Had an afternoon meander today. Sunny at first then very overcast but warm throughout.

On Big Pool 6 Gadwall and 2(1m) Wigeon put in an appearance but only about 25 Tufted Ducks were on and no Smew. A stripey young Great-crested Grebe was seen too, I'd not seen it before so it must have been hiding in cover on my past few visits! A single Common Gull was in with the Black-haeded Gulls.

A Sparrowhawk flew low across the main track. A Green Woodpacker was by Gull Pool as was a Nuthatch. A Raven called over Gull Pool too. The large flock of 27 Mistle Thrushes was still around Abbot's Moss Nurseries with 1 Starling in tow. A Stock Dove flew over the Pine Belt and a Collared Dove was again on Sandy Lane.

Went back to Newchurch this morning, sunny and warm.

The pools were much quieter today with a maximum of 20 Tufted Ducks seen with none of the 'winter duck' seen last time. A single Common Gull was still present. A Little Grebe was on Gull Pool.

A Sparrowhawk was over the entrance fields and a Kestrel hunted Abbot's Moss. A Raven was again over Abbot's Moss and a Green Woodpecker called here. A large passage of hirundines was noted with over 200 passing over the mosses. Again these were predominantly House Martins, more Swallows than yesterday and fewer Sand Martins, the ratio was probably 30:6:2 respectively. As well as this passage the next sighting was possibly the most noteworthy and pleasing of the whole walk - 7 Meadow Pipits over the Nursery Fields by Abbot's Moss. This was the first record of this species on my patch this year! I recorded 2 Nuthatches, 1 near the car parking area and 1 near Small Pool. A Chiffchaff was still calling on Abbot's Moss. Finally a Collared Dove was seen on Sandy Lane when leaving early afternoon.

Bit of an afternoon sojurn onto my patch, dull but warm.

The female Smew was eventually found on Sandiway Big Pool after a long search. I continued to look due to numbers of wildfowl suggesting that she must be on the pool somewhere! Up to 60 Tufted Ducks on Big pool plus 5 Wigeon and 2 Gadwall. A number of gulls were on Big Pool including 2 Common Gulls and a Lesser Black-backed Gull, another Lesser Black-backed Gull was over Abbot's Moss. A massive flock of hirundines was over Big Pool with an estimated 120 House Martins, 25 Sand Martins and 5 Swallows.

Two Ravens flew over the mosslands and a Stock Dove was here. A Chiffchaff called in Finch Hedge.

Morning walk, dull and breezy with occasional glimpses of the sun.

a nice sighting was 3 Gadwall on Big Pool. At least 40 Tufted Ducks were present but no Smew, but I expect her to show up again soon with such high Tufted numbers. Several young Tufted Ducks with large white facial blazes around the beak, as is common in my local population. Also over Big Pool was a large flock of hirundines numbering c.100 birds in total, with rough counts of 60 House Martins, 25 Swallows and 15 Sand Martins.

A flock of 18 Mistle Thrushes was still in the mosslands area including adults and young birds. These were joined by 16 Starlings, again adults and juveniles. Also on the mosslands were a Green Woodpecker, 4 Buzzards and 2 Rooks. There were 3 Stock Doves seen overall, 2 over Big Pool and 1 over the mosses. A Chiffchaff still called by Big Pool.

Another morning walk, mainly for photography of reptiles. Sunny and warm

A nice Green Woodpecker flew over me near Gull Pool. A Kestrel was over the mosses again. The Cormorant was still on Big Pool. Otherwise very quiet!

Morning Walk, very cold to start, warm and sunny to finish!!

A Little Grebe was on Gull Pool and a Grey Heron on Small Pool. A brood of well grown Tufted Ducks was also on Gull Pool. A Cormorant was on Big Pool, usually a winter resident, but early morning it felt like winter! A Lone Sand Martin skimmed over Big Pool. Other summer birds included Chiffchaff and Blackcap still. A Raven flew back and forth over the mosses cronking continuously.

Morning walk, cool and overcast, bit drizzly too.

