CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS

 

25th May

Osprey-One on sandbank-Pickerings Pasture

Garganey-Drake again on No 3 Bed-Woolston Eyes-PERMIT ONLY-To join click here >

2 Common Quail-Singing male still in field south of Woodend Lane; note Holly Bush Lane is a private road, park elsewhere and walk-Rixton

24th May

Common Quail-Singing male still in field south of Woodend Lane; note Holly Bush Lane is a private road, park elsewhere and walk-Rixton

Osprey-One from Hale Head Lighthouse-Hale

23rd May

Garganey (drake) - Burton Mere Wetlands.

2 Curlew sandpiper, Little stint and Osprey-Hale

22nd May

Whinchat, at least 2 Spotted Flycatcher and a Whinchat - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Spotted Flycatcher briefly in bushes by car park - Riverbank Road, Heswall.

Common Quail-Singing male still in field south of Woodend Lane; note Holly Bush Lane is a private road, park elsewhere and walk-Rixton

Curlew Sandpiper-One near Hale Head Lighthouse-Hale

21st May

Wood sandpiper-Sweeney Wetlands

Greater Scaup-Adult drake still-West Kirby Marine Lake

Garganey-Drake again on No 4 Bed then flew towards No 3 Bed-Woolston Eyes-PERMIT ONLY-To join click here >

20th May

Black-throated Diver-Two on sea off the north end and 2 Manx Shearwater, 8 Arctic Tern, 3 Razorbill, 10 Guillemot and 210 Common Scoter-Hilbre Island

19th May

Ruddy Shelduck-Still at the south end of Rode Pool-Rodeheath

Greater Scaup-Adult drake still-West Kirby Marine Lake

20 Black-necked grebe-Woolston Eyes-PERMIT ONLY-To join click here >

18th May

Cuckoo flew east over Stanley Road - Hoylake.

17th May 

Little Stint-East of lighthouse-Hale

Greater Scaup-Adult drake still-West Kirby Marine Lake

Ruddy Shelduck-Again, flew west-Runcorn

16th May 

Scaup (drake) still - West Kirby Marine Lake.

c250 Dunlin (including some alpina), 200 Ringed Plover and 30 Sanderling at high tide - Hoylake.

c30 Swift low over Park Lane - Meols.

Little Stint-East of lighthouse-Hale

BIRDGUIDES REVIEW OF THE WEEK:11TH-17TH MAY 2026

There were plenty of cold northerly winds in the forecast last week, but this provided the necessary conditions for a bumper movement of Long-tailed Skua in the far north and north-west of Scotland. Read more>

A SPRING DAY IN THE FIELD

The weather this week has been far from ideal, with frosts down in Oxfordshire and only fleeting spells of sunshine. Unsurprisingly, birding has been fairly quiet, with just the odd sighting here and there. Even so, there have still been a few worthwhile moments in the field.

Despite the conditions, I managed a visit to Theale Gravel Pits near Reading, where a Pectoral Sandpiper was present. The bird was quite distant, but it was still nice to see, as it had been a few years since I last connected with one. It was also my first visit to the site.

Many thanks to (c) Michael Hubbard for kindly allowing the use of his excellent photograph of the bird.

With sunshine finally forecast for this morning, I was keen to make the most of the conditions and head out into the field for the day.

This morning I awoke to sunshine,  a welcome change after a spell of unsettled weather. After getting myself sorted and enjoying a quick breakfast, I took advantage of the conditions and headed out to two sites for a day in the field.

My first stop was Hawkridge Wood in the Valley of the Pang, Berkshire, with one particular target in mind: the Drab Looper moth.

                                                            Hawkridge Wood

On arrival, conditions were ideal, with good numbers of Drab Loopers on the wing alongside Speckled Yellow moths, both feeding on wood spurge.

Wood Spurge

Despite their abundance, photographing them proved challenging because they were extremely active and fast-moving in the heat.

