Had a few hours to spare today between appointments today so I dropped in on a few venues.

First stop was New Brighton marine lake at high tide to hopefully photograph the Purple Sandpipers. They didn't disappoint as there were 12 in attendance on the pontoon along with good numbers of Redshank, Knot, Turnstone and Dunlin.

Next stop was a walk along the front from Leasowe lighthouse to look for yesterdays Scaup. Unfortunately none were present and the best I could hope for down here were 150+ Dunlin and a few Sanderling and Ringed Plover on the groyne of rock just south of the lighthouse.

I then nipped over to West Kirby marine lake for a quick look but nothing was on the lake apart from a few Black Headed gulls. A quick scope across to Hilbre though revealed 53 Brent geese flying along the tide line back towards Meols.

After this I decided to go to Parkgate so I could eat my butties in the car and keep an eye out at the same time. Here I managed 1 Ring tail Harrier plus lots of Skylark and a few Mallard and Teal on the pool.

A quick drop in at Denhall Lane ended my trip and here I picked up another Ring tail and a Raven.

Also, on my way inbetween West Kirby and Parkgate at Caldy I just happened to notice a small pool in a field by the side of the road that held a few geese. After a quick u-turn in the car and another look it revealed 8 Barnacle geese and 5 Greylag.

A nice few hours birding in good conditions!!

As usual, plenty of raptor activity this afternoon:-

Burton Marsh - Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Kestrel and Raven.

Parkgate - Buzzard and Hen Harrier (ring tail) as well as a big flock of Pink feet and several Little Egret - all of the regular suspects

A low tide trip to hilbre from 1000 to 1400 produced
c. 5 Purple Sandpipers
c. 200 Brent Geese
c. 100 Turnstone
1 Scaup- very close in on the north end giving cracking views
1 Grey Plover
c. 10 Bar Tail Godwit
c. 20 Knot
c. 20 Dunlin
c. 500 oystercatcher- probably a lot more but they were flitting over to hoylake
1 Red Breasted Merganser off north end
c. 5 Curlew
Also, 1 Seal bobbing around the island with about 100 off basking near a green buoy

RSPB Parkgate (pm):

1+ Merlin
1+ Peregrine
1 Kestel
2+ Hen Harrier (1 male, 1+ ring-tail)

3+ Sky lark
2 Little egret
100s of Pink-feet

NO OWLS


IMF (am):

2 Peregrine
1 Spotted redshank
14 Drake Pintail

6 skeins of pink-feet of between 50-100 birds going over throughout the morning!

Saturday 22nd Jan;
Heswall shore @ high tide,
600+ Pintail
2 Peregrine
Golden Plover
Black-tailed Godwit
Shelduck
Meadow Pipit

Sunday 23rd Jan;
2 Purple Sandpipers by the Life Guard Station just before high tide.

Leasowe Gunsight @ high tide;
Dunlin
Turnstone
Oycs
Sanderling
Ringed Plover
1 GBB Gull
1 Common Seal



-- Edited by Ruth Daniels on Monday 24th of January 2011 10:06:10 AM

-- Edited by Ruth Daniels on Monday 24th of January 2011 10:08:16 AM

Had a wader day around the Wirral at High Tide. Started Wallasey, then New Brighton Marine Lake, then Hoylake and finishing on Bank Road, Heswall. this produced:

New Brighton and Wallasey:
11 Purple Sands on the pontoons in marine lake
c.150 Turnstone same place
11 Dunlin same place
3 Redshank same place
all went off just after high tide, presumably put up by something, flying low towards hoylake, checked at Wallasey, but nothing so probably on Hilbre.

Hoylake:
absolutely no waders on the beach, all disturbed by the dog walkers!
still, in flight grey plover, oysties
on the water in the region of c.3000 gulls

Heswall:
Lots of Dunlin, a few less knot, some black tailed godwit, some Redshank, about 1000 lapwing, c.200 shelduck and 3 curlew

Karen, the SEOs have been in very short supply all along the marsh this winter if you will excuse the pun

-- Edited by sid ashton on Saturday 22nd of January 2011 05:43:37 PM

High tide at Parkgate, unfortunately the tide wasn't particularly high with the wind in the wrong direction!

