Sorry for the late news, yesterday late afternoon patcher Pod found a Wood Warbler in the yew trees just up the steps from the boathouse towards the Bittern Screen, the old Tawny roost trees if folk knew them It showed fleetingly in the yews along with at least 1 of Chiffchaff & Blackcap, so just seeing any warbler flitting about wasn't enough!! Around 6.30pm it flew off with the Chiffchaff alongside the mere to the trees past the Bittern Screen. A single Arctic Tern was also still present over the mere.

Folk were on patch all morning but no sign but a report which the core patchers knew nothing about on the pagers have it as 'singing in pines' had a renewed search start pm & I have just had news that it is still in the yews & birches singing at 5.15pm. The bird was not singing yesterday apart from two phrases of partial song that allowed Pod to first pick it up, not a murmur after that. A Wheatear was at Kid Brook Spit at 10am. Also present today at least 5 Yellow Wagtails on the fields by Kid Brook this aftrenoon and another in the fields by Fishermans Path where there was also a Little Ringed Plover on the marshy valley area. Five Common Sandpipers were around the mere m,argins early morning. Large numbers of Meadow Pipits were also noted. No sign of any terns am or pm today.


-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Thursday 18th of April 2013 05:30:03 PM

This evening 3 Arctic Terns over the mere, showing well from the Fisherman's Path A Med Gull flew over too and a Common Sandpiper was by the mereside.

Doc Brewster wrote:

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A real patch Mega there, Sid, well done indeed .....................................................

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Thanks Paul, but to be fair I didn't do anything, just stood still and the bird found me

A pleasant couple of hours in the park this afternoon produced Sand Martins, House Martins and Swallows over the mere, 2 Yellow, several Pied and at least 2 White Wagtails as well as a Little Ringed Plover on the spit. Along the mereside path, vocal Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs as well as male and female Blackcap and several each of Nuthatch and Treecreeper.

Best of all though was a smart looking male Ring Ouzel that appeared in one of the tall trees above the mereside path as I was looking towards the mere from the meadow with my back to the car park - Wood Warbler corner I think it's called - more or less right opposite the spit. The bird flew off after a few minutes, I tried to refind it but with no luck. A nice bird to see at Marbury

A real patch Mega there, Sid, well done indeed & thanks for the PM. Most patchers have caught up with one in the past but another would be very welcome. Hope this one sticks, definitely worth a good search of the patch tomorrow. I popped down in a window of opportunity at 5.40pm & got 2 Yellow Wagtails & a White Wagtail on Kid Brook Spit, but had to leave immediately. Same tomorrow as working all day, any news of the Ring Ouzel would be much appreciated as I run the email distribution list for the patch (anyone with push email to their phone, or who just wants email updates about the Witton Limebeds Patch, just send me a PM on these forums & I will add you to the list ).

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Monday 15th of April 2013 10:21:04 PM

First Yellow Wagtail reported on Kid Brook Spit yesterday with an assortment of wagtails including Pied, White & Grey!! Willow Warblers & Blackcaps now in in multiples along the mereside path. All 3 hirundines still present in the flock over the mere. Eyes peeled for an Alpine Swift

Brief afternoon on patch today brought a few notable sightings. I picked up the first (reported) Blackcap in the shape of a male near the Bittern Screen, relocated later when I popped back with another birder. A Grey Wagtail was nearby by the boathouse. Over the mere a large hirundine flock contained lots & lots of Sand Martins, double figures of Swallows and a couple of House Martins.

Third party sightings that I got 2nd/3rd hand included a Common Sandpiper & a Willow Warbler but I can't really comment personally on those.

Some good birds to be seen at the moment include a regular 2nd winter / 3rd calendar year Yellow-legged Gull which favours Kid Brook spit or the buoys just offshore. It can often be found plunge-diving for freshwater mussels. Also Lesser Spotted Woodpecker finally becoming more regular and a couple of Crossbills seen and heard early morning today and also heard on Easter Sunday when a drake Scaup was present. A pair of Little Ringed Plovers are now resident on the spit and at least one White Wagtail with a regular flock of Pieds.

-- Edited by Greg Baker on Wednesday 3rd of April 2013 10:21:12 AM

16.00-17.00

15 Great Crested Grebes (I origanally thought most had paired off, but 9 were gathered together in a single raft).

1 Redshank and a pair of Oystercatchers on the North bank near the spit.

2 Grey Herons chasing each other around the tree tops near the heronry, I hav'nt seen a single bird settled in there yet this year.

Masses of Black Headed and Common Gulls roosting on the mere, the only other gulls being a pair of Lesser Black Backs.

Still no sign of hirundines.

