This afternoon

1 Roseate Tern - appears to be paired up with a Common Tern
800+ Common Terns
1 Arctic Tern
1 Sandwich Tern
5 LRP's
1 Ringed Plover
1500+ Barwits
400+ Blackwits
30+ Knot
1 Curlew

This afternoon

1 White-winged Black Tern (juv)
200+ Common Terns
1 Black-necked Grebe (adult)
1 Greenshank
15 Blackwits
4 Curlew
22 Golden Plover
120+ Dunlin
80+ Knot
1 Scaup (drake)
50+ Redshank
2 Common Sandpipers

As it's now relatively easy to get a day permit thought I'd give Seaforth Nature Reserve (sounds posh!!) a bash yesterday.

No Black Terns but Common Tern (lots of), Common Sandpiper, Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail(juvs), Greenshank, Meadow Pipits, Black tail Godwit, Scaup, Peregrine and much to the delight of the local lads a Kingfisher - apparently they get one a year. Always an interesting place to visit.

-- Edited by sid ashton at 11:16, 2008-08-24

bagged a wilsons phalarope lifer for me showing on the spit 3.30pm from crosby marina side very elegant bird and very rare for the north west.only 35mins on m58.
also sandwich and common terns ,2 1st winter kittiwakes,gulls,comerants and shellduck.

-- Edited by Gary Gorner at 17:01, 2008-06-04

More likely so that Mersey Docks & Harbour Board (or whatever they call themselves now) can see any birders comimg well in advance and put up "sorry closed for the day due to......" signs. They've been trying to get rid of the reserve for at least 2 decades, ever since they went to develop the "derelict" land at the edge of the docks and found that Nature had got there first!

P.S. If you don't think it's worth visiting anymore, Paul, can I have your permit

-- Edited by Mike Chorley at 20:22, 2008-03-26

It could be that the tower is for out of county birders to see into GM, where else do you want to go, anymore

I gather it's to replace the existing coastguard tower. With luck the design will go the same way as the "Mersey Doughnut"- that ultra-modern building they wanted to stick next to The Three Graces to "compliment" it. Nice enough design but not there

What on earth is that monstrosity that is going to be built right next to the Nature Reserve ? I saw it on one of the local news progs t`other night. It`s a giant observatory or something that`s shaped like a twisted vase, with a viewing platform at the top. I think it will be built on the site of that existing tower. What will be the implications for the nature reserve, ie, thousands of extra people visiting the site - where will they all park ?..........more people wandering about on the beach and round the Marine Lake............it`s full of idiots as it is without more attending ! ...........Make room for Wildlife ?????????.............Yeah.

brief visit today lots of Scaup male and female
Bar tail godwits
curlew
redshank etc
also collected my Birds of Lancashire an excellent tome,a must have as they say.
Keep birding

now if you checked the website from time to time .....(does anybody bother?)

Full details of how to obtain seaforth permits were on the notice board of the website a couple of months ago and can now be found under the notice board archives (general news).

Also seen blackpoll warbler there!

I could check through other sources, though for the benefit of everyone - how do you get a permit ? and what's the damage ? .

Top sight Seaforth and well within an hours shout from south Mcr ( well well if you're in a hurry ). Great for tickable ship assisted American landbirds ( as long they're not wined and dined by humans along the trip I believe ). Great for sheltering Gulls, waders, migrants.

Top of me 'ed, best rarities I've seen there : White-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Ross's Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Wryneck

-- Edited by Pete Hines at 22:51, 2007-11-12

Got my permit today, and had an nice liitle stroll round before racing back to Horwich,
forgot what an excellent site this is encourage you to join lancs wildlife trust and apply for permit.
looking forward to spring.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 25th of January 2011 02:54:32 PM