Biggest surprise was a Kingfisher on Gull Pool, the first record of one on here, a Grey Heron was also on here but flew off north. A Green Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were both on Abbot's Moss. A Kestrel hunted Shemmy Moss, my first here for a while but I know they breed not far away. A roaming group of 30 Mistle Thrushes was in the Abbot's Moss/Nursery area, feeding on Rowan Berries.

A Nuthatch was calling by Small Pool on the west side and 20 Sand Martins fed over Big Pool. Fewer Tufted Ducks were present today.

First ever visit here for a couple of hours mid afternoon.

Went to see if I could find the female Smew but only managed to go down the eastern side of Big Pool & back

& being unfamiliar with the site I hadn't a clue if I was looking in the right area of what is an absolutely beautiful lake.

The walk down gifted me with excellent views of a very vociferous family of 4 Buzzards.

On Big Pool there were plenty of Great Crested Grebes, Tufted Ducks, Coots with juveniles and a single Water Rail

which appeared only a few yards away calling in the reeds.

On Small Pool a single Grey Heron skimmed across the water.

Sunny but breezy today.

Main news was a return of 'winter' wildfowl, including predictably the female Smew. She was with around 70 Tufted Ducks that had returned, including several young birds and lots with large white facial markings. This seems common in my population, especially amongst juveniles each autumn. Also on the pools were 3 (2 drake) Gadwall and a drake Wigeon. Another autumnal bird was an immature Common Gull.

Five Swallows flew over Sandy Lane. Chiffchaff and Blackcap were still noted.

Short pm visit in hot sun.

Best was 2+Green Woodpeckers, an adult and 1 possibly 2 young, if only I'd had a DSLR camera! A family party of Goldfinches was evidence of local breeding. Two Swallows overhead were noted as some day I'll be recording last dates for hirundines!

A Grey Heron in Big Pool Island Cut today was unusual. Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers about too.

Records today included Raven and Green Woodpecker. Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps still around.

Only just looked on here as a manic week with no visits to anywhere for birding/nature!

I have had at least 5 requests for info on my mosslands and access etc. So easier to post here rather than repeat it several times:

Abbot's Moss is Permit Only, as per this link:

https://www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/nature-reserves/abbots-moss

I do the official surveys and have the safe routes, but it is dangerous this summer due to increased water levels and being a quaking bog. The chances of going though the surface layer of sphagnum into the subterranean lake are quite high and that's why visitors are not allowed to just wander out onto it. After I contacted CWT re the Bog Bush Crickets they have been visiting every day this week and so folk will be stopped from going onto the mosses. Just so folk don't make a wasted trip. Once I get re-organised I will be willing to escort visitors onto the moss, but please show patience and don't try to go on this permit only area. Thanks

Very hot, very sunny, not a bird walk but a couple of items.

A warbler flock reminiscent of autumn with several Blackcaps and at least 1 Willow Warbler moving along the hedgerow and feeding together. A flock of 8 Swallows flew over Sandy Lane. At least 6 Mute Swans between the 2 Sandiway Pools.

An afternoon walk for inverts, dull but warm & still.

On the pool was a female Tufted Duck with a small downy duckling, the first of this age that I have ever seen on Big Pool. A Green Woodpecker was near the Pine Belt and a Collared Dove, first for a while, was again on Sandy Lane.

Went for a shorter than usual walk (vets appointment!) this morning, dull and overcast with glimpses of the sun.

On the pool was a Tufted Duck pair with 6 well grown young, the first brood of this species seen this year.

A Green Woodpecker called near Shemmy Moss. A Nuthatch was near the Whitegate Way, I don't hear them here often. A Willow Wabler called here too. A pair of Linnets were on Abbot's Moss.

19th July 2020 (Sunday):

Late post.

A couple of shorter visits to photograph inverts but a few birds about! Most surprising was an Oystercatcher heard first and then seen flying over Big Pool and headed east over the Pine Belt. A Lesser Black-backed Gull high over Big Pool was also unexpected. Again a Green Woodpecker was heard several times in the Pine Belt. Chiffchaff and Blackcap were still present too.