The mereside Alders that in the past have been a hotspot for Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers only produced a single Treecreeper and a Nuthatch.

Another Treecreeper was in Big Wood, in floated down like a dead leaf, parallel to a tree trunk, until only a couple of feet from the ground, then resumed normal flight.

I assume this was a kind of display flight, although I can't recall ever seeing anything like it before.

Only a few Redwing on the cleared area near the playground, the big flock that was there on Saturday as moved on.

A Raven was heard by the mere, and one was seen displaying over Dairyhouse Meadows.

John Williams wrote:

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Probably correct there Tanmay, it was just the way she drummed that made me think it was territorial rather than a means of finding food.
She'd really hammer the branch, then pause for a look round, before moving across to another tree.
Perhaps she was announcing her presence and seeing if she could find a tasty grub too.

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At Dunham Massey Park today I had a female great spot drumming, just a few taps, followed by a long interval, and then another few taps etc.

Didn't look like she was drumming for food, so perhaps there's another explanation...?

Probably correct there Tanmay, it was just the way she drummed that made me think it was territorial rather than a means of finding food.
She'd really hammer the branch, then pause for a look round, before moving across to another tree.
Perhaps she was announcing her presence and seeing if she could find a tasty grub too.

a female Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming in Big Wood. (I thought only the males drummed?.)

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I think that both drum to excavate grubs from wood, which may be what was happening...feeding rather than courtship etc.

Happy to be told I'm wrong but I think that's right!

17.30-18.30

40+ Redwings, plus Blackbirds and Chaffinches on the cut grass area near the childrens playground.

5 pairs of Great Crested Grebes, one pair doing a full display.

4 Pied Wagtails on the spit on the North bank, possibly a small wader here too but it kept hiding behind a stone.

A very pale, almost albino Canada Goose with the local flock, 10 Greylags too.

As the sun went down a Buzzard was very active hunting over the cattle pasture, and a female Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming in Big Wood. (I thought only the males drummed?.)

Whatever the pipit is - Water or Scandinavian Rock it will be a patch lifer for most of us who watch the 'Witton Lime Beds' area. A cracking White Wagtail was also present yesterday evening, again on Kid Brook Spit. The pipit was present today, early am at least, and hopefully since I got some pretty close pics yesterday its ID will be finalised whaen we examine them!!

Pipit spp still on Kid Brook Spit briefly early am and the Dunlin *+& Little Ringed Plover were there too. 22 Whooper Swans flew over north this am.

A call late afternoon alerted me to the presence of a Little Ringed Plover on the Kid Brook Spit by Budworth Mere, maybe the one present since March 11th or maybe another, think we had the first in the Cheshire by our reckoning!! It was on the spit with a Dunlin and a pipit species which required closer investigation. Three patch watchers managed to get closer views and the jury is now out for the bird either being a littoralis (Scandinavian) Rock Pipit or a Water Pipit. I arrived with another patcher just 10mins too late as the bird had flown off, presumably to roost. It will be looked for tomorrow & maybe then its true ID will be determined.

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Sunday 24th of March 2013 09:34:35 PM

Sand Martin over the mere again yesterday and a definite White Wagtail on Kid Brook spit as well as a Dunlin & 10 Pied Wagtails. 2 Kingfishers seen from the mereside path

The Little Ringed Plover was still present this morning picking away along Kid Brook Spit, viewed from the mereside path. No sign of any Sand Martins but a freshly in Chiffchaff was singing on Marbury Lane.

cheshirebirder reports on Birdforum that, and I quote: " There were a pair of Orinoco geese around the back of Sandbach Flashes last year. They'd jumped the fence from that menagerie next door "

Doc Brewster wrote:

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Any news on rings on the BMW bird, Tanmay? This one has a yellow plastic ring, would assume it is the same bird, but the ring would be extra evidence

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No info as far as I know...when I saw it, it was too distant to make out anything,and in addition was in long-ish grass so rings probably obscured if present. if anyone has any info or recollection of the bird at BMW maybe they could help???

John Barber wrote:

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cheshirebirder reports on Birdforum that, and I quote: " There were a pair of Orinoco geese around the back of Sandbach Flashes last year. They'd jumped the fence from that menagerie next door "

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Cheers Tanmay & John

News today - late afternoon - of an exceptionally early, for patch, Little Ringed Plover. Seen on the Kid Brook Spit shoreline viewed from the mereside path at Marbury CP. Fits nicely with the first Spring sightings of this species in the UK being 1 on 7th-8th March in Sussex, then birds in London & Surrey on 9th March and Powys, London, Surrey & Notts yesterday

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Monday 11th of March 2013 09:28:46 PM

Any news on rings on the BMW bird, Tanmay? This one has a yellow plastic ring, would assume it is the same bird, but the ring would be extra evidence

There has recently been an orinoco goose around Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB feeding with the Canadas. Perhaps the same bird...? It was there in December and I think some of January. I saw it briefly, a very odd looking bird!

