Yesterday a Great White Egret was seen from the tower hide before flying off west at 9:00 a.m. and was not relocated. Other recent sightings have included 86 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Ruff, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper and 41 Snipe. A Cettis Warbler is singing frequently in the centre of the bed, best heard from the tower hide. A flock of 30+ Siskin was near the footbridge yesterday evening and smaller numbers are regularly being seen/heard overflying the bed.

13.09.2015 11.00-14.00 really Nice weather
Another few Hours at Lunchtime today -Only one on the reserve for much of that time which amazes me with so many waders about ,anything could be missed at this time of year.
Black Tailed Godwit -51
Ruff-1
Green Sandpiper - 4
Common Sandpiper-1
Lapwing - 300
Chiffchaff- 11
Willow Warbler-1
Common Snipe - 23
Common Buzzard - 4
Swallow- c100 > south
House Martin- 2 > South
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Jay-3
:)

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 18th of September 2015 04:20:36 PM

Nine species of waders recorded on No.3 bed today. 370 Lapwing were roosting in the centre of the bed. Amongst these were 14 Snipe and 1 Dunlin. Spread more widely across the bed were 79 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Ruff, 3 Green Sandpipers, 1 Common Sandpiper. The heavy rain brought in a Greenshank and 1 Curlew was heard calling from the south bank. Other highlights included 2 Kingfisher from the John Morgan hide and a Cettis Warbler singing briefly from the tower hide.

John, could it be Arctica ?

The wader I seen last night and suspected might be a Curlew Sandpiper, is in fact a Dunlin.

It shown it's rump today, which it did'nt do for me, can't say I blame it. False alarm folks.

11.09.2015
I am just beginning to fully appreciate what a great place this is if you just want a quiet few hours after a mad week in the factory, and more so as Pennington flash is just becoming too busy people wise even for me, and Woolston reminds me how the flash once was. :)
12.00-2.30 A couple of hours after work produced

Black Tailed Godwit -61
Ruff-3
Dunlin-1
Green Sandpiper-3
Lapwing-c300
Peregrine - 1 adult put everything up at 1.30pm
Swallow- Constant stream south
House Martin-10 > S
Chiffchaff-1
Common Snipe-21+
The water is very low so if your going take your scope as you never know what you may end up seeing,it just feels right for a very rare wader at the moment.

16.30-18.30

No. 3 Bed

An interesting wader was paddling around resting Lapwing just off the large mudbank, viewable both from the John Morgan and Tower hides.

To me the bird showed the characteristics of a Curlew Sandpiper, but the bird did not show it's diagnostic white rump.

It may therefore be a big Dunlin with a longer than usual beak, I am awaiting a verdict tomorrow, when the bird will checked out again, assuming it's still there.

Although it has apparently been around for a few days, so perhaps it was one of those 3 Dunlin I logged on Tuesday, but viewing the bird this evening, it certainly looked different.

The behaviour was noticeably different tonight, the bird did not leave the water, it just paddled around the Lapwing feeding by pecking below the surface as it walked.

It appeared more lanky and slower than the Dunlin on Tuesday. They all fed in true Dunlin style, on the dry mud, in almost clockwork fashion, pecking the ground vigorously.

Apart from this intrigue, other birds seen were: 44 Black Tailed Godwits, 17 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpipers, 270 Lapwings, 5 Ruff, 11 Greylag Geese, 6 Little Grebes,

1 Common Whitethroat, 1f Pintail and 4 Chiffchaffs.

The bed is wader heaven at the moment, but in addition to that, the numerous Elders are laden with berries that look juicy enough for a human to eat.

It was on those that I found the Whitethroat and Chiffchaffs, and lots Blue Tits etc, too.

16.30-18.30

No3 Bed

46 Black Tailed Godwits, 3 Dunlin, 6 Ruff, 28 Snipe and 300+ Lapwings. 4 Little Grebes and 1 juv Great Crested Grebe.

8 Sand Martins and a couple of House Martins with the more numerous Swallows feeding over the pool.

The water level is really low, hence the abundance of waders.