A morning walk in warm weather with sunny intervals. A bit of birding but mainly inverts again!

A Green Woodpecker was in the Pine Belt and nearby Blackcap and Chiffchaff called. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in the same area. Probably 12 Tufted Ducks were on Big Pool, otherwise quiet.

Yesterday (16th July) for completeness: A Little Grebe was on Gull Pool. A pair of Linnets were on Abbot's Moss.

A walk this afternoon in dull overcast conditions with light rain and the occasional sunny interval!

Very quiet again bird-wise. A Garden Warbler was singing in the only area that I frequented - the meadow east of Big Pool. A Blackcap brood was seen too. A Green Woodpecker called and 2 Swifts flew over.

Down at Newchurch early-ish am. Chucking down with rain & I was the only car there Nice that the 'day trippers' give it a miss in bad weather, but the litter left from yesterdays sunshine showed that they'd been here

The walk was foreshortened as the deluge got too heavy but the best sighting was of up to 4 Goldcrests in the Pine Belt. Possibly 2 pairs of this diminutive species in suitable habitat is a strong indication of breeding here. A large number of Great Tit young were seen in the same area.

Another very quiet afternoon visit in warm sunshine.

A Green Woodpecker was near Big Pool. Big Pool itself held over 25 Tufted Ducks, a reasonably high number, but no Smew. The biggest surprise was an unseasonal Common Gull over Big Pool, one was seen over Neumann's Flash I think last week.

A short late afternoon walk in pretty warm sun, but quite windy too.

Awfully quiet for birds. Four young Great Crested Grebes were on Small Pool, a good bit of news. Four adult Mute Swans were on Big Pool. A hamdful of Sand Martins and House Martins were over Big Pool.

At least 2 Common Whitethroats and a Reed Bunting were on Abbot's Moss.

An afternoon walk in a gap between the rain, stayed relatively warm but dull and overcast.

A Green Woodpecker was on Abbot's Moss. On Shemmy Moss a family party of Common Whitethroats was seen with another adult on Abbot's Moss. An Oystercather was hear over Abbot's Moss. Two Swifts were over Big Pool. A Reed Bunting was on Abbot's Moss. A Collared Dove was again near Dairy Farm.

A wet afternoon visit to Newchurch, dull and cool too!

Nothing extraordinary to report bird-wise. Two juvenile Mistle Thrushes were on a fence in the entrance paddock, where adults have been seen regularly. A Jay in the woods near Big Pool island cut was nice. At least 50 Sand Martins and 12 Swifts were over Big Pool and only a lone Swallow. Quite a few Tufted Ducks, at least 18 but no Smew.

A mid-morning to lunchtime visit, dull, colder and some light rain, what a difference.

The female Smew was back and she obviously returned with her carrier flock of Tufted Ducks, 32 Tufted Ducks either non-breeders or failed breeders were counted after only 2 were seen on my last visit. Also at the pools were several hirundines, downed by the weather, 40 Sand Martins, 10 House Martins and 3 Swallows were my best estimates at the make up of the mobile flock. Over on the Mosslands 8 Swifts were seen, my biggest day-count this year. A Little Grebe was on Gull Pool.

Also on Shemmy Moss I had flight views of what I assume to be a female Cuckoo, due to it being silent and having not heard a male since May 28th. A Green Woodpecker was on the Mosslands. Two Ravens were seen, one over Abbot's Moss and one over Small Pool. A Collared Dove was on Sandy Lane and a Feral Rock Dove flew over the Whitegate Way. Two breeding Chiffchaffs were seen, adults with young at two locations, Shemmy Moss and Small Pool. The locations of these suggests that I have now seen three broods of Chiffchaffs this Spring. At least 4 Garden Warblers were seen, in 2 pairs and others heard. A Common Whitethroat was singing on Shemmy Moss.  A Reed Bunting flew over Big Pool. A Robin was seen with young as well as a Great Tit and young in a new location.

Back on Newchurch this morning to get there before too much heat, but it was hot and sunny from the get go!!

