Late morning

Budworth Mere

Large numbers of mixed hirundines & swifts over the mere. 8 Great Crested Grebes.

Entertainment was provided by a highly territorial Mute Swan trying to chase away 60+ Canada & Greylag Geese near Kid Brook.

The geese looked flustered but certainly were'nt being moved on by a single swan, eventually the swan gave up and moved away, but still looking in a ferocious mood.

There were 8 Tufted Duck resting on the meadow on the North bank, quite away from the water, had the swan harassed them too?.

2 Mistle Thrushes were on the cattle pasture, and I witnessed an irate Song Thrush chase away a Grey Squirrel in big wood.

The drake Garganey was gain on the mere today

The drake Garganey seen recently at Haydn's Pool was this morning feeding off Kid Brook spit on Budworth Mere. Also a Hobby over the mere, no doubt attracted by the hordes of hirundines. In Big Wood the first Spotted Flycatcher here this year was showing well above the main footpath just before the T-junction with the sign to Hopyard's Wood.

A Whimbrel and a Common Sandpiper on Kid Brook spit this morning. Hundreds of hirundines over the mere with the majority today being Swallows, but interestingly no Swifts. A Grey Wagtail was briefly at the slipway along the mereside path whilst the developing scrub area behind here continues to be a good area to hear and watch Blackcaps and Garden Warblers with at least 4 of the latter on territory.

Yesterday the first Cuckoo of the Spring was heard along Marbury Lane and from behind the ranger's cabins early morning but it seems to have moved on.

10.00-12.00

I located the singing Garden Warblers by the "triangle", what I sure were two separate birds showed briefly in the clearing on the mere side of the path.
One was still singing whilst he perched on a dead willowherb stem, but the real virtuoso performance was being given from the big nearby oak.
Even though this tree was just coming into leaf, finding the warbler amongst the foliage was near impossible.
Elsewhere in the park, the wind and odd heavy shower kept bird sightings to a minimum.
A huge flock of mixed hirudines fed low over the mere though, they were mainly House Martins, with lesser numbers of Swallows and only a few Sand Martins.

Except for a couple of Canada Geese, Kid Brook appeared birdless, I dog walker was nearby and I'm sure he'd cleared the birds.

There was just 1 Cormorant, 4 Great Crested Grebes plus a few Tufted Duck and Gadwall on the mere.

There were no Mistle Thrushes on the pasture either, although 2 Buzzards were circling above it.

This morning, a Cuckoo calling on Marbury Lane, near the park entrance (per V.Lundy, M.Curtin).

Yesterday there were up to 4 Common Sandpipers, 3 Dunlin and a Whimbrel on the mereside shore. There was a Lesser Whitethroat and 4 White Wagtails by the sailing club. 31 Swifts were over the mere mid morning (all per G.Baker).

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Tuesday 5th of May 2015 11:16:20 AM

Sightings this morning from the FoAM bird walk included:

1 Arctic Tern flyng slowly east over the mere at 10.15 but then it or another briefly seen again at 10.25
3 Whimbrel
2 Oystercatchers
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
1 Tawny Owl
6 Swift
c150 House Martins - easily outnumbering Sand Martins by midday
4 Garden Warblers
9 Blackcap
4 Whitethroat
1 Sedge Warbler
8 Reed Warbler
1 Raven

-- Edited by Greg Baker on Saturday 2nd of May 2015 01:55:07 PM

-- Edited by Greg Baker on Saturday 2nd of May 2015 01:56:00 PM

A striking male Whinchat was in fields by the sailing club at Budworth Mere early afternoon. Also at least 1 Swift over the mere and 4 Garden Warblers in the scrub by the mere at the country park.

The female Common Scoter was still on Budworth Mere this morning. Also a Little Grebe and Common Sandpiper near Kid Brook spit and around 500 Sand Martins feeding low over the water, with just single Swallow and House Martin with them. A Garden Warbler was showing well by the slipway with another singing from the scrubby area behind the main mere path.

-- Edited by Greg Baker on Thursday 30th of April 2015 02:54:07 PM

Late Morning

The female Common Scoter was near the yacht club, also 12 Great crested Grebes and 2 pairs of Shelduck on the mere.

I could'nt find the Garden Warbler near the triangle, the song was pouring out, but I could'nt locate the bird.

5m Blackcaps were chasing each other around this area though, and 2 females were there too.

As at Neumanns, there were plenty of butterflies around in the sunshine.