Highlights:

2 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Great views
1 Merlin
3 Peregrine

60+ Linnet

Sadly no SE Owls

Most of the usual suspects were present and we bumped into Simon Ghilks who had had a Stonechat down the path.

I think all IMF posts are better off in the one place on this forum Paul

Indeed occasions like these are a real pain where sites lie so close or even span another county boundary. For sites like Shotwick, I assume being in Wales that's where folk will check first and so it's better in it's designated section. Either way, as Paul comments on the border pool at IMF, I wonder how it is treated by the respective county bird reports? Here in GM we seem to nick what we like

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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Obviously I didn't even realise myself Matt

I'll manually move them over for reference purposes when I get chance

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And I'll post IMF border pool sightings accordingly !?!

Obviously I didn't even realise myself Sid

I'll manually move them over for reference purposes when I get chance

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 19th of January 2011 12:36:35 PM

sid ashton wrote:

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PS Just realised that this topic should be in the North Wales section - sorry Ian!!!





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Only by a few hundred yards Sid!!

Cheers Sean and Sid, thats fantastic!

Matt

Matt, to add to Sean's comments - the first two traffic islands along the A584 from the A550 have places to park off the road this is where I stop to have a look at the Swans.

To get to Shotwick Lake take the third traffic island (the last before the new bridge) where you bear left (signposted Sealand Ranges and Zone 4). After about 100 yards turn left which takes you in front of Shotton Paper Mill. Pass the entrance for Shotton Paper and continue to a small T junction. Take the left and in about 50 yards you will see a red & white barrier. If the barrier is open you can continue under the A548 flyover, bear right under a low railway bridge (11'6") and then follow the lane to the left to reach the sailing club compound. If the barrier is closed you will need to park up and walk

PS Just realised that this topic should be in the North Wales section - sorry Ian!!!





-- Edited by sid ashton on Tuesday 18th of January 2011 02:21:51 PM

Hi Matt, the swans are normally found in the fields to the north of the A548. It's best to drive along the A548 and keep your eyes peeled on the fields directly to the north. Once you locate the flock find somewhere safe to park up, as the road is pretty busy at times with large wagons etc, but there are a few spots to pull in at, which enable you to view the birds without disturbing them and also keeping you from going under a heavy goods vehicle!?

Where is the best place to view the swans at Shotwick Fields and Pool? Is it from the A548 or access off it?

Thanks in advance

Matt

Sunday's Raptor Watch at Parkgate produced
at least 4 ringtail hen harriers and 1 male
2 peregrines
1 merlin
1 sparrowhawk
2 marsh harrier

Scott Reid wrote:

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I didn't mate. I didn't have a scope with me and I was having a good scan through with my bins but I couldn't pick it out. There were a fair few with scopes in the hide with me and non of them could find it either. It must have been found not long after I left!
As for the high tide, I'll be stood on the wall, camera in hand, ready to shoot!! A couple of the guys on hilbre have told me it's worth being on there for an extreme high tide, so I'm a bit torn between there and parkgate. but i think i'll opt for parkgate! Are the high tide dates/times for feb on the internet?

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www.rspb.org.uk/parkgate hight tide and raptor watch events

Pair of red breasted merganser incredibly close to the promenade, north end of West Kirby Marine Lake this afternoon.

Scott check the Links section on our home page Ian includes a mention of the Deeestuary web site - there is a section on tide times in there you just need to follow a couple of links. I'm a bit old fashioned and I have a copy of Lavers Liverpool and Irish Sea tide table and the dates of the high tides in February are 19th - 10m at 11.31, 20th - 10.2m at 12.13 and 21st - 10.1m at 12.56 - these are corrected for Hilbre so about right for Parkgate. Hope that helps.

I didn't mate. I didn't have a scope with me and I was having a good scan through with my bins but I couldn't pick it out. There were a fair few with scopes in the hide with me and non of them could find it either. It must have been found not long after I left!
As for the high tide, I'll be stood on the wall, camera in hand, ready to shoot!! A couple of the guys on hilbre have told me it's worth being on there for an extreme high tide, so I'm a bit torn between there and parkgate. but i think i'll opt for parkgate! Are the high tide dates/times for feb on the internet?

Scott Reid wrote:

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Thanks for your reply Sean.