Again a quiet avian day. A Green Woodpecker was seen, always a nice occurrence. A family party of Long-tailed Tits proved another breeding species on my patch. A Collared Dove was again at Dairy Farm and 4 House Martins were over Dalefords Farm.

A morning walk for a change, still hot and sunny though!

Still no Cuckoos, despite being looked for by several birders on site. Three Grey Herons were seen, one by Small Pool and two together flying high over Abbot's Moss. Two Common Whitethroats were singing, one on Abbot's Moss and one on Shemmy Moss. Two Linnets flew over Abbot's Moss too. An adult Chiffchaff was seen with food and a Chiffchaff fledging was seen very close by. A Collared Dove was on Dairy Farm farmhouse roof. Three Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew over.

An afternoon walk, hot and sunny. A couple of surprises, shows that you should never give up on a patch!!

Added two new species to the 2020 Patch List today, and both were species only recorded in one year previously. The first of these was a Peregrine which was very vocal in the Abbot's Moss Nursery area. Very close by I added the second new bird with 2 Red-legged Partridges hunkering down in the shade of a hedge at the edge of a tree nursery field. The walk was more an invert walk so these avian additions were a very pleasant surprise. Another surprise was no sight nor sound of any Cuckoos today, really unusual since I have heard up to two on each visit and I spent most of my time over on the Mosslands today.

Four Rooks flew noisily over the Mosslands, a good record here. A Chiffchaff was seen carrying food on the edge of Shemmy Moss, a sign of breeding there. A party of young Great Tits was seen by the Whitegate Way. Two Dunnocks were by the Whitegate Way acting agitated as if they were nesting close by.

Another afternoon reckie in the bright hot sunshine. On my own all the time, I think folk being allowed to travel is tempting them elsewhere

Pretty quiet bird-wise. A single Cuckoo was still calling. A Jay was seen, not common this month. A Great Crested Grebe chick was with its parent on Big Pool. Two adult Mute Swans were also on Big Pool as well as a pair of Tufted Ducks.

A very short walk around Big Pool only, mainly for inverts rather than birds. Very hot & sunny.

A Green Woodpecker was heard, the first in a while. A Garden Warbler is singing regularly between the Pine Belt and Big Pool too.

Another afternoon visit, bright hot sunshine & I feared the worst. It was as bad as I'd feared, packed with folk everywhere not social distancing. I had to shout at a few coming too near me to get them to stop, I despair!

The big highlight was my first Hobby of the year, near Big Pool, not too surprising given the numbers of dragonfles and damselfies on the wing as well as lots of hirundines, spoilt for choice! Two Swifts and several each of Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin were seen. One Cuckoo was heard but I didn't venture over towards the Mosslands today.

A young Blackcap was proof of breeding by Big Pool. Three Stock Doves were over near Lymm Vale. A Bullfinch was seen in horse paddocks off Novia Scotia Lane. A Raven was again heard. Very unusual was a passage of 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls over Novia Scotia Lane, one was also seen earlier making 12 for the day. Three adult Pied Wagtails was a good total.

Don't usually go on my patch on Sundays, but no difference these days!! Sunny at times and quite warm, winds have subsided thankfully.

Very quiet for birds, 2 Cuckoos still was the highlight, 1 over near Shemmy Moss the other near Gull Pool. A Raven flew over Abbot's Moss being mobbed by a Carrion Crow. A Common Whitethroat was on Abbot's Moss. Two male Reed Buntings were also on Abbot's Moss as was a Skylark. An unusual sighting was 4 adult Mute Swans together on Big Pool, I suspect both resident adults were illegally killed so these are all new birds.

A brief sojurn onto my patch this morning, concentrating on the Whitegate Way area. Still warm & still.

No sign of any of yesterdays new birds! What a difference a day makes! Not a lot to report. Still 2 male Cuckoos calling and a Grey Heron flew over again. A Pied Wagtail was seen feeding 2 recently fledged young and young House Sparrows were also seen.  A Lapwing was heard. The first Jay for a while was seen.