Add to that the Cape shelduck and ringed teal, and my plastic list at BMW isn't too bad.

and also an escapee white-fronted goose last summer which flew through!

-- Edited by Tanmay Dixit on Monday 11th of March 2013 12:00:25 PM

John Barber wrote:

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Doc Brewster wrote:

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It's an Orinoco Goose and has a yellow plastic ring, initially reported in by a non-patcher as an Egyptian Goose on the info systems. Shame as that would have been a patch mega for all! The same bird was first picked up by Greg Baker on Thursday & IDed as Orinoco Goose after a bit of detective work by Pete Antrobus today

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No wonder I couldn't find it in my Collins !

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I know, John, I've never seen one before but when I googled it it does look like a hybrid, like some kid has stuck cut outs of different waterfowl together!! We have been told they're q.rare in captivity too, so wonder which collection it came from. One of the best escape ticks we've ever had on patch lol

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Monday 11th of March 2013 09:12:49 AM

Doc Brewster wrote:

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It's an Orinoco Goose and has a yellow plastic ring, initially reported in by a non-patcher as an Egyptian Goose on the info systems. Shame as that would have been a patch mega for all! The same bird was first picked up by Greg Baker on Thursday & IDed as Orinoco Goose after a bit of detective work by Pete Antrobus today

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No wonder I couldn't find it in my Collins !

It's an Orinoco Goose and has a yellow plastic ring, initially reported in by a non-patcher as an Egyptian Goose on the info systems. Shame as that would have been a patch mega for all! The same bird was first picked up by Greg Baker on Thursday & IDed as Orinoco Goose after a bit of detective work by Pete Antrobus today

Doc Brewster wrote:

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Sand Martin seen over Budworth Mere this morning

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Yep, got it.

Some kind of hybrid Egyptian Goose at Budworth Mere this morning. It has a ring on it's leg and has been there for a few days apparently.

Sand Martin seen over Budworth Mere this morning

12.00-13.30

Budworth Mere

12 Great Crested Grebes, 46 Wigeon, 1 Great Black Backed Gull plus lots of Coot, Canada Geese etc.

3 Oystercatchers were on the North Bank.

A huge raft of Black Headed Gulls with lesser numbers of Common stretched across the mere, but no sign of Meds.

3 Coal Tits were squabbling near the old ice pit, whilst the only unusual sighting at the feeding station was a rabbit chewing bramble leaves.

Just 1 Grey Heron showing in the heronry, although 6 others were dotted around nearby.

-- Edited by John Williams on Friday 1st of March 2013 04:09:50 PM

Budworth mere 11.30-1.00
No Bittern
Grey heronx2
Cormorantx10
Great crested grebex16
Usual Coots and Moorhens
Mallardsxloads
Usual Tits
Dunnocks
Nuthatch
Robins
Great spotted woodpecker
Mute swanx2
Wren
Chaffinchxloads
No Raptors
Cheers Jay
Don't twitch and drive.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker has been seen and heard occasionally along Marbury Lane over the past week or so (including a brief view this morning). Currently this seems a better bet than last year's favoured trees along the mere path.

09.30-13.30

Concentrated on trying to get a glimpse of the Bittern hiding away in the Coward reedbed, alas it did'nt show, except for the brief time I'd nipped over to the woodland hide.

There's a limit on the amount of time that you can stare into a reedbed, it's easier looking for Lord Lucan.

A Kingfisher was showing well just below the screen, whilst upto 12 Long Tailed Tits were on the feeders at one point and a Bank Vole nervously fed beneath them.

On the mere were 2 female Goldeneye, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Pochard, 1 Little Grebe plus the usual Tufted Ducks etc.

The meadow on the North bank held 19 Curlew, 20 Wigeon, 25 Lapwings plus a huge mixed group of Canada and Greylag Geese.

In the mereside alders were 16 Siskins and a Treecreeper. 2 Buzzards flew low across the mere and a flock of 5 Bullfinches were near the garden centre.

Collette Collier wrote:

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Hi doc

Thanks for your reply, I'm not sure actually I just follow the sat nav code from the website but this takes you to what I assume is a main car park which is a pay and display that takes you to an information point and toilets this leads down to a path and the water is directly in front of you then as you take the path is To the left. Yes if you don't mind sending me any info in a pm id Be very grateful as I'm trying to expand my knowledge and sightings.