A few patchers popped down to the park after lunch yesterday (19th Apr) and all the excitement at Ashton's Flash

Most of the sightings are mine and Pods. A Yellow Wagtail was in the fields near Coward Reedbed as well as a White Wagtail, another White Wagtail was with about 6 Pied Wagtails and a Meadow Pipit in the fields by Fisherman's Path (the latter species not common on patch away from Ashton's Flash area). Reed Warblers were singing in Coward Reedbed. A Raven was over Fisherman's Path. Drake Goosander and female Goldeneye amongst the Tutfed Ducks on Budworth Mere. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker opposite Marbury Nursery & then flew towards Coward Wood. A Garden Warbler sang & showed back in the vegetation behind Garden Warbler Corner, but beware several Blackcaps were singing in this same area!


-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Monday 20th of April 2015 09:53:25 AM

Lunchtime

On the mere were 1m Goosander, 1f Common Scoter, 1 Black Necked Grebe, 1f Goldeneye, 1m Pochard, 14 Great Crested Grebes and 4 Shelduck.

2 Common Gulls were amongst the Black Headed flock by Kid Brook.

Large numbers of Swallows with lesser numbers of Sand Martins over the mere, and amongst them 5+ House Martins.

I checked the field by the fishermans path for wagtails, but there were none. However a large group of hirundines flew in from the South East,

and amongst them were 2 Swifts, my earliest ever.

I checked the area of Big Wood where Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers have been seen lately, but only found 4 Great Spotted, a couple of Blackcaps and 4 Stock Doves.

Just 1 Mistle Thrush was on the pasture amongst the corvids, whilst 4 Buzzards circled above.







-- Edited by John Williams on Sunday 19th of April 2015 03:53:40 PM

A red letter day on the mere today (just when I was out of county!!). Three summer plumaged Black-necked Grebes along with a drake Goosander and one female Common Scoter. A Yellow Wagtail and a Redshank were on Kid Brook Spit (most info per R.Elsby).

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Saturday 18th of April 2015 09:52:25 PM

Lots of wagtails on the ploughed field along Fisherman's Path (between the A559 layby and the bridge into Marbury CP proper) mainly Pied but a single female-type Yellow Wagtail too, at 8.55am with the Arctic Tern still showing well over Budworth Mere, favouring the area in front of the Heronry Wood to the L.of the Yacht Club but hugging the far shore.

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Friday 17th of April 2015 01:43:06 PM

An Arctic Tern graced the mere this morning, sometimes perched on posts at Kid Brook spit but more often dip-feeding amongst 520 Sand Martins. Just one female Common Scoter present today (there were 2 yesterday). A male Brambling was calling and occasionally showing well in sycamores along the mereside path and a male Wheatear remains by the Sailing Club but no sign of any wagtails there today.

Popped down again to Marbury CP this afternoon as migration is in full swing now & anything can happen on a daily basis

First of all a Wheatear in the first field again by Marston estate and another over the mere in the field behind Kid Brook shore. The next field along Fishermans Path towards the mere had a single Yellow Wagtail in it and another two were across the mere in the same field as the Wheatear. That same field, across the mere, contained lots of Pied Wagtails two with at least two pristine White Wagtails, but probably more, the distance and furrows making it hard to be certain of numbers! On the Kid Brook shore a Common Sandpiper was still present and newly in were two Dunlin but no sign of any LRPs. The Common Scoter was still present still and Great Crested Grebes are doing fantastic courtship displays, if anyone wants to see this then now is a perfect time and they are often very close to the mereside path

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Tuesday 14th of April 2015 10:18:43 PM

This morning at Marbury CP was pretty productive. I personally saw a cracking male Wheatear, in the first ploughed field by the Fishermans Layby, next to the Marston estate. Next a single White Wagtail was with at least 15 Pied Wagtails in the next ploughed field along towards the park proper. On the far shore of the mere, between the heronry & Kid Brook Spit was a Common Sandpiper and then on Kid Brook Spit itself a Little Ringed Plover hunkered down near the brushwood pile. Unfortunately a fisherman appeared at noon & flushed the LRP and I couldn't see the Common Sand again either. The female Common Scoter was still on the mere too. A huge flock of Sand Martins was feeding over the mere and at one point several Swallows dropped in and brought a couple of House Martins with them. When the Swallows departed however so did the House Martins but lots of Sand Martins continued to feed over the water. Again Willow Warblers and Blackcaps were heard.