Not a bad little morning on my patch today, warm and still, T-shirt weather

After a heads up from a birding associate I headed down sooner than I would have done and headed across the horse paddocks off Novia Scotia Lane as I had done on my previous two visits. These paddocks are lined with tall mature hawthorn hedges and at last I got a bird that I'd been expecting in the area, Lesser Whitethroat, a patch tick and a rarity here, but maybe this one in breeding habitat may make it an annual species for me. My route was chosen so that I could go past the muck spread fields again but this time they were devoid of any gulls. A Range Rover was travelling around the fields, presumably the farmer and for what reason I don't know!? But a bonus, in one field where his car wasn't I spotted my first Oystercatcher of the year in my recording area. So that was two patch yearticks, but better was to come. I approached the bench on the Whitegate Way overlooking Gull Pool and my mate was still present, after a bit of searching we refound the 2 Spotted Flycatchers in trees opposite the bench. A Patch Lifer had been added, superb!

Two male Cuckoos were again heard, one near Small Pool and the other over on Abbot's Moss. Two Grey Herons were recorded, on heard in Gull Pool Wood and another flying over fields towards there. Two Pied Wagtails were in fields off Sandy Lane. My first Bullfinch this month was in Finch Hedge. The fact that Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were added made it a 5 warbler day!

Popped down relatively early today with one aim, to get pics of the Mediterranean Gulls.

As I suspected the feeding flock of gulls was still on the fields that had been muck-spread, if anything there were more gulls, probably 100 Black-headed Gulls, and using two adjacent fields right next to the Whitegate Way. By using cover I was able to get relatively close and soon spotted my quarry. After a nice little session digiscoping the birds I had found 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 summer-plumaged adults and a first-summer bird, even better than I had hoped for. On this truncated walk the other notable birds were a single Cuckoo still, over on the Mosslands, a Swallow, 30 Starlings in the muck-spread field and 2 Goldfinches in the horse paddocks.

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Tuesday 19th of May 2020 01:23:16 PM

Did a slightly different walk this afternoon in my new shorter walk regime! Very warm but cloudy with sunny intervals.

The best bird species was a first for the year on patch - 2 adult summer-plumaged Mediterranean Gulls, found in a large flock of Black-headed Gulls feeding on a muck-spread field by the Whitegate Way, not far from the ex-flooded field that I had my waders on in April. The flock was incredibly jumpy and wary of folk stopping, even far away! Also in this field was a Lapwing and 2 Swallows flew over it. Two Swifts flew over the track that I was viewing from too. Nearby I could hear 2 male Cuckoos calling, 1 over towards The Paddocks houses and 1 over towards the Mosslands.

Other birds seen included a young Song Thrush, a Nuthatch on Novia Scotia Lane and at least 3 Garden Warblers were noted. Two Goldfinches were also near Dairy Farm.

Curt Whitby wrote:

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A walk with the little uns down the track bisecting the lakes with a short stop off at the big lake to recharge the batteries. Most of the usual sightings with the highlight being a female yellowhammer sitting on the main track for a good few minutes. There was a grizzly discovery of the severed off head of a young gosling on the bank of the big lake.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Not good news Curt, I have found 3 dead birds on Big Pool during Lockdown, all previously healthy adults, it may be someone doing this & that's really worrying. I've passed this on to Warrington Anglers Fishing Club and notified the Cheshire Police Rural Crime Squad via Facebook.

---

Another very short afternoon walk, warmish and sunny intervals.

Hardly any ducks on the pool and the fishermen are back, they started officially at 6am on Wednesday according to Warrington Anglers website. Overnight fishing has been sanctioned too on Big Pool but not Small Pool. A couple of Tufted Ducks were seen and lots of broods of Canada Geese goslings. Two Black-headed Gulls were over Big Pool.

One Cuckoo heard, but I walked around Big Pool only. A Lapwing was sitting in the breeding field and a female Pheasant was also here. A Pied Wagtail was on Sandy Lane. At least 3 Garden Warblers are now singing in the small area that I covered, along with the other 3 commoner warblers. A distant Mistle Thrush was singing off Sandy Lane.

