What, no little owls Sid?

Quick trip over to Burton Marsh this afternoon - it was most odd to see the marsh with so much water on top with 9 Bewick's Swans swimming around before high water. Went down to Decca pools to look for the Garganey and one drake duly obliged - but it and the other birds around inc. Teal and Wigeon were spooked a couple of times by a Peregrine - nevertheless had good views.

At Parkgate ringtail Hen Harrier and female Marsh Harrier gave really close up views at the southern end of the parade near the Old Quay pub.

Re: Moles, Pete Hines.

Saw two swimming the ship canal at the Woolston Eyes open day last year. Never seen it before either!

Good to see you again, Geoff.

I travelled with Phil H. and enjoyed the day. Three additions to the life list - Spoonbill, Peregrine and Sanderling. Not bad at all.

It was fascinating actually seeing the tide come in so quickly and so far.

Like a lot of people, I was very surprised to see so many birders!

Chris

I got there at 9.15 after starting the morning at Moore to try for some gulls. Parked up fine but people were gathering even then. Walked up the estuary first thing and saw a ringtail, kestrels and loads of pipits ( couldn't make out any water pipits though). Back near the car park saw another two harriers, peregrine on the post, possible Merlin, buzzard, kestrels and lots of pipits, snipe being flushed by the tide, egrets etc Wasn't quite the spectacle I was hoping for guess a lot of the prey items had been washed out the day before or on last months tide. Still a very enjoyable day.

Looks like we made the wrong call going to West Kirby, the sun and parking meant we didn't stop. Onto Wallasey and NB where we had the expected waders but missed the purple sands by 10mins! Should have taken the Burton option.

Phil

We three. had a good day, saw much the same as Pete,Phil and Anne. including the pair of little owls by the box in the tree.
It was nice to meet up with John and Jan Lyons again, and Chris, a fellow Chadkirk birder.

It was my first time to such an event, and I too was amazed by the sheer number of birders.

We finished the day at Burton Marsh with about 20 or so others. Thanks to the guys who pointed out the bewick swans. The other two went up the track to see some short eared owls, but I was shot by then, and just binned around by the car.

The only negative, was that the sun over the estuary stopped me ID'ing stuff.

I arrived at 10.30am and had to park right at the other end to the Ship. We stayed at that end though as a local told us he had seen a Jack snipe there yesterday. No luck on that one but brilliant views of the Spoonbill, a Ringtail taking a Starling and a female Marsh harrier.

The same guy also told us where to see PB Brent geese - park in Pinfold Lane, West Kirby, walk straight across the golf course to the embankment overlooking the estuary and scope across to Hilbre. Sure enough, we saw approx 20 Brents swimming the length of the island and then going ashore on the LH promontory.

There were two things I've never seen here before:

1) the sheer numbers of birdspotters, you'd have thought there were two firsts for Britain here, cars seemed to outweigh parking capacity. I arrived at 11ish and had to park in a cul-de-sac in the village, and

2) never ever seen anywhere before... a mole - swimming!

Otherwise in a brief visit 1 ringtail Hen Harrier, 1 female Merlin, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 unringed immature Spoonbill, loads of Little Egrets etc. Oh and a pint in The Ship

Nipped up to New Brighten after though didn't see any Purple Sands, dogs were flushing everything off the rocks.

Must admit I was a little disappointed with Parkgate today...
A very distant Marsh Harrier was my highlight.
Loads of Skylarks as Phil said, also 2 Little Egret showing well, 2 Stonechat and a Little Owl in a tree near the Golf course.
Harvest Mouse trying to evade tide was the only mammal I saw.

West Kirby Marine Lake afterwards...
1 Shag

Anthony

I've never been before for high tide and it was! Right upto the wall on the baths car park. Kestrel, peregrine, merlin, buzzard and ring tail harriers were the raptors seen. No SEO which was very surprising. Also no mammals seen! Numerous pipits, meadow, rock and a single water. Spectacular numbers of skylarks. Passing waders as to be expected with good numbers of all including black-tailed godwits, redshank, oystercatcher, curlew. The spoonbill was on the marsh about 400 yards away when we arrived.
All in all a brilliant few hours. We were there before 09:30 and a good number of people already there, by high tide at 12:09 there must have been hundred's and there were cars parked everywhere, sensibly.