In addition to my sightings a Yellow Wagtail was seen on Kid Brook shore (per D.Robinson) but I still have yet to catch up with this species this Spring!

Yesterday morning at Marbury CP:

The female Common Scoter was still on the mere, or to be precise by the mere for lots of the time! It spend long periods hauled up just to the right of Kid Brook, not a usual sight for a Common Scoter!!

The first Yellow Wagtail was by Kid Brook (per D.Hughston) and two Little Ringed Plovers were on Kid Brook Spit (per D.Hughston).

Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers were still in the Big Wood area. Willow Warblers & Blackcaps were singing from several widespread locations and have well & truly arrived now!


-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Saturday 11th of April 2015 11:04:44 AM

The Brambling was still present late afternoon (per G.Baker) and the Common Scoter was on Budworth Mere (per RBA).

Just had a report (per M.Curtin) that there is a Brambling in the alders by the mereside path at the Country Park, this (or another) was first seen on Monday this week (per I.Barber, D.Robinson).

AM

Foggy when I arrived so little to see on the mere.
I spent 2hrs approx looking for the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in Big Wood, just to the South of the feeding station, but to no avail.
I thought I glimpsed the beast once flying through the canopy, but could'nt be sure. Light drumming heard, but sporadic today, last Sunday it was almost constant.
A Green Woodpecker was "yaffling" loudly close by, but I could'nt find him either.
Lots of garden birds about, especially Blackbirds, which seemed to be everywhere. Nuthatches were highly vocal, and there were 6+ Treecreepers about.

When the mist cleared, I scanned the mere, there was no sign of the Black Necked Grebe or Common Scoter that were there on Sunday.
Apart from the usual fowl, there was a single Little Grebe on the mere.
About 100 Black Headed Gulls were on the mere, many were picking insects, Black Tern style, off the water surface.
I had a good scan through them, but no sign of a Little Gull or Kittiwake.

Lunchtime

Scoured the woodland just South of the feeding station for about an hour, but no sign of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, although faint drumming was frequently heard.

Lots of noisy Nuthatches about though. Also 3 Song Thrushes chasing each other through the woods.

On the mere were 1 Black Necked Grebe, 1 female Common Scoter and surprisingly just 2 Cormorants.

As expected there were lots of Great Crested Grebes on the mere, with one pair giving a full display, but I regret I did'nt count them.

Still lots of Tufted Ducks on the mere too. Also, just one Common Gull amongst the mass of Black Headed.

A Common Scoter reported to me on the mere this morning, plus a couple of Swallows and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling & drumming in between the mere and the woodland feeding station.

At least 3 White Wagtails with Pieds feeding along the far shore of the mere. Also heard but not seen, a Green Woodpecker

Two visits to the park today, despite me being at work! An early morning pre-work visit produced at least 3 singing Chiffchaffs. Also over 40 Sand Martins over the mere near the sailing club. Lots of Great Spotted & Green Woodpecker activity but no Lesser Spotted. So a return after work when Green & Great Spotted were again heard but even better a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was in Big Wood, well past the turn on the right for Hopyards Wood. The two Lessers seen at present are ranging from near the Ice Pond to after this Hopyards Wood turn so worth a walk up and down and listening for calling & drumming as both are being heard.

AM

The mere

20 Great Crested Grebes (pair displaying in front of the screen), 16 Sand Martins and 6 Pochard.

Mereside Alders

1 Chiffchaff and 3 Goldcrests.

Also, 8 Pied Wagtails by the fishermans path, a Mistle Thrush was on terrritory near the woodland feeeders, nearby a female Great Spotted Woodpecker
was attacking a dead tree, and 13 Redwings were on the park lawn, until chased off by a dog.

A number of birders were gathered by the boardwalk, where a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker has been seen and heard, but he hid from me.

Along Fisherman's Path in the wet dip in the field at about 11.45am I had a large group of alba wagtails, most of them, about 25, were M.a.yarelli but there were 2 M.a.alba in there too, my first two White Wagtails on the 'patch' this year. The group was very mobile and after a short while all took flight and moved down the field and over the ridge but are probably still in the area. White Wagtails should be evident on passage most days in the next few days now that it has started. This coincides with the first reports earlier this morning of White Wagtails on The Wirral. Nothing else major to note, but a Green Woodpecker calling by Big Wood was nice. No Sand Martins for me either!

