A mixed 50+ strong flock of thrushes roaming around the Whittle Hall / Chapleford area trees and hedges today included Fieldfare, Redwing and Mistle Thrushes with a few Goldfinches tagging along.
Also a Kestrel was seen hovering along the railway line.

2 lesser Redpoll in conifer on chapel lane this morning.flew off towards Richmond bank.

One Crossbill over Thornton Road, Great Sankey at 14.55. Flying north then east.

Brambling over chapel lane 6.55a.m.

1000+ starlings flying towards fiddlers from Moore area at 6.50am.
Raven over chapel lane at 2.30pm chased by two jackdaws.

A single Redwing was feeding with Blackbirds along Whittle Brook this afternoon whilst overhead a Buzzard was being chased off by 2 Crows.
I noticed yesterday that there seemed to be a lot more Blackbirds about in the same area and both Buzzard and Sparrowhawk were seen circling over.

Brian

p.s. There were over 100 Redwing feeding at Woolston Eyes this morning.

Male goshawk drifting west over chapel lane 1pm then turned nw heading towards burtonwood.fag breaks are definitely good for my health sometimes!

Late post for yesterday

30 redwing and a singing pied wagtail over chapel lane
Also Mrs d who feeds the local robin near her work with cheese informs me that a pied wagtail took two pieces!

2 redwing over chapel lane this morning.

A circular walk from the Ferry Tavern car park, via Laburnam Lane, Sandy Lane, Farnworth Road and Cuerdley. Nothing unusual, but some nice counts of common birds, including good numbers of House Sparrows with one flock of over 100 at the Sandy Lane/A57 junction. Some large flocks of Carrion Crows, one flock of 100+ near Farnworth Road and a smaller flock of 40 near Sandy Lane, this flock had about 20% of the birds with some degree of white in their wings, the larger flock had nothing like that number, although one of the birds had a very pied appearance.

About 150 Swallows seen in small groups, mainly over the cut fields, but with a number flying south. 3 coveys of Grey Partridge seen (8, 5 and 4), with two of them along the track from A57 to Farnworth Road, however, only one Yellowhammer seen. 7 Buzzards seen, but only one Kestrel.

cheers,

Dave

4 crossbills flew nw over chapel lane this morning then changed their minds and flew south.and no they weren't wearing jesses!unfortunately the goldcrests that were nesting in one of the trees at work disappeared sometime over last weekend.the suspects are the local cat,the local sparrowhawks or,more likely,the magpies that have been stealing wood pigeon eggs out of the same tree for years.maybe they will try again next year...

Thanks Brian.yes its nice to see there are still six cygnets there and at that size now out of the woods(?) I hope.not managed to see any kingfishers there but its only ever a quick twenty minutes visit after work.penketh is the place to be.dave riley even saw a mole the other day!I saw a dead one on rixton moss.does that count...
Cheers Chris.

chrisdorney wrote:

---

The goldcrest which has been singing in and around chapel lane for the last two months fell silent for a week and early last week I found out why.the little fella has found himself a mate.three cheers.the footpath near the junction of tannery lane and station road is worth a mooch and usually yields singing yellowhammer linnet reed bunting whitethroat etc with buzzards breeding in the vicinity.always thought it might be worth a look around dusk but I am never there that late.mind the dog****!
Also haven't heard or seen any sign of the cetti's lately...

---

Chris

I last heard the Cetti's on mon 2nd July when it called infrequently but failed to see it. I have been back a couple of times since but there has been no sight or sound of it, so I guess it has given up and moved on.
In the same area though during the past week I have seen Kingfisher, Grey Heron, Reed Warbler, Gt. Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, Bullfinch, Goldfinch etc. and the Mute Swan family whilst staking out the elusive warbler.

Cheers Brian

The goldcrest which has been singing in and around chapel lane for the last two months fell silent for a week and early last week I found out why.the little fella has found himself a mate.three cheers.the footpath near the junction of tannery lane and station road is worth a mooch and usually yields singing yellowhammer linnet reed bunting whitethroat etc with buzzards breeding in the vicinity.always thought it might be worth a look around dusk but I am never there that late.mind the dog****!
Also haven't heard or seen any sign of the cetti's lately...

Clock Face Road

Not quite Penketh but close... just before Bold Heath on the sloping bank on roadside at "HireCo": good display of Marsh Orchids. I'd guess hybrid Northern/Southern. Also, at top of this grassy bank, good nos of Bee Orchids,30 plus spikes, some v tall, most still more or less out.

Yellowhammer singing.

Farnworth Road
4.00amish
On road towards Widnes just after "Penketh" sign
Great views of a Barn Owl v low over road.

Sankey Bridges

Thanks for the nice comments etc.

I also had excellent views of the Cetti's singing from a bush, this morning. Well worth the 45 minute wait.
As it is still singing frequently it suggests that it does not have a partner at the moment.
Just a word of caution, if this situation changes I have been advised to be careful regarding publicity.
I hope this doesn't sound too condescending !
In the meantime enjoy your sightings.

