It stayed stapley over night before being moved to a specialist seal hospital in Norfolk I think it must be in with a chance or they would have put it to sleep at stapley however it will have a new home on the wash can't see them driving it back to hilbre
Never doubted it with this one Pete, tough hardy Mammals, and as I stated in a post earlier but it's not come up...they are built to withstand poor conditions for the most part, but they can get stressed easily causing them to not eat or drink until they feel in a comfortable environment to do so. Years of experience at Stapeley has probably enabled them to coax this one back to full hydration! Still would've thought Hilbre being the logical choice though. Let's see! Cheers Rob
Pete Astles said
Fri Dec 26 12:51 PM, 2014
It stayed stapley over night before being moved to a specialist seal hospital in Norfolk I think it must be in with a chance or they would have put it to sleep at stapley however it will have a new home on the wash can't see them driving it back to hilbre
paul brady said
Tue Dec 23 11:04 AM, 2014
I accidentally also thought it was an elephant seal after finding this link!
I'm glad you said Grey Seal, Paul, because that's what it is. The article on the link, and when I heard it on the radio earlier say Common Seal which is otherwise known as the Harbour Seal. This is without doubt in my mind a Grey! The large brut like head with 'Roman' nose most evident in the photos pretty much ID it alone, and I'm very surprised the RSPCA and whoever else from any other Mammal Rescue team haven't managed to correctly ID it! Cheers Rob
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 22nd of December 2014 09:19:10 PM
It said grey seal on the news I was listening to ,its apparently going to be released at Hilbre Island ,where it most likely came from . :)
I'm glad you said Grey Seal, Paul, because that's what it is. The article on the link, and when I heard it on the radio earlier say Common Seal which is otherwise known as the Harbour Seal. This is without doubt in my mind a Grey! The large brut like head with 'Roman' nose most evident in the photos pretty much ID it alone, and I'm very surprised the RSPCA and whoever else from any other Mammal Rescue team haven't managed to correctly ID it! Cheers Rob
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 22nd of December 2014 09:43:55 PM
Managed to get up the Billinge Hill yesterday morning
Lots of goldcrests c3000 pink-footed geese in a field with many more over and around 15 redwing over in one group and my first "grounded" ones, well they were in a tree couple of bullfinch nice to see a few kestrels about too sparrowhawk
more on the blog http://sthelensbirds.blogspot.co.uk/
paul brady said
Tue Aug 26 7:23 PM, 2014
A good little spell up Billinge Hill today produced:
1 tree pipit over 1 female redstart 1 spotted flycatcher lots of swallows little owl willow warbler (fresh)
paul brady said
Thu Jul 17 11:33 AM, 2014
Newton Lake this morning green sandpiper still present grey wagtail kingfisher
Neil Ferguson said
Thu Jun 5 7:36 PM, 2014
A Heron flew over Central Station at 8:45 on Tuesday morning chased by an irate Lesser Black Backed Gull.
paul brady said
Fri May 9 1:06 PM, 2014
Awaiting the results of a BTO ringed starling I have seen in my garden .... exciting times!
paul brady said
Thu May 8 11:48 AM, 2014
A garden warbler seen and heard at Eccleston Mere this morning, just couldnt get a photo!
Dave Riley said
Sat Apr 26 3:31 PM, 2014
A walk around Rainford Moss yesterday, we saw 18 Wheatears (all male except 2), 6 Mistle Thrushes, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Pied Wagtails plus many Lapwings and Skylarks.