** The site is currently closed and secured with additional locks at 7pm to deter theft etc **.

Friday morning visit.

Ruff 5
BlkTGodwit 50+
Snipe 7
Green Sandpiper 2
Pintail 1f
Willow Tit 1
House Martins 5+
Swallows 20+
Buzzard 1
etc.etc.etc.

Also one probable Rose-ringed Parakeet heard only. What else could it have been?

PM 02.09.2015 - I had this great reserve to myself this afternoon.
A good number of waders at Woolston Eyes this afternoon. Water level perfect for waders.
Greenshank-1
Ruff-1 juv
Black tailed godwit -57
Common Sandpiper-1
Lapwing -c200
Green Sandpiper-4
Common Snipe- c25
Sparrowhawk-1f
Greenfinch -c50
Plus the usuals :)

Male and female Ruff this morning feeding amongst the Lapwing flock. Also 1 Great White Egret, 5+ Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Greenshank. On the south bank a Green Woodpecker was heard calling but was not seen.

With very low water levels there were good views of 20+ Black tailed Godwits that were close to The John Morgan Hide as well as a Green and a Common Sandpiper both on the new scrapes. A Greenshank was showing well from the Tower Hide in with 100 plus Lapwings. I missed the Great White Egret by seconds as it disappeared from view as I walked up the steps. However I did get to see it fly several times and it perched on a dead branch straight out from the hide, but it spent most of its time out of sight in the channels in the reed bed. At least 1 Hobby was seen hunting over the trees to the East of the bed. The Kingfisher decided to have a day off today!

An interesting morning with low water levels. To note was close(ish) views of a kingfisher, little grebes were seen around every corner (at least around 16), 2 green sandpipers, 1 common sandpiper, snipe, common whitethroat and about about 20 black tailed godwits.

The Great White Egret was reported yesterday both on the loop of No.4 bed and No.3 bed. This morning it was again on the loop of No.4 bed. It then flew towards No.3 bed but has not been relocated. On No.3 bed there were 3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers and 2 Snipe.

Great white egret just flew off nw from the tower hide at 1.30 pm Found by Karl Bishop Varified J.Tymon

Had a good ringing session on No1 bed with John Blundell, during the morning we had a minimum 25 Siskins fly over, all in one and twos and going in all sorts of directions, we also caught six which is probably unprecedented in July at the Eyes. I have read about unusually high numbers at Landguard and Sandwich Bay observatories during the past two or three weeks as well.

08.30-11.00

No3 Bed

2 Adult and 1 juv Black Necked Grebes, 8 Little Grebes (including a pair brooding), 2 adult +2 juv Great Crested Grebes.

2 Kestrels, 1 Buzzard, 3m+1f Bullfinches, 4 Lapwings, 1 Black Tailed Godwit (in full summer plumage).

In addition to the commoner butterflies there was 1 Ringlet, plus 1 Clouded Border moth.

Another special morning, with some nice birds, plenty of dragonflies and a Reserve "butterfly tick" for us all. We started on No.3 bed with 2 Common Terns, 3 Green Sandpipers, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, a close fly-by from a juvenile female Peregrine and a juvenile Black-necked Grebe. Then onto No.2 bed where efforts to locate a male Ringlet paid off, followed by another Ringlet No.1 bed. Then a dragonfly/butterfly survey of No.1 bed, with 2 more Little Ringed Plovers and 3 more Peregrines noted. Totals were: Ruddy Darter 5, Common Darter 4, Black-tailed Skimmer 3, Red-eyed Damselfly 2 (from No.3 bed), Emperor 1, Southern Hawker 2, Brown Hawker 1 (from No.3 bed), Common Blue/Azure Damselflies common, 2 Ringlets, 2 Large Skippers, 10 Small Skippers, 4 Commas, 9 Red Admirals, 8 Small Tortoiseshells, 1 Green-veined White, 2 unidentified Whites, 8 Speckled Woods, 52 Meadow Browns and 43 Gatekeepers. Then, after a lunch-break chilling out watching the Peregrines under the Viaduct it was back onto No.3 bed where the 2 Common Terns were displaying and giving hope of late breeding (which would be another Reserve first).
Cheers David (with Dave Steel, David Spencer, Alan Warford, Paul Hazlehurst, Brian Baird, Helen Allan and Les Jones.)

