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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> Cheshire and The Wirral -> Cheshire River Mersey Sites (north of the river)
Post Info TOPIC: Cheshire River Mersey Sites (north of the river)
John O'Neill


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Cheshire River Mersey Sites
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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
A sole Raven accompanied me pretty much all the way round, vocal, continually muttering to itself. First seen flying over old tip area, then perched up on pylon by wind pump, then over horse fields. When over the fields it started to indulge in acrobatic tumblings, climbing high then somersaulting down , wheeling over and over, changing vocalisation to a high shrill cry.

5 Meadow Pipits in small flock in flooded fields.

At least 4 Cettis Warblers singing round site.

50 plus Pink Footed Geese in skein high over.

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
Nice murmuration of Starlings restlessly formation flying over River. 4pm ish. 300 to 400 birds.

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
900-1000 AM
Single Redwing gorging on Haws on a Hawthorn Tree was first I 've seen on site this season
1m Bullfinch
Reed Buntings flitting along main pathside hedge like a flock of winter finches

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
900-1000 AM

Beautiful sunny morning

4 Stonechats inc a nice adult m with Robins and Reed Buntings mobile in hawthorn and reedy scrub on top of River Bank.
1 Buzzard

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
Typical Autumnal scene this morning with purple flush of naturalised Michelmass Daisies on the old tip and Berries, Hawes and Hips red in the hedges.
Lapwing numbers up on the river
Skylarks passing over in 2s and 3s , vocal.

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry -Gatewarth AM
Perfect procession of 2 adult and 8 rapidly whitening piebald young Mute Swans on canal. One of the adults headed the line, the other brought up the rear.
1 Cettis Warbler singing in reeds...weird kind of canaryish twitter rather than full on song.
1 Jay

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth AM
2 seperate family groups of Mute Swans on canal this morning, one with 2 adukts and 7 yiubg the other 2 adukts and 6 young. 3 other adult birds on River.

Cettis Warbler and, less expectedly, 2 Chiffchaff singing in and around hedge on top of Riverbank

Still 2 Swallows in and oit of barns at the Penketh Old Hall Stables.


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John O'Neill


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08/09 AM GATEWARTH
7 young (this year's birds) and 4 adult Mute Swans made an ironically vocal group on the canal.
1 Cetti's Warbler singing
Long loose flock of Long Tailed Tits had a few Blue Tits and Willow Warblers mixed in.

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth 5-630 pm

Large, mobile,vocal flock of adult and juvenile passerines feeding on hawthorn hedge along main path, drinking from muddy puddle as well included a Garden Warbler, a site tick and the tenth warbler species I have seen here, though I have seen them pretty close before.
Other species, in rough order of numbers : Goldfinch, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Robin.

7 near full grown cygnets feeding with both adult Mute Swans on canal.

Reed Warblers still just about singing.

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
Great Spotted Woodpecker om 99% dead Rowan Tree near wind pump

Loose flocks of post breeding passerines in brambles included Blackcap

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
8.00-9.00pm

1 Grasshopper Wabler reeling
2 Little Egrets on River
1 Stock Dove

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
1 m Bullfinch

Signs of the turning of the year, as Spring becomes Summer...plenty of fledged Whitethroats seen. Tiny Toadlets recently emerged. Field Mushrooms out.

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
830pm
1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling rather half heartedly from grassy scrub and hawthorns on Old Tip area
3 Oystercatchers on River



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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
early evening
Mute Swan pair at nest. Female sheltering 6 cygnets under wing.
Post breeding flocks of Starlings (40 plus) and Lapwing (30ish) formed

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John O'Neill


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Sankey Bridges
Mute Swan pair on canal have 5 cygnets

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John O'Neill


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Sankey Bridges
nr Sloop Inn
Mute Swan pair here still appear to be on eggs. A Canada Goose getting too close was seen off with extreme prejudice.

Hobby over.

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
8pm ish
Warblers heard/seen :
1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling
2 Cettis Warblers
Numerous Reed Warblers and Whitethroat
1 Sedge Warbler
2-3 Chiff Chaff
1plus Willow Warbler

Plenty of recently fledged young birds about including a mixed flock of Tits and Finches in trees round Water Compound, where 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were flying to and fro close to last year's nest site. Family party of 4 Whitethroat.3 or 4 young Pied Wagtails were skimming the water at the canal like swallows, catching flies with gusto.

1 Marsh Orchid (not fully flowering, appeared to be Northern Marsh)



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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry
30 plus House Martins zooming round pub garden and canal , 1 or 2 Swallows also here.

