Went down to No 3 bed this morning to look for Black Neked Grebes and found 2 summer plummage birds straight out from the Morgan Hide. One bird was brightly coloured and the second bird was slightly smaller and paler in colour. The bed is looking realy good with a lot more open water and there was a good nuimber of duck including 88 Pochard and 50 Gadwall. On the feeders were 3 Bullfinch and on the ground there were 4 Brambling.

Yesterday morning a dead Barn Owl was found on the steps of the Hogg Hide, the bird seemed unmarked and was still warm to touch.

Alan,

Fair enough and understood. It's just that they were reported this time last year on this thread fairly regularly and I was under the impression that Woolston was pretty much 'safe' territory for them, but, if this is not the case, I shall pursue the subject no further!

Thanks

Patrick

Patrick Earith wrote:

---

Hi Alan,

Not seen any Ruddy Ducks reported yet. Are they about?

Cheers

Patrick

---

As the cull on Ruddy Duck is still going on I do not post any sightings of them on line, that is my personal choice!

regards

Alan

Patrick Earith wrote:

---

Hi Alan,

Not seen any Ruddy Ducks reported yet. Are they about?

Cheers

Patrick

---

I hope no one does reports them anywhere.I have not reported them for nearly ten years due to the cull which I have never agreed with.





-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Thursday 28th of March 2013 01:30:22 PM

Hi Alan,

Not seen any Ruddy Ducks reported yet. Are they about?

Cheers

Patrick

Sun PM,

OK it's official - I have a Brambling jinx going on , no sightings for the last 3 visits.

But, 5 Whooper Swan at 5pm more than made up for that - they flew around and then off toward the weir pool but no sign of them later. Also,
16 Redwing
2 Fieldfare
3 Goldeneye on Weir Pool (2 male)
1 Buzzard
(PS. the Pochard and Tufted Duck are on the Weir Pool)

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 24th of March 2013 07:43:17 PM

Hi Alan
I was on No 3 bed this afternoon after 2.30.
Saw a brambling or 2 in a large group of finches in the trees as i walked to the hides so was hopeful of seeing a few at the feeders but they flew across the other side of the central meadow and didn't seem to come back! |Probably still around but the wrong time of day. A big group of greenfinches did appear though.
Duck numbers a bit low today with more Shelduck than Rob had but Tufted Duck and Pochard were lower numbers.
Very nice to see a pair of Pintail from the Tower Hide.
Cheers
Steve

Rob Creek wrote:

---

Quick visit Saturday pm. Pretty much the usuals from the bridge side, birds of note :
40+ Pochard
50+ Tufted Duck
2 Shelduck

---

Hi Rob, You post is a little vague to where you saw the Pochard and Tufted Duck which I think could have been on the ship canal or on the river by the footbridge. Or where you at the Woolston Weir end, I wondered if the Brambling were still active on No 3 bed.

Cheers Alan

Quick visit Saturday pm. Pretty much the usuals from the bridge side, birds of note :
40+ Pochard
50+ Tufted Duck
2 Shelduck

Despite the blizzard that was blowing when I got up this morning I fancied a walk to the Eyes. As I came to cross over the Latchford Locks I was surprised to see a pair of Divers in the canal! Unfortunately they were a pair of human divers who in this age of technology were trying to plug the gaps in a large sluice gate using Rags! One of the workers said that the divers would probably be warmer than I was.

No3 bed was looking realy bleak as the blizzard raged acrross the bed and there were very few duck to be seen. The feeding station at the Morgan Hide however was heaving with birds. There were dozens of finches on each feeder and the ground below them was a carpet of Brambling in stunning plummage. There was a minimum of 46 Brambling that I counted under the right hand side feeders before they flew up into the nearby bush and another 3 on the much quieter Left Hand side feeders. Its the biggest group of Brambling I have seen at Woolston.