A lovely sunny morning produced some excellent birds plus good numbers of butterflies and dragonflies. Highlights given are for Nos.1 and 3 beds combined: 3 Green Sandpipers, 1 Curlew, 2 Peregrines, 8 Black-necked Grebes, 3 Willow Tits, 11 Reed Warblers, 7 Blackcaps, 9 Whitethroats, 7 Chiffchaffs, 4 Black-tailed Skimmers, 6 Emperors, 2 Brown Hawkers, 2 Southern Hawkers, 3 Common Darters, 1 Broad-bodied Chaser, 17 Four-spotted Chasers, 3 Red-eyed Damselflies, many scores of Common and Blue-tailed Damselflies, 14 Large Skippers, 1 Green-veined White, 13 Meadow Browns, Speckled Wood 6 and 17 Common Blues.

Cheers David (with Dave Steel, David Spencer, Alan Warford, Paul Hazlehurst, Helen Allan, Diane Shepherd, Les Jones and George Dunbar)

-- Edited by DavidBowman on Saturday 27th of June 2015 04:09:17 PM

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 27th of June 2015 06:42:12 PM

No 3 Bed (09.30-12.00)

No sign of the sandpipers, the only waders being 4 Lapwings on the scrapes.

The family of Shelducks are proving to be real characters, there are 4 small ducklings associating a much larger youngster from a previous brood.

Even the smallest of them are chasing adult Black Headed Gulls off the scrape, unless the gulls give way fearing the wrath of the parent Shelducks if they don't.

Bold Moorhens with youngsters are chasing off adult Coots, ducks and gulls, with absolute fury. There were 3 families of Great Crested Grebes each with a single youngster.

I could only find a single family of Black Necked Grebes, and they had 1 fully grown youngster. I only found 1 Little Grebe too.

Gadwall are here en-masse to moult alongside the Mallards, even the drake Tufted Ducks are looking scruffy and lethargic, as were the 2 drake Pochards seen.

Blackcaps, Wrens, Whitethroats and a couple of Chiffchaffs were still in song. Also seen above the bed, 1 Buzzard, 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 2 Cormorants and a single Grey Heron.

Judging by the number of newly fledged Black Headed Gulls around, they've had a very good breeding season. Lots of Swifts and hirundines were hunting above the pool.

A small group of Nemophora Degreerella moths were doing an aerial dance by the S.Hogg hide, and Common Carpet moths abound throughout.

Yet another excellent morning, with 2 Avocets, 3 Ringed Plovers, 9 Black-necked Grebes and final confirmation of another successful breeding season for the Peregrines, with 2 fully grown young on the Viaduct.

Cheers David (with David Spencer, Alan Warford, Paul Hazlehurst , John Barber, Helen Allan, Diane Shepherd and George Dunbar)


-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 20th of June 2015 06:08:01 PM

An early morning visit to No.3 bed, with a bit of birding followed by a couple of hours pulling Himalayan Balsam (thanks to Alan Warford and John Barber for their help) and then more birding. Highlights were a male Garganey early on, a Hobby skimming the the water in a high speed chase after a Swallow, 32 Black-tailed Godwits, single Redshank, a new brood of 7 Tufted Ducks and 10 adult Black-necked Grebes with 3 well-grown young.