Cheers Brian






-- Edited by Brian Baird on Saturday 2nd of June 2012 09:18:09 AM

Sankey Bridges

Got some good but brief views Cetti's warbler at sankey bridges today (4.45 pm) it was in small birch with weeping branches in front of big ash at 1st showing well then few across canal and landed low in sallow by fence and exploded into song briefly befor flying back over and vanishing in to brambles.
Very nice find Brian
MIKE

-- Edited by Mike Turton on Friday 1st of June 2012 07:19:22 PM

-- Edited by Mike Turton on Friday 1st of June 2012 07:19:49 PM

Sankey Bridges

Cetti's Warbler showing much better today. 4.30ish heard from hawthorn/willow scrub opposite outflow. Glimpsed as it flew towards wooden bridge. When it reached the stand of dead trees, it sang for a short burst on the bare branches giving good views.

Loads of Reed Warblers here. Pair Gadwall.

Cetti's singing 7.30ish tonight, from willow opposite overflow. It quickly flew back into cover of hawthorn scrub. V brief view of it as it flew.

Yes, great find Brian ...good list of local birds now for last few weeks !

Quick visit after work today and instantly heard the cetti's firing off from the tree opposite the overflow.after flitting about and singing once more from the tree it flew off towards the footbridge.Dave riley turned up not long after and also managed to hear it so thanks Brian.great find!

Red kite over chapel lane 5 mins ago going north.sorry for the edits.I was right the first time!must be all of a dither.don't expect to see that from the car park in work..
-- Edited by chrisdorney on Saturday 26th of May 2012 08:30:08 AM

-- Edited by chrisdorney on Saturday 26th of May 2012 09:12:39 AM

Sankey Bridges, Warrington

A Cetti's Warbler has been singing by the St.Helens Canal, south of the railway line, between Sankey Bridges (by The Sloop Inn) and the wooden footbridge over the canal, approx. 150 yards along the canal going west.
It has been heard fairly frequently for the last few days but is proving very elusive to see. I've had one glimpse only today.

Also singing in the same area are Blackcap, Song Thrush, Chaffinch, Reed Warbler and Chiffchaff etc. but they are easily outdone by the Cetti's when it fires off.

Quick check at dinner today and no sign of ring ouzel.yellow wagtail and wheatear still present.

Our Lady of Laburnum Lane still there at 9am! Mainly on the far side of the paddock East of the Lane, favouring the South-east corner.

Also a cracking male Wheatear on the soil/manure pile South of the Paddock.

Ring Ouzel in the paddock at 07:50hrs

No Ring Ouzel 8.45pm but Wheatear present.

no sign of the ring ouzel at 4pm-farmer was doing stuff in all the paddocks and i was unsure which one it was in as there are about 6,until i just got home and saw the post below .

Still there at 1.00 pm today, with male Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear for company.

Cheers David

Ring ouzel present 6.30.

Also still present at 9:00am today. Thank you everyone for the tip off! Just the 2nd ever sighting of a ring ouzel - the first being the one at Moore recently. Nice to get the set with both male & female now seen. Was surprised how visible the female's breast stripe was. For anyone who has not been along, the bird was in the paddock to the left of Lapwing lane, before the road bends around to the right. There was also a male wheatear in the field and a pied wagtail. Several sparrowhawks, buzzards and a kestrel also in the vicinity. All just 5 mins from home

-- Edited by Eric Finch on Saturday 5th of May 2012 01:21:35 PM

Just to add my thanks for the postings and to the finders of the Ring Ouzel. Incredibly it was within walking distance from home and completes the set as I saw the male which turned up at Moore N.R. on 29th March.

The Wheatear seen last evening was still around on the slurry pile at south side of the paddock when I was there this am.

Nice to meet you too Pete.

Stopped off to see the Ring Ouzel this morning dropping my daughter off at school.

Great local find. Thanks all for postings!

Still showing well at 17:00 - until a Kestrel spooked it into the hedge. Good to say hello to Brian Baird there today

Ring ouzel still present 12.30.

Called in this morning on my way past and immediately found the female Ring Ouzel happily feeding on the far side of the left hand paddock with a group of Wood Pigeon.

Nice bird to see in the Warrington area.

I know what you mean Pete.got the phone call today just as I was about to go for dinner.never thought I would see one in my half hour lunch break!went back after work to check it was still there then raced home(without breaking the speed limit in case there are any policemen birders out there) and raced back to find it still there thankfully.apperently there was a male yellow wagtail knocking about earlier around the same area.glad you caught up with it.cheers Chris.

Ring ouzel still there at 8.00pm.wheatear yellowhammer and a pair of mistle thrush also present.

Thanks for posting this - never imagined I'd see a Ring Ouzel five minutes from home still showing well until 20:40 this evening. Feeding on plenty of worms and seemed a bit wary of the resident blackbirds. Congratulations to the finders!

Female ring ouzel present at horse paddock labernum lane.thanks to Dave and aileen riley.

Got some grainy shots too at ISO 1600 not sure if any will be worthy of the Out of County galary though

-- Edited by Pete Welch on Thursday 3rd of May 2012 09:46:25 PM