Thank you :0)

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Will do Collette, what you tell me is great, pins down the area you use for me. I will PM you right away :)

Hi doc

Thanks for your reply, I'm not sure actually I just follow the sat nav code from the website but this takes you to what I assume is a main car park which is a pay and display that takes you to an information point and toilets this leads down to a path and the water is directly in front of you then as you take the path is To the left. Yes if you don't mind sending me any info in a pm id Be very grateful as I'm trying to expand my knowledge and sightings.

Thank you :0)

Where do you park, Collette? From the last bit of your descrition it sounds like you go over Upland Woodlands Meadows from Marbury Lane over to the Anderton side. I helped write the section on Marbury, Neumann's & Ashton's Flashes in the new Helm Where to Watch Guide, including providing the maps, so if you let me know what you would like to see then I can send you PMs on here to help

Hi guys,

I've been here several times walking my dogs and tend to stick to the path where the expanse of water is to the left this path is pretty short but I'm unsure of where the best way to go is or worried about getting lost..I've found the hide to the right of the path and ive carried on to the end of the path ending up at the canal where the boat lift is if you carry on to the right.


Can any of you guide me to a better spot as the path gets pretty busy with dog walkers so haven't seen many different species other than the usual tits finches wrens robins etc

Thanks in advance

CC

09.30-11.00

Sat for about an hour waiting for the Bittern to show at the Coward Memorial reedbed without success, it was seen yesterday, but when I left none of the regular birders had caught a glimpse today.

Four Grey Herons were chasing each other around the reedbed and at times things got quite aggressive, but even that did'nt rouse the Bittern.

On the mere were 6 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Goldeneye, 1 Little Grebe and 5 Pochard, 12 Lapwings were on the meadow (North side).

A flock of 78 Wigeon on the North bank, with more hidden amongst Canada Geese and Mallards on the meadow.

9 Robins at the woodland feeding station seem to be tolerating each other, but things looked tense. 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker hammering away on a mereside tree.

1 Buzzard swooping low across the meadow near the garden centre, not a good place to be rabbit.

Budworth Mere
1 Pink-footed Goose
2 Shelduck
1 Goosander
7 Goldeneye
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 hybrid goose, perhaps White-fronted or Lesser White-fronted x Canada


Pick Mere
4 Goldeneye
1 Black Swan

Several folk out and so had lots of calls today, all saying the same thing - no sign of the Great Northern Diver. It was seen yesterday flying over the A559 by the mere so Pickmere may be worth a check, but also it could have left the area totally. A Little Egret was seen just off patch flying towards Marbury CP but again no sign of that all day. A female Goosander was on the mere though.

The Great Northern Diver still there today, good news for prospective weekend visitors - just a day more for it to hang on. Two Bitterns seen yesterday at dusk too

The Great Northern Diver was still present & showing very closely at times to 12.30pm at least. The Green Sandpiper that was reported to me at dusk yesterday evening was still present on the far shore to the left of Kid Brook Spit all morning as well as the very long staying Dunlin. The Kingfishers are starting to show much more frequently too with 2+birds involved.

Great Northern Diver (juv) still present this morning - first seen at 07.50 in the gloom .

Watched for a while but didn't see it catch any fish but had really good views at the western end of the mere near the reed bed and in front of the small boathouse landing stage.

Nice to see Mr Baker again after a long time; hope you had a productive visit to Richmond bank Greg

Cheers Pete, the Bittern went missing when the reedbed froze, we suspected a move to flowing water areas with reed such as the stream between Budworth Mere & Pick Mere (where the Great White Egret was several years ago). But now the reedbeds have thawed out it's nice to hear of one being back

p.s. like the video

1 Bittern showed from 10.40 for c15-20 minutes
1 Great Northern Diver (for a video see the signature below)

Showing down to 5m at times to a large crowd & taking huge fish, some almost too big for it to swallow. It did manage to swallow them though - after a long struggle!! Ranging over the whole mere so it could be distant at times but with patience views were exceptional. Still present as light was fading at 4.15pm.

Juv Great Northern Diver still present on mere this morning.

Below some video of the diver taken this afternoon.

http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/great-northern-diver-gavia-immer/juvenile-swimming-diving

The diver was showing well this evening from the mereside path looking across to Kidbrook Spit. There are numbers of Water Rails on patch, John, but are more often heard than seen these days. Banside vegetation cutting near the Coward Reedbed Screen caused a sudden dip in sightings along the waters edge there, which was always a reliable palce to actually see rather than just hear them.

Hi Greg, managed to access the Bittern footage today - excellent, I thought, though I missed Barbara's drumming in the background!

Cheers David