-- Edited by Dave Riley on Saturday 26th of April 2014 03:31:58 PM
paul brady said
Tue Jan 28 1:34 PM, 2014
Massive number of pink-footed geese on Rainford Mosslands at the mo with c5000 ..... must be worth a look thru for a scarcer goose?
paul brady said
Thu Jan 23 12:01 PM, 2014
A few bits n bobs for St Helens over recent days
Goosander, gadwall, shoveler, pochard, redpoll, siskin at Eccleston Mere
Shelduck at Newton Lake
17 corn bunting, yellowhammer, tree sparrow, reed bunting at Moss Lane, nr Windle Island
Further details and photos at sthelnesbirds.blogspot.co.uk
paul brady said
Fri Sep 27 5:10 PM, 2013
Two large skeins of pin-footed geese over Billinge at c10am. One high c160 geese and one low c140 geese heading west north west ... prob Rainford or Lancashire mosslands
paul brady said
Mon Sep 23 5:50 PM, 2013
two skeins of pink-footed geese over a very foggy Garswood Station today heading towards Wigan ..... then some turned around obvioulsy realising that they're heading the wrong way!
About 140 in total of which about 60 came back to St Helens!
paul brady said
Mon Sep 16 11:45 PM, 2013
A juvenile black-necked grebe was showing really well this morning at Carr Mill Dam a nice photo on www.sthelensbirds.blogspot.co.uk
Also single wigeon, grey wagtail, kingfisher and great black-backed gull
Initial info Thanks to info from Dave Owen.
Damian Pendlebury said
Sat Sep 14 9:27 PM, 2013
A spotted flycatcher is showing well in the dead wood at Eccleston Mere today. See the St Helens Bird Blog for details... http://sthelensbirds.blogspot.co.uk/
paul brady said
Tue Sep 10 10:01 PM, 2013
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Hobby chasing Swallows at Mill Lane, Rainford at 06:40 this morning.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Wonder if he was playing golf?
Matt Pitt said
Mon Aug 26 12:53 PM, 2013
Minding my own business on my way to work this morning when I spotted a wheatear on a piece of grass at 8.50am where i only normally see the odd pied wagtail. It was near the bridge by St Helens train station. Cheers Matt
-- Edited by Matt Pitt on Monday 26th of August 2013 12:56:37 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Aug 24 6:06 AM, 2013
Hobby chasing Swallows at Mill Lane, Rainford at 06:40 this morning.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
paul brady said
Wed Jul 10 11:09 PM, 2013
Hi People,
Just wanted to do a bit of shameful self-publication (again!)
Us "Wooly-backs" have started a multi-contributor twitter feed and blog
Please feel free to share, comment, feedback and report sighting to us @sthelensbirds (for twitter users) and have a look at our blog on www.sthelensbirds.blogspot.co.uk
Thanks
PS for recent bird sightings check the twitter or blog!
Damian Pendlebury said
Wed Mar 20 8:39 PM, 2013
A male brambling in my garden in Eccleston briefly yesterday.
dave broome said
Sat Dec 8 6:12 AM, 2012
Brambling today in trees alongside Leyland Green Road, Downall Green (St helens side of Down Brook) nearby 9 Snipe in flight over farmland at Sims Lane End
dave broome said
Sun Dec 2 9:09 PM, 2012
6 Waxwing on Andover Road, Haydock- Costco approach road at 1pm
Damian Pendlebury said
Tue Nov 27 5:56 PM, 2012
There were at least 8 brambling around the New Cut Lane area this afternoon - it's just West of the Old Coach Road.
See my Flickr page for some photos.
-- Edited by Damian Pendlebury on Tuesday 27th of November 2012 05:56:55 PM
Damian Pendlebury said
Tue Sep 18 3:58 PM, 2012
Thanks Ian, I hadn't noticed that. I've marked it as a juvenile. Cheers, Damian.
Damian Pendlebury said
Tue Sep 18 5:44 AM, 2012
One female (I think) whinchat in the fields behind Carrmill Dam seen yesterday and today near to the lone house - almost exactly a year since Paul Brady saw one in the same place.
Photo here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/7856753@N02/7991777200/in/photostream
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Sep 17 11:39 PM, 2012
Damian Pendlebury wrote:
One female (I think) whinchat
Still some little white tips to those fresh mantle and scapular feathers plus some of the wing feathers too. Worth another coat of looking at regarding it's age
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 17th of September 2012 11:39:54 PM
Doc Brewster said
Wed Sep 5 4:56 PM, 2012
I have failed to find an Eccleston Mere thread so I hope that this is the correct place to post!!