Phil

-- Edited by Phil Hampson on Wednesday 3rd of March 2010 07:46:14 AM

Holly Page wrote:

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I've just booked tomorrow off work so I'll be there (dark grey 09 Yaris). I was there yesterday with Dennis and a couple of others and the tide didn't really come up too far so let's hope for better tomorrow!

According the the RSPB website, high tide is at 12.09pm but the RSPB wardens will be there for the "Parkgate High Tide Bird Watch" from 10.30 so it may be a good idea to arrive before this to guarantee a parking space.

---

Tide flooded Heswall entirley today - good views of ringtail (young male) and another ringtail (female).

With regards to the event - we have the official start time 10.30am but will be there earlier to try and secure as much space as feasible for birdwatchers/pedestrians where there is no wall at the end of the car park - so if we ask you to move then please do not be offended we are just trying to ensure that there is a pedestrian area for the safety of joe public (and of course nobody would like their car scratched by a tripod!)

Thank You for your cooperation in this matter and lets look forward to another spectacular high tide

PS For those who cannot make Tuesday we will be there Wednesday too - and a TV crew will be too .... !

I've just booked tomorrow off work so I'll be there (dark grey 09 Yaris). I was there yesterday with Dennis and a couple of others and the tide didn't really come up too far so let's hope for better tomorrow!

According the the RSPB website, high tide is at 12.09pm but the RSPB wardens will be there for the "Parkgate High Tide Bird Watch" from 10.30 so it may be a good idea to arrive before this to guarantee a parking space.

Originally posted by Dennis Atherton today, Sunday 28th February:

I could not find a topic for parkgate and did not want keep putting sightings in inner marsh farm link so i thought this would be a good new topic


Good day today, finally got one of my bogeybirds, spoonbill,

showing well at the boathouse end around fourish, also barn owl and a few ring tail harriers, kestrel, perigrine. short eared owls showing in morning at tide peak, also loads of redshank, curlew, oystercatchers, a few dunlin and bar tailed godwits, shelduck, skylarks, meadow pipits and stonechats, pintailed ducks showing furthur along slightly, also red breasted merganser,


on the none birding front, a fox on the marsh and a wet through hare got pushed inland by the high tide,

peak highest tide is on tuesday if anyone is going, 10.19m if i have read it right, good luck to any one going

I'll be there, you can't miss me! Dark grey Focus. Aiming to arrive about 10:00 to get good parking place. Just need the right weather conditions to view and for a really high water.

Phil

Thanks as always Sid, I may start off at the old baths then try about 100m west - there's a spot where there's a stream entering the marsh and an old slipway - although I guess just past the retaining wall of the baths where the first stream enters would be the prime spot - just don't fancy having to camp there from 9am!

Looking at the map Riverbank Road is the point I walk up to from the baths whenever I visit anyway - so I may patrol that path first whilst the tide starts rolling in!

High water is shown at 11.56 on Tuesday [highly recommend Admiralty Easytide for tide forecasts is anyone needs them - free seven day forecasts for the whole UK - and its the official UKHO service]

Guess the last 45 minutes before high tide will see all the action!

Good luck everyone who's going! Peter

-- Edited by Pete Welch on Sunday 28th of February 2010 08:29:47 AM

Hi Geoff,

Jan and I bought the Razor HD Vortex scope from Pennine Optics at Rochdale. Very pleased with it. See you down at Parkgate u3. Hope there will be somewhere to stand when we get there??

J &J

Geoff Walton wrote:

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Think it's Noon John. Our lead birder says we three are going, and I am being picked up at 9am Looking to see you both again, and anyone else

p.s. did you buy one??

-- Edited by Geoff Walton on Saturday 27th of February 2010 09:40:43 PM

---

Geoff our posts crossed

John Lyon wrote:

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Looking forward to the high tide at Parkgate on Tuesday and hope to meet fellow members face to face. What time is it forecast for guys. Is it about midday approx?

John and Janice

---

John the actual time of the high tide is just before twelve but on these occasions much of the action takes place earlier and of course the car park will fill up.

Think it's Noon John. Our lead birder says we three are going, and I am being picked up at 9am Looking to see you both again, and anyone else

p.s. did you buy one??

-- Edited by Geoff Walton on Saturday 27th of February 2010 09:40:43 PM

Phil Panton wrote:

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Glad to see the Spoonbill is still at Parkgate, hoping to be there for the high tide on tuesday.

---

Phil/Pete depending on the height the water gets to you may have to move upstream to find the Spoonbill, if it is indeed still around. It found its way as far up as Neston Old Quay at the last Spring tide in February.

