A large flock of mixed finches feeding in the Alders:- 62 Goldfinches, 22 Lesser Redpoll and 10 Siskins.
Feeding Station
The usual tits plus lots of Chaffinches. In 20 minutes - 2 Nuthatches, 3 Coal Tits and just 1 Reed Bunting. No sign of Willow Tits or Brambling.
Only 1 Grey Squirrel too, after all the heavy rain the bird tables are surrounded by deep water, a superb rodent deterrent.
Birchwood Pool
The usual mass of gulls, including several Great Black Backs and 3 huge 'Argentatus' Herring Gulls.
1 female Smew, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Pochard 12 Shoveler plus the usual waterfowl.
10 Waxwings in Birchwood feeding on a tree with small white berries, similar in size to elder.
Pumphouse Pool
1 large 'Argentatus' Herring Gull amongst a mass of other gulls. The few Common Gulls relentlessly harrassed the Black Heads.
One 1st winter Herring Gull carrying what appeared to be a dead oak leaf, was mobbed by a pack of other big gulls, until it finally ate the leaf.
Eastern Reedbed
20 Teal on the flooded meadow (In recent times I've seen 100+ here).
5 Grey Herons on the meadow, plus 1 perched on a dead tree, and seemed to acting as a lookout, meerkat style.
Nice to meet Sid Ashton.
Mark Battersby said
Fri Dec 28 7:10 PM, 2012
Maps available in the car park.
KEV BROWN said
Fri Dec 28 2:42 AM, 2012
Thursday 27th PM Presumably the combination of nearby tip activity and high tide brought in a good number of gulls. 1 1st Winter Iceland Gull for 15 minutes on Birchwood Pool (12:30-12:45pm) 1 Redhead Smew Birchwood Pool 10 Waxwings 1 male Goldeneye (Pumphouse pool)
JOHN TYMON said
Fri Dec 28 12:54 AM, 2012
PM 10 Waxwing at the east side of Birchwood pool,still present at 3.30,tree 40 yards beyond the hide with white berries. smew -1 Redhead still on Birchwood pool 2 wigeon
Geoff Walton said
Thu Dec 27 3:35 PM, 2012
I have found one in PDF form. if you PM your e.mail address, I will forward it.
Regards
Geoff
-- Edited by Geoff Walton on Thursday 27th of December 2012 03:43:59 PM
Tanmay Dixit said
Thu Dec 27 1:56 PM, 2012
Anyone know where to find a decent map (inclu Car Park and preferably the footpaths etc to each of the hides and the feeding station) for Moore? Planning on visiting for the smew and maybe the reedbed for bittern pics, as well as feeding station etc. (try and see as much as possible) but don't know the site. Can't find a decent map on the internet unfortunately so any help would be much appreciated.
Cheers
-- Edited by Tanmay Dixit on Thursday 27th of December 2012 02:57:23 PM
Mike Turton said
Wed Dec 26 6:30 PM, 2012
Smew still present showing well at times on Birchwood pool other ducks on pool 20 shoveler 15 gadwell 10+ tufted duck plenty of mallards Also had a look on lapwing lake not a lot there 20 wigeon 8 tufted ducks and 1 pair shoveler. Hevens opened then so did not get to eastern reed bed MIKE.
-- Edited by Mike Turton on Wednesday 26th of December 2012 06:37:14 PM
pete berry said
Mon Dec 24 1:09 AM, 2012
The Redhead Smew still present and showing well today on Birchwood Pool Not a single gull on either lake
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Dec 22 12:46 AM, 2012
Red head Smew still showing well this afternoon on Birchwood pool Plenty Gulls ,but nothing out of the ordinary. :)
John Williams said
Fri Dec 21 12:41 AM, 2012
09.30-13.00
Birchwood Pool
Female Smew in the North West corner with a small group of Tufted, 6 Shovelers plus masses of gulls, nothing uncommon amongst them though.
10 Redwings in Birchwood rooting through the leaf litter with Blackbirds, 2 Buzzards here too.
Pumphouse Pool
Huge numbers of gulls, but again nothing uncommon. 4 Shovelers.
2 Green Woodpeckers chasing each other around the heath by Pumphouse Pool.
Eastern Reedbed
64 Teal on the flooded area.
Just the usual Blue and Great tits showing at the feeding station, with 2 Buzzards in the nearby alder carr.
Moss Wood
A Buzzard dashed into the centre of the wood clearly intent on catching something, there is some prey item in these woodlands that these raptors are very interested in,
ground feeding Blackbirds perhaps?. Lots of Goldfinches feeding in the Alders. 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers here too, with a male really hammering a dead Alder stump.
16 Goldfinches, 6 Chaffinches and a single Lesser Redpoll on the old towpath by the metal gate, they were feeding on something on the ground but I could'nt ascertain what?.
