RIVACRE VALLEY LOCAL NATURE RESERVE

At last it has stopped raining and with the sun shining and clear blue skies, I had a nice afternoon's walk around my local nature reserve in Rivacre, Ellesmere Port. The nature reserve used to be a huge outdoor swimming pool from 1934 until 1985. Due to indoor swimming facilities in the area, the baths shut in 1981 and were demolished and filled in in 1985.

Rivacre Baths

The Rivacre is so named because of the Rivacre brook, which runs through the area, and it is known locally as Rivacre valley because of the beautiful valley through which the stream runs.

 Rivacre Valley stream

On arrival, I soon connected with a stunning Kingfisher and up to 4 Grey wagtails were seen along the stream.

Kingfishers breed on the stream

Grey Wagtail

The area had a good variety of woodland birds, which I managed to get a few photos of, and a fly over Little Egret was a bonus, heading towards the River Mersey.

Two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were seen

 Robin

Nuthatch

 Song Thrush

Blackbird

Other birds of note were Siskin, Lesser redpoll and Bullfinch.

PALLA'S WARBLER-SECOND HELPINGS

Visited New Brighton this morning and it was blowing a hooley. I was rewarded with two Little Gulls in the mouth of the Mersey, though and 3 Purple sandpipers at the coastguards.

I then continued to Heswall to try and get some photos of the Pallas's warbler. The bird was really elusive, and the weather didn't help, but it did show briefly, and it was always distant, which didn't help with my camera. Anyway, I got a few personal record shots that won't win any prizes.

There were 7 Chiffchaffs on site

11 Goldcrests were seen, but no sign of the reported Firecrest

Pallas's Warbler

Anyway, a great bird for Cheshire and Wirral, let's hope this is the beginning of a good year for are county!

PALLAS WARBLER-HESWALL SEWAGE WORKS

After yesterday's phone call from Allan Conlin regarding a Pallas's warbler, I made my way to Heswall and joined the small crowd that had gathered near the sewage works on Target Road. It didn't take long before the Pallas's warbler was on show, but it was always distant, and you had to look through a chain fence to view it, and with the awful weather, the conditions weren't great. Hopefully, the bird will hang around so I can go back for seconds and try and get some photos. Allan Conlin has kindly let me use one of his photos for my blog below. 

Pallas's Warbler

This was the seventh record of Pallas's warbler for Cheshire and Wirral, the last one being in a Bidston garden in November 2010, which was trapped and ringed.

PLAYING CATCHUP

I started the day on my old patch at Marbury Country Park, where a Cetti's Warbler had been found by Vernon, one of the patch regulars, on New Year's Eve. This was a first for the patch and was well overdue. After a good two-hour wait, the Cetti's started to call, and eventually I got two good views of the bird. Hopefully, the bird will stick around, and when the weather improves, I'll go back and hopefully get a few pictures.

Next, I headed towards Chelford sand quarries, where a Black-necked grebe had been found on Lapwing Hall pool.

Lapwing Hall Pool

On arrival, I soon picked up the Black-necked Grebe. Other birds of note were Wigeon, Shoveler, Goldeneye and Goosander

Black-necked Grebe

Spent the next couple of hours walking around the area and added some good birds to the yearlist.

 Goldcrest

Fieldfares and Redwings 

Next stop on the way home was Newchurch Common, where I soon connected with the resident Smew.

Smew

A good day's birding, which got even better when I arrived home, a phone call from Allan Conlin to say a Pallas's warbler had been found at Heswall sewage works. Happy days, I'll be there in the morning!

WIRRAL BIRD RUN 1ST JAN 2016

I got up nice and early this morning and made my way up to Hoylake. A good assortment of waders were around: Knot, Dunlin, Turnstone, Redshank, and Oystercatcher. Had absolutely stunning views of a Peregrine hunting over the beach, which was a nice bonus. Anyway, carried on towards West Kirby, where I connected with the Great Northern diver, happily diving around the marina again. Other birds of note were Red-breasted mergansers and a couple of Great crested grebes.

Great Northern Diver was still showing well

I then moved on to Thurstaston, where I connected with over 100 Pintails on the estuary and beautiful views of the Dee estuary whilst sitting down and having a nice coffee.

Looking towards Parkgate from Thurstaston

Next port of call was Heswall, where I had good views of Spotted redshank, Greenshank, Golden plover, and Pink-footed geese. Moving on down the estuary, I called in at Parkgate but saw no sign of any Hen harriers. The Short-eared owl was still showing at Burton Marsh but was distant, along with a Great white egret. The last place I visited was Burton RSPB, where the Green-winged teal was showing from the reception hide. A Marsh Harrier also showed well in the comfort of a nice warm hide, along with a Green sandpiper and a Water rail. I then walked around and got good views of Siskin and Redpoll. Two Jack snipes were distant from the Marsh covert hide. The Long-eared owl has now moved and isn't showing that well; apparently, it has been disturbed by idiots trying to get too close.

A walk over to Burton Marsh watchpoint produced another Short-eared owl, Bewick's, and Whooper swans.

Whooper and Bewick's swans were on Burton Marsh

A view looking over Burton RSPB

A cracking day birding on the Wirral, and nice to see so many familiar faces.