Cheshire And Wirral Birding: Hills, Lowland and Coast (1 Viewer)

[Cheshire Birder]

Yesterday - Grey Phalarope at Seacombe; Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull and Yellow-legged Gull at Moore NR; 2 Snow Buntings at Wallasey; Bittern at Budworth Mere; 2 Scaup at Meols; Shag at West Kirby ML;

Jan 2nd - Red Kite reported at Bridgemere;

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Today - Great White Egret at Burton Mere Wetlands; 2 Snow Buntings at Wallasey; Bittern at Budworth Mere;

CB

 

[bradinho]

Hi All,

Sorry to post here but know a lot of you guys are well networked!

Just a heads up that we have a good number of jobs on-line at the moment including part-time, full-time, temporary and permanent in the Greater Manchester & Merseyside areas.

Its a great organisation to work for and these jobs are a good way of getting your foot in the door ..... just like I did 7 years ago!

http://www.rspb.org.uk/vacancies/

Cheers
Paul

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Any Short-eared Owls at Frodsham or Dee marshes at the moment? I have a 7 year old who's super keen to see an Owl!

Cheers

James

 

[Jane Turner]

I've not heard of any recent reports but find it hard to believe that there aren't any. Parkgate, or better still the Harp inn on the next set of big tides is I would have thought a guaranteed Owl opportunity.

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Thanks Jane. I'm off the weekend of 24th 25th when I gather the tides will be high enough so I'll give it a go then.

Cheers

James

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Any Short-eared Owls at Frodsham or Dee marshes at the moment? I have a 7 year old who's super keen to see an Owl!

Cheers

James

When I was on the coast last weekend, I talked to a few of the locals who said the were not easy to see at the moment, but as Jane says the next batch of high tides at the end of the month will probably change all that.

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Jan 8th – Great White Egret and 2 Water Pipits reported at Neston; 2 Snow Buntings at Wallasey; Bittern at Budworth Mere; 11 Purple Sandpipers at New Brighton;

Jan 7th – Caspian Gull reported at Rivacre Valley; Iceland Gull and Yellow-legged Gull at Moore NR; Bittern at Budworth Mere; 196 Brent Geese at West Kirby;

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Yesterday – Bittern at Budworth Mere;

CB

 

[JWN Andrewes]

When I was on the coast last weekend, I talked to a few of the locals who said the were not easy to see at the moment, but as Jane says the next batch of high tides at the end of the month will probably change all that.

CB

Cheers

Might go looking for Purple Sandpipers this weekend and leave the Shorties till later then.

James

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Jan 10th - Smew at Newchurch Common; Mediterranean Gulls at Leasowe and Wallasey; 14 Purple Sandpipers, Kittiwake and Greenshank at New Brighton;

Jan 9th - 4 Yellow-legged Gulls at Richmond Bank;

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Yesterday - Great White Egrets at Frodsham and Ince Marshes; Glaucous Gull at Heswall; Smew at Newchurch Common; 2 Snow Buntings and Twite at Leasowe; Bittern at Budworth Mere; 2 Jack Snipe, Woodcock and 40+ Snipe at Ashton's Flash; 14 Purple Sandpipers, Shag and 2+ Kittiwakes at New Brighton; Brent Goose at Thurstaston;

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Today - Iceland Gull at Warrington; Egret Spp at Sandbach Flashes; 2 Snow Buntings at Leasowe; 14 Purple Sandpipers at New Brighton; 2 Mediterranean Gulls at Birkenhead;

CB

 

[Himalaya]

Going to have some work around Warrington and Lymm over the next week will have to keep an eye on this page. Will have to make a trip to Moore to see Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - any ideas where is the best place to see it?

Might make a trip to Risley as well. How accessible is Richmond Bank - how close can you get to the Gulls?

 

[John Barber]

Had a 1st winter Iceland Gull down at Richmond Bank this morning.

Richmond Bank is easily accessible. Park in the car park for the Ferry Tavern Pub, Station Road, Penketh ( post code WA5 2UJ ) cross over the railway line and canal bridge and turn immediately left. Follow the footpath along the canal for a couple of hundred yards or so, and take a right turn onto a new gravel footpath which takes you to the river. Follow the path up river to the top of the hill and Richmond Bank is over to the right. Gulls can be found all along this area on sand bars depending on the height of the river level, which is in turn dependant on the tide. You will need to get through one of the gaps in the hedge along the path to pick a descent partway down the high bank. Certain places will yield good views of the gulls but you will need a scope as the birds may be several hundred yards away in places.

 

[bartolli]

For a change instead of parkgate, I'm thinking of viewing the forthcoming hightide from the welsh side of the dee, say oakenholt. Does anyone know if this is a good idea or is the English side of the river much better?
Ta!

 

[Peugeot]

For raptors, and Short eared Owls, (Shorties are thin on the ground so far this year), I generally find the Burton and Parkgate side to be more productive, but for close up views of wader's and wildfowl, I prefer the Welsh side of the water, with Connah's Quay NR (Permit only), and Oakenholt Marsh to be better.

 

[Himalaya]

Thanks for the information. Might need to do this as a separate day trip! Think will stick to Moore again tomorrow. Easy to access and view.


Plenty of Gulls at Moore - not one of them looks the same even if they are the same age and species. Whoever can pick them out should be given a degree in Gullology. However, a Yellow Legged Gull adult was present and a probable Glaucous Immature.

Someone did manage to see the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker on Thursday, that someone was not me and is yet to be me! At dusk lots of Corvids in the air, Gulls and a distant murmuration of Starlings.

Had a 1st winter Iceland Gull down at Richmond Bank this morning.

Richmond Bank is easily accessible. Park in the car park for the Ferry Tavern Pub, Station Road, Penketh ( post code WA5 2UJ ) cross over the railway line and canal bridge and turn immediately left. Follow the footpath along the canal for a couple of hundred yards or so, and take a right turn onto a new gravel footpath which takes you to the river. Follow the path up river to the top of the hill and Richmond Bank is over to the right. Gulls can be found all along this area on sand bars depending on the height of the river level, which is in turn dependant on the tide. You will need to get through one of the gaps in the hedge along the path to pick a descent partway down the high bank. Certain places will yield good views of the gulls but you will need a scope as the birds may be several hundred yards away in places.

 

[John Barber]

Another trip to Richmond Bank this morning. Not as many gulls as yesterday but the weather was pleasant and I was able to mitigate the bright sun by keeping most of the birds to my left.

Thought I had a candidate for a Bonaparte's Gull after brief views at one point but a small BHG with a very dark bill seems the likely explanation. Did manage to find a Yellow-legged Gull though.

Nice to bump into Cheshire Birder by the way !

 

[Adski]

Bittern showed in the reed bed at Budworth Mere at around 12pm. It was only a brief appearance before skulking out of view.

http://www.ajonestheearlybirder.blogspot.com