By remaining patient and focusing on a single patch, I was eventually rewarded with opportunities to photograph both species.

Drab Looper

Despite its name, the Drab Looper is anything but uninteresting in terms of behaviour. As the name suggests, it is a rather plain, unpatterned species, but it is one of the few day-flying moths and is strongly associated with warm, sunny weather. When freshly emerged, the wings can show a subtle, silky sheen, though it quickly fades.

In Britain, the species is largely restricted to southern England and Wales, where it inhabits wooded areas. The larvae feed on wood spurge, and adults are typically on the wing from May to June, with a partial second generation occurring in August in the south.

Speckled Yellow Moth

Moving on from here, I drove west to Salisbury Plain, where I had been given a site to try and see the Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth, a species I had never seen before. I knew it would be a long shot, as I wasn’t even sure if they were on the wing yet, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Sailsbury Plain

On arrival, the task looked daunting. On my own, I was faced with vast areas of kidney vetch.

       

Kidney vetch is the food plant of the Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth.

I spent the next two hours searching for the hawk-moth without success, but I did see a few other species while walking around the site.

Green Hairstreak

There were plenty of Brown-banded carder bees on site

Dingy Skipper

Brown Argus

I headed back to the car for a drink, and then the rain set in, although thankfully it was only a short shower. As the sun broke through again, I resumed my search.

Halfway down the plain, there in front of me in the undergrowth, was a Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth. The moth then emerged from the vegetation and started feeding, allowing me to grab a few images before it flew off.

Narrow-bordered bee hawk-moth 

The Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth is a day-flying moth that can be seen on the wing during late spring and early summer. Over the last 50 years, it has undergone a significant decline, largely as a result of the drainage and loss of wet pasture habitats. Although still widely distributed across Britain, it is now considered a scarce and elusive species, most frequently recorded in southern and south-western England.

I felt incredibly lucky to find it, but it was just a reward for a good three-hour search. Soon afterwards, the rain returned, so I happily made my way back to the car.

On the drive home, I called in to see the Great Bustards and was rewarded with brief views of a Stone-curlew and a very vocal Corn Bunting.

Great bustard

Stone culew 

Corn bunting

Despite the mixed weather and long hours searching, the day turned into a memorable one. Connecting with the Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth after such a lengthy search made the effort entirely worthwhile, and the supporting cast of butterflies, bees and birds only added to the experience.

Days like this are a reminder that patience in the field often pays off, especially when the weather finally decides to cooperate.

A thoroughly enjoyable day out and two more moth species added to the list.

A MORNING WITH BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION AT GREAT CHALFIELD MANOR-WILTSHIRE

A first moth event of the year this morning at Great Chalfield Manor, Wiltshire, organised by Butterfly Conservation. I attended a similar event here last year, although in a different part of the grounds, so it was nice to return and catch up with some of the local regulars who made me feel very welcome again.

Great Chalfield Manor

The overnight traps produced a good variety of species, with a selection of moths shown below.

Tawny Pinion

Rustic Shoulder-knot

Eyed Hawk Moth

Light Brocade

Privet Hawk Moth

Pale Tussock

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS

15th May

2 Garganey-(drake and female) at Pumphouse Flash-Sandbach Flashes

41 Black-necked Grebe-Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)

Little Stint-East of lighthouse-Hale

White-tailed Eagle-Probable immature flew west over A556 towards Pickmere-Tabley

Eurasian Spoonbill-One on flash off Mostyn Square, and two flew north towards Heswall-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB

230 Black-tailed Godwit and 12 Mandarin (all drakes) - Caldy Wildfowl Collection.

14th May

Arctic Tern-One on No 4 Bed then flew east along the River Mersey-Woolston Eyes-PERMIT ONLY

Osprey over high and heading north at 0830 - Dove Point, Meols.

100 Shelduck, 500 Oystercatcher, 130 Ringed Plover, 90 Grey Plover, 400 Dunlin, 27 Whimbrel, 125 Curlew at high tide - Heswall Shore.

