BLACK-NECKED GREBE SEES RECORD YEAR FOR BREEDING

Success for one of the UK’s rarest breeding birds follows restoration and extension of wetland habitat. Read more>

BIRDGUIDES REVIEW OF THE WEEK:24TH-31ST AUGUST 2026

What a final flurry to August that was. Low pressure finally began to dominate, with back-to-back systems arriving from the west, delivering some fantastic sea-watching conditions out west but also excellent drift conditions on the east coast and spells of southerlies. It was truly a week with something for everyone. Read more>

DAILY ROUND-UP OF ALL THE LATEST BIRD SIGHTINGS FROM ACROSS CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL

 

Daily round-up of all the latest bird sightings from across Cheshire and Wirral

31st August 2026

Little Stint-Hale-Still on River Mersey off Hale Lighthouse

Curlew Sandpiper-Hale-27 on River Mersey

Curlew Sandpiper-Pickerings Pasture-Three on shore below car park; also Little Stint

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-10 still at Boathouse Flash

Osprey-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-One over north end

Little Stint-Meols-One off Roman Road

Short-eared Owl-Sandbach Flashes-One flushed from footpath between Pumphouse Flash and Railway Flash by last kissing gate before bridge; park along Clay Lane (CW11 3QY)

30th August 2026

Curlew Sandpiper-Frodsham Marsh-Two at Weaver Bend

Curlew Sandpiper-Hale-16 on River Mersey east of Hale Head Lighthouse

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-14 still at Boathouse Flash

Osprey-Neumann's Flash-One flew south; either use car park (CW9 5LS) or park in New Warrington Road layby (CW9 6DA)

Curlew Sandpiper-Hale-Eight on River Mersey west of Hale Head Lighthouse; also Little Stint

Osprey-Marbury CP-One flew south over Budworth Mere; use Marbury Country Park car park (CW9 6AT; parking fees apply)

Curlew Sandpiper-Hale-Three on River Mersey west of Hale Head Lighthouse

29th August 2026

Ruddy Shelduck-Widnes-One flew over Spike Island

28th August 2026

Wood Sandpiper-Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB-One at Main Scrape from Reception Hide; use RSPB car park off Puddington Lane (CH64 5SF; open 09:00-17:00, £7 entrance fee for non-RSPB-members)

Spotted Redshank and Wood Sandpiper-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-One at Boathouse Flash

16 Eurasian Spoonbills and a Curlew Sandpiper-Juvenile-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-Juvenile at Boathouse Flash

27th August 2026

Curlew Sandpiper-Meols-One-off Holylake tennis courts

Black Tern-Hurleston Reservoir

Garganey-Sandbach Flashes-Female-type again on small pool by Pumphouse Flash

26th August 2026

Little Stint-Hale-One on River Mersey east of Hale Head Lighthouse; also Curlew Sandpiper still

Curlew Sandpiper-Hale-One on River Mersey east of Hale Head Lighthouse

Spotted Redshank-Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB

one; use reserve car park off Puddington Lane (CH64 5SF; open 09:00-19:00, £7 entrance fee for non-RSPB-members)

Little Gull-Astbury Mere CP-One flew north

Wood Sandpiper-Gowy Meadows CWT

Spotted Redshank-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-Still at Boathouse Flash; also 14 Eurasian Spoonbills

25th August 2026

Arctic Skua, 2 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Gannets and 500 Sandwich Terns - Hilbre.

14 Spoonbills, 4 Avocets, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank and a Ruff on Boathouse Flash, Green Sandpiper on Donkeystand Flash - Parkgate.

Ruddy Turnstone-Neumann's Flash-Two; either use car park (CW9 5LS) or park in New Warrington Road layby (CW9 6DA)

24th August 2026

12 Spoonbills and a Spotted Redshank - Boathouse Flash, Parkgate.

23rd August 2026

Black Tern-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Still though distant

Garganey-Sandbach Flashes-Female-type again at Elton Hall Flash

 

Wood Sandpiper-Gowy Meadows CWT-One on pool

12 Spoonbills and a Spotted Redshank - Boathouse Flash, Parkgate.

Spotted Redshank-Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)-Juvenile still; reserve open from 08:00-20:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com

Eurasian Spoonbill-Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)-Juvenile circled No 4 Bed, then flew towards No 3 Bed; reserve open from 08:00-20:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com

22nd August 2026

Curlew Sandpiper- Pickering's Pasture

Black-necked Grebe-Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)-Six still on No 4 Bed; reserve open from 08:00-20:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com

 

6+ Yellow Wagtails and 2 Wheatears- On shore by tennis courts - Meols Shore.