Lapwing Lane Pool
3 Wigeon, 4 Shoveler, 3 Teal plus the usual waterfowl.
Mike Baron said
Wed Dec 19 11:20 PM, 2012
First winter Glaucous Gull on Birchwood Pool today. Plenty of gulls but all nervous and rarely staying long. Red-head Smew also showing well and 3 Waxwings in trees by hide. At Pumphouse Pool fewer gulls but 2 Green Woodpeckers.
Brian Baird said
Tue Dec 11 1:28 AM, 2012
Just an update to say that the Smew was showing well at Birchwood Pool this morning.
Cheers Brian
Brian Baird said
Wed Dec 5 10:56 PM, 2012
The Redhead Smew was at the Eastern Reedbed this morning, tagging along with some Mallard. A Green Woodpecker was on the ground by the Lagoon where 70 Teal were also present.
Cheers Brian
Doc Brewster said
Wed Dec 5 4:07 PM, 2012
Thanks for the info, Brian It would be great if the Smew settled down at Moore for the winter News closer to New Year will be much appreciated by Year Listers & Cheshire Listers
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Wednesday 5th of December 2012 04:07:55 PM
Brian Baird said
Mon Dec 3 2:05 AM, 2012
Had a message to say that a "Redhead" Smew was found at Birchwood Pool this afternoon and after a mad dash on my bike managed to locate it briefly about 4pm as the light was fading. It was sticking to the south bank and viewable from the west side hide and was seen again briefly ten minutes later by myself and another birder just before the light went.
Cheers Brian
John Williams said
Tue Nov 20 1:49 AM, 2012
09.30-13.00
Lapwing Lane
10 Wigeon, 15 Tufted Ducks, 3 Shovelers, 2 (male) Pochard plus Coot, Mallard etc.
Feeding Station
1 Willow Tit, 1 Nuthatch plus usual tits etc. Lots of Chaffinches (mainly males) but sign of Brambling. No Reed Buntings in the 20 minutes I was there either.
A single flock of 80+ Goldfinches feeding in Alders nearby.
Birchwood Pool
A huge number of gulls on both here and on Pumphouse Pool, mainly Herring and Black Headed with just a few Lesser Black Backs and 1 Great Black Back ( 2nd winter).
4 Pochard, 2 Little Grebes, 56 Canada Geese, 12 Tufted Ducks and 1 Buzzard.
Pumphouse Pool
8 Gadwall, 8 Tufted Ducks and 5 Shovelers. A flock of mixed tits moving along the South side held 3 Goldcrests and 1 Treecreeper.
2 Siskins were with 2 Goldfinches in Alders there too. 1 Kestrel and 1Buzzard.
Eastern Reedbed
80 Teal, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Cormorants, 4 Tufted Ducks, 4 Shoveler and 1 Green Woodpecker.
Car Park area
6 Redwings with Blackbirds in the hawthornes, plus 1 male Kestrel.
John Doherty said
Sat Nov 17 6:54 PM, 2012
After the short-haul twitch for the Waxwings I had vague aspirations of finding the reported, but as yet evasive lifer in the guise of Bittern. Eastern Reedbed proved fruitless as the rain set in, but there were 3 Green Woodpeckers (a pair showing well, best ever views, beside the hide before a Jay saw them out the tree, plus a single bird flew over) 30 Teal and a Shoveler pair were also on show.
The best ever scour of the site, all the way up to Upper Moss Farm and the hide there overlooking Fiddlers Ferry.
best Birds seen -
2 handsome drake Pochard further odd Teal Several Gadwalls 3 x Shoveler married couples 2 Little Grebes Lots of Tufted Ducks Plenty of Jays Many Buzzards, heard only
Feeding station:
2 x Great Spotted Woodpeckers 1 Nuthatch 1 poss. 2 Reed Buntings 1 Jay etc etc etc 4 Lesser Redpoll in the foilage beside the track
Amusing to see from the hide a Great Blackbacked Gull floating down the Mersey on a piece of wood!!!!!
70 Curlews in a flock at the Ship Canal in a field, just out of the site boundaries - these flushed off in flocks as the horse ran towards their calling master 60 Tufted Ducks on the Ship Canal too. Weather turned beautiful after 11, a memorable day all in
-- Edited by John Doherty on Saturday 17th of November 2012 06:59:08 PM
John Doherty said
Sat Nov 3 11:50 PM, 2012
9 - 3, my second visit to Moore in great weather - not as cold as last time, and sightings better, too! I was in two minds to go given my recent illness (full of cold and flu) but I decided to brave it.
Highlights -
My first ever Woodpecker hattrrick! Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (lifer) on the route to feeding station, Two Green Woodpeckers showing well, grassy mound behind the Lagoon, and to complete the hattrick (was worried for a little while as this was the last one to complete the 3) a Great Spotted Woodpecker visited the feeding station.