Quail- Heard at the bottom of Marshlands Road, also a Barn Owl - Neston.

13th May

Curlew Sandpiper- On River Mersey just east of Hale Head Lighthouse-Hale

Common Eider-Five (two drakes and three females) on River Mersey just east of Hale Head Lighthouse

23 Avocet and a Great White Egret-Parkgate

12th May

3 Barn Owl and 2 Great White Egret this evening - Neston Marsh

Greater Scaup-Adult drake still at the south end-West Kirby Marine Lake

11th May

Little Stint-At least two (possibly three) on River Mersey off Lighthouse-Hale

Garganey-Drake still on No 3 Bed-woolston Eyes-Permit Only

10th May

310 Dunlin, 300 Sanderling (over North), 210 Ringed Plover, 8 Shelduck, 3 Whimbrel, Curlew and 23 Little Egret - Hilbre

2 Spoonbill and 8 Great White Egret - Parkgate

9th May

Little Stint-One on the Maersey-Hale

Wood Sandpiper-Carr Lane Pools-Hale

Cuckoo showing well in horse paddocks, also 2+ Wheatear and a Grasshopper Warbler - Leasowe Lighthouse.

2 Spoonbill - Parkgate.

Yellow-legged Gull - Hilbre.

1,500 Knot- Burton Mere Wetlands.

Red Kite heading north over Gayton Lane at 17:15 hrs - Heswall.

8th May

Spotted Redshank and 2 Garganey (drake) on main scrape - Burton RSPB

Whinchat by sheep pens, 2 Hobby by Nets Cafe - Burton RSPB

Osprey flew north late morning, Arctic Skua mobbing Sandwich Terns this evening - Hilbre

Osprey-One flew over this afternoon-Grappenhall

7th May

European Beeeater-Going low south at 19.00pm over Pinfold Lane towards West Kirby 5 mins ago-Flew low over Morrisons car park (just above house height) heading south 19:10 pm-West Kirby

Common Scoter-Mere Farm Quarry

Eurasian Spoonbill, Garganey and Spotted Redshank-Burton RSPB

2 Garganey-Drakes-Still on No3 bed-Woolston Eyes-PERMIT ONLY

6th May

2 Garganey (drakes), 6 Spotted Redshank and a Little Ringed Plover - Burton Mere Wetlands.

234 Whimbrel, 85 Curlew, Greenshank, 20 Redshank on rising tide this afternoon - Heswall Shore.

2 Grasshopper Warbler and a Whinchat - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Garganey-Drake-Still on No3 bed-Woolston Eyes-PERMIT ONLY

5th May 

2 Whinchat-Leasowe Lighthouse

Osprey-One flew Over-Burton RSPB

45 Black-necked Grebes and 3 Drake Garganey-Woolston Eyes-Permit ONLY

4th May 

10 Spotted Redshank-Burton RSPB

Slavonian Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry

Eurasian Spoonbill-Three flew south over Hale Head-Hale

Eurasian Spoonbill- Flew south overBurton RSPB]

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate

Wood Sandpiper-Two on flood from footpath-Sweeney Wetlands

Greater Scaup-Adult drake still -West Kirby Marine Lake

3rd May

2 Wood Sandpiper - Burton RSPB

32 Swallow, 160 Sandwich Tern and 2 Eider - Hilbre

35 Black-necked Grebes and 3 Arctic terns briefly-Woolston Eyes-Permit ONLY

Greater Scaup-Adult drake still -West Kirby Marine Lake

Sanderling-One flew around Pumphouse Flash, then continued North-west-Sandbach Flashes

2nd May 

6 Little Tern, 450 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Whimbrel, 3 Eider, 5 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff and a Whitethroat - Hilbre.