12 Spoonbills,  19 Grey Herons,  2 Water Rails and a Spotted Redshank - Boathouse Flash, Parkgate.

Short-eared Owl-Flew over golf course - Leasowe Bay.

3 Green Sandpipers, Yellow Wagtail, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Wheatears and a Barn Owl- This morning - between Station Road and Burton Point.

Spotted Redshank-Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)-Juvenile still; reserve open from 08:00-20:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com

21st August 2026

10+ Wheatears-In area this morning - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Black-necked Grebe-Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)-At least two still on No 4 Bed; reserve open from 08:00-20:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com

Spotted Redshank-Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)-Unconfirmed report of one on No 4 Bed; reserve open from 08:00-20:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com

Spotted Redshank-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-Still at Boathouse Flash; also 12 Eurasian Spoonbills still

20th August 2026

Little Stint and 4 Yellow Wagtails-Meols Shore.

Osprey-Going North - Burton Point.

Black-necked Grebe-Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)-Three (adult and two juveniles) still on No 4 Bed; reserve open from 08:00-20:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com

Wood Sandpiper-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-One still at Bevyl Road Flash; also 8 Eurasian Spoonbill still at Boathouse Flash

19th August 2026

Slavonian Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Adult still from Whisterfield end

Garganey-Sandbach Flashes-Female-type still at Elton Hall Flash

Spotted Redshank-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-Still at Boathouse Flash; also 9 Eurasian Spoonbills still

Wood Sandpiper-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB-Three at Boathouse Flash

18th August 2026

Curlew Sandpiper-Meols-Adult still on beach off Sandhey slipway

Eurasian Spoonbill-Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB-10 still at Centenary Pool from Border Hide this afternoon; use reserve car park off Puddington Lane (CH64 5SF; open 09:00-19:00, £7 entrance fee for non-RSPB-members)

Red Knot-Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)-Injured adult still on east cell of No 4 Bed from viewing platform; reserve open from 08:00-20:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com

Garganey-Sandbach Flashes-Female type at Elton Hall Flash

A STORMY NIGHT AT FORMBY POINT PRODUCES THE PORTLAND MOTH

Tonight Jenna and I headed over to Formby Point in Lancashire with one particular moth in mind, the Portland Moth. Having checked the forecast before setting off, conditions looked reasonably promising, so we arrived at dusk, just after 8.30pm, and set about getting the moth traps up.

Formby Point

Everything was going according to plan until we heard the first crack of thunder. It wasn't long before the heavens opened. Within minutes, we were absolutely soaked to the bone. The rain was coming down so heavily that there was little option but to retreat back to the car and leave the traps running for the evening. Even the Common Toads seemed to be enjoying the weather. On the walk back, we had to dodge numerous toads making the most of the wet conditions, while above us the thunder continued and lightning repeatedly lit up the sky.

Common Toad

The rain simply didn't stop. At that point, our chances of catching anything worthwhile looked pretty poor, and we were already wondering what sort of state the traps would be in when we eventually returned to collect them. With the weather continuing to deteriorate, another soaking was almost guaranteed.

Then, at around 11.30pm, the rain finally stopped. 

We headed back out to the traps, not really knowing what to expect. What greeted us was completely unexpected. The traps were full of moths! The egg trays were covered with moths, with Archers' Darts and Large Yellow Underwings particularly numerous. There must have been well over 100 Large Yellow Underwings between the traps, an impressive sight when we began turning over the egg boxes.

But then came the moment we had been hoping for. Tucked away quietly in the corner of one of the egg boxes was our target species, a beautiful Portland Moth. What a result! After the torrential rain, thunder and lightning, and our initial doubts about whether we would catch anything at all, finding the Portland Moth made the whole evening worthwhile. Jenna and I were both absolutely made up.

Portland Moth

One of only a few greenish-coloured moths among the Noctuidae, the Portland Moth is a species closely associated with sandy coastal habitats. It occurs in sand dunes, sandy heaths and shingle banks, with its British distribution being mainly coastal.

Despite its name, interestingly, the Portland Moth does not occur on Portland. Although it can be found in parts of Dorset and Devon, it is rather scarce there and is much more frequently encountered in the north-west of England and Scotland. Elsewhere in Britain it occurs in a scattering of localised sites.