Also at the feeders: Jay (commandeering a seed tray) Nuthatches Coal Tit Chaffinch Great Tit Blue Tit Mallards etc etc
Also: Teals (20, Eastern Reedbed); small numbers of Shoveler (Lagoon) 3 Goldeneye (Pumphouse) Single Drake Wigeon (Birchwood Pool) Jays all over Tatty Buzzard being mobbed by Corvids Handfuls of Gadwall, Tufted Ducks, several Little Grebes throughout Other Green Woodpeckers heard Goldcrest on edge of Arpley Moss.
Plus usuals
John Williams said
Thu Oct 25 6:28 AM, 2012
14.30-16.30
Apart from a constant movement of gulls and corvids to and from the landfill, not many other birds about.
40 Feral Pigeons roosting on tower by the swing bridge. 1 Green Woodpecker near the Raptor Watch Point.
MSC
18 Common Gulls, 1 male Wigeon and 2 Grey Herons.
Horse Paddock by Stobart warehouse
2 Mistle Thrushes, 1 Male Kestrel,3 Pied Wagtails and 2 Buzzards.
Halfway House/Mersey mudflats
5 Cormorants, 138 Canada Geese, 850 Lapwings and 12 Golden Plover.
1 Common Darter dragonfly patrolling an area of brambles along the MSC.
Moss Side
1 Collared Dove, 12 Stock Doves plus lots of Jays.
Feeding Station
1 female Great Spotted Woodpecker plus the usual tits.
John Williams said
Tue Oct 23 3:15 AM, 2012
09.30-15.30
Lapwing Lane Pool
4 Little Grebes, 1 Goldcrest, also a flock of 26 Redwing flying South.
MSC embankment upto Halfway House
3 Bullfinches, 3 Redwings, 2 Buzzards plus several large mixed tit flocks with Dunnock, Wrens etc, only 1 Coal Tit with them though.
Horse paddock by Stobart warehouse
12 Mistle Thrushes, 4 Redwings and 1 male Kestrel
Halfway House/ Mersey sandbanks
1100 Lapwings, 54 Golden Plover, 2 Buzzards, 5 Great Black Gulls, 1 Heron, plus a flock of 25 Canada Geese which included a noticeably smaller bird that the others did'nt seem to like.
Feeding Station
3 squabbling Nuthatches, 1 Goldcrest plus the usual tits etc, the only finches though were 2 female Chaffinches.
Birchwood Pool
2 adult+ 1 juvenile Great Crested Grebes, 3 Little Grebes, 75 Canada Geese plus the usual waterfowl.
Pumphouse Pool
An absolute mass of mixed gulls, mainly Black Headed, I had a quick scan through them but could'nt find anything rare, only 1 Common Gull in them though.
I can't recall ever seeing so many gulls massed on a pool at Moore before, the numbers would put Richmond Bank to shame.
I also can't recall seeing the water level on this pool so high before and I've been going there since the reserve opened.
1 Green Woodpecker on the adjacent heath.
Eastern reedbed
2 Little Grebes, plus 39 Teal on the marshy area in front of the screen.
John Williams said
Sat Sep 29 12:24 AM, 2012
09.30-14.00
Halfway House/Mersey sandbanks
1200 Lapwings, 217 Golden Plovers, 18 Curlew, 1 Sparrowhawk, a charm of 12 Goldfinches, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker plus the usual gulls.
2 juvenile Lesser Black Back Gulls were really pestering an adult for food, but it just looked flustered and ignored them.
1 Speckled Wood butterfly
Upper Moss Side (The paths here are flooded, wellies advised !.)
1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Collared Doves, 1 Buzzard and 1 Kestrel.
1 Red Admiral butterfly, 1 Alder Leaf Beetle and 1 Fox.
Birchwood Pool
1 Buzzard, 2 adult + 2 juvenile Great Crested Grebes, 3 Little Grebes.
Pumphouse Pool
1 adult + 2 juvenile Great Crested Grebes, 3 Little Grebes, 1 Green Woodpecker sat in a dead tree at the Eastern end of the pool and 1 Grey Heron.
6 Speckled Wood butterflies on roadside bushes, plus 1 Harlequin Ladybird.
Eastern Reedbed ( The track leading to here is often flooded, but oddly enough its not too bad considering the recent deluge.)
3 Cormorants, 1 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk and 2 Little Grebes.
Brian Baird said
Tue Sep 11 11:50 PM, 2012
Barnacle Goose on Birchwood Pool today with 2 Black Swans and 80+ Canada Geese plus Gadwall, Mallard and Tufted Duck. A Liitle Grebe was feeding a juvenile here whilst on Lapwing Lake a Gt. Crested Grebe was feeding a well grown juvenile.
John Williams said
Thu Aug 30 2:44 PM, 2012
07.30-09.30
Birchwood Pool
1 Great Crested Grebe family with 2 young, 1 Little Grebe family also with 2 young, plus 3 more Little Grebes.
1 Black swan which was still highly territorial and chasing off geese, including a feral/escape Snow Goose.
Pumphouse Flash
1 Great Crested Grebe family with 3 youngsters.
Eastern Reedbed
1 full grown juvenile Great Crested Grebe, 6 Herons and 8 Stock Doves.