Cheers David (with Al Warford and John Barber)

Garganey 1m
Black-tailed Godwit 3
Oystercatcher 2
Sparrowhawk 1m
Kestrel 1
Black-necked/Great Crested/Little Grebes
Pochards
Gadwalls
Shovelers
Tufted Ducks
etc.etc.etc.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 18th of June 2015 01:49:17 PM

10.00-12.00

No 3 Bed

76 Black Tailed Godwits flew over heading West, plus 6 more on the scrapes. Also, 6 Lapwings, 1 Kestrel, 2 Cormorants and 4 Lesser Black Backed Gulls.

There were lots of near fledged Black Headed Gull youngsters, now too big to be threatened by the Lesser Black Backs, although a single Great Black Back appeared at noon.

2 families of Black Necked Grebes, each with a single well grown chick, and 3 pairs of Great Crested Grebes, 2 of which have a single youngster.

1 Little Grebe. A family of Shelduck have 6 small young, in addition there were 6 more adults on site.

Reed Warblers were showing well from the Tower Hide, one appeared to be carrying several mosquitoes in it's beak, and was foraging near the top of a large willow.

I got the impression these birds were struggling to find adequate food. 2 family groups of Reed Bunting, and a single juvenile Whitethroat were also seen.

3 Bullfinches were on the feeders. Lots of Swallows, House Martins and Swifts were over the water, but just a couple of Sand Martins seen.

As the drizzle ebbed mid-morning, the only insects seen were numerous Silver Ground Carpet Moths.

28 black tailed godwit at the front of tge morgan hide this afternoon

Woke early this morning and was wandering onto The Woolston Eyes Nature Reserve No.3 bed at 5.00am. Sun coming up through the mist with birds calling and singing everywhere. Highlights were a singing Cetti's Warbler, a Barn Owl hunting outside the Morgan Hide, a reeling Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Willow Tits, 3 broods of Gadwall and at least four broods of Black-necked Grebe.

Cheers David

In case you are planning an early morning or evening visit to the reserve, please see the following message which has been posted on the Woolston Eyes Conservation Group website:

"During the past week there have been several serious thefts of equipment and damage on No.3 bed. The police are investigating in a bid to identify the culprits. As a consequence WECG has decided to close No.3 bed from 20.00hrs to 08.00 hrs each night for the immediate future. This is being done with a second padlock which your standard key will not fit. We are urgently investigating ways to make both access to No.3 bed, our equipment and facilities more secure and would welcome any expert assistance in this field from experienced permit holders.

The Committee is sorry for any inconvenience that the restricted opening may cause but we are sure you will understand the reasons for it."

17.30-20.00

No.3 Bed

1 Stock Dove, 6 Bullfinches, 6 adult Great Crested Grebes+ 2 young, 8 Black Necked Grebes (1 pair with 2 tiny young),

14m+3f Pochard ( 1f had 6 ducklings, plus 4 amorous males in tow), 10 drake Shoveler, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, 3 Grey Heron & 4 Lapwings.

Lots of hirundines (Mostly House Martins) and Swifts were flying over the pool.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 29th of May 2015 12:27:00 AM

Despite being well into spring birds continue to pass through on migration. This morning's highlight was a drake Garganey, found by Carey Randall, in front of the Linley Hide. It was feeding well and still looking settled at 2.00 pm. Earlier, 4 Common Terns had passed through, heading north-west. Of the resident species, Cetti's Warbler, Mediterranean Gull and at least 8 Black-necked Grebes were worth a mention.

Cheers David (with David Spencer)

No sign of yesterday's Avocet this morning but a breeding plumage Sanderling was a very welcome visitor. On the scrape were also 1 Dunlin and the Lapwing is still sitting on two eggs. A 2nd summer Mediterranean Gull spent most of the morning on the bed before flying off east. The rainy conditions meant numerous hirundines were feeding low over the water and a Hobby scythed through them at one point. From the south screen, a pair of Black-necked Grebes were feeding one very small juvenile, the 2nd brood seen so far this year.

