Frodsham Marsh No6 tank 8.30-10.30am

Better conditions than yesterday, no wind and good light, Good prolonged views of a Male Green-winged Teal Picked the bird up in open water initially within a large Commom Teal flock c400 but it drifted into the margins of the Micklsmous daisy vegetation and became more difficult to view, The whole Teal flock where flushed out of the vegetation at one point and I'd guess may be 1000+ birds, Strangely male birds far out numbered female birds.

Frodsham Marsh 8.00am - 10.30am Highlights

No6 tank over high tide
Golden Plover 150+
Common Snipe 34
Ruff 9
Black tailed Godwit
Dunlin
Stonechat 2

Yesterday approx 3.30pm - 8.15pm
(Ended up staying as the sightings were so good)

-Curlew Sandpiper - a Lifer for me, had a couple of maybes in the past but this is 100%. In summer plumage, really rich rusty red colour to the breast. Fantastic!
-Dunlin - possibly up in the region of nearly 2000 and I heard that even more had departed earlier.
-Black-tailed Godwit - estimate 500+ possibly more
-Lapwing - lots
-Golden Plover - small group of around 20 or so over
-Curlew - 2 singles over
-Whimbrel - 1 partially hidden in vegetation on main tank/pool, thought it was a Curlew at first
-Greenshank - 1 (which I now know is a Juv, cheers Ian)
-Redshank - plenty around
-Ruff - approx 15
-Ringed Plover - few dotted around right at the back, could well have been more concealed
-Shelduck - plenty of juv's around
-Tufted Duck
-Northern Shoveler - 1 female
-Common Teal
-Gadwall
-Wigeon - a lone female
-Cormorant - a few about
-Great Crested Grebe - 2
-Grey Heron - 2
-Great Black-backed Gull - 1 over early evening towards Runcorn

Raptors...
-Hen Harrier - hung around on my own on the off chance of something special and what a good decision it was as one showed on approx 6 occasions, all over the site, from around 5.45pm to about 8pm. Pretty sure there was more than one as I had a pale rusty coloured bird at one point probably a juv, then a more duller brown bird came into view so I thought likely to be adult fem.
A few times whilst watching them hunting low over the marshy scrub I saw them twist suddenly and drop to the floor but came up almost immediately and didn't appear to catch anything but then a bit later one bird did go down and didn't show again so could've caught something or was resting.
Brilliant to watch!

-Marsh Harrier - seen as singles at first in quick succession and were juveniles having the golden crown. Then another lighter coloured bird was seen, bit of a tatty head and paler markings to the upper-wings so presumed it was an adult male.
Then 3 were together in the air calling to each other. Unsure of total but a lot of activity.

-Common Buzzard - at least 5 seen, 3 in view together on posts passed the tank on opposite side, and a couple circling
-Sparrowhawk - 1 female hunting
-Kestrel - think it was a Juv, heavy barring on orangey back, never flew very far away from me.
-Barn Owl - brief views before it went to ground, well passed tank on opposite side but far out
-Raven - 2 over
-Rook, Jackdaw, and Carrion Crow - plenty over
-Chiffchaff - at least 5 moving through the hedges, calling
-Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1 flew from hedges at side of track
-Stock Dove - 2
-large group of House Martin through, approx 30-40
-lots of Swallow around, including 1 lone bird late on with extra long tail streamers, but light was fading and couldn't get on it quick enough before it dropped down over the hedge and out of sight.
Lots of usuals around too, a cracking afternoon-evening!


-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 17th of August 2015 06:28:30 PM

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 17th of August 2015 06:30:31 PM

Clouds of Swifts over fields

2 Painted Lady Butterflies first of year for me

10.00-11.15am, Very windy
Peregrine
Golden Plover 37
Lapwing
Good numbers of Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Teal and Shelduck

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 11th of January 2015 06:00:49 PM

An update for my sightings from Sunday.

After reviewing the photos and some much needed help from Ian,
Firstly it seems the 2 small Waders I couldn't ID and sent for a second opinion could well be Dunlin, (I did say I wasn't holding my breath for Temminck's Stint) and the Curlew Sandpiper images from distance are certainly not definitive as field ID shots. I can only go off what I thought they were and a rough location at the waters edge that other birders provided whilst I was there.
Many thanks to Ian with this matter.

Thanks for that Jonathan, took the chance anyway and glad I did.
5 - 6.30pm

Many birds reported by other birders when I got there and I seemingly got most of them but will amend post accordingly if incorrect. Similar to Chris's sightings on Saturday.

7 - Little Stint
1 - Yellow Wagtail (in the midst of the Stints, roughly same size)
2 - Curlew Sandpiper (could be 3, certainly seems like a 3rd to me in photos)
1 - Ruff
Dunlin - a couple of 100 at least
Sanderling - maybe up to 100
Ringed Plover - possibly up to 100
A few Redshank
1 drake Scaup (more reported)
1 Whitethroat
1 Chiffchaff
1 Wheatear
1 Whinchat (tried for a shot on these last 2 but they were too flitty)
Insects numbers were building and a good number of Swallows and Sand Martins were present also

Someone reported Temminck's Stints yesterday and I have sent photos to Ian of 2 small Waders I'm unsure about that didn't look like the others but I'm not holding my breath as the images were from distance.
Cheers


-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 1st of September 2014 02:21:46 PM

Just finished a CPC transport course and was thinking of travelling here for the Little Stints. Has anyone heard any reports of what is still present?
Cheers

Walk around number 6 tank from 1-3.30:
5 Little Stint (7 reported from others)
Curlew Sandpiper
2 Black Tailed Godwit
100+ Dunlin
Common Redshank
40+ Ringed Plover
2 Little Ringed Plover
4 Scaup
4 Raven
2+ Common Buzzard
Common Whitethroat
Chiffchaff
Many Swallow/ Sand Martin

Were the highlights.