The adults are on the wing during August and September and, if disturbed, will often drop to the ground and feign death. The larvae feed on Creeping Willow (Salix repens) and other plants associated with sand-dune habitats. Its close association with these specialised habitats makes the Portland Moth a particularly interesting species to encounter, and finding one at Formby Point was a fantastic result.

Among the other moths in the traps was another species of note, Blackneck.

Blackneck

For many years Blackneck was an extremely scarce moth in Lancashire, with records consisting of little more than occasional and widely scattered sightings. Its fortunes changed dramatically around 2009, when a major population build-up occurred in south Lancashire.

The increase was significant enough for the species to spread eastwards across the county boundary into Yorkshire, where it subsequently became more widely established. Despite this expansion, Blackneck remains a fairly local and specialised species, associated with particular habitats where its foodplant occurs.

Another particularly exciting discovery was a Feathered Gothic, another lifer for both Jenna and me.

Feathered Gothic

This was a fantastic moth to find, particularly given its conservation concerns. Long-term monitoring data from the UK's moth recording schemes have shown a dramatic decline in the species, with Feathered Gothic suffering an estimated 90% population decrease in Britain between 1970 and the mid-2000s. Despite that huge national decline, the species has managed to maintain a relatively resilient presence in some of its preferred Lancashire strongholds. Finding one tonight was therefore a very welcome surprise.

What had started out as a promising evening quickly turned into one of the wettest moth-trapping sessions we have experienced. With thunder, lightning and torrential rain continuing for much of the evening, we had almost written the night off before we had even collected the traps. Yet somehow, when we finally returned, the traps were full. Hundreds of moths, a superb selection of species and, most importantly, the moth we had travelled to Formby Point to find.

It was another reminder that moth trapping can be completely unpredictable. You can look at the forecast, think the conditions are going to be ideal, and then find yourself standing in a thunderstorm, getting soaked to the skin. But that's the great thing about it. You simply never know what is going to be waiting inside the trap.

What a night!

MONTAGU’S HARRIER, UK’S RAREST BREEDING RAPTOR, NESTS SUCCESSFULLY IN ENGLAND FOR SECOND YEAR IN A ROW

The UK’s rarest breeding bird of prey, the Montagu’s Harrier, has nested for the second year running this summer at a secret location in England, successfully raising six youngsters from two nests. Read more>

BIRDGUIDES REVIEW OF THE WEEK:17TH-23RD AUGUST 2026

After a summer almost entirely devoid of any prolonged westerlies, the breakthrough of low pressure finally brought a spell of 'classic' seawatching conditions for Ireland's west coast. Read more>

SEARCHING FOR THE SANDHILL RUSTIC MOTH AT TALACRE BEACH-FLINTSHIRE

I had been looking forward to this evening for some time, having arranged a night searching for one of North Wales’ most intriguing and localised moths, the Sandhill Rustic. A huge thank you goes to Graham Jones-Burton, RSPB warden, for providing us with information about the moth and, importantly, the location where we could search. Unfortunately, due to illness, Graham was unable to join us for the evening, but his help was greatly appreciated.

Joining me for the search were Jenna, Harley, Marc Hughes and Owen Parsons, and together we met at the Talacre Beach car park before dusk. Talacre Beach is a spectacular stretch of sandy coastline in Flintshire, North Wales, where the Dee Estuary meets the Irish Sea. It is well known for its extensive beach and sand dunes, coastal wildlife and the iconic 18th-century Point of Ayr Lighthouse. We made our way towards the area Graham had marked on the map and, as daylight began to fade, we were treated to a stunning sunset over the dunes.

The Sandhill Rustic is a variable species with several distinct coastal colonies around England and Wales. Several forms have been described as separate subspecies because of differences in appearance and food plants according to their geographical location. These include knilli in south-west Ireland, gueneei in North Wales and Lancashire, demuthi in south-east England and leechi in Cornwall. Sadly, the species has suffered losses from some former sites, including the colony at West Kirby on the Wirral. This means the Point of Ayr area in Flintshire is now the nearest colony for us, alongside the population on the Sefton Coast in Lancashire.

One of the key reasons for the Sandhill Rustic's very restricted distribution is its close association with its food plant, sand couch-grass (Elymus farctus, also known as Thinopyrum junceum). This tough, salt-tolerant coastal grass is an important pioneer plant of maritime shores and shifting embryo dunes, helping vegetation become established in these harsh and constantly changing coastal environments. For the Sandhill Rustic, however, the sand couch-grass provides something even more important: its food plant and the habitat in which it spends its life.

With darkness now settled over the dunes, we carefully checked the sand couch-grass, hoping that our target species would reveal itself.