10.00-13.30

On the subject of unwelcome guests, there were 3 youths stood in amongst the reeds on the North West corner of No 3 bed at lunchtime, I seen them throw something at a swan, which was

the only waterfowl not scared away from the area. This incident as been reported, but shows just how determined some guys are, in terms of barbed wire the access points would put

Colditz to shame.

On a brighter note the female Long Tailed Duck was showing really well from the J.Morgan hide, at one point she climbed onto a tangle of roots, only to fall off again, she seems very unsteady

on her feet. Then a courting drake Tufted Duck took a dislike to her and chased her off. Are Long Tailed Ducks as ungainly on land as divers and grebes, she seems to be?.

Also on No3, 22 Pochard, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes, 13 Shelducks, 13 Shoveler, 2 Cormorants, a pair of Lesser Black Gulls and a rather sickly looking 1st winter Herring Gull, plus

Coot, Gadwall etc,. The only raptor was a single Buzzard, and surprisingly there were no Bramblings showing at the feeders.

Woolston Weir

2m+2f Goldeneye, 35 Pochard and 49 Tufted Ducks.

A single Common Gull was with Black Heads and 20 Tufted Ducks on the MSC.

KEV BROWN wrote:

---

Sunday PM, No.3 :-


Also, I noticed a birder walking along the bank top to the east side of No3 (ie, go right after crossing the footbridge). Is this a 'no access' area? I'm not sure and I don't think there are signs indicating this as an out of bounds area.

---

Hi Kev, The person you saw was a warden checking to see that the new sluice was working after all the rain we have had!

The long-staying Long-tailed Duck has just been reported as being back on No.3 bed and so is more accessible.

Cheers David

Hi Kev,

Its definately a no go area and access to the bank was roped off last week. However it may have been a warden who could have been going to check on the new Sluice that has been fitted to control the water levels.

Did you notice if the person had a scope or large camera with them as then if so it was a pernmit holder. Permit holders are only allowed on the main circular path and the paths off it leading to the hides.

Black Necked Grebes are due back any day now so look out for them!

Cheers

Alan

Sunday PM, No.3 :-
1 Tawny Owl
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Buzzard
2 Willow Tit

Also, I noticed a birder walking along the bank top to the east side of No3 (ie, go right after crossing the footbridge). Is this a 'no access' area? I'm not sure and I don't think there are signs indicating this as an out of bounds area.

On a nice, early-Spring morning, the long-staying female Long-tailed Duck, 1 Dunlin, 2 Curlews and c.250 Golden Plover, were the highlights of a rewarding day. All bar the Curlews were viewed from near Bollin Point. The Long-tailed Duck is probably most easily viewed by parking in Hollybush Lane (off the A57 opposite Butchersfield Tip), then walking a couple of hundred yards back west along the A57 to the little wood, which has a footpath which leads down to the bank of the River Mersey. If you look eastwards along the river, it's usually with the Tufted Duck flock.

Counts of interest, among the commoner stuff, were:

Long-tailed Duck 1 F
Golden Plover 250
Dunlin 1
Curlew 2
Brambling 11
Siskin 20
Lesser Redpoll 5
Willow Tit 2
Water Rail 1
Peregrine 2
Pochard 65
Goldeneye 6
Song Thrush 10 in song
Great Crested Grebe 18 inc. 7 displaying pairs
Common Gull 4
Shelduck 15
Redwing 3
Lapwing 125
Coal Tit 1 (ringed by KF et al)
Common Buzzard 16
Greylag Goose 10
Stock Dove 3

Cheers David (along with Les Jones, Brian Baird and Al Warford)

12.30-14.30

A quick visit in the pouring rain (comfy dry hides anyway) to see if the weather had brought down any spring migrants, it had'nt.

MSC (Near Penny Ferry)

22 Tufted Duck, 3 Great Crested Grebes and a Common Gull.

No3 Bed

This bed looks great now after the major revamp, there's lots of exposed mud, the young willows have been taken out giving a more open vista.

The water level appears just right too, the reedbeds have been prevented from drying out, and the two major scrapes surely must tempt some interesting waders to stop over.