Hi Sid

Thanks for the advice, I figured it could be a struggle just with bins. Might be waiting a bit longer for my first Little Stint then! There was one reported from Martin Mere today to be fair, all might not be lost. I'd need them to stick around till Saturday in any case.

I've never been to Frodsham Marsh, these birds are on No 6 tank right? Is it possible to see everything without a scope? I was considering heading over and if it needs a scope there might not be much point. Any thoughts much appreciated

Thanks

3.30-6.30pm

2 ruddy shelducks plus what I have read about a female type.
32 shelducks mostly juveniles
1000+ ringed plovers & dunlins
4 turnstones
2 black tailed godwits
3 redshanks
1 grey heron
all on no.6 tank.

15 ravens in the air at once, more around
1 hobby with prey in its talons
2 buzzards
4 kestrels
1 whitethroat
2 chiffchaffs
1 yellow wagtail over west
60+ swifts

7.30- 9.00am Highlights.

Common Sandpiper 3
Ringed plover 4
Black Tailed Godwit in breading plumage
Curlew
Distant views of a Marsh Harrier quartering the reed bed at the back of Tank No6
Raven x3

Moore is a huge reserve and the landfill only borders one small side to be honest I have never noticed it.

I can remember when the 'tame' Ospreys were the only ones in the country - and when the female was yelling "Feed us" every two minutes she certainly didn't seem tame

Tanmay Dixit wrote:

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Karl Bishop wrote:

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Anybody know wether the red necked grebe is still around ?
Cheers
Karl

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According to birdguides it is still there today

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Thanks I'll try for it in morn
Karl

Anybody know wether the red necked grebe is still around ?
Cheers
Karl

1st time on this site - have driven past on M56 lots of times but did not realise site existed until reading Forum threads!
Red Necked Grebe showing well on bend of River Weaver towards Redwall Reedbed side (lifer for me!)
Avocet x 2
Little Egret
Black Backed Gull with what looked like eel being eaten on No 6
Shelduck x lots plus 10 chicks on No 6
Common Whitethroat x 4
Buzzards x 5
Kestrels x 3
Goldfinch x lots
Lapwing
Tufted Duck
Chiffchaff
Chaffinch
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Pied Wagtail
Canada Geese families and about 100 chicks (on bank between Manchester Ship Canal and River Mersey) behind Marsh Farm
Greylag Geese and 20 plus chicks
Coot
Heron
Blackbird
Mallard plus chicks
Woodpigeon

Butterflies: Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown

First light visit to Frodsham/weaver bend in the hope of Red necked grebe. Walked along the full length of causeway with no sign. Nice to meet up with Mark Burgess. Avocets showed well on shooters pool with young. Decided to stroll back along causeway noticing quite a few birds asleep still on the water. Including at first glance 2 Great crested grebe. But one looked slightly smaller and..... Yes. It woke up to reveal itself to be the Red necked grebe. A good way out it was just drifting. About 7am it started to preen gradually drifting towards the reeds in corner. So I stealthily got there before it and was rewarded with nice views of it preening fairly close and giving out its loud call at one point. A lifer for me.

Popped down to get more pics of the long-staying Red-necked Grebe, which duly obliged coming close to the near shore in the sunshine Whilst photographing it I had an insect lifer in the shape of Water Ladybird (submitted to UK Ladybird Survey!). The Lesser Scaup was also showing pretty well, albeit diving continuously, viewed from the E.end of the upper track around No.6 Tank, which is looking very dry at the moment.

sid ashton wrote:

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Doc Brewster wrote:

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............. Several locations just not good for birding any more, like the old ICI Tank, but maybe No.6 is turning up better wildfowl .........

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To add a comment - in the relatively short time that I have been visiting the marshes, about ten years I have noticed the place decline from an access point of view. It is now difficult to find a reasonable viewing place for number 6 tank and driving the tracks is to be done with great care, there are that many pot holes.

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Got to agree totally, Sid, you need rally driving skills to negotiate access to most parts of it now

Hi John
Yes it is, just about!! brings back old memories of when the Log used to be there & Frodsham buzzed with NW Birders. Seems a lot quieter these days. Bill Morton is still doing a cracking job of recording down there and occasional goodies keep turning up. Several locations just not good for birding any more, like the old ICI Tank, but maybe No.6 is turning up better wildfowl although I miss the old causeway & it's large wader roosts

If you know the site of the old log, John, where we all used to park on the corner, then that's the place to park. A tad muddy underfoot, just walking boots or the like will do, walking down the well trodden path to the Weaver. I saw it range from right at the end of this path (opposite Redwall Reedbed area) to down at the Weaver Bend halfway along the riverside path towards the old ICI tank. Hope that helps

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Friday 6th of June 2014 03:35:55 PM

John - yesterday morning it was on the bend itself. I parked where the star on this map is near Redwall Reedbed, then follow the path down.

http://frodshammarshbirdblog.wordpress.com/marsh-map/

Cheers