Eventually, our patience paid off and we found four Sandhill Rustic moths, with the individuals clinging to their food plant.

Seeing these beautiful moths in their natural coastal environment was a fantastic experience, particularly given how localised and scarce this species is. 

But the discoveries didn't stop there. Jenna produced another fantastic find when she spotted a Jem Moth sitting out prominently at the top of a clump of sand couch-grass. This was an especially exciting discovery as the Jem Moth was only the second record for Flintshire. 

The Jem

What a fantastic find and an unexpected highlight to add to an already successful evening.

And then Jenna struck again! During the evening, she also discovered Xanthomus pallidus, a remarkably rare species of darkling beetle belonging to the family Tenebrionidae. 

Xanthomus pallidus

This was an incredibly exciting find in its own right. Xanthomus pallidus is a coastal species native to parts of Western Europe and the Mediterranean and is exceptionally rare in Britain, with reportedly only 172 British records. Even more interestingly, there have been a couple of previous records from Gronant, another important area of coastal habitat in North Wales. To discover such a scarce beetle during an evening that had originally been planned specifically to search for the Sandhill Rustic was an incredible bonus and really highlighted just how important these coastal dune systems are for some of our rarest and most specialised wildlife.

A huge thank you once again to Graham Jones for the information that helped make the Sandhill Rustic search possible, and to Jenna, Harley, Marc Hughes and Owen Parsons for joining me on what turned out to be an unforgettable night. Four Sandhill Rustics, a second Flintshire record of Jem Moth, an exceptionally rare darkling beetle, a spectacular sunset and great company- what more could you ask for? Sometimes the rarest treasures are hiding quietly amongst the grasses beneath your feet.

What a Team

CROSSBILL SPLIT PROPOSED TO AVILIST

Two-barred Crossbill could be split into two species, following a proposal to the AviList Taxonomic Committee (TaxCom). Read more>

A MEMORABLE NIGHT OF MIGRANTS – AND AN UNEXPECTED CRICKET FIRST

Alan Lewis and I had planned this weekend some time ago to visit two sites in the South West. Our first port of call was Cornwall to target migrant moths. The main prize was Slender Burnished Brass, a rare immigrant recorded fewer than 100 times in Britain, most of them in southern coastal districts. 

It is most likely to appear between August and October and is usually taken at light. A scarce visitor from North Africa and the Mediterranean region, it turns up in southern England only in small numbers. The standout year was 1969, when at least ten were reported; although the records were spread over eight weeks, the mid-October concentration formed part of a larger immigration that brought in several other scarce species. 

With that target in mind, we set out to spend the night moth-trapping in Cornwall. Alan had identified some promising spots for pheromone lures, so I made straight for Porthgwarra. We met before sunset and quickly got the traps running. 

Porthgwarra

The light traps produced a fine selection: a Convolvulus Hawkmoth, a Porter’s Rustic (new for me), at least four Grass Eggars and eleven Striped Hawkmoths, together with a scatter of other migrants.

Convolvulus Hawkmoth

                                                                          Porter’s Rustic                                                             

Grass Eggar

Striped Hawkmoth

During the night, we heard a Verge Cricket calling. This species was only recently added to the British list, with the first found in Sussex on 13th July. An influx into southern England this summer has already produced further records at Dungeness in Kent and at Portland Bird Observatory in Dorset. Alan managed to trap one; then, remarkably, another appeared in my own moth trap.

The Verge Cricket (Eumodicogryllus bordigalensis) is widely distributed across the Palaearctic and is expanding its range northwards, with climate change thought to be a contributing factor. It has also recolonised Poland after long absences (single records in 1952 and 2002). Our two individuals become the sixth and seventh for the United Kingdom. What an incredible and completely unexpected result from the night! The first cricket (the one Alan found) was wingless and was calling from beneath a rosette of plantain at the base of a kerbstone beside a small cottage above the cove; it was eventually trapped.

The second, a winged individual, came to my MV light.

It certainly wasn’t what we had set out to find, but it made an already exciting night even more memorable. In the morning we collected the pheromone lures we had left out overnight, but they produced nothing. 

After breakfast we repositioned ourselves about two hours further north at Hartland Point in North Devon. 

 Hartland Point

Looking out from Hartland Point with Lundy Island in the distance

A strong northerly breeze made conditions less than ideal for moth trapping, yet overnight five of the very local Scarce Blacknecks still appeared, three to MV and two to LED. It was another species that both Alan and I needed, so we were delighted. 