No sign of the martins seen yesterday.

Amongst the waterfowl seen on the mere were 17 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Gadwall, 10 Cormorants and 10 Teal.

A Kingfisher was near the boathouse, and 2 Treecreepers on the mereside alders.

A big gull roost was building as I left at 15.00, but a good scan through them produced nothing unusual.

Kittiwake at Ashtons flash Sunday 15 Feb 2015


Following on from the last post re bittern at Marbury, I can only add how fortunate you were to be there one hour later/ the day after I was or indeed any time or date following my visits! How lucky can some people be! Am envious as hell! Some small consolation for me in spotting a kittiwake on one of the fence posts which sit half submerged in Ashton's flash on Sunday a.m. Weather was clear and brilliantly sunny. Adrian [son] and I spent some time vetting this bird and came to the almost unanimous view that, yes it was a kittiwake. I logged it and reported this scarce visitor with description and would be interested to know if anyone else had seen it?
Briefly, it was similar in size to Black-headed Gull, a yellowish bill similar in length to BHGs and Common Gulls but more slender, possible dark spot near tip, black or at very least dark blue-grey legs, grey mantle as dark as Common Gull, white head, breast and under parts, a suggestion of smudginess at back of head or nape of neck; low, crouching stance i.e. not upright like BHG.

John Irons

Bittern showed briefly 4.30/4.45 ish in flattened area of reeds. Wolfed down a large silver-coloured fish.

2 Kingfishers also seen.

I have seen Willow Tit in some different locales, and I don't now what this adds to the debate if anything ;) - not entirely surprising, but to me, yes. E.G Rixton Clay Pits, Astley Moss and the latest being on Chat Moss.... I praise the efforts of the surveyors and the concerned birders alike - they are great birds whose call gives me joy!

I agree John, where Willow Tits are traditionally seen, e.g Pennington & Woolston, they seem to be pretty easy to see, but elsewhere they don't seem to be colonising or spreading at all, a real worry

The Marsh Tits I have seen this year (in Wales ) were with a tit flock (and were calling), so I too don't know why they don't spread more into Cheshire & Gtr Manchester to colonise

Docs right about the Marsh/Willow tit, the largely mature oak woodland should be prime Marsh Tit country, but they have not been seen for years.
These woods, especially the arboretum area with it's numerous conifers, are teeming with Coal Tits, although obviously they're less numerous than Blues.
Had the bird in question not clearly showed it's lack of a nape patch, I would just of regarded it as another Coal Tit.
I am a little surprised, and concerned, that Willow Tits do not turn up on the mereside feeders, as the Alder carr and birch woods in that area look
to be suitable habitat.
I was chatting to a chap by the Haydn Pool recently who was doing a survey on Willow Tits for the BTO, and who stated that there are real concerns
about the little birds future. They appear to be everyday visitors to the feeders at Pennington and Woolston, although I'm not sure if they are less
common at these sites than they once were. I logged a pair of Willow Tits recently moving around the birch woodland at Wigan Flashes, with a large flock
of mixed Long Tailed and Blue Tits, which is their prime habitat, and especially now that I'm aware of the concern for them I'll log every one.
The Marsh Tit situation is fascinating, I've reported them from the feeding station at Moore as the birds seen match the text book description
perfectly, and they posed on the bird table for quite a while, so I got a decent view. However, it has been pointed out to me that the only real way to tell
the difference between Marsh/Willow tits is by their song, and I'm inclined to agree. I could go on about the different visual characteristics of these birds,
but I won't elaborate here.
One enigmatic point here though is, if Willow Tits readily join roaming bands of mainly Long Tailed Tits in winter, why don't Marsh Tits do so too, and
thus spread out more. Marsh Tits are regularly reported from Stanney Woods near Ellesmere Port, which is a small wood surrounded by houses,
where it's virtually impossible to look at a bird in a tree without also looking through someone's bedroom window. I often wonder if birds from this
population, and the nearby Chester zoo hotspot too, venture further afield in winter with flocks of Long Tails, especially along the Mersey and Weaver
valleys. Ringers perhaps can elaborate more on that.
Meanwhile, it's worth giving every "Pied" tit a second look.

Curt Whitby wrote:

---

Hi geoff I'm afraid it wasn't me who pointed out the bittern to you someone else must take the credit for that. As for willow tits walking up the canal going from the salt barge pub towards marbury a couple of winters back when in the bankside scrub I saw the only willow tit I have ever seen. As for a marsh tit I don't think I'd be able to tell the two apart but I assumed that the habitat would point towards a willow tit.