9 Spotted Redshank and 3 Spoonbill - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Greater Scaup-Adult drake still on the east side, and a Common Scoter-West Kirby Marine Lake

Ruddy Shelduck-Wigg Island

1st May 

107 Whimbrel - Heswall Shore.

4 Yellow Wagtail and a Whinchat - Leasowe Lighthouse.

3 Spoonbill, 3 Common Tern, 8 Spotted Redshank, 5 Greenshank, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 

3 Little Ringed Plover and a Willow Tit -  Burton Mere Wetlands.

Red Kite headed east over Liverpool Bay, seen from Hilbre.

Ruddy Shelduck-Drake still on River Mersey-Widnes

Common Crane-One flew east over the yellow barrier at the east end of Thelwall Lane-Woolston Eyes-PERMIT ONLY

Channel Wagtail-Hale

BIRDGUIDES REVIEW OF THE WEEK:5TH-10TH MAY 2026

For a lucky few this past week, Temminck's Stints were on offer. As many as 37 were totalled across England, including those in landlocked Cambridgeshire, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire. The young male Kentish Plover continued at Broom GPs, Bedfordshire, until 6th: the last county record came as long ago as 1967. Read more>

WEEKEND CHASING MARSH FRITILLARY AND GLANVILLE FRITILLARY

Friday 8th May

Working in Oxfordshire, my partner Jenna was due to come down and visit for the weekend. The weather didn’t look great for an already planned trip to Pewsey Downs National Nature Reserve, as Jenna had never seen a Marsh Fritillary before.

Then some news came through on Facebook that Glanville Fritillaries were being seen on the Isle of Wight, a species we had both never seen and had originally planned to look for in June. There was a real chance their flight period might be over by then, so I got in touch with someone via Facebook who had photographed them. Kindly, he gave me the location, and we decided to book onto the Saturday morning ferry from Lymington to Yarmouth, hoping the forecast would hold.

Jenna arrived on Friday to beautiful sunshine, so we headed out to Pewsey Downs National Nature Reserve. It turned out to be a great decision.

Pewsey Downs is a classic chalk downland reserve in Wiltshire and one of the more reliable sites in southern England for the rare Marsh Fritillary. The population here is especially important because it represents a surviving natural metapopulation, maintained through careful grazing and habitat management rather than reintroduction.

Pewsey Downs National Nature Reserve

It didn’t take long before Jenna spotted her first Marsh Fritillary. After some photography, we went on to find another four individuals. I had previously seen the species in Appin, Argyll and Bute, a few years ago, so it was nice to encounter them again in such a healthy habitat.

Once widespread across Britain, the Marsh Fritillary has declined dramatically over the last century due to the loss of damp grassland habitat and the reduction of its larval foodplant, Devil ’s-bit Scabious. The species is naturally very localised, forming fragile metapopulations in which colonies can appear and disappear depending on habitat conditions and seasonal weather.

Pewsey Downs remains an important stronghold thanks to ongoing conservation work, particularly around Sidbury Hill, where grazing maintains suitable conditions. Nearby sites such as Jones’s Mill have previously lost the species, making these remaining colonies even more significant.

Other highlights included a few Burnet Companion moths,  Common Blue, a stunning Adonis Blue, one of Britain’s most striking chalk downland butterflies and a Dingy Skipper.

 

Burnet Companion

Common Blue

Adonis Blue

.                      

 Dingy Skipper

After seeing our target species, we headed back home for an evening meal, with Jenna adding a new butterfly to her list, and what looked like a successful weekend was already taking shape.

Pewsey White Horse

Saturday 9th May

We got up at 4:30 this morning and drove an hour and a half down to Lymington in Dorset, managing to get on an earlier ferry as it wasn’t full. The weather was now forecast to be a nice 20 degrees. Why do we even take notice of the weather forecast? If you listened to it all the time, you’d never go anywhere.

Anyway, we boarded the ferry and enjoyed the early morning sun as we crossed over to the Isle of Wight. 