On a sunny but breezy morning, we completed a breeding bird survey on No.3 bed. Sightings along the way included: 2 Mediterranean Gulls, between 8 and 13 Black-necked Grebes, a Hobby which treated us to several high speed passes, a singing Garden Warbler, and 110 Gadwall.

Cheers David (with David Spencer, Al Warford, Brian Baird, Paul Hazlehurst, Helen Allan and George Dunbar)

A dawn visit to The No.3 bed this morning produced sightings of Hobby, Barn Owl, Dunlin and 10 Black-necked Grebes, including a pair with two small young.

Cheers David

Adult hobby from the frank lindley hide heading north at 2.30pm

A good day for migration at The Woolston Eyes Nature Reserve, with an Osprey flying north-west over No.3 bed at 7.20 am. Single Dunlin and Curlew, 10 Black-necked Grebes, a Peregrine and 3 Mediterranean Gulls were other good birds on the bed. Other migrants included: 150 Swifts, 220 Swallows, 65 House Martins and 50 Sand Martins. Away from No.3 bed, Cetti's Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat were singing from near Woolston Weir and 2 Garden Warblers were reported from No.4 bed.
Cheers David (with Dave Steel, David Spencer, Alan Warford, Brian Baird, Helen Allan, Kelly Ainsworth, Ste Dodd, Les Jones and George Dunbar)

Yesterday , there was a steady passage of Swifts and hirundines, with 50 Swifts, 60 Sand Martins, 4 House Martins and 7 Swallows over No.3 bed from dawn. The two Mediterranean Gulls remain settled and 10 Black-necked Grebes, a Cetti's Warbler (per David Spencer) and a Kingfisher were also noted. Later in the morning, David Spencer reported 20 Dunlin, which flew through.

Cheers David

With my body still on Greek time, I was up and out on No.3 bed by 5.30 am. Plenty of action, too. At last managed to catch up with the Otter which has been sighted sporadically over the past few months - it was harried mercilessly by the Black-headed Gulls till it disappeared in the south-east corner of the bed. Two adult Mediterrranean Gulls flew south early on, with another 2 second summers looking very settled. Two Yellow Wagtails on the Morgan Hide scrape, while 100 Swifts passed over in three hours and an Oystercatcher dropped in. Greylags had four broods (of 13, 6, 4 and 4), the Lapwing on a nest on the scrape had three eggs in the nest and another two a few feet away, both of which disappeared during the morning. Less pleasingly, an immature Great Black-backed Gull was seen attacking a drake Pochard, which eventually managed to tear itself away. David Spencer also reported Cetti's Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat in song near the No.2 bed Weir,.

Cheers David

Saturday 2nd May - approx 4.30pm - 8.10pm with 49 species seen and some heard only.
I had the reserve to myself, not a sole in sight, and if I'm honest a little bit eery!

Female Bufflehead - a Lifer for me in the way that I've only ever seen captive ones, I know she was an escape but nice to see her in a wild situation so I was pleased about that!

She was visible from John Morgan hide but quite distant. Better views were had from Frank Lindley Hide. At one point I couldn't get a good view at all as she was constantly diving, as soon as she surfaced she dove again. She was sticking close to a small group of Ducks comprising of 2 male Pochard and a male Tufted Duck.

Other birds of note...
12+ Black-necked Grebes (maybe even more, hard to tell, active and very mobile)
- Shoveler
- Gadwall
- Shelduck
- 1 Snipe (swimming around infront of John Morgan Hide near the mud rectangles)
- few Stock Doves
- Sand Martin / Swallow in large numbers
- few House Martin / No Swift
- 1 Lesser Whitethroat calling loud as you want outside the Rotary Hide but all I saw of it was a skulking outline moving in the shrubbery before it flew off!!!
- 1 Whitethroat
- 1 Sedge Warbler (more heard)
- 1 Reed Warbler
- 3 Blackcap (a lot more heard)
- 1 Chiffchaff (more heard)
- Willow Warbler HEARD ONLY
- 1 m Bullfinch
- few Goldfinch
- 5 m Greenfinch around the feeders
- few Reed Bunting
- 1 Pied Wagtail and 1 White Wagtail