Another very short, linimted walk. Dull and colder but dry.

The female Smew was again on Big Pool, coinciding with a return of a small flock of Tufted Ducks, her carrier flock obviously. Over the pool was a hirundine flock containing 30 Sand Martins, 5 House Martins and 4 Swallows. Also the first Swift of the year here was over the central track between the pools.

After not seeing a Treecreeper all year another was seen, making it 2 in consecutive visits! This one was in the woods on the east side of Small Pool showing well. One Cuckoo was still calling near The Paddocks estate with another distantly over the Mosslands, maybe there  have always been 2 Cuckoos rather than one mobile bird as first thought! Only one Garden Warbler was heard, in Finch Hedge, but many Willow Warblers and Blackcaps and a couple of Chiffchaffs were all singing too. A high thermalling Sparrowhawk was over the Mosslands mobbed by hirundines.

At long long last, a return to my patch, albeit a very brief and limited one! Since the last post I found out through my Dr that the suspected Tonsillitis was in fact Glandular Fever and I came down with it very badly! I'm not better, been diagnosed with a post viral infection which could take another 4wks to totally clear up, but I am feeling a tiny bit better. So I accompanied Carys to the horses and she went with me on  avery short walk on Newchurch!

The bird highlight was a new bird for both 2020 and of course Newchurch this year, Treecreeper. We found a newly fledged youngster in the Pine Belt wher I've seen adults in display in the past, excellent news. A Cuckoo was still calling over behind The Paddocks houses. Other news was mainly breeding reports. Two Coot broods were seen, 3 and 1 youngsters in them and a brood of 7 Canada Geese were the first I've recorded this year. All these were on Big Pool but we didn't have time to go to Small Pool! A Grey Heron still stalked the field flood by the entrance track. Three Lapwings were seen, all on or over likely breeding fields. A Garden Warbler showed pretty well near the main track, the first nailed down one this year.Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap were all recorded too. The only hirundine was a Swallow on wires by Dalefords Lane. Two Pied Wagtails were also seen.

Another day down on my patch before an enforced day off tomorrow as we aren't down at the horses. Sunny and warm again.

My first destination was again the flooded field, which on arrival I wasn't surprised to see as a damp patch rather than any pools. Sadly the hot weather has evaporated all the water and this will be the end of this as a wet habitat. Really luckily though 2 Little Ringed Plovers were still present and seeing as how I had my kit I managed to digiscope them, albeit at a great distance and with less than perfect lighting (pic attached)! Nothing else was on the field though, not a duck nor goose, nor anything! In the background not far away a male Cuckoo was calling, a nice backdrop. A Nuthatch was over there too.

A Garden Warbler was on Newchurch Common, but I haven't pinned any territories down yet. Only about 12 Tufted Ducks were on Big Pool and little else.

Another mixed feelings day. Sunny & warm and a short walk this am. A pal had texted to say he'd been to the flooded field and it had been filed in and nowt was on it. So I didn't take my digiscoping gear this time.

On arriving my first port of call was Big Pool, especially with the tern passage through Marbury CP, I had to have a chance of one at least! No not a hope, all that was over the pool was a small flock of 10 Sand Martins. A reduced duck presence with 15 Tufted Ducks too. A dead Coot was found near where the dead swan was found 2 days ago, I really am worried that someone is shooting birds on here.

On this shortened walk I next headed over to check the flooded field for myself. The farmer had spread out some of the soil heaps to fill it in a bit but two 'puddles' remained. On the far bit of water I picked up a Green Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover. Excellent news but no camera, so totally foiled again. As it was my one trip out I couldn't return and have to wait until horse duties tomorrow!! There weren't any other birds on the field though, not a corvid, duck, goose, wagtail etc, as had been before. I don't know ifthe water will last until tomorrow but everything crossed! just Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap were heard today.

Well things get better!! But then down with a bump! Another walk in the warm sun, quite early this morning.