To get the best results from one of these occasions low atmospheric pressure and a wind with some westerly it helps. As an alternative view point Riverbank Road in Heswall may be considered.

Looking forward to the high tide at Parkgate on Tuesday and hope to meet fellow members face to face. What time is it forecast for guys. Is it about midday approx?

John and Janice

Tuesdays tide is slightly higher at 10.2 than the previous ones in february, & the forecast is for sunny intervals.

I'm tempted by the Tuesday high tide too - I've had a day booked as leave for a month in case its predicted to be a good one - I did wonder whether the high tide last month and the one due on Monday [just a bit lower] would mean there would be less of a spectacle on Tuesday? Anyone with any advice? I was also thinking that whilst there can be a couple of hundred people at the old baths anywhere along the path north west of the baths should be reasonable?

Cheers, Peter

Glad to see the Spoonbill is still at Parkgate, hoping to be there for the high tide on tuesday.

Just got back from a cracking couple of hours at Parkgate - got there around 3.30 - first up the Spoonbill on the marsh near the chip shop then in order - Peregrine, Stonechat, Kestrel, Merlin (female close views on post), Ring tail Hen Harrier (x2), Little Egrets, Marsh Harrier (female but distant) and Barn Owl near the Boat House pub. On the way back stopped for a possible second look at the Spoonbill no luck but found a second Barn Owl in front on Mostyn House School - fantanstic close up views and whilst watching the Barnie a further Ring tail put in an appearance.

Nice to meet Gavin Delaney but you left just too soon for the second Barnie Gavin

Thanks Henry, I'll do some research - I also didn't realise how much silver/white plumage a normal Carbo could have in breeding plumage until I got my new Collins guide out so I'll do some research. Thanks also for your contribution to the NWB Whooper thread which got me to Shotwick: today an intriguing individual that Whooper and well worth a visit! Cheers, Peter

Pete Welch wrote:

---

a very silvery headed Cormorant - I believe it may be an indicator of a european bird?

I believe the situation is much more complex than this Pete. White plumes in the head (Filoplumes) can be seen in carbo ('british'/coastal) subspecies birds. Continental subspecies birds (sinensis) are now thought to breed in some British inland colonies too.

The 'Gular pouch angle' (i've tried to limit the technobabble!) is quite a good way of assessing the subspecies but can be subjective in the field unless good views are obtained. Bit of a minefield in field identification I would say.
There are some interesting articles on cormorant subspecies id around on the net, if you are brave and want to explore the issue further!
Thanks. Henry.

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Friday 19th of February 2010 08:32:37 PM

Took the kids for a day out on the Wirral and managed to spot:

Boat Museum - Grey Wagtail and a very silvery headed Cormorant - I believe it may be an indicator of a european bird?

Shotwick Fields - quick diversion to the bypass at Shotwick where a large flock of Bewicks and Whoopers were showing 40m from the road with a leucistic Whooper that's been reported for a couple of weeks - intriguing bird which has unusually marked bill and pinky yellow legs.

Managed to drag the little uns to Parkgate to finish the day with a distant Ringtail, a hunting Barn Owl at least 300m out into the marsh and one SEO which was perched within 30m of the old baths and was then mobbed by two kestrels after it had caught a vole. Also Little Egrets and plenty of wildfowl.

"I like your style" as the saying goes Sid!!! Nice one!!!!

Yes Phil, but it was Valentine's day

A weekend birding trip for you Sid??? Thought you were more of a weekday birder??

Had a couple of hours this afternoon at Caldy/West Kirby, all the usual winter suspects including 100's of Knot, Redshank, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Dunlin and the 1st winter Scaup still on the marine lake - haven't seen a Scaup for over a year then get two in a week

Burton Marsh - Worth mentioning that there are lots of wigeon and lapwing feeding on Burton Marsh and later on views of short-eared owls hunting both on the marsh and in the fields adjacent too. 2 snow bunting seen by wardens on Tuesday feeding on the washed up seeds from the high tides.

Parkgate - views of harriers continue to be brilliant with both hen(x4) and marsh(x1 Juv/fem) and short-eared owls again later in the day. Spoonbill has been obvioulsy feeding in the Old Baths and Boathouse flash.