Also 3 female Bullfinches with a mixed tit/Chaffinch flock near Lapwing Lane/Old canal
4 Goldfinches and a few Gatekeeper butterflies near the car park. 3 Meadow Browns on the meadow there too.
The water level is too high for any wader scrapes to be exposed, and the small shallow pool in front of the Eastern Reedbed screen that was a hotspot for Green Sandpipers is hidden by Purple Loosestrife etc.
-- Edited by John Williams on Thursday 30th of August 2012 02:55:26 PM
Mark Battersby said
Wed Aug 22 12:09 AM, 2012
Visited yesterday. Not too much going on. circa 150 Canada's on Birchwood Pool. Pair of Black Swans being very aggressive to anything on the water. Numerous little grebes and young. Single male gadwal. Few cormorants on Lapwing pool.
sid ashton said
Thu Jul 19 4:18 AM, 2012
Had a couple of hours at Moore this afternoon in the sunshine
Of interest, a Great Crested Grebe feeding a youngster, a single Little Grebe and a Common Tern over Lapwing Lake. A Kingfisher and two Black Swans on Birchwood Pool. Also plenty of House Martins and Swallows and a few Swifts around.
Mike Mulholland said
Thu Jul 12 4:11 AM, 2012
Black necked Grebe on php last thursday. A couple of White letter Hairstreaks showed reasonably well mid afternoon today on the brambles east of the dog walking field.
chrisdorney said
Thu May 24 7:51 PM, 2012
No glossy ibis last night but was surprised to find a goldeneye displaying to a tufted duck on birchwood pool.also 2 tawny owls calling from 8.one from the warehouses next to the road to the eastern reedbed.
Mike Mulholland said
Wed May 23 3:39 AM, 2012
Glossy Ibis late afternoon in the flooded area adjacent to Millbrook Pool viewed from the Eastern Reedbed hide.
Brian Baird said
Mon Apr 23 11:58 PM, 2012
A Common Whitethroat was singing at Upper Moss Side this morning as well as Willow Warblers, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Greenfinch,Tree Sparrow, Linnet and Wren.
A Yellowhammer flew across the field behind Moss Side Farm where three Swallows were hawking insects and a Buzzard was perched by the path.
A pair of Moorhen had four young in tow at the Eastern Reed Bed.
Mike Baron said
Wed Apr 18 4:51 AM, 2012
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Originally posted by Chris Dorney yesterday:
Short eared owl tonight 8.15 on walk from bob's bridge towards upper moss side.appeared from fields to the right of the path then headed towards fiddlers.second appeared on the walk back from the opposite direction at 8.40 and also headed towards fiddlers.leucistic greylag on birchwood pool and other bits and bobs including fieldfare yellowhammer and a male kestrel catching prey item.
P.S. special mention for mike baron and Stephen Burke who inspired/shamed me into getting involved and not just be a voyeur!
Welcome Chris and about time too!
Nice find with the owl - it must be almost as good as the owl you found at Rixton!
See you soon
Mike
steven burke said
Wed Apr 18 1:43 AM, 2012
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Originally posted by Chris Dorney yesterday:
Short eared owl tonight 8.15 on walk from bob's bridge towards upper moss side.appeared from fields to the right of the path then headed towards fiddlers.second appeared on the walk back from the opposite direction at 8.40 and also headed towards fiddlers.leucistic greylag on birchwood pool and other bits and bobs including fieldfare yellowhammer and a male kestrel catching prey item.
P.S. special mention for mike baron and Stephen Burke who inspired/shamed me into getting involved and not just be a voyeur!
welcome to the forum chris hope to see lots off posts off good birds from you,well you have started already. well done on the short eared owls a wonderful bird to watch. keep birding & hopefully see you around again.
chrisdorney said
Wed Apr 18 1:37 AM, 2012
Thanks for that Ian.had a quick go at changing the post at dinner but failed miserably!I will be more careful in future.only recently got a smart phone.as Aldous Huxley said...
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Apr 17 9:13 PM, 2012
Originally posted by Chris Dorney yesterday:
Short eared owl tonight 8.15 on walk from bob's bridge towards upper moss side.appeared from fields to the right of the path then headed towards fiddlers.second appeared on the walk back from the opposite direction at 8.40 and also headed towards fiddlers.leucistic greylag on birchwood pool and other bits and bobs including fieldfare yellowhammer and a male kestrel catching prey item.
P.S. special mention for mike baron and Stephen Burke who inspired/shamed me into getting involved and not just be a voyeur!
Tom Brereton said
Wed Apr 11 7:12 AM, 2012
10/4/2012
Very pale/white Iceland Gulll, perhaps the juvenile reported a few days ago, but couldn't rule out 2nd winter on brief views - Birhcwood Pool, 3:30pm.
Male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Round Moss Wood, 3-3:20pm.