The headline news was waders on the flooded field again, but in this sun this flood is getting drier, very unfortunate. A sandpiper was seen at a distance in bins but today having the scope with me I got a bit closer and with a clear view rather than through branches my suspicions from initial binocular views were correct, it was a cracking Green Sandpiper, and almost certainly the individual seen yesterday. Todays views and videograbbed digibinned record shots allowed me to reassess yesterdays ID, hands up I jumped too quickly to the wrong conclusion! As I watched it did a nice wing stretch to show its unmarked white rump, but I was too late with the camera. Lots of digiscoped shots were taken (more of that later!). Also on the 'pool' now were 2 Little Ringed Plovers, again these were digisoped from numerous angles. A lone White Wagtail was still there with 2-4 Pied Wagtails, but no Mandarin. A male Cuckoo was calling really close by, possibly the Abbot's Moss bird relocating a short distance. The only Garden Warbler of the walk was heard singing by the track to the field.

Also noteworthy today was the fact that the female Smew was back on Big Pool, in East Bay, a result no doubt of the return of more Tufted Ducks, which totalled 25-30. Also on the pools and of note were 3 Greylag Geese and just a single Mute Swan, after I found its mate dead out in the water yesterday (I suspect it was shot and am informing my pal in the Police). Over Big Pool was a hirundine flock which contained 1 House Martin, my first of the year and 30 Sand Martins. A Swallow was seen over near the flooded field.

A Green Woodpecker was by the Whitegate Way south of Small Pool. A Collared Dove was near Dairy Farm. Two Rooks flew over in the clear blue sky. One Raven also flew over near Lymm Vale Pool. A Grey Heron again fished the entrance track field flood. A Nuthatch was over near the flooded field. Of other warblers 1 Chiffchaff but several Willow Warblers and Blackcaps were heard.

Finally the sting in the tail, or should that be tale! On getting home to check the pictures I had taken I found that the sd card was corrupted and everything was lost, even some other pictures from earlier in 2020 were gone too, what an absolute pain

I don't usually go to Newchurch at the weekend but a tip off about a flooded field holding a wader and the fact we were going to the horses pm combined to help me decide to visit today.

I headed straight away to the flooded field over the Whitegate Way and was amazed at what I found. There on the mud on the far side of the flood was a Green Sandpiper, and as I scanned I also found a Little Ringed Plover!! Amazing, 2 Newchurch Patch Lifers and both waders, which are like gold dust on the patch, what a day. even better was to come, I continued to scan and next found a few alba wagtails. On closer inspection there was 1 White Wagtail and possibly 4 Pied Wagtails. Carrying on my scan my jaw nearly dropped when I found a stunning drake Mandarin! I've had Mandarins before but never a drake, and this was another yeartick for the patch too. A Lapwing was also on the flood, 3 waders in one small area, a red letter day indeed. Whilst watching the puddle.... sorry small patch of flood, I also heard the male Cuckoo over on Abbot's Moss.

Other birds today on a shorter walk on the rest of the  patch were as follows. A Green Woodpecker was near Small Pool again. A short passage of 6 Sand Martins flew through Big Pool. A Sparrowhawk flew over the entrance barrier area. As for the warblers, 2 Garden Warblers, 8 Willow Warblers, 12 Blackcaps and 2 Chiffchaffs were recorded. a Nuthatch was heard in a new area south of Small Pool. Just 8 Tufted Ducks were counted on Big Pool, and no Smew, predictably. Two Stock Doves were in flight over the fields near the parking area.

I have edited this post after my next visit due to a reassessment of the sandpiper. I had had a call notifying me that a Common Sandpiper was on this field (not the other birds I found though!) and so seeing a sandpiper distantly through bins I assumed that it was a Common Sandpiper as expected. On my next visit a Green Sandpiper was present - new bird or the same was the question. I had some poor phone-binned video and having freeze framed and zoomed up that I now think that both days' birds were the same individual and both were a Green Sandpiper. Shows that you shouldn't always believe what you're told

After missing a day because we weren't on horse welfare duty I was back this afternoon, again sunny but a stronger breeze later on.