Leaving Lymington

The site a gentleman on Facebook had kindly given me was only a 15-minute drive from the ferry terminal, and when we parked up, we were met with beautiful views of the white cliffs and sea. Following the directions, we made our way down the coastal path and down some wooden steps to two ponds by the beach.

We had only been there ten minutes when Jenna’s eagle eye found a Glanville Fritillary in the undergrowth. We couldn’t believe she had found one so soon. Then the sun appeared, and suddenly we had at least five flying around us.

The Glanville Fritillary is Britain’s only butterfly now considered truly native only to the Isle of Wight, where its main populations survive on the island’s southern coastal landslips. Historically, it was more widespread across southern and eastern England, even reaching Lincolnshire, but by the mid-1800s it had disappeared from the mainland, leaving the Isle of Wight as its last natural stronghold.

The species exists as a metapopulation, with colonies naturally expanding and declining in cycles depending on weather, foodplant availability and parasitism. In good years, the butterfly can spread beyond its core sites and form temporary colonies elsewhere on the island.

A well-known mainland colony now exists at Hutchinson’s Bank in south London, believed to have originated from unofficial introductions around 2011. Although controversial because the species is not native there, the colony has become firmly established and is now one of the most reliable mainland sites to see the butterfly.

After enjoying views of the butterfly, we headed into Freshwater for a celebratory breakfast.

Freshwater Bay

Our next move was a boat trip around The Needles; the speedboat we went on had us out there in no time. 

The Needles are one of the most recognisable coastal features in the UK, and one I’ve always wanted to see. They are a line of three striking chalk stacks rising out of the sea just off the western tip of the Isle of Wight. Despite the name, there’s no needle-shaped rock; it comes from an older fourth stack called “The Needle”, which collapsed in the 18th century.

Geologically, they are remnants of a long chalk ridge that once extended from the Isle of Wight towards Dorset. Over thousands of years, erosion and marine action cut through the soft chalk, leaving these isolated stacks standing offshore. Their distinctive shape is constantly changing as the sea continues to wear them down.

Because of their exposed position and dangerous surrounding waters, a lighthouse was built in 1859 on the westernmost stack, replacing an earlier light at nearby Alum Bay. The Needles Lighthouse remains an iconic navigation marker today and, together with the coloured cliffs of Alum Bay and the chalk stacks themselves, the area has become one of the Isle of Wight’s most photographed landscapes.

Back on land, we headed back to the car and, unbelievably, a Glanville Fritillary practically landed at my feet.

Moving on from The Needles, we headed east towards Parkhurst Forest, where I wanted to try and locate the Speckled Yellow moth, a day-flying species on the wing in May and a moth I needed. 

Parkhurst Forest

This species prefers warm sunshine and is commonly found in woodland rides, which looked perfect for seeing one at this site, where they had been recorded over the last week. Again, it wasn’t long before I was photographing my first one. We eventually saw at least seven individual moths. 

What a day. Having seen everything we needed, we headed back to Yarmouth to see if we could get an earlier ferry, which we did, as I had another day-flying moth site I wanted to visit on the way back home. We even managed to fit in an ice cream in the sunshine.

We arrived back at Lymington and headed west towards Badbury Rings, an old Iron Age hill fort owned by the National Trust. On arrival, the sun had followed us again, and we made our way up to the wooded area surrounded by calcareous grassland.

Our mission now was to try to find another day-flying moth, the Wavy-barred Sable. Jenna, of course, came up with the first sighting, but it flew off in the wind, and we couldn’t relocate it despite a frustrating twenty minutes of searching.

An hour passed, aimless wandering around, but we did find plenty of Dingy and Grizzled skippers, before I finally saw one sitting out on some vegetation not far from where Jenna had her sighting.

Dingy skipper

Grizzled skipper

Wavy-barred Sable

What a day. We had connected with everything we had set out to see over the weekend.

Absolutely shattered, we sat down, took in the evening sunshine and finally headed home, arriving back just before 8pm for a well-earned curry!