18 Wigeon in the North West corner was a surprise. Other waterfowl of note 110 Tufted Ducks, 22 Pochard, 15 Shelduck and 4 Great Created Grebes.

Around a dozen each of Gadwall and Shoveler, 30+ Teal. plus the usual Coot etc. The Black Headed Gulls are back en-masse, and with them an adult Common Gull.

A Water Rail showed well in a newly cleared area below the Tower Hide. 3 Cormorants, but no sign of Little Grebe, Herons or Lapwing.

Around the feeders were 5f+3m Brambling, 5f+2m Bullfinch and a single Willow Tit. 2 Goldcrests were in bushes near the new loo.

A single Common Snipe in front of the F Linley hide.

A large flock of mixed finches in trees near the Tower Hide contained 6 more Bramblings, plus 6 Redwings. They were all being watched from a few trees further along, by a male Sparrowhawk.

Woolston Weir Pool

6 Pochard, a pair of Gadwall and a single drake Goldeneye.



-- Edited by John Williams on Friday 15th of March 2013 06:03:17 PM

John Barber and I also found the female Long-tailed Duck earlier yesterday afternoon after a bit of a struggle through the on-bank vegetation. It was in the middle of the river on the bend behind the Biffa compound. Haven't seen Long-tailed Duck for some time, so good to see one close to home on a really nice sunny day .

Well done to Mark Payne, the original finder.


-- Edited by sid ashton on Thursday 7th of March 2013 06:40:29 PM

Female Long-tailed Duck stilll present, at 3.00 pm today, relocated by Brian Baird and I. It's on the River Mersey, still consorting with Tufted Ducks, north of Butchersfield Tip. Probably the easiest way to see it would be to ask permission at Swifts Farm, just off the A57, to walk down to their fishing pools on the north bank of the Mersey, then walk east along the river bank as far as the wood. From there it would be directly opposite, often skulking under the trees on the south bank.

Other sightings included a Redshank on No.3 bed and 3 Golden Plovers, with 220 Lapwings to the south of Bollin Point.

Nice male Stonechat from John Morgan hide this afternoon and 1 Redshank.

Apart from Barrow's all were on Reykjanes Peninsular. Forgot to mention more Iceland Gulls than you could shake a stick at plus Kumlien's and Glaucs for good measure. Northern Lights put on a good show last night and picked up Gyr today along south coast.

Nice one, Mark - glad someone put the effort in to re-find it !! I'll probably have a wander down to Bollin Point sometime soon, to see if it's still there.

Cheers David

Quite right Greg, should've wandered down there for it. When I saw your bird list, I just assumed you were having another good day at Neuman's
Did you get most of them around Rekjavik or have you been tempted to venture out to Snaefellsness? Any luck with the Northern Lights yet?

Cheers David

Sounds like it's exactly where we predicted when we chatted in the hide last week. Not to worry ... had plenty today along with Harlequin, Barrow's Goldeneye, White-winged Scoter, American Wigeon and King Eider!

I'm in Iceland by the way

-- Edited by Greg Baker on Sunday 3rd of March 2013 09:46:32 PM

Female Long-tailed Duck reported today from the River Mersey to the north of No.1 bed, apparently viewable from the footpath along the north bank of the river. Otherwise, Dave Steel, Brian Baird, Al Warford and I concentrated on No.3 bed and Woolston Weir Pool. Counts included (all from No.3 bed unless otherwise indicated): 1 Kingfisher, 1 Peregrine, 1 Snipe, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 13 Redwings, 12 Fieldfares, 8 Bramblings, 17 Shelducks (5 on the Weir Pool), 1 Goldeneye female (Weir Pool), 3 Willow Tits, 5 Bullfinches, 7 Reed Buntings, 360 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Common Gull, 102 Pochard, 2 Little Grebes, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 50 Chaffinches, 40 Greenfinches, 3 Jackdaws, 5 Common Buzzards, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 3 Herring Gulls, 8 Carrion Crows, 3 Lapwings, 6 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 16 Cormorants.