I added 1 new species to the 2020 Yearlist, my second hirundine after Swallow yesterday at our village. It was really a big way to add it with 150 Sand Martins over Big Pool, and in the flock was a lone Swallow (a new bird for Newchurch!).

The pools otherwise were quiet. Two drake Gadwall were unexpected on Big Pool. A Grey Heron was fishing the entrance track field pools. One Lapwing was in the breeding fields which have been re-ploughed.

A male Cuckoo was still calling on Abbot's Moss. A Green Woodpecker was heard near Finch Hedge. a flock of Woodpigeons and Jackdaws in a fiekld north of Big Pool contained 6 Stock Doves too. Over 10 Willow Warblers were heard and around 5 Blackcaps, but no Chiffchaffs today.

After coming down with tonsillitis and a q.visit to hospital for meds a short break from Newchurch was enforced! But a gentle slowere walk today in the warm sun. Didn't do the pools fully cos wanted a shorter route!

Four new species were added to the Patch list on this walk and 3 to my personal UK Yearlist! Firstly a Garden Warbler was singing away by the main track, between Small Pool and Big Pool. Then I headed to the Mosslands where I rested for a while and looked & listened, very pleasant! A Cuckoo was heard on Abbot's Moss, my first here of the year. Previous years have only seen a single bird return, hopefully I('ll do better this year. Also on the Mosslands whilst I rested was a Skylark up in the azure blue sky over Abbot's Moss and then a Whitethroat singing in cover on Shemmy Moss. Lots of Willow Warblers, Blackcaps (including a female) and Chiffchaffs are now present.

Other than these I recorded Green Woodpecker over on Abbot's Moss, as well as a Raven flying over here. A male Reed Bunting was on the now very wet Shemmy Moss, near where the Garganey was previously found. One big surprise on the way back was a drake Gadwall on Small Pool.

A morning hour or so on Newchurch again, sunny and warm again!

The female Smew was on Big Pool over in East Bay showing well. The 2 Greylag Geese were again seen as were 2 Mute Swans, whuch these days is not a species seen on every visit! The same Grey Heron was again on the field pools by the entrance track. Also on this pool was a brood of 10 Mallard ducklings with their parents, the first young ducks this year.

Two Green Woodpeckers were around as well as 2 Stock Doves. A Long-tailed Tit was seen. Lots of the 3 common warbler species again.

An afternoon walk over from the horse paddocks proved to be a fantastic day on patch. swelteringly hot sunshine

The biggest surprise was a new bird for the patch, a drake Garganey! This was on the overgrown shallow pools of Shemmy Moss and gave itself away by its croaky call as we were butterfly hunting nearby. On a good duck day, the female Smew was back on Sandiway Big Pool, over on the north side, and probably around 45 Tufted Ducks were on too. A Grey Heron again fished the flooded field by the entrance track and was seen to catch prey, almost certaily a frog or toad. A Little Grebe was on Small Pool.

In contrast non-water bird sightings were less spectacular. Willow Warblers were in good and proper with c.10 birds singing. A similar number of Chiffchaffs were counted but only 2 Blackcaps. A Rook was on the Mosslands. A pair of Long-tailed Tits were in Finch Hedge.

A good day for invertebrates too (see Out of County Other Wildlife thread)

After avoiding the weekend crowds (driving there ) it was back on patch today, walking over from the horse paddocks. The weather was glorious, suny and warm with little breeze.

The warblers are here, seen and heard, 2 Willow Warblers, 3 Blackcaps and at least 6 Chiffchaffs. A real surprise was a Goldcrest in trees near Big Pool but then it made its way back towards the Pine Belt. A Green Woodpecker was heard as was a Great Spotted Woodpecker. In one of the Sandy Lane horse paddocks there were 2 Pied Wagtails. A Nuthatch called near the entrance barrier.

On the pools a drake Shoveler was the best bird. There were 2 Greylag Geese and 38 Tufted Ducks still. A Grey Heron was on the flooded field by the entrance track.