The juvenile American Black Tern, along with a juvenile Black Tern, was present in the Eccleston Mere area again yesterday (Tuesday 4th Sep). The bird has become less predictable during its stay and yesterday proved to be hard work! The American Black Tern was present until about 9am at Eccleston Mere in poor weather but then flew off & relocated, as is its habit, to nearby Prescot Reservoirs - a site with NO access despite info service messages re paermits, recently all permits have been withdrawn & now no birders whatsoever have any access.
I arrived at 11am at Eccleston Mere and was invited in to this 'Permit Only' water by locals, visiting birders seem very welcome as long as they behave well & don't annoy fisherman or sailing folk! Along with several others we searched all day coming up with 3 Kingfishers, 2 Sparrowhawks, 3 Buzzards, Kestrel, Peregrine eating prey and Migrant & Brown Hawker Dragonflies. Folk came and went but I decided to give it one last go between 4pm & 5pm. As one of only 2 birders left I was delighted when the two terns, American Black and Eurasian Black, flew in at 4.10pm. After watching for an hour I left & the birds stayed until 7.15pm. The birds had been absent for just over 7 hours from £Eccleston Mere so anyone wanting to see them, if they missed it at Pennington (I was away so did!!), may have to put in a long shift
For everyone's info here has been no news yet today from the area as of 10am.
Neil Ferguson said
Tue Jun 26 12:35 AM, 2012
Birchley St Car Park.Tuesday/Wednesday last week,
Pied Wagtail.
Goldfinches in practically every tree and they are all over the town centre.
Magpie and 2 fledglings fighting over a pie.
Carrion Crow
Mistle Thush.
The starlings in the nest in side of Gregson House have fledged and the nest site has now been cemented up.
Collard Doves nest on a security light at Comet.
paul brady said
Fri Jun 8 9:21 PM, 2012
Was made up with a garden tick this morning as a pair of bullfinches were busy feeding in my garden ... never seen them up on Moss Bank before!
Damian Pendlebury said
Fri Jun 8 5:23 AM, 2012
Oh yes - thanks Paul! I saw another one (or maybe the same one) 3 days later just off the Old Coach Road, north of Dairy Farm Road hunting in the daytime.
There was a short eared owl hunting over the fields along Green Lane, Eccleston last night at about 8.50pm. There is a record shot on my flickr page...
Damian Pendlebury said
Wed May 9 10:13 PM, 2012
I had brief views of a female merlin yesterday around Moss Lane - I thought it was a kestrel until I checked my photos later on!
There's a photo on my flickr page...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7856753@N02/
Terry Long said
Fri Feb 3 12:23 AM, 2012
paul brady wrote:
Ben Dickinson wrote:
Hi all,
Would agree that they're are pretty unmistakable ... now I wonder where it went?
knowsley safari park would be a possibility i'd say
paul brady said
Thu Feb 2 9:00 PM, 2012
Ben Dickinson wrote:
Hi all,
Was in St Helens City Centre yesterday morning (Monday) at around 9.45am, just round the corner from the bus centre and was astounded to see a (very) low flying Glossy Ibis fly over my head, must've been no more than 70/80 metres high. On first glance I assumed by the profile it was a Heron/Cormorant but the light was excellent and I had a good 30 seconds view as flew over me and headed off at the same height in a westerly direction.
I've been birding (on and off) for around 15 years and am 100% certain as to what I saw (they are pretty uniquely identifyable birds indeed).
Wasn't sure where to let the people who may be interest but have been a 'lurker' on this site for a while, so happy to make what I hope will be a worthwhile first post!
-- Edited by Ben Dickinson on Tuesday 24th of January 2012 06:43:28 PM
Would agree that they're are pretty unmistakable ... now I wonder where it went?
Ben Dickinson said
Tue Jan 24 6:42 PM, 2012
Hi all,
Was in St Helens City Centre yesterday morning (Monday) at around 9.45am, just round the corner from the bus centre and was astounded to see a (very) low flying Glossy Ibis fly over my head, must've been no more than 70/80 metres high. On first glance I assumed by the profile it was a Heron/Cormorant but the light was excellent and I had a good 30 seconds view as flew over me and headed off at the same height in a westerly direction.