Brian Baird said
Wed Apr 4 3:31 AM, 2012
2 Juvenile Iceland Gulls present today, one very pale grey/white at Pump House Pool and the other more pale biege/white at Birchwood Pool where the Little Ringed Plover was still present. The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was busy excavating a hole in the usual stump this afternoon.
David Wilson said
Mon Apr 2 4:12 PM, 2012
Lesser spotted woodpecker showing for a good half hour this afternoon. Little egret high up in tree on Lapwing lake. Yellowhammer, Blackcap, Willow warbler and lots of Chiffchaff on upper moss side. Also managed 2 Grey Partridge here which was a first for me. Sand Martin fly by on Ship canal. No sign of Ring Ouzel.
-- Edited by David Wilson on Monday 2nd of April 2012 09:26:06 PM
Mike Mulholland said
Mon Apr 2 2:03 AM, 2012
Little Gull feeding over Birchwood Pool late afternoon found by Mark Feltham, also Little ringed plover there and Little Egret on Lapwing Lane Pool. Ring Ouzel still present and the first Holly Blue of the year north of the feeding station.
Mike Mulholland said
Sun Apr 1 2:17 AM, 2012
Cheers Sid, saw it again today. Hopefully we'll have a few more patch mega's in the next couple of months.
sid ashton said
Sat Mar 31 12:27 PM, 2012
Arrived at the reserve at 07.15 but had to wait for an hour for the male Ring Ouzel to put in an appearance. It was still in the gorse fields on the south side of the ship canal directly opposite the first jetty on the path towards Halfway House.
Several Chiffchaff calling and seen at that end of the reserve and a Great Spotted Woodpecker giving a wooden telegraph pole what for
P.S. - Nice find Mike
-- Edited by sid ashton on Saturday 31st of March 2012 12:31:24 PM
Mike Mulholland said
Fri Mar 30 12:07 AM, 2012
Andy Dutton and myself found a male Ring Ouzel mid morning feeding in the field on the south side of the ship canal a few hundred yards west of Moore swing bridge; only my third record for the patch. Also on the reserve 2 Swallows, approx 20 Sand Martins, 1 Blackcap and 9 Chiffchaff. Also Brimstone,Small Tort, Comma and Peacock butterflies. 2 male wheatear on UMS on 18/3/12.
Gordon Taylor said
Wed Mar 28 1:58 AM, 2012
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker showed very well for around 30mins this afternoon excavating anew hole on the usual tree. heard to engage in a few bouts of drumming near by.
steve ashworth said
Mon Mar 26 12:17 PM, 2012
great day out at moore today sunday, the lesser spotted woodpecker was in view for a good 20 mins on its favourite tree.
Mike Baron said
Sat Mar 17 3:02 AM, 2012
Juvenile Iceland Gull, adult Mediterranean Gull and fourth winter Yellow-legged Gull on Pumphouse Pool late afternoon
Brian Baird said
Tue Mar 13 4:12 AM, 2012
A Mediterranean Gull was on Pump House Pool this afternoon.
Nick Isherwood said
Wed Mar 7 3:35 AM, 2012
A quick visit at lunchtime today and I almost completed the hatrick of Woodpeckers.
Whilst watching a Great Spotted Woodpecker by the old canal the male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker suddenly popped into view. I then watched it for a few minutes as it was drumming and calling before I disappeared again.
On the way back to the car park I picked up the laughing sound of a Green Woodpecker. Unfortunately I couldn't quite locate it.
Patrick Earith said
Tue Mar 6 9:02 PM, 2012
Juvenile Iceland Gull on Birchwood Pool this afternoon
-- Edited by Patrick Earith on Tuesday 6th of March 2012 09:03:15 PM
sid ashton said
Mon Mar 5 8:54 PM, 2012
Raptors at Moore during a short visit this afternoon:- 5 Buzzards up at once, 2 Sparrowhawks, 3 Kestrels and a Peregrine.
-- Edited by sid ashton on Monday 5th of March 2012 08:55:18 PM
Brian Baird said
Thu Mar 1 9:01 PM, 2012
All three Woodpeckers were seen in Round Moss Wood around mid'day today.
The Green was also heard yaffling, whilst the other two were drumming. The Lesser was watched, from the path, excavating a hole in one of the dead trees in the middle of the wood.
My first hat-trick.
-- Edited by Brian Baird on Thursday 1st of March 2012 09:03:08 PM
Nick Isherwood said
Fri Feb 24 11:45 PM, 2012
A quick lunchtime visit today revealed a cracking 2nd winter Iceland gull on Birchwood pool. It didn't hang around for long though as all the gulls on the pool spooked and promptly disappeared. Also on the pool was a single female Goldeneye and an Oystercatcher.
Also heard what appeared to be the call of a young Tawny owl calling in the woodland.
Lapwing lane
6 Wigeon, 7 Teal, 1 Buzzard.
Moss Wood
A large flock of mixed finches feeding in the Alders:- 62 Goldfinches, 22 Lesser Redpoll and 10 Siskins.