Cheers David

No sign of the Long-tailed Duck today

Cheers David

DavidBowman wrote:

---

A female Long-tailed Duck was reported today, presumably from No.3 bed.

Cheers David

---

Hi David

Yes it is on No 3 bed and it was on the North West Pool when I left at about 5pm, it was in with a large group of Pochard. Just a reminder that a key and permit are required to get on to No 3 bed.

A female Long-tailed Duck was reported today, presumably from No.3 bed.

Cheers David

A good morning, covering No.3 bed and completing another BTO Winter Thrush Survey on Nos.3 and 4 beds, with Dave Steel, Les Jones and Al Warford. Nice to bump into you, too Rob - just a pity it wasn't earlier in the day, as we could have taken you in with us - definitley do that next time if you let me know in advance.

Highlights were: 30 Bramblings under the Morgan Hide feeders, 110 Chaffinches around the North Meadow, 2 Wigeon, 3 Goldeneye and 51 Pochard on the Weir Pool, 70 Teal, 10 Reed Buntings, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 6 Shelduck, 69 Tufted Duck, 1 Sparrowhawk, 170 Black-headed Gulls, 12 Shoveler, 4 Greylag Geese, 5 Grey Herons, 16 Goldfinches and 6 Bullfinches. The Thrush count turned up: 30 Blackbirds, 52 Redwings and 4 Song Thrushes.

Cheers David

Everywhere locked as its permit only, bit disappointed in driving all the way over from Middleton but still got a few spots in and met a nice bunch of birders including Dave Bowman.

Green Woodpecker heard from Thelwall Lane area.
Couldn't get near any of the hides but managed to see Tufted Duck, Pochard, Great Crested Grebe, Shelduck, Goldeneye, and Goldcrest. 2 Buzzards were circling overhead whilst walking back to the car.

On the day the contractor finished his work for this year, No.3 bed held plenty of wildfowl and other birds. Among them were: 80 Teal, 8 Shelduck, 21 Shoveler, too many Canada Geese(!), 95 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Common Gull, lots of Bramblings still under the Morgan Hide feeders, 2 Water Rails, 46 Fieldfares in the centre of the bed, plus 6 Meadow Pipits and 8 Pied Wagtails feeding on the freshly dug areas.

Cheers David

Two Black-necked Grebes reported on No.3 bed this afternoon !! The earliest return date ever Fortunately the contractor finishes next week and water levels are currently just about OK.

Cheers David

A very pleasant morning started with the return of the Black-headed Gulls to the No.3 bed breeding colony, a sure sign that spring isn't very far away. We (Dave Steel, Brian Baird, Al Warford, Mike Baron, Greg Baker and I) then spent an hour or so viewing from the Morgan Hide accumulating the following totals: Black-headed Gulls 220, Brambling 9, Pochard 9, Tufted Duck 11, Shelduck 5, Canada Goose 19, Common Gull 2, Herring Gull 3, Lesser Black-backed Gull 4, Coot 11, Moorhen 5, Shoveler 12, Jay 3, Redpoll 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 4, Pied Wagtail 2, Willow Tit 3, Bullfinch 3, Greylag Goose 3, Snipe 1, Chaffinch 40, Greenfinch 35, Dunnock 3, Gadwall 7, Teal c.120, Tufted Duck 11, Cormorant 1, Robin 7, Blackbird 9. We then had a brief meeting with the contractor about the work which has now started on the west side of the lagoon and which is already having a positive impact. The work will finish in a week's time, hopefully in time for us to get the water levels up for the return of the Black-necked Grebes (again, hopefully) in mid-March.