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
Lesser Whitethroat still present
Mute Swans nesting in canal side reeds
Numerous broods of Coot swimming around

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John O'Neill


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Sun26/04/20
Gatewarth
No sign of Cuckoo during afternoon walk
Lesser Whitethroat singing from thick scrub above River bank

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
Earlier start for my hour long allowed walk
9-10 AM ish

Grasshopper Warblers much in evidence, at least 6 birds heard/seen
Whitethroats also obvious at least 4 mainly in song flight
1st Sedge warblers of year here 2 in song flight
Reed Warblers in big nos sining from canal side reeds
At least 4 Cettis Warblers

Best of all A Cuckoo calling repeatedly from far side of River and seen briefly in flight distantly.. First recorded here for at least 4 years

Only 1 Swallow.

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth 2.30-3.30 pm
Lesser Whitethroat , very vocal and mobile bird calling and singing seen and heard.
At one point, as it moved along the main hedge along the track close to the River, Lesser Whitethroat, Grasshopper Warbler and Cettis Warbler all audible together.

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
Identical walk to yesterday but fewer warblers heard, no Grasshopper Warblers nor Blackcaps nor Whitethroats heard or seen this morning.
Close views of Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff and Cettis Warbler some consolation.

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
Not managed to get down here for a few days and very noticeable increase in warblers present
2 Whitethroat seen
Heard :
at least 2 Grasshopper Warbler
at least 2 Cettis Warbler
2 Blackcap
3 plus Reed Warbler
numerous Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler

fisrt Swallow of Spring for me at Old Hall Stables

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth 7 April pm
at least 6 Willow Warblers singing
2 Blackcaps
Numerous Chiffchaff


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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
Close enough for me to walk to as permitted exercise

Little Grebes still present, hopefully breeding
Single Raven low over mobbed by Crows

First Willow Warbler of Spring
10plus Chiffchaff
2 Cettis Warbler





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John Williams


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Exercise walk along Sankey Valley Trail, Callands to Gatewarth & return. From 10.00am.

Sankey Valley Park : 2 Grey Herons (1 seen carrying sticks towards Gullivers World Theme Park)

A pair of Gadwall with Mallards on the St Helens Canal. 1pr of Mistle Thrushes.

Gatewarth former landfill and adjacent River Mersey : 2 Redwings, 1 Redshank, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Buzzards, 2 Ravens,

1 Great Crested Grebe and 14 Teal. In total of 8 singing Chiffchaffs were recorded throughout the walk.



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John Williams
John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
23/03 5.00pmish

2 Chiffchaff and also 2 Cetti's Warblers heard
1 Buzzard
a very active and vocal pair of Little Grebes in the reeds on the canal was an unusual sighting here
Great Spotted Woodpeckers round last year's nest site



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 24th of March 2020 06:41:26 AM

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John Williams


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09.00-11.30

Gatewarth Former Tip Site :

2 Linnets, 2 Reed Buntings, 1 Sparrrowhawk, 2 Buzzards, 2 singing male Greenfinches and 2 singing Chiffchaffs.

River Mersey (Richmond Bank) :

6 Cormorants, a large gathering of Lesser Black Back, Herring and Black Headed Gulls and 1 adult Great Black Back.



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John Williams
John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
at least 4 Chiffchaffs heard and/or seen
1 Cettis Warbler singing, full porolonged song



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John Williams


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Walk through Sankey Valley Park to Gatewarth/Richmond Bank (PM)

Sankey Valley Park : 2 Grey Herons, 1 singing Chiffchaff and a pair of Mistle Thrushes.

Gatewarth/Richmond Bank : 34 Black Tailed Godwits, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Buzzard and 2 Common Gulls.
Cettis Warbler heard only.
Former landfill : 3 Reed Buntings and 1 Meadow Pipit.