---

Where you saw the Willow Tit is the general area that they are seen most regularly Curtis, as you say right habitat, including damp carr type areas. Big Wood where the feeders are is a bit drier than the usual habitat they are seen in, but there would be no reason that one could venture away from the favoured damper areas to access a resource like the feeding station

Hi geoff I'm afraid it wasn't me who pointed out the bittern to you someone else must take the credit for that. As for willow tits walking up the canal going from the salt barge pub towards marbury a couple of winters back when in the bankside scrub I saw the only willow tit I have ever seen. As for a marsh tit I don't think I'd be able to tell the two apart but I assumed that the habitat would point towards a willow tit.

Hi Curt,
It must have been you that pointed out the Brittern, and your wife that gave me "directions". So thanks for that. The three of us were well pleased to see it, along with the Sparrowhawk.

Cheers

Geoff

John Williams wrote:

---

Now for some intrigue, whilst visiting the "woodland" feeding area, which only produced Blue/Great tits, squirrels etc, a Blue Tit sized bird
landed on top of a nearby tree. I only viewed the bird for a couple of seconds, a clean/bright "Pied" head meant the bird was either a Coal,
Willow or Marsh tit. The bird did tilt it's head and there was no sign of a nape patch, ruling out Coal Tit, several of which were later seen around the arboretum.
Unfortunately, it only perched for a few seconds before flying off. I'm not claiming this as a Marsh Tit, but I certainly suspect it may have been.
So if you see a Blue Tit sized bird around the canopy of Big Wood, I'd advise checking it out. On occasions mist netting/ringing takes place here,
and I'd love to know if they've caught either a Marsh or Willow tit here recently.

---

Knowing you personally John I know that you are not one to make rash claims so I am taking this report seriously. I think Marsh Tit can be ruled out as they haven't been seen on patch for about 7 years. Not impossible I know, but most unlikely. Willow Tits are seen annually on patch but not usually in this area which is not typical Willow Tit habitat. My info from a FOAM Member that I texted tonight is that numerous Coal Tits have been ringed at Woodland Hide area but not a Willow Tit. I am posting as you wanted this info, but as always with birds you cannot rule out anything!! Definitely worth keeping an eye, and an ear, out. I was watching Willow Tits elsewhere today and they were extremely vocal, warming up for breeding season

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Saturday 7th of February 2015 12:28:39 PM

10.00-13.00

Initially I spent over an hour waiting for the Bittern to show, to no avail.
Meanwhile, a fox was leisurely chewing something in the middle of the reedbed, which I hoped was'nt a Bittern.
A Water Rail showed briefly at the waters edge below the screen.
Across the mere a female Sparrowhawk sat it in a bush watching a small group of Reed Buntings that were feeding on the reedheads.
Occasionally, she'd dash out and try and grab breakfast, but each time the buntings just dropped into the reeds.
The mere was largely frozen, with large numbers of gulls resting on the ice, a scan through them did'nt produce anything uncommon.
Despite the ice 10 Cormorants were perched around Kid Brook.
Amongst the waterfowl on a small unfrozen area were 3 Pochards and 2 Great Crested Grebes, whilst 14 Greylag Geese were with Canada Geese
along the North bank, and 36 Lapwings gathered around the spit.
Now for some intrigue, whilst visiting the "woodland" feeding area, which only produced Blue/Great tits, squirrels etc, a Blue Tit sized bird
landed on top of a nearby tree. I only viewed the bird for a couple of seconds, a clean/bright "Pied" head meant the bird was either a Coal,
Willow or Marsh tit. The bird did tilt it's head and there was no sign of a nape patch, ruling out Coal Tit, several of which were later seen around the arboretum.
Unfortunately, it only perched for a few seconds before flying off. I'm not claiming this as a Marsh Tit, but I certainly suspect it may have been.
So if you see a Blue Tit sized bird around the canopy of Big Wood, I'd advise checking it out. On occasions mist netting/ringing takes place here,
and I'd love to know if they've caught either a Marsh or Willow tit here recently.
On returning for another Bittern vigil around 12.30, the beast actually showed itself, but only when it raised it's head.
It was "Sky Pointing" in true Bittern style.
As Curt says in the previous post, the bird was best seen from the right hand side of the screen looking left into the centre of the reeedbed,
just beyond the edge of the trees. Patience needed.

