bittern and a Long-tailed Duck - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Iberian Chiffchaff (caught and ringed,call recorded) in sea-front garden, also Osprey over - Hoylake.

Iberian Chiffchaff

(C)Jane Turner

Pied Flycatcher (male) in shrubs next to Upton Road - Moreton.

Pied Flycatcher

(C)Graham Connolly

10 Wheatear - Burton Marsh Farm.

4 Wheatear - Cubbins Green, West Kirby.

MEGA NEWS

BLACK BROWED ALBATROSS-Bempton Cliffs-East Yorkshire

BELTED KINGFISHER-Samlesbury-Lancashire

Apr 10th

5 Little Gull-Tatton park

Yellow Wagtail and Female Ring Necked Duck-Acre Nook Sand Quarry

Western Cattle Egret-At least one still in cattle field south of Marsh Lane-Ince Marshes

Female Long tailed Duck-Drake Garganey,Little Ringed Plover and 2 Spotted Redshank-Burton RSPB

Western Osprey-Circled over-Arpley Tip

Western Osprey-Flew east-Middlewich

Western Osprey-Flew North-Dandbower Quarry

Siberian Chiffchaff-Trapped and Ringed-Red Rocks

2 Ring Ouzel (males) on ploughed field,2+ White Wagtail and 2 Stonechat - Hoylake Langfields.

Ring Ouzel

(C)Allan Conlin

1360 Pink-footed Geese flew north by 08:20,27 Little Egret,180 Oystercatcher, 63 Grey Plover,420 Knot,1250 Dunlin,215 Black-tailed Godwit,470 Curlew, 2400 Redshank - Thurstaston Shore.

Common Whitethroat singing on Wirral Way - Heswall.

Ring Ouzel (male) in field by Kerr's Field - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Mega News

WHITE TAILED LAPWING-Ken Hill Marshes-Norfolk

BLACK BROWED ALBATROSS-Bempton Cliffs-East Yorkshire

BELTED KINGFISHER-Samlesbury-Lancashire

Apr 9th

7 Wheatear bottom of Station Road - Burton.

Long-tailed Duck,2 Spotted Redshank,2 Mediterranean Gull and 2 Garganey - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Tree Pipit - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Water Pipit and Western Cattle Egret-Frodsham Marshes

3 Ruddy Shelduck-Pickerings Pasture

14 Black Necked Grebe-N03 Bed-Woolston Eyes

Female Ring Necked Duck-Acre Nook Sand Quarry

5 Little Gull-Tatton park

Mega News

WHITE TAILED LAPWING-Ken Hill Marshes-Norfolk

BLACK BROWED ALBATROSS-Bempton Cliffs-East Yorkshire

BELTED KINGFISHER-Samlesbury-Lancashire