I've been birding (on and off) for around 15 years and am 100% certain as to what I saw (they are pretty uniquely identifyable birds indeed).
Wasn't sure where to let the people who may be interest but have been a 'lurker' on this site for a while, so happy to make what I hope will be a worthwhile first post!
-- Edited by Ben Dickinson on Tuesday 24th of January 2012 06:43:28 PM
Brian Baird said
Fri Jan 20 5:43 AM, 2012
At least 5 Mandarin Ducks - 3 m + 2 f at
A570 Linkway Retail Park (by McDonalds) ponds this afternoon with the Canada Geese.
paul brady said
Fri Sep 9 2:26 PM, 2011
1 female whinchat in ploughed fields (near the lone house) behind Carr Mill Dam along with 1 yellow wagtail, 20 pied wagtail, 20 linnet and 3 buzzards. Whitethroat, chiffchaff and another willowchiff also present in surrounding trees.
Also noteworthy were 5 buzzard over Moss Bank ...most I've seen here.
paul brady said
Tue Jul 19 5:01 PM, 2011
Interesting reports of a goldfinch x canary in Moss Bank gardens this week, wondered why my Nyger seed feeder had fallen down!
Neil Ferguson said
Tue Jun 28 7:33 PM, 2011
Collard Dove still sitting tight at lunch time today.
Neil Ferguson said
Thu Jun 23 8:38 PM, 2011
Pied Wagtail on Birchley Street Car Park at 6PM. Goldfinches in the car park trees. 4 Starlings - 3 adults and one juvenile fighting over a pie
Neil Ferguson said
Sun Jun 19 5:54 PM, 2011
Collard Dove nesting on a security light at Comet.
Loads of trees nearby as well.
Neil Ferguson said
Mon Apr 4 7:11 PM, 2011
Greatest Album ever by the greatest band ever !!!!!!
Never doubted it with this one Pete, tough hardy Mammals, and as I stated in a post earlier but it's not come up...they are built to withstand poor conditions for the most part, but they can get stressed easily causing them to not eat or drink until they feel in a comfortable environment to do so. Years of experience at Stapeley has probably enabled them to coax this one back to full hydration! Still would've thought Hilbre being the logical choice though. Let's see!
Cheers
Rob
http://video.news.com.au/v/144997/Elephant-Seal-in-St-Helens
I hear that it was pretty malnourished (is this possible with all that fat?) and taken to Stapely ....
It said grey seal on the news I was listening to ,its apparently going to be released at Hilbre Island ,where it most likely came from .
:)
I'm glad you said Grey Seal, Paul, because that's what it is. The article on the link, and when I heard it on the radio earlier say Common Seal which is otherwise known as the Harbour Seal. This is without doubt in my mind a Grey! The large brut like head with 'Roman' nose most evident in the photos pretty much ID it alone, and I'm very surprised the RSPCA and whoever else from any other Mammal Rescue team haven't managed to correctly ID it!
Cheers
Rob
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 22nd of December 2014 09:43:55 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-30575560
Lots of goldcrests
c3000 pink-footed geese in a field with many more over and around
15 redwing over in one group and my first "grounded" ones, well they were in a tree
couple of bullfinch
nice to see a few kestrels about too
sparrowhawk
more on the blog http://sthelensbirds.blogspot.co.uk/
1 tree pipit over
1 female redstart
1 spotted flycatcher
lots of swallows
little owl
willow warbler (fresh)
green sandpiper still present
grey wagtail
kingfisher
-- Edited by Dave Riley on Saturday 26th of April 2014 03:31:58 PM
Goosander, gadwall, shoveler, pochard, redpoll, siskin at Eccleston Mere
Shelduck at Newton Lake
17 corn bunting, yellowhammer, tree sparrow, reed bunting at Moss Lane, nr Windle Island
Further details and photos at sthelnesbirds.blogspot.co.uk
About 140 in total of which about 60 came back to St Helens!