We then covered No.1 bed, Bollin Point, Butchersfield Tip and the Weir Pool, with the main sightings being: Golden Plover 28, Lapwing 200, Siskin 30, Tufted Duck 125, Little Grebe 2, Great Crested Grebe 1, Grey Wagtail 1, Meadow Pipit 1, Cormorant 5, Robin 12, Song Thrush 3, Skylark 15, Moorhen 2, Starling 9, Sparrowhawk 1, Bullfinch 4, Chaffinch 40, Greenfinch, 25, Common Buzzard 9, Dunnock 2, Mallard 9, Goldeneye 3, Gadwall 4, Stock Dove 2, Pochard 82, Shelduck 5, Goldfinch 23, Black-headed Gull 250, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 and Willow Tit 1.

Cheers David

Cheers, Dave, unfortunately I won't be able to make it Saturday, but we'll get together before too long.

Sounds like a good morning Dave. There were 32 Bramblings in front of the Morgan Hide feeders in No.3 bed this afternoon, as well. You down Saturday - I still owe you Lottery money

Cheers David

A good morning ringing on No1 bed, with 3 new Bramblings caught, making 2013 the best year ever for this species on the bed since 1995. Also seen were a female Sparrowhawk chasing the Starlings as they came out of roost (approx. 100), 5/6 Willow Tits (they seemed to be calling everywhere), 14 Pochard, 1 Siskin, 1 Snipe and 4 Great Crested Grebes.

Another brilliant winter morning on Nos. 3,2,1 beds and Bollin Point, with the usual (and ever expanding) suspects. Early drizzle had stopped by 8.00 am and a calm, dry day followed. Highlights were: a Waxwing over No.3 bed (per K. Foster), 22 Brambling on the Morgan Hide feeders and 4,000 Starlings from the No.3 bed roost, 2 Dunlin, 103 Golden Plover and 600 Lapwings on the flooded fields to the east of Lymm Golf Course, a Woodcock and a Green Woodpecker at Bollin Point and the Tip and a pair of Peregrines which together chased a flock of Feral Pigeons right over our heads at the Viaduct. Totals included:

Waxwing 1 (KF)
Dunlin 2
Golden Plover 103
Lapwing 600
Woodcock 1
Green Woodpecker 1
Peregrine 2
Brambling 22
Water Rail 1
Willow Tit 1
Goldeneye 5
Teal 305
Pochard 46
Song Thrush 8
Stock Dove 19
Sparrowhawk 1
Kestrel 1
Common Buzzard 4
Reed Bunting 1
Bullfinch 11
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2
Cormorant 6
Common Gull 1
Black-headed Gull 70
Herring Gull 5
Lesser Black-backed Gull 35
Jay 8
Greenfinch 42
Robin 17
Dunnock 3
Tufted Duck 81
Carrion Crow 9
Gadwall 43
Mallard 32
Chaffinch 70
Magpie 18
Wren 2
Great Crested Grebe 3
Feral Pigeon 35
Blue Tit 7
Canada Goose 23
Coot 18
Shoveler 5
Shelduck 12
Mute Swan 8
Jackdaw 32
Rook 16
Pheasant 7
Blackbird 25

Cheers David (along with Les J., Brian B., Alan W., Jane C. and Paul H.)

Yes, Jason, things are definitely looking good - would have been looking better if Pepe Reina hadn't had a rush of blood last night!

Cheers David

Good news the contractor is managing to make good headway despite his setback. So our pool will be formed some time soon? Exciting times.

Cheers
Jason

On a bright, clear morning, Dave Steel, Les Jones, Al Warford, Brian Baird and I started on No.3 bed and ended up on No.1. Highlights were: 3 Woodcocks, 800 Starlings from the No.3 bed roost, 120 Teal, 8 Bramblings, 2 Siskins, 1 Redpoll, 7 Bullfinches, 2 Willow Tits in song on No.3 bed, 9 Goldfinches, 4 Reed Buntings, 3 Skylarks, 8 Fieldfares, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Grey Wagtail. Also managed to connect with Kev Brown, at Kieran Foster's ringing station, which was good. Later, met with the contractor, who should be starting work on the west side of the lagoon in two weeks time.