-- Edited by John Williams on Tuesday 17th of March 2020 11:06:48 PM

-- Edited by John Williams on Tuesday 17th of March 2020 11:10:30 PM

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John Williams
John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry
good nos f Fieldfre feeding in roadside fields with Starlings
Gatewarth
pr Bullfinch
1 Cettis Warbler heard singing

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
Several Cetti's Warblers singing from round the site Probably 4 birds
Many birds paired up, Dunnocks singing and displaying
Linnets, Long Tailed Tits, Song Thush, Reed Bunting

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
Cetti's Warbler singing briefly from reeds in the Water Plant fenced in area

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry
late afternoon y/day
The nest building Coot hopefully hadn't expended too much effort in its task....weather conditions (high water level, wind) had meant all evidence of the nesting had been totally removed.
Great Spotted Woodpecker calling from close to last year's nest site. Little patch of woodlands here flooded.
Murmurations of Starlings giving nice sighting. 2 to 3 hundred birds

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
A freezing fog had rolled in making viewing conditions less than ideal....far bank of River invisible in mists.
Loose flocks of Redwing were strung along hedges and also flying over.
Nicely marhed juv m Stonechat gave close views (fortunately) in canalside scrub. Nearby, a Robin was flitting between Molehills repeatedly. presumably looking for easy meal of earthworms.
Good finch numbers in alders and other hedgerow trees, mainly Chaffinch and Goldfinch. 4 colourful male Bullfinches feeding on a hip laden Dog Rose. One was making a fair stab at hovering as it fed.
A Coot was disdainfully ignoring the Wintery conditions to concentrate on constructing an untidy nest in the canal.


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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
Birds in mixed trees round Water Plant inlcuded 1 f Brambling in with Chaffinches and 10 plus Redwing

1 Cettis Warbler gave brief burst of song from canalside reeds

2 Buzzards over

2 flocks of Larwing on River. Prob around 50 birds in total


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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth

AM

Small mixed flocks of Blackbirds, Redwing and Fieldfare gorging on ice rimed berry laden bushes, hedges and trees in a Wintery morning scene,

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
Small nos of Redwing feeding with Blackbirds in Hawthorns
1 f Sparrowhawk hunting low over Old Tip
50plus Lapwings on River



-- Edited by John O'Neill on Sunday 10th of November 2019 12:28:25 PM

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth

Active mixed flocks gorging on/in berry laden bushes - Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Robins, Dunnocks ,Reed Buntings ,Blackrids,Song Thrushes were joined by a single Fieldfare.
Small numbers of very vocal Pink Footed Geese over
1 Buzzard

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
pm
4 Adult and 5 Juv Mute Swans on canal
2 Buzzards hunting along River as a pair
1 Chiffchaff in bushes near Railway



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 10th of October 2019 08:41:59 PM

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth

Soggy. Standing water in fieilds , small flocks of Black Headed Gulls attracted.
Stream of Skylarks high over in 2s and 3s.
1 Jay

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John Williams


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15.00-18.00

Mersey sandbanks Ferry Inn to Sankey Brook :

300+ Lapwings, 2 Black Tailed Godwits, 8 Cormorants and 1 Grey Heron.

Lots of gulls around the river, but nothing uncommon amongst them.

Several juvenile Lesser Black Backed Gulls were really pestering the adults for food.

Gatewarth (Landscaped former landfill) : 2 Buzzards, 6 Common Whitethroats and 1m Blackcap.

A female Tufted Duck escorted 2 small ducklings on the St. Helens canal.

A roost of 60+ Starlings had built up on a nearby electric pylon as I was leaving.



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John Williams
John O'Neill


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Sankey Bridges - Gatewarth
AM
Nice confiding party of Long Tailed Tits feeding on Rosebay Willowherb flowers was mostly made up of young birds, not yet sporting their full length tails.
1 Jay
A few Reed Warblers still (just about) singing from canal side reeds.

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
late pm
Warblers singing
1 Grasshopper Warbler
1 Sedge Warbler
1 Cettis Warbler
Several Blackcap
Several Whitethroat inc one feeding on horse paddocks, hopping on ground like a blackbird. 1 young bird begging food from parent in bushes.

4 Buzzards hunting together on far side of river.

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
5.30pm ish
Warblers seen and/ or heard in sunshine:
1 Grasshopper Warbler (grassed over tip)
1 Lesser Whitethroat (riverside scrub)
3 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaff

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
At least 2 Grasshopper Warblers reeling from scrub and reeds on River bank 09.30 pm

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Fiddlers Ferry
2 Adult Mute Swans were escorting 6 cygnets on the canal this evening.

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Gatewarth
Nice to watch an adult Great Spotted Woodpecker busy feeding a young bird. The young Woodpecker 's head fully out of the nesting hole . Both birds vocal. The second adult flew up tp the dead tree the nesthole was in later.

Mixed flocks of fledged birds : tits, finches, house sparrows, in hedges.

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
PM lots of warblers singing in the sunshine
1 Lesser Whitethroat on river bank scrub
3 Cettis Warbler , one showing well
1 Sedge Warbler
2 Chiffchaff
Numerous Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat

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