Well persistence pays off. I saw the bittern today at the umpteeth time of asking at about 1330 hrs. My wife spotted it and handed me the binos and there it was between two small trees/bushes on the opposite side from the hide, about 10 yards back from the waters edge well disguised in the reeds. Also saw a reed bunting, a kingfisher and a mistle thrush bashing a snail to pieces on a stone amongst the highlights of the walk.

Just to say that a Bittern showed briefly in the Coward Reedbed at lunch time yesterday, but may have been disturbed by the presence of a Fox in the reeds !!

We arrived back from an organised bird walk about 4.30 John, and nobody had seen the Bittern. Then within minutes up it came and sat right out on top of the reeds! Just a matter of luck! On the way home came across an injured Tawny Owl in the road but that's another thing to sort out!

Lunchtime

No sign of the Bittern, I'll have to try and return when its much colder and the mere freezes over.
During those conditions in previous winters the Bittern has seemed less shy.
Amongst the waterfowl on the mere were 18 Great Crested Grebes, 11 Pochard, 1 Shelduck, 18 Cormorants and a pair of Great Black Backed Gulls.
With a flock of a dozen or so, mainly male Blackbirds in Hopyards Wood, was a cock bird with a large white patch at the base of his tail.
The white patch was very similar to that of a Wheatear, the bird also seemed to be noticeably larger than the other males.
This fellow really looks odd amongst his companions and is well worth looking out for.



-- Edited by John Williams on Saturday 24th of January 2015 08:19:08 PM

Hi Rhys. Think I was sat next to you before you got up and moved to the side of the screen.
Nice to meet you and see the Bittern

Think I was there at the same time with my brother, I saw the Bittern he didn't

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 17th of January 2015 05:55:26 PM

Saturday 17th January 11.45am

A brief visit, and an even briefer appearance from the Bittern. It showed to the left of the viewing hide in the reed bed just before 12pm. It soon hunkered down out of sight again.
Plenty of activity around the feeders and a few Goldcrests on my way to the car.

You could well be correct ,I do actually like dogs in case anyone gets the wrong idea having owned 4 in my life,but none at the moment.
All the best Mark

Hi Mark

We have a problem with Mink at the park, so maybe that was the culprit rather than a dog, just a thought.

Hi all,
Visited Marbury CP today between 1.15 -4.20.,
From Reedbed Bittern Screen,18+Great Crested Grebes,2 Grey Heron in Reeds, a Kingfisher flew right too left and vanished in Reeds,Great Spotted Woodpecker on feeder,Coal, Great, Blue Tits on food, Tufted ducks on water a Little Grebe,lots of Cormorants 5 on posts in water,Mallard , 200 or so Canada Geese with 10 or more Greylag on water in distance also 8 or more Wigeon on water in distance,Jay in tree,but after approx 1 hour no sign of Bittern.Walked on to Woodland hide saw Great, Blue, and Coal tits, Jay Great Spotted Woodpecker Nuthatch from hide and on the way there 100+ Lapwings flew up on other side of Mere, 60 or more Curlew feeding other side of Mere as well as 70+ Coot grazing and 2 Shelduck on shore in distance.
Also a dead Cormorant in water with it's neck mauled, possibly by a dog? and 2 Mute Swans,lots BH Gulls and at least 2 Greater Black Backed Gulls in distance.
Had to leave at 4.20 and did not see Starling roost or Bittern,and up to then nobody said to me that they had seen the Bittern today.
All the best Good Birding to everyone.

-- Edited by Mark Dean on Sunday 11th of January 2015 07:22:21 PM

-- Edited by Mark Dean on Sunday 11th of January 2015 07:23:24 PM

The Bittern was showing exceptionally well in Coward Reedbed from Bittern Screen mid afternoon, staying out on view for a long period of time allowing allcomers excellent views. A second bird was seen by another observer just before we arrived. A Kingfisher showed several times too, whizzing up & down Budworth Mere.

I also visited the park on 1st January seeing:
Canada Geese (100 or more)
Wren
Chaffinch x3
Goldfinch x approx. 15
Great, Blue and Long Tailed Tits
Nuthatch
Grey Heron
Cormorant
Great Crested Grebe
Mute Swan
Treecreeper
with the highlight being a Kingfisher
Others in my group saw a Buzzard, Goldcrest and heard a Curlew fly over