Cheers David

-- Edited by DavidBowman on Saturday 2nd of February 2013 04:37:42 PM

That would be good Kev, we should be wandering into the Morgan Hide about 8.00 am , a bit later than usual as I've got meet some people from the Cheshire Badger group and bring them into the bed.

Cheers David

Hi Jason/ Dave,
Thanks for the info and updates... it sounds like you guys are putting in an amazing effort with the Eyes in terms of winning the right support and keeping on top of everything. The Eyes are well worth the work - and to think that it is the BNG's that I have to thank for bringing me back into birding after a few decades 'lost in industry'. I might even see you on saturday.

Cheers, Kev

Hi Jason and Kevin. Yes, the contractor brought in a replacement digger last week and continues to make good progress, despite losing time with the lost machine. I've negotiated with Natural England who will apply to the Environment Agency for an extraction licence, just in case we need to pump water on the bed to raise the water levels in mid-February. I'll let Kieran know when the work is likely to move to the west side of the reed bed. See you Saturday?

Cheers David

-- Edited by DavidBowman on Monday 28th of January 2013 06:51:21 PM

The digger that 'sunk' had the diesel pumped from it, although I believe it was in a non corrosive tank anyway. I raised concern about the oil but if it has sunk into the silt I think this will act as a good 'coffin'and should contain it. The biggest concern at the moment is have they got another digger yet? Over to you David.

Cheers
Jason

Hi Dave,
I managed a few hours on no 3 bed on saturday 26th pm. I met a birder who said that one of the diggers used by the contractors had been lost ie, sank in soft ground. Is this true and if so is there a risk with regards diesel/ oil leakage?
Cheers, KevB

Sounds good, Brian - I'll bring the book and CD you loaned me, too!

Cheers David

DavidBowman wrote:

---

Hi Brian, I was thinking this morning that I hadn't seen you down there for ages and was planning to contact you to see if you fancied a trip down to Woolston. Any Saturday, just let me know and we'll meet up.

Cheers David

---

Hi David
Next week then if that's okay. I'll pm you if there's any change.
Cheers Brian

Hi Brian, I was thinking this morning that I hadn't seen you down there for ages and was planning to contact you to see if you fancied a trip down to Woolston. Any Saturday, just let me know and we'll meet up.

Cheers David

Hi David

Looks like you both had a good morning, despite the snow.
I must get down soon to catch up with all these Bramblings etc.

Cheers Brian

A sparkling morning, with fresh snow and blue skies, as Les Jones and I stayed mainly on No.3 bed before spending an hour or so watching the Weir Pool. Key sightings were 2 Little Egrets, which flew south over No.2 bed at 1210, 29 Bramblings on No.3 bed, 3 Water Rails on the same bed, including one under the Morgan Hide feeders and 11 Goldeneye on the Weir Pool. Total counts were:

Little Egret 2
Brambling 29 all on No.3 bed inc. 18 under the Morgan Hide feeders.
Water Rail 3
Willow Tit 1
Redwing 11
Fieldfare 7
Mistle Thrush 18
Goldeneye 11
Teal 140
Tufted Duck 257
Shoveler 14
Shelduck 1
Reed Bunting 6
Mute Swan 11
Sparrowhawk 1
Kestrel 1
Common Buzzard 1
Gadwall 3
Canada Goose 48
Black-headed Gull 58
Common Gull 3
Pochard 5
Mallard 12
Jackdaw 18
Magpie 9
Jay 5
Carrion Crow 8
Goldfinch 3
Song Thrush 2
Cormorant 53 mainly over-flying
Herring Gull 28 over-flying
Lesser Black-backed Gull 100s over-flying
Bullfinch 3
Chaffinch 75
Greenfinch 60
Great Spotted Woodpecker 4
Grey Heron 3
Long-tailed Tit 14
Coot 1
Moorhen 3
Starling 65
Woodpigeon 640 from No.2 bed roost at dawn
Blackbird 27
Pheasant 3
Blue Tit 12
Great Tit 6
Robin 16
Pied Wagtail 1
Dunnock 8
Wren 4

Cheers David