West Kirby Marine Lake - Drake 1st winter scaup yesterday justs metres from 100's roosting redshank and dunlin on the rocks at south end, turnstones too. Beaches around West Kirby allow for great views of ringed plover, sanderling, grey plover, curlew, oystercatcher, bar-tailed godwit, redshank, dunlin, knot,

Had a really good day out on the Wirral today, including Thurstaston shore where I settled myself on the sailing club slipway and waited for the tide to push everything in and therefore had brilliant views of Oystercatcher, Redshank, Turnstone, Curlew, Knot [which were wheeling around in amazing numbers], a few Dunlin, fly over by a Raven and misc gulls.

Then also had a look at Red Rocks and West Kirby Marine lake for close up views of Knot, Redshank and Dunlin all looking very crisp in the winter sun [when there was some]. Found a spot at the western end of the lake and sat and watched Turnstone feed towards me down the high tide mark until it went about ten feet past the bench I was on! Really good to watch it pulling seeds and other bits from the debris. Down for one last look at the roosting waders at the other end saw the first winter drake Scaup work its way towards the shore alternatively diving and preening as it came.

Would have been quite happy to spend several hours at Kirby but went on to Parkgate and walked right along the marsh back towards Burton, not a lot about but plenty of teal and other duck flying around the marsh, egrets, gulls, Mipits and good views of a Stonechat just north of the Parkgate Baths when I got back to the car.

I did mean to go round the North Wales coast in the afternoon but with so much to watch on the Wirral I never made it!

It's worth a look at this link with regard to Monday's events. Some excellent photo's.

http://www.craigjoneswildlifephotography.co.uk/blog/

Was at the high tide today, which despite being the third or fourth over the last few days still produced the goods. I've not been at one this high for probably 6-7 years, so was cracking to witness the bird and mammal mayhem!?

I saw the following from the pub over a hearty breakfast, then the old baths and surrounding area:

Shelduck 300+
Gadwall 5
Shoveller 2
Pintail 800+
Teal 3-4000
RB Merganser 2
Water Rail 1 (think the Herons must have eaten mostof them by now )
Little Grebe 1
Spoonbill (was at Neston Old Quay on wayback)
Little Egret 5 + 35 (35 at Neston Old Quay)
Hen Harrier (3 different birds)
Marsh Harrier 1 female
Kestrel 3
Peregrine 2
Merlin 2
Short-eared Owl (4 different birds)
Redshank 1000+
Dunlin 30+
Lapwing 1000+
Golden Plover 45
Black-tailed Godwit 1000+
Oystercatcher 600+
Common Snipe 50+
Curlew 700+
Green Woodpecker 1
Reed Bunting 4
Stonechat 1
Meadow Pipit 50+
Rock Pipit 3
Water Pipit 1
Skylark 400+
Grey Wagtail 2
Pied Wagtail 4
Fieldfare 30+
Redwing 15+
Linnet 30+
Raven 1

Think that was the most of them!?

Also saw several Water Shrew, Common Shrew, Bank Vole and Short-tailed Vole (great little rustic coloured voles) escaping the flood, although some only made it clear from the water and ended in a Herons, Owls or Ravens mouth etc?!?!

Great days

For anyone who watched the distressed fox on Monday afternoon at Parkgate baths.

It survived the freezing water and was seen to run inland at around 4pm.

Good news.

First time at Parkgate with such a high tide. Saw most of Nick's list but substitute male for female Merlin, 4 Peregrines and 4 ringtail Hen Harriers. The mammal watersports were just amazing! Tried really hard to turn one of the myriad Snipes into just one Jack Snipe, but to no avail. Heard there was a Water Rail runner, but not seen by us. Brilliant few hours.

myself and phil jennison spent a superb day there today too - mirroring you guys...

you gotta feel for the small mammals swimming for dear life...

Nick Isherwood wrote:

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Great day on the raptor watch today at Parkgate.

---

Nick, We moved on to IMF, but didn't see much. Then a quick call at Shotton paid dividends with great views of 80 - 90 Bewick's and Whooper Swans.

That was some day.

Great day on the raptor watch today at Parkgate.

Sightings included:

2 Peregrine
1 Hen Harrier
1 Marsh Harrier
1 Merlin (f)
3 Kestrel (two mating right in front of car park)
1 Sparrowhawk (m)
4 Short Eared Owl
Spoonbill
Little Egret
Pintail
Raven
Red Breasted Merganser
Huge amounts of Curlew, Redshank, BT Godwit, Shelduck, Teal, Snipe, etc , etc.