Feeding Station
The usual tits plus lots of Chaffinches. In 20 minutes - 2 Nuthatches, 3 Coal Tits and just 1 Reed Bunting. No sign of Willow Tits or Brambling.
Only 1 Grey Squirrel too, after all the heavy rain the bird tables are surrounded by deep water, a superb rodent deterrent.
Birchwood Pool
The usual mass of gulls, including several Great Black Backs and 3 huge 'Argentatus' Herring Gulls.
1 female Smew, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Pochard 12 Shoveler plus the usual waterfowl.
10 Waxwings in Birchwood feeding on a tree with small white berries, similar in size to elder.
Pumphouse Pool
1 large 'Argentatus' Herring Gull amongst a mass of other gulls. The few Common Gulls relentlessly harrassed the Black Heads.
One 1st winter Herring Gull carrying what appeared to be a dead oak leaf, was mobbed by a pack of other big gulls, until it finally ate the leaf.
Eastern Reedbed
20 Teal on the flooded meadow (In recent times I've seen 100+ here).
5 Grey Herons on the meadow, plus 1 perched on a dead tree, and seemed to acting as a lookout, meerkat style.
Nice to meet Sid Ashton.
Presumably the combination of nearby tip activity and high tide brought in a good number of gulls.
1 1st Winter Iceland Gull for 15 minutes on Birchwood Pool (12:30-12:45pm)
1 Redhead Smew Birchwood Pool
10 Waxwings
1 male Goldeneye (Pumphouse pool)
10 Waxwing at the east side of Birchwood pool,still present at 3.30,tree 40 yards beyond the hide with white berries.
smew -1 Redhead still on Birchwood pool
2 wigeon
Regards
Geoff
-- Edited by Geoff Walton on Thursday 27th of December 2012 03:43:59 PM
Cheers
-- Edited by Tanmay Dixit on Thursday 27th of December 2012 02:57:23 PM
Also had a look on lapwing lake not a lot there 20 wigeon 8 tufted ducks and 1 pair shoveler. Hevens opened then so did not get to eastern reed bed
MIKE.
-- Edited by Mike Turton on Wednesday 26th of December 2012 06:37:14 PM
Not a single gull on either lake
Plenty Gulls ,but nothing out of the ordinary. :)
Birchwood Pool
Female Smew in the North West corner with a small group of Tufted, 6 Shovelers plus masses of gulls, nothing uncommon amongst them though.
10 Redwings in Birchwood rooting through the leaf litter with Blackbirds, 2 Buzzards here too.
Pumphouse Pool
Huge numbers of gulls, but again nothing uncommon. 4 Shovelers.
2 Green Woodpeckers chasing each other around the heath by Pumphouse Pool.
Eastern Reedbed
64 Teal on the flooded area.
Just the usual Blue and Great tits showing at the feeding station, with 2 Buzzards in the nearby alder carr.
Moss Wood
A Buzzard dashed into the centre of the wood clearly intent on catching something, there is some prey item in these woodlands that these raptors are very interested in,
ground feeding Blackbirds perhaps?. Lots of Goldfinches feeding in the Alders. 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers here too, with a male really hammering a dead Alder stump.
16 Goldfinches, 6 Chaffinches and a single Lesser Redpoll on the old towpath by the metal gate, they were feeding on something on the ground but I could'nt ascertain what?.
Lapwing Lane Pool
3 Wigeon, 4 Shoveler, 3 Teal plus the usual waterfowl.
Cheers Brian
A Green Woodpecker was on the ground by the Lagoon where 70 Teal were also present.
Cheers Brian
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Wednesday 5th of December 2012 04:07:55 PM
It was sticking to the south bank and viewable from the west side hide and was seen again briefly ten minutes later by myself and another birder just before the light went.
Cheers Brian
Lapwing Lane
10 Wigeon, 15 Tufted Ducks, 3 Shovelers, 2 (male) Pochard plus Coot, Mallard etc.
Feeding Station
1 Willow Tit, 1 Nuthatch plus usual tits etc. Lots of Chaffinches (mainly males) but sign of Brambling. No Reed Buntings in the 20 minutes I was there either.
A single flock of 80+ Goldfinches feeding in Alders nearby.
Birchwood Pool
A huge number of gulls on both here and on Pumphouse Pool, mainly Herring and Black Headed with just a few Lesser Black Backs and 1 Great Black Back ( 2nd winter).
4 Pochard, 2 Little Grebes, 56 Canada Geese, 12 Tufted Ducks and 1 Buzzard.
Pumphouse Pool
8 Gadwall, 8 Tufted Ducks and 5 Shovelers. A flock of mixed tits moving along the South side held 3 Goldcrests and 1 Treecreeper.
2 Siskins were with 2 Goldfinches in Alders there too. 1 Kestrel and 1Buzzard.
Eastern Reedbed
80 Teal, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Cormorants, 4 Tufted Ducks, 4 Shoveler and 1 Green Woodpecker.