The posture of the bird didn't resemble that of a partridge. It did seem larger and more pale than a water rail but I may just have to put it down as a water rail in strange light conditions!
I just wasn't sure if there was a rare possibility of wintering or early corncrakes as it's a bird I've not had much experience with! but you live and learn!

Many thanks.

Scott

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Scott,did you get the GW teal at IMF?
Also,lets hope if you did see something unusual being flushed that the high tides on 19-21st feb willflush it out!!

Thanks for your reply Sean.

The posture of the bird didn't resemble that of a partridge. It did seem larger and more pale than a water rail but I may just have to put it down as a water rail in strange light conditions!
I just wasn't sure if there was a rare possibility of wintering or early corncrakes as it's a bird I've not had much experience with! but you live and learn!

Many thanks.

Scott

Hi Scott. From your description and my own knowledge of pottering on the marshes around Parkgate since I was a lad I suspect that it was more likely to be a partridge species rather than a Corncrake, if the colouration was similar. If you look at the new Collins guide they are now even placed on the same page as the partridges and not the rails and other crakes like older literature, due to them being more closely related to them.

I have not heard of Corncrake returning this early, as many of their food sources are unavailable. However, as you said the legs were trailing then Water Rail would be another obvious contender and a species that is pretty common on the marshes and are preyed upon by most of the raptors and herons alike during the high tides.

Hope this helps you, Sean.

A good afternoon at Parkgate, great veiws of male and ring tail hen harriers, 2 peregrine and a sparrowhawk were the highlights.
However a bit of a puzzler, whislt I was watching the ring tail it appeared to turn in the air and dive towards the ground at something. Next thing, up pops what I can only indentify as a corncrake. It was the right colouring, didn't stay in the air for long but glided on downward pointing rounded wings and flew with a water rail-like posture (head up, legs down). I had a walk along the path towards where it went down in to the marsh/reeds but there was no further sign of it.

Does anyone know of reports of corncrakes this early in the year or have any other ideas of what it could have been? I've tried making a short list of candidates but corncrake is the only one that fits!

For the record your count of 1500+ pink-feet is the most the staff have seen here on the deck!

Added to another count of record numbers of Bewick's and it makes it one heck of a winter for the area :)

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Thanks Paul - glad I took the time to count them now! As I also managed a trip to Slimbridge on New Years Eve I have seen one hell of a lot of Bewick's in the space of a few days!

Mike Baron wrote:

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Thanks Paul

Cheers

Mike

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No problems Mike, really appreciate your sightings and reports for these areas - keep them coming.

For the record your count of 1500+ pink-feet is the most the staff have seen here on the deck!

Added to another count of record numbers of Bewick's and it makes it one heck of a winter for the area :)

There is a loop out from The Harp Inn but the route is a matter of where each individual prefers to go/can get to.

For reference wildfowlers (should be obviously camouflaged up and with a dog) are granted access from the sheep pens near to Burton Point, from a point much further down toward Heswall and from Denhall Quay (Harp Inn) which is what you might be seeing - they walk out from here around the back of the Decca Complex toward the edge of the marsh. Nobody apart from RSPB staff, volunteers and the shepard/farmer should be within the fence. Feel free to report any strabge goings on to the office on 0151 3367681 - we can see the pools and compound from the office window with our scopes!

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Thanks Paul

Cheers

Mike

Mike Baron wrote:

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There is a traditional dog walking route out from The Harp and from certain angles its looks like they are waaaay out or in the wrong place and then of course there are a few baddies that cross/cut fences and build bridges over large ditches :(

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Paul

Does this track run past the back of the Decca pools and down towards Denhall Lane?

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There is a loop out from The Harp Inn but the route is a matter of where each individual prefers to go/can get to.

For reference wildfowlers (should be obviously camouflaged up and with a dog) are granted access from the sheep pens near to Burton Point, from a point much further down toward Heswall and from Denhall Quay (Harp Inn) which is what you might be seeing - they walk out from here around the back of the Decca Complex toward the edge of the marsh. Nobody apart from RSPB staff, volunteers and the shepard/farmer should be within the fence. Feel free to report any strabge goings on to the office on 0151 3367681 - we can see the pools and compound from the office window with our scopes!