Scarce Blackneck 

Another target, Black-banded, for which Hartland Point is a premier site, was unfortunately a few weeks too early; they were not yet on the wing. We’ll be back! 

As the sun rose, a fresh Devonshire Wainscot was a welcome bonus, along with five Convolvulus Hawkmoths and two Striped Hawkmoths.

Devonshire Wainscot

As we were packing the cars, Alan took a call from Martin Cade at Portland Bird Observatory: a Pale Shoulder had been trapped and was being held for us. We headed straight to Portland. 

 Portland Bird Observatory

When we arrived, I was thrilled to find that Martin had just emptied the traps and there was another superb surprise waiting. He had also trapped a Bedstraw Hawkmoth and a Passenger. Wow! 

Pale Shoulder

Pale Shoulder (Acontia lucida) is a rare migrant to the south coast. There were several nineteenth-century records, followed by a long gap until two appeared on the same night in August 1994, one in Kent and one in Dorset. Since then there have been only a handful of further records, mostly in July and August. On the Continent it occurs in southern Europe, flying between May and August in two broods. It prefers sunny days, although recent British specimens have all been taken at light at night. The larvae feed on mallows (Malva and Althaea spp.) and field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis).

Bedstraw Hawkmoth 

Bedstraw Hawkmoth (Hyles gallii) is a large, striking hawkmoth found across Europe and much of Asia. In Britain, it is a scarce, local species, with larvae feeding mainly on bedstraws. It is also occasionally recorded as a migrant.

Passenger

Passenger Moth is a scarce migrant to Britain, mainly arriving from southern Europe and North Africa. It is attracted to light and is most often recorded in southern England.

It was a brilliant way to finish what had already been an outstanding few days. Although our main target, Slender Burnished Brass, had eluded us, we had still enjoyed a fantastic selection of migrant moths, several new species for our life lists, five Scarce Blacknecks, some superb Hawkmoths and, most unexpectedly of all, two highly significant Verge Cricket records. A great few days trapping with Alan,  plenty of moths, plenty of surprises, and a few new ticks on the list. Roll on the next trip!

BIRDGUIDES REVIEW OF THE WEEK:10TH-16TH AUGUST 2026

In just about any other circumstances, you would scarcely be able to stop birders from discussing a first-for-Britain New World warbler. Such is the controversial nature of ship-assisted passage, however, that this week's record in Merseyside was met by most birders with little more than a disinterested shrug. Read more>

FIRST BRITISH YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER DOCKS AT LIVERPOOL

A Yellow-throated Warbler was photographed at Liverpool Docks, Lancashire, yesterday [13 August 2026]. Read more>

GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER-ACCEPTED AS A CATEGORY A SPECIES OF THE BRITISH LIST

The British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (BOURC) has made the following decisions about the British List: Read more>

TWO NIGHTS OF MOTH TRAPPING AT PAMBER FOREST-HAMPSHIRE

I spent two enjoyable nights this week at Pamber Forest and Silchester Common with my good friend Alan Lewis, doing some late-night moth trapping. We had a fantastic couple of nights, with some really quality moths recorded.

Pamber Forest and Silchester Common is an area of woodland and heathland in Hampshire and is designated as a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest. Pamber Forest contains mature deciduous woodland, with hazel coppice dominated by mature oak, creating excellent habitat for a wide variety of wildlife, including some very interesting woodland moths.

Pamber Forest

The main highlights of our two nights were three spectacular Underwing species: Light Crimson Underwing, Dark Crimson Underwing and Red Underwing. We were particularly lucky to see them coming to a sugar solution that we had smeared onto the trees and hung up sugar ropes.

Alan applying the sugar base to the trees

Sugar ropes

Red Underwing

Dark Crimson Underwing

Light Crimson Underwing

Light Crimson Underwing and Dark Crimson Underwing were new moths for me, so to have the opportunity to see them at such close quarters was absolutely fantastic.

Seeing these impressive moths emerge from the darkness was one of the real highlights of the visit. Underwings can be easily overlooked when resting during the day, but when they reveal their brightly coloured hindwings, they are truly spectacular moths.

We also recorded Small Black Arches, another excellent woodland species. It is a localised moth in Britain, occurring mainly in the southern counties, and is associated with mature deciduous woodland. Its larvae are believed to feed on oak (Quercus), making the mature oak woodland at Pamber Forest particularly suitable habitat.

Small Black Arches

A fantastic couple of nights, some exceptional moths and a very memorable visit to Pamber Forest, which really delivered.