Car Park area
6 Redwings with Blackbirds in the hawthornes, plus 1 male Kestrel.
The best ever scour of the site, all the way up to Upper Moss Farm and the hide there overlooking Fiddlers Ferry.
best Birds seen -
2 handsome drake Pochard
further odd Teal
Several Gadwalls
3 x Shoveler married couples
2 Little Grebes
Lots of Tufted Ducks
Plenty of Jays
Many Buzzards, heard only
Feeding station:
2 x Great Spotted Woodpeckers
1 Nuthatch
1 poss. 2 Reed Buntings
1 Jay
etc etc etc
4 Lesser Redpoll in the foilage beside the track
Amusing to see from the hide a Great Blackbacked Gull floating down the Mersey on a piece of wood!!!!!
70 Curlews in a flock at the Ship Canal in a field, just out of the site boundaries - these flushed off in flocks as the horse ran towards their calling master
60 Tufted Ducks on the Ship Canal too.
Weather turned beautiful after 11, a memorable day all in
-- Edited by John Doherty on Saturday 17th of November 2012 06:59:08 PM
I was in two minds to go given my recent illness (full of cold and flu) but I decided to brave it.
Highlights -
My first ever Woodpecker hattrrick! Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (lifer) on the route to feeding station, Two Green Woodpeckers showing well, grassy mound behind the Lagoon, and to complete the hattrick (was worried for a little while as this was the last one to complete the 3) a Great Spotted Woodpecker visited the feeding station.
Also at the feeders:
Jay (commandeering a seed tray) Nuthatches Coal Tit Chaffinch Great Tit Blue Tit Mallards etc etc
Also: Teals (20, Eastern Reedbed); small numbers of Shoveler (Lagoon) 3 Goldeneye (Pumphouse)
Single Drake Wigeon (Birchwood Pool)
Jays all over
Tatty Buzzard being mobbed by Corvids
Handfuls of Gadwall, Tufted Ducks, several Little Grebes throughout
Other Green Woodpeckers heard
Goldcrest on edge of Arpley Moss.
Plus usuals
Apart from a constant movement of gulls and corvids to and from the landfill, not many other birds about.
40 Feral Pigeons roosting on tower by the swing bridge. 1 Green Woodpecker near the Raptor Watch Point.
MSC
18 Common Gulls, 1 male Wigeon and 2 Grey Herons.
Horse Paddock by Stobart warehouse
2 Mistle Thrushes, 1 Male Kestrel,3 Pied Wagtails and 2 Buzzards.
Halfway House/Mersey mudflats
5 Cormorants, 138 Canada Geese, 850 Lapwings and 12 Golden Plover.
1 Common Darter dragonfly patrolling an area of brambles along the MSC.
Moss Side
1 Collared Dove, 12 Stock Doves plus lots of Jays.
Feeding Station
1 female Great Spotted Woodpecker plus the usual tits.
Lapwing Lane Pool
4 Little Grebes, 1 Goldcrest, also a flock of 26 Redwing flying South.
MSC embankment upto Halfway House
3 Bullfinches, 3 Redwings, 2 Buzzards plus several large mixed tit flocks with Dunnock, Wrens etc, only 1 Coal Tit with them though.
Horse paddock by Stobart warehouse
12 Mistle Thrushes, 4 Redwings and 1 male Kestrel
Halfway House/ Mersey sandbanks
1100 Lapwings, 54 Golden Plover, 2 Buzzards, 5 Great Black Gulls, 1 Heron, plus a flock of 25 Canada Geese which included a noticeably smaller bird that the others did'nt seem to like.
Feeding Station
3 squabbling Nuthatches, 1 Goldcrest plus the usual tits etc, the only finches though were 2 female Chaffinches.
Birchwood Pool
2 adult+ 1 juvenile Great Crested Grebes, 3 Little Grebes, 75 Canada Geese plus the usual waterfowl.
Pumphouse Pool
An absolute mass of mixed gulls, mainly Black Headed, I had a quick scan through them but could'nt find anything rare, only 1 Common Gull in them though.
I can't recall ever seeing so many gulls massed on a pool at Moore before, the numbers would put Richmond Bank to shame.
I also can't recall seeing the water level on this pool so high before and I've been going there since the reserve opened.
1 Green Woodpecker on the adjacent heath.
Eastern reedbed
2 Little Grebes, plus 39 Teal on the marshy area in front of the screen.
Halfway House/Mersey sandbanks
1200 Lapwings, 217 Golden Plovers, 18 Curlew, 1 Sparrowhawk, a charm of 12 Goldfinches, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker plus the usual gulls.
2 juvenile Lesser Black Back Gulls were really pestering an adult for food, but it just looked flustered and ignored them.
1 Speckled Wood butterfly
Upper Moss Side (The paths here are flooded, wellies advised !.)
1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Collared Doves, 1 Buzzard and 1 Kestrel.