There is a traditional dog walking route out from The Harp and from certain angles its looks like they are waaaay out or in the wrong place and then of course there are a few baddies that cross/cut fences and build bridges over large ditches :(

---

Paul

Does this track run past the back of the Decca pools and down towards Denhall Lane?

paul brady wrote:

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Jonathan Platt wrote:

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paul brady wrote:

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Mike Baron wrote:

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-- Edited by Mike Baron on Monday 3rd of January 2011 05:16:36 PM

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Amazing stuff ... can I add thats it RSPB Burton Marsh :p

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That's interesting. So the RSPB own Burton Marsh? Then I presume there is some historical agreement with Dee Wildfowlers to allow them to shoot over the marsh? Or do the wildfowlers rent land off one of the other owners of the Dee marshes? I'm not objecting to the wildfowlers - they were there before the RSPB - it's simply that I see them regularly on what I consider to be Burton Marsh. I'm interested in the leasing agreement - if any - they have with the RSPB if, as you suggest, the marsh is owned by them.

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The wildfowlers are given permission to shoot on land owned by MoD and Corus, the RSPB allows them access across RSPB land.

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Ah, I see. Thanks for that Paul.

Mike Baron wrote:

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I should add that aside from the usual wildfowlers skulking around the marsh in full camouflage gear I also saw at least a dozen people either hiking or walking dogs out on the marsh. I was slightly surprised to see any birds given the numbers of people out there - is there now public access to this place?

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There is a traditional dog walking route out from The Harp and from certain angles its looks like they are waaaay out or in the wrong place and then of course there are a few baddies that cross/cut fences and build bridges over large ditches :(

Jonathan Platt wrote:

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paul brady wrote:

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Mike Baron wrote:

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-- Edited by Mike Baron on Monday 3rd of January 2011 05:16:36 PM

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Amazing stuff ... can I add thats it RSPB Burton Marsh :p

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That's interesting. So the RSPB own Burton Marsh? Then I presume there is some historical agreement with Dee Wildfowlers to allow them to shoot over the marsh? Or do the wildfowlers rent land off one of the other owners of the Dee marshes? I'm not objecting to the wildfowlers - they were there before the RSPB - it's simply that I see them regularly on what I consider to be Burton Marsh. I'm interested in the leasing agreement - if any - they have with the RSPB if, as you suggest, the marsh is owned by them.

---

The wildfowlers are given permission to shoot on land owned by MoD and Corus, the RSPB allows them access across RSPB land.

I should add that aside from the usual wildfowlers skulking around the marsh in full camouflage gear I also saw at least a dozen people either hiking or walking dogs out on the marsh. I was slightly surprised to see any birds given the numbers of people out there - is there now public access to this place?

paul brady wrote:

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Mike Baron wrote:

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Shotwick this morning

120 Bewick's Swans (inc 14 juveniles)
54 Whooper Swans (inc 7 juvs)
76 Mute Swans
1520 Pink-footed Geese

Burton Marsh

1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail)
4 Peregrines (tiercel, falcon and 2 brownish jobs looking like first winters)
4 Merlins (3 females, 1 male)
4 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
6 Little Egrets
430+ Linnets
1 Stonechat
6 Ravens
1 Nuthatch

-- Edited by Mike Baron on Monday 3rd of January 2011 05:16:36 PM

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Amazing stuff ... can I add thats it RSPB Burton Marsh :p

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That's interesting. So the RSPB own Burton Marsh? Then I presume there is some historical agreement with Dee Wildfowlers to allow them to shoot over the marsh? Or do the wildfowlers rent land off one of the other owners of the Dee marshes? I'm not objecting to the wildfowlers - they were there before the RSPB - it's simply that I see them regularly on what I consider to be Burton Marsh. I'm interested in the leasing agreement - if any - they have with the RSPB if, as you suggest, the marsh is owned by them.

Mike Baron wrote:

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Shotwick this morning

120 Bewick's Swans (inc 14 juveniles)
54 Whooper Swans (inc 7 juvs)
76 Mute Swans
1520 Pink-footed Geese

Burton Marsh

1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail)
4 Peregrines (tiercel, falcon and 2 brownish jobs looking like first winters)
4 Merlins (3 females, 1 male)
4 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
6 Little Egrets
430+ Linnets
1 Stonechat
6 Ravens
1 Nuthatch

-- Edited by Mike Baron on Monday 3rd of January 2011 05:16:36 PM

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Amazing stuff ... can I add thats it RSPB Burton Marsh :p

Walk along Rivacre Country Park this afternoon:

Close views of Buzzard and male sparrowhawk
(bird table):
Nuthatch
Treecreeper
Coal tit
blue tit
great tit
long tailed tit
wren
robin
blakbird
song thrush
grey wagtail+ surprisingly a little egret along brook!
fieldfare,bullfinch,linnet,gs woodpecker+jay.