All the usuals around incl...Waterfowl and Waterbirds, Gulls, Corvids, usual Garden Birds, and a couple of Waders too!
Incidentally no Birds of Prey at all for me.

sid ashton wrote:

---

Thanks to Patrick and Craig for the information on the green rings

As Doc said it was still a good bird to watch 'in the wild' in Cheshire, green ring or not.

---

Black Tern at Woolston today.

I wonder if birds ever lose their 'darvic' rings, if so & if this one ever does, then if it is seen at an appropriate time of year it will probably be accepted!!

Thanks to Patrick and Craig for the information on the green rings

As Doc said it was still a good bird to watch 'in the wild' in Cheshire, green ring or not.

John Watson wrote:

---

Many thanks to the Woolston Eyes group for putting out the news of the Bufflehead, even though it turns out to be an escape. Very quick arrangements for the crowds

---

I must echo your sentiment, John, and give credit too to all at Woolston for their brilliant organisation of the twitch. News of the bird was on the pager systems rapidly, the reserve was manned for all-comers and everyone I know who went saw the female Bufflehead well. After a phonecall from one of the wardens I managed to get down before the open access and had great views as the bird moved from Frank Linley hide to John Morgan Hide and then to the Tower Hide!! The possibility of it being the known green-ringed female was brought up a short time later, and then photos confirmed this to be the case. A shame for all those who were seeing this species as a life tick, it would have been a great bird for the Cheshire List too. But it was still a good bird to watch 'in the wild' in Cheshire. Thanks again to all at the reserve

sid ashton wrote:

---

Out of curiosity can someone please explain why the green ring on the Bufflehead signifies an escapee?

---

Hi Sid

Wild birds that have been ringed as part of a ringing scheme will have some identifiable mark on the ring or an identifiable ring combo, and will normally have a metal ring as well. Birds kept in wildfowl collections very often have rings on their legs but without the identification info. Hence this bird is, probably, an escape from a wildfowl collection.

-- Edited by Craig Higson on Saturday 2nd of May 2015 08:58:24 PM

Sid,

The significance of the green ring is that the one that has been seen several times around the country also has the same green ring. Would be a big coincidence if they were different birds, I think?

Rob

When I last saw it at 2p.m. it was viewable from the south screen at the far end of the channel. I guess it would also have been viewable from the tower hide as well. (that's the one near the toilet block). It was mobile all morning but was most frequently being seen from the tower hide

David

Patrick Earith wrote:

---

Sid,

It's a well-known bird and has been touring the country for some time apparently.

---

Thanks Patrick, but lots of birds have rings. It may be a daft question but what is the significance of the green one?

PS other folk's comments would be welcome.

-- Edited by sid ashton on Saturday 2nd of May 2015 04:46:39 PM

Meaning...I know it was at John Morgan hide this morning. Has it moved?

Just managed to get here now due to work, is the Bufflehead viewable from one of the hides or is it in a location not accessible even to members?
Cheers
Rob

Sid,

It's a well-known bird and has been touring the country for some time apparently.

Out of curiosity can someone please explain why the green ring on the Bufflehead signifies an escapee?

Sightings this morning

Bufflehead female (with green ring)
Bittern in flight near footbridge at 7am
2 Mediterranean Gulls
2 Hobbies
16 Black Necked Grebes
Ruddy Duck male
1 Swift
70 House Martin
30 Swallow
6 Sand Martin

Alan Warford and Saturday crew

Many thanks to the Woolston Eyes group for putting out the news of the Bufflehead, even though it turns out to be an escape. Very quick arrangements for the crowds