1 Red Admiral butterfly, 1 Alder Leaf Beetle and 1 Fox.
Birchwood Pool
1 Buzzard, 2 adult + 2 juvenile Great Crested Grebes, 3 Little Grebes.
Pumphouse Pool
1 adult + 2 juvenile Great Crested Grebes, 3 Little Grebes, 1 Green Woodpecker sat in a dead tree at the Eastern end of the pool and 1 Grey Heron.
6 Speckled Wood butterflies on roadside bushes, plus 1 Harlequin Ladybird.
Eastern Reedbed ( The track leading to here is often flooded, but oddly enough its not too bad considering the recent deluge.)
3 Cormorants, 1 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk and 2 Little Grebes.
Barnacle Goose on Birchwood Pool today with 2 Black Swans and 80+ Canada Geese plus Gadwall, Mallard and Tufted Duck.
A Liitle Grebe was feeding a juvenile here whilst on Lapwing Lake a Gt. Crested Grebe was feeding a well grown juvenile.
Birchwood Pool
1 Great Crested Grebe family with 2 young, 1 Little Grebe family also with 2 young, plus 3 more Little Grebes.
1 Black swan which was still highly territorial and chasing off geese, including a feral/escape Snow Goose.
Pumphouse Flash
1 Great Crested Grebe family with 3 youngsters.
Eastern Reedbed
1 full grown juvenile Great Crested Grebe, 6 Herons and 8 Stock Doves.
Also 3 female Bullfinches with a mixed tit/Chaffinch flock near Lapwing Lane/Old canal
4 Goldfinches and a few Gatekeeper butterflies near the car park. 3 Meadow Browns on the meadow there too.
The water level is too high for any wader scrapes to be exposed, and the small shallow pool in front of the Eastern Reedbed screen that was a hotspot for Green Sandpipers is hidden by Purple Loosestrife etc.
-- Edited by John Williams on Thursday 30th of August 2012 02:55:26 PM
Of interest, a Great Crested Grebe feeding a youngster, a single Little Grebe and a Common Tern over Lapwing Lake. A Kingfisher and two Black Swans on Birchwood Pool. Also plenty of House Martins and Swallows and a few Swifts around.
A couple of White letter Hairstreaks showed reasonably well mid afternoon today on the brambles east of the dog walking field.
A Yellowhammer flew across the field behind Moss Side Farm where three Swallows were hawking insects and a Buzzard was perched by the path.
A pair of Moorhen had four young in tow at the Eastern Reed Bed.
Welcome Chris and about time too!
Nice find with the owl - it must be almost as good as the owl you found at Rixton!
See you soon
Mike
welcome to the forum chris hope to see lots off posts off good birds from you,well you have started already. well done on the short eared owls a wonderful bird to watch. keep birding & hopefully see you around again.
Short eared owl tonight 8.15 on walk from bob's bridge towards upper moss side.appeared from fields to the right of the path then headed towards fiddlers.second appeared on the walk back from the opposite direction at 8.40 and also headed towards fiddlers.leucistic greylag on birchwood pool and other bits and bobs including fieldfare yellowhammer and a male kestrel catching prey
item.
P.S. special mention for mike baron and Stephen Burke who inspired/shamed me into getting involved and not just be a voyeur!
Very pale/white Iceland Gulll, perhaps the juvenile reported a few days ago, but couldn't rule out 2nd winter on brief views - Birhcwood Pool, 3:30pm.
Male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Round Moss Wood, 3-3:20pm.
The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was busy excavating a hole in the usual stump this afternoon.
-- Edited by David Wilson on Monday 2nd of April 2012 09:26:06 PM
Several Chiffchaff calling and seen at that end of the reserve and a Great Spotted Woodpecker giving a wooden telegraph pole what for
P.S. - Nice find Mike
-- Edited by sid ashton on Saturday 31st of March 2012 12:31:24 PM
Also on the reserve 2 Swallows, approx 20 Sand Martins, 1 Blackcap and 9 Chiffchaff.
Also Brimstone,Small Tort, Comma and Peacock butterflies.
2 male wheatear on UMS on 18/3/12.
Whilst watching a Great Spotted Woodpecker by the old canal the male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker suddenly popped into view. I then watched it for a few minutes as it was drumming and calling before I disappeared again.
On the way back to the car park I picked up the laughing sound of a Green Woodpecker. Unfortunately I couldn't quite locate it.
-- Edited by Patrick Earith on Tuesday 6th of March 2012 09:03:15 PM
-- Edited by sid ashton on Monday 5th of March 2012 08:55:18 PM
The Green was also heard yaffling, whilst the other two were drumming. The Lesser was watched, from the path, excavating a hole in one of the dead trees in the middle of the wood.
My first hat-trick.
-- Edited by Brian Baird on Thursday 1st of March 2012 09:03:08 PM
Also heard what appeared to be the call of a young Tawny owl calling in the woodland.