27 species

Shotwick this morning

120 Bewick's Swans (inc 14 juveniles)
54 Whooper Swans (inc 7 juvs)
76 Mute Swans
1520 Pink-footed Geese

Burton Marsh

1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail)
4 Peregrines (tiercel, falcon and 2 brownish jobs looking like first winters)
4 Merlins (3 females, 1 male)
4 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
6 Little Egrets
430+ Linnets
1 Stonechat
6 Ravens
1 Nuthatch

-- Edited by Mike Baron on Monday 3rd of January 2011 05:16:36 PM

Parkgate over high tide (9.4m, 12.15ish) was very picturesque with much snow on the marsh , lovely in the bright sunshine but a chilly minus 4 to minus 2 deg during my stay. The highlight was a Ring tail Hen Harrier on the marsh ranging between the Boathouse and Old Quay pubs sometimes chasing, sometimes being chased. Also on the marsh - 100 plus Pink feet, Curlew, Teal, and oddly 2 Oystercatchers - well it seemed odd to me . In the trees on and around the car park numerous Redwing, Fieldfare, Goldfinch, a resting Kestrel and 5-6 Brambling in a Chaffinch flock.

Went down to Thurstaston Shore today at about 1240 to see what was about. Nothing out of the ordinary: c.20 Bar Tailed Godwits, about 200 dunlin, about 30 redshank and I don't know how may knot (far too many to count)! I was only checking the shore where the fishing boats were and the other birds I only briefly looked at so I could be wrong.

paul brady wrote:

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http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1986901#post1986901

For anybody who ain't seen it yet - you won't believe it!

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Thanks for posting this, Paul. Not a frequenter of many other forums, so I'd have missed it. Comments duly dispatched.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1986901#post1986901

For anybody who ain't seen it yet - you won't believe it!

For anybody interested the Wirral Council Rangers and RSPB are taking a low tide trip to Hilbre Island on Friday December 3rd meeting up at 10.15am.

Booking is essential so phone 0151 648 4371 to guarantee a spot.

There is a small charge of £2.

More details at www.rspb.org.uk/innermarshfarm

Dennis atherton wrote:

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Im still waiting for the owl to come back, not heard of any sighting yet?

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We saw one on 23rd September at Denhall Lane Dennis, when Jeff and I went to see the whiskered tern at IMF, but that's the only one I've seen this winter on the Dee.

Im still waiting for the owl to come back, not heard of any sighting yet?

Jonathan Platt wrote:

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At least two ring-tailed harriers came into roost at Parkgate, plus the adult male, which came in very late (around 4.45pm). Two merlins and a peregrine too. Earlier there'd been at least two merlins at Burton Marsh, plus a rt harrier.

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At least two ring-tailed harriers came into roost at Parkgate, plus the adult male, which came in very late (around 4.45pm). Two merlins and a peregrine too. Earlier there'd been at least two merlins at Burton Marsh, plus a rt harrier.

Nice little bird watch at Hoylake Beach today until some clown with a dog ....
6 bar-tails
5 grey plover
1 dunlin (several more in flight)
1 knot (several more in flight)

1 leucistic oystercatcher

1 yellow-legged gull

Very wet and windy half hour before dusk at Parkgate

4 Ring-tail Hen Harriers plus a male
31 Pink-footed Geese
56 Little Egrets

Conditions appalling

1 Hen Harrier, 1 Snipe & 8 Little Egret Parkgate Marsh seen this pm

1 Hen Harrier, 3 Little Egret Burton Marsh, again pm

plus all usual suspects.

On Merseyside this afternoon on a non-birding trip just happened to find 2 Purple Sandpipers on the groynes behind Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton just before high tide

-- Edited by sid ashton on Friday 1st of October 2010 09:55:48 AM