Highlight of the day had to be when the tide finally reached the wall and hundreds of small mammals (mice, shrews and voles) were seen making for cover. One was even seen floating past on a crisp packet. The gulls in particular had a field day mopping them up along with a lone fox about a 150 yards out that stood in the water up to its chest waiting for the voles to come swimming by. A cold but really enjoyable day.

High tide today between Pargate and Heswall produced all that Joey,Karen and Jonathan saw but I didn't get the Peregrine although one was seen near the baths. Smashing view of the Spoonbill, quite close up preening and then in flight. Earlier at West Kirby 2 male, 1 fem. (I confused it witha fem Goosander at first) RB Merganzer.
Dunlin, Redshank, Turnstone and lots of Oystercatchers. There was also great numbers of teal and curlew all over the marsh. There were a lot of people there today but not as many as I expected. I met a very sociable local birder and GM poster Ian Boot, so all in all a good day.
Mike

sid ashton wrote:

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Good day eh Joey? I assume from the list that you were at Parkgate marsh and surrounds - is that correct?

---

yes sid that is correct, i viewed everything from the carpark at parkgate

-- Edited by Joey Eccles on Monday 1st of February 2010 07:52:45 AM

And to add to Karen's comments . . .

We (Mike Baron and I) thought there were at least two, probably three or more (there were certainly three yesterday evening) rt hen harriers on the marsh today. We also had two adults and at least one 1st winter peregrines. We estimated possibly six se owls in all, and merlins kept popping up all over the place! A few minutes before the peregrine chased the jack snipe towards the crowd, another jack flew over the NW end of the car park. A brown hare ran across the marsh at one point, and we had three foxes - one straight out from the car park and two on the tide's edge to the NW. The sighting of the day for us involved one of these foxes. The marsh harrier floated over and started to mob one of them. The fox took offence to this and continually leaped up and snapped at the harrier each time it swooped down - magical!

At The Harp we had another rt hen harrier and merlin then, after Mike left, I went to Burton Marsh where there were two rt hen harriers (one from The Harp earlier presumably) and a se owl.

Added to Joey's comments

1 fool in a helicopter who flushed a load of stuff on the marsh, including the Spoonbill, we later relocated the Spoonbill opposite the Old Quay pub.

Great close up views of perched SEO, with ear tufts up.

Missed out on Jack Snipe, watching Peregrine instead only saw Jack Snipe dive into cover from corner of my eye

Whooper and Bewicks Swans still at Shotwick also.

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 31st of January 2010 08:55:31 PM

Good day eh Joey? I assume from the list that you were at Parkgate marsh and surrounds - is that correct?

good day today with 5 lifers sea didn't flood marsh completely but everything turned up

1 fem merlin offering great views
1 or possibly 2 fem hen harriers
fem marsh harrier
2 s e owls
kestrel (mobbed by s e owl at one point)
peregrine (saw it strike a bird but couldn't recover its prey item)
spoonbill
stonechat
red breasted meganser on near pool
skylark
raven
pink footed goose
oystercatcher
shelduck
redshank
curlew
lapwing
LBB and GBB gulls
1 grey heron devouring a water rail, which then got lodged in its throat!
1 live water rail
lots of snipe
reed bunting
1 red fox
1 man in a canoe

plenty about

I was unknowingly trail-blazing a route it seems!
Nice one with the Barn Owl Sid, must have been a lovely view with the wild marsh as a backdrop.
Henry.

Henry we must have followed you around today - we left home at 12.30 straight to Shotwick fields where we also found the three species of Swan from the second island along A548 for zones 3 & 4 Deeside Industrial Estate. Bewicks was a lifetime first for me. Then over to Burton Marsh - Peregrine on a post and several Stonechat on the marsh as well a couple of Shorteared Owls. The stuble field in-land from Decca pools yielded big numbers of birds including Skylark, Linnet, Reed Bunts, a Song thrush, Yellowhamer (M&F) and a single Brambling my first this winter and a lurking Kestrel.
The final destination was Parkgate reached just as the Old Baths car park barrier went down at 5 o'clock. Luckily I had spotted the sleeping Spoonbill on the Boathouse flash where we watched it waken up and commence feeding, amazing to watch. We then had a couple more Shorteared Owls but the best was yet to come with fabulous views of the Barn Owl about 20m out on the marsh, a smashing end to a lovely afternoon - I do believe that Mrs A may have just enjoyed it as well