Also single wigeon, grey wagtail, kingfisher and great black-backed gull
Initial info Thanks to info from Dave Owen.
Wonder if he was playing golf?
where i only normally see the odd pied wagtail. It was near the bridge by St Helens train station.
Cheers Matt
-- Edited by Matt Pitt on Monday 26th of August 2013 12:56:37 PM
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Just wanted to do a bit of shameful self-publication (again!)
Us "Wooly-backs" have started a multi-contributor twitter feed and blog
Please feel free to share, comment, feedback and report sighting to us @sthelensbirds (for twitter users) and have a look at our blog on www.sthelensbirds.blogspot.co.uk
Thanks
PS for recent bird sightings check the twitter or blog!
See my Flickr page for some photos.
-- Edited by Damian Pendlebury on Tuesday 27th of November 2012 05:56:55 PM
Photo here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/7856753@N02/7991777200/in/photostream
Still some little white tips to those fresh mantle and scapular feathers plus some of the wing feathers too. Worth another coat of looking at regarding it's age
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 17th of September 2012 11:39:54 PM
The juvenile American Black Tern, along with a juvenile Black Tern, was present in the Eccleston Mere area again yesterday (Tuesday 4th Sep). The bird has become less predictable during its stay and yesterday proved to be hard work! The American Black Tern was present until about 9am at Eccleston Mere in poor weather but then flew off & relocated, as is its habit, to nearby Prescot Reservoirs - a site with NO access despite info service messages re paermits, recently all permits have been withdrawn & now no birders whatsoever have any access.
I arrived at 11am at Eccleston Mere and was invited in to this 'Permit Only' water by locals, visiting birders seem very welcome as long as they behave well & don't annoy fisherman or sailing folk! Along with several others we searched all day coming up with 3 Kingfishers, 2 Sparrowhawks, 3 Buzzards, Kestrel, Peregrine eating prey and Migrant & Brown Hawker Dragonflies. Folk came and went but I decided to give it one last go between 4pm & 5pm. As one of only 2 birders left I was delighted when the two terns, American Black and Eurasian Black, flew in at 4.10pm. After watching for an hour I left & the birds stayed until 7.15pm. The birds had been absent for just over 7 hours from £Eccleston Mere so anyone wanting to see them, if they missed it at Pennington (I was away so did!!), may have to put in a long shift
For everyone's info here has been no news yet today from the area as of 10am.
Pied Wagtail.
Goldfinches in practically every tree and they are all over the town centre.
Magpie and 2 fledglings fighting over a pie.
Carrion Crow
Mistle Thush.
The starlings in the nest in side of Gregson House have fledged and the nest site has now been cemented up.
Collard Doves nest on a security light at Comet.
Here's a photo -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7856753@N02/7235706938/in/photostream
There's a photo on my flickr page...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7856753@N02/
Would agree that they're are pretty unmistakable ... now I wonder where it went?
Was in St Helens City Centre yesterday morning (Monday) at around 9.45am, just round the corner from the bus centre and was astounded to see a (very) low flying Glossy Ibis fly over my head, must've been no more than 70/80 metres high. On first glance I assumed by the profile it was a Heron/Cormorant but the light was excellent and I had a good 30 seconds view as flew over me and headed off at the same height in a westerly direction.
I've been birding (on and off) for around 15 years and am 100% certain as to what I saw (they are pretty uniquely identifyable birds indeed).
Wasn't sure where to let the people who may be interest but have been a 'lurker' on this site for a while, so happy to make what I hope will be a worthwhile first post!
-- Edited by Ben Dickinson on Tuesday 24th of January 2012 06:43:28 PM
At least 5 Mandarin Ducks - 3 m + 2 f at
A570 Linkway Retail Park (by McDonalds) ponds this afternoon with the Canada Geese.
Also noteworthy were 5 buzzard over Moss Bank ...most I've seen here.
Loads of trees nearby as well.