Spent two hours at the Corncrake field this morning - about half the people ignored the parking requests - wont help local birders! Anyway the bird called every few minutes from 6:30 until around 7:45 and was constantly on the move through the long grass to the west end of the field. Two good but brief views when it moved across the thistles at the far side into the high vegetation surrounding the wheat field and then as it crossed from that edge back to the electricity pole with the fencing round it. Probably 8 seconds of views in four hours total visit time now... but a lifer

Also Linnets, Corn Bunting, Skylarks, Wagtails, Grey Partridge and other farmland birds were a good supporting cast.

Definitely best time to go is between 18:30 and 20:00. And, yes, it would be more considerate to park in the lay by on Higher Road and take the short walk up Carr Lane to the paddock.

Most people park on the roadside by the paddock, though some use the layby 500 yards to the N as suggested. The roadside is fine if you keep tucked in & away from birders to allow farm vehicles to pass. I wouldn't park opposite the farm entrance (as some have), as I can imagine this would make things difficult for the farmer.

The bird calls for a period every few hours, so you may have to be patient. Don't expect to see it. Seems quieter in the afternoon. Scan the paddock edge, esp nearer the farm.

Oh, and avoid chatty birders if you want to hear it. Fieldcraft is very lacking with some.

When I was there, I think someone was trying to tape it out - rather naughty considering it's a Schedule 1 species in potential breeding habitat, in the breeding season.

And, keep your eyes open for a swift with a white rump ...

For me, yesterday was a magical moment that I had waited for 36 years to see. Back in the late 70's when my amazing 'passion for birds' all started I never imagined it would be so long before I would see my last breeding British Bird (also my 4986th species in the World) - and what amazing views. It was great to be the first to get onto this bizarre specimen as it crept out into the open not just for a brief moment but over 20 minutes. Then if that was not strange enough behaviour, it decided to show affection to a Grey Partridge, failing to realise it was from a different genus and through lack of it's own species was immature enough to rally to it's testosterone and go for anything slightly resembling itself - Brilliant.
Chris Fogg.

Thurs 4th June.

First chance I have had for another attempt since Saturday.

Arrived at 14.30 hrs to be told that the Corncrake had not called for at least an hour.
Three hours later it began to call and then after another 30 minutes emerged from the long grass at the bottom of one of the telegraph poles.

Treated everyone present to great views as it both postured and raced around on the short grass right in the middle of the paddock for at least 15 mins.

Only took me over 7 hour waiting ..... not like two lucky lads who arrived only 10 mins before show-time.
That's Birding !

Also Corn Bunting & Linnet.

Roger.

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Friday 5th of June 2015 12:09:36 AM

Corncrake still present this evening 7.45 - 8.30pm favouring the right hand corner of the Horse paddock, calling ever few minutes and venturing out into the open several times.

Also
Grey Partridge 4
Linnet 15+

Just back from seeing the Corncrake in the horse paddocks to the north of the farm on Carr Lane - good views after a 2 hour wait in very wet conditions. Arrived just before 06.00 and for a while had the place to myself. The bird called frequently during that time. No problems on the roads for a change, not even a small hold up on the Widnes - Runcorn bridge

Little Stint showing well with 30+ Dunlin this morning.

2 Grey Partridge.

Just a quick addition, not seen by myself but birders had a Marsh Harrier fly through the pools this morning, great record and a shame to have missed it

18:45-19:15

Single Knot, amongst 203 Black-tailed Godwit
Single breeding plumage Curlew Sandpiper amongst 59 Dunlin
Garganey m + f
Whinchat 2m
Yellow Wagtail 1m
Ruff in partial breeding plumage
Buzzard
Redshank
Linnet
Shelduck
Lapwing

There are now 2 channel wagtails at the pool as well as the blue headed wagtail, and I managed to see one of them with 11 yellow wagtail. 1 wood sandpiper 11 ruff 70 black tailed godwit Common sandpiper 13 white wagtail 1 buzzard 2 pintail

Fantastic evening at the pools around 6:00-7:15pm. The blue headed wagtail was right at the near end of the pools with at least 8 yellow wagtail, 7 white wagtail and 3 pied wagtail. I also managed to find the wood sandpiper, and other birds included a common sandpiper, 2 pintail, 2 grey partridge, 3 meadow pipit, 2 buzzard, 9 ruff (most of which are coming into summer plumage) 140 black tailed godwit and a flyover flock of about 40 comorants

12 Yellow Wagtails this evening. Also, a Blue-headed type, seen 10 minutes before I arrived. For its second day apparently. Also a Greenland Wheatear

1 m Yellow Wagtail with Pieds

2 each of common and little ringed plover were on the pools today. At several points they stood right next to each other, a good opportunity to compare them and take take note of the differences between the two species

Also around at about 1pm:

Common sandpiper
Yellow wagtail
3 buzzard
4 ruff
20 Dunlin
70 black tailed godwit (including some in summer plumage)

A Ruff (non breeding plumage) was actively feeding this afernoon along with 6 Redshank,26 Black-tailed Godwits and 44 Lapwing.

Carr Lane Pools

17th September

1 Pintail
4 Ruff
4 Black-tailed Godwit
1 Greylag Goose
c50 Wigeon

(2 Little Stint & 1 Curlew Sandpiper reported early morning)

Around 1500 Canada Geese present here early evening. Also present 60+ Lapwing, 20 or so Black-tailed Godwit and a single Common Gull.

Then down to Hale Head, and, in fields adjacent to the path down to the Lighthouse were 25 Curlew and a pair of Grey Partridge.

On the mudflats to the left of the Lighthouse were a large mixed flock of waders that included approx 500 Dunlin, 150 Ringed Plover, at least 3 juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and 5 juvenile Sanderling

Thanks Patrick

The bird looked wild with no jesses and it was hunting. It tried to catch some ducks by flying very low at them but missed. Looking at its technique I would say it was juvenile, which tallied with its plumage. It certainly presented as a young Rough legged Buzzard, but I could not totally rule out a light phase Common Buzzard. Lets hope it turns up again as I would love to solve the puzzle.

I was at the pools today at 2.00 - 3.30pm and noticed a large raptor land on a fence near the pools. My friend and I got it in our scopes but were struggling to identify it. It was obviously a Buzzard of some sort, but was very light especially on the head and upper chest with a darker lower chest and seemed to have what appeared to be a lighter and rather prominent supercilium. The tail was difficult to see when it flew, but when perched it was dark at the end with a very small light band at the tip. The feet were yellow with some feathering, but with some leg yellow showing.

The overall look suggested a Rough Legged Buzzard (possibly juvenile) and I was very tempted to offer a positive ID, but it was not conclusive.

Are there any records of light phase Common Buzzard in the area of the pools as this was the only other option.

Any advice, help or suggestions would be appreciated as it was a very different Buzzard than I have ever seen.

Lawrence

Additionally when first seen it seemed rather long winged, but this was only an initial view.

-- Edited by Lawrence Hindley on Tuesday 19th of August 2014 10:32:40 PM

One possible great white egret on the pools tonight, but didn't have the scope and there were no other birds for a size comparison so can't confirm

However, a wood sandpiper, 60 black tailed godwit and 10 Dunlin were also present

Originally posted by M Gannon today:


Another visit this morning:

Wood sandpiper-1 (possibly 2)
Little stint
Snipe-4
Black tailed godwit-50
Redshank-5
Dunlin-10
Lapwing-30
Teal-8

Late post for yesterday evening.

Pectoral Sandpiper showing well, despite the local Mallards best efforts to move it on. Think this is the third year in a row that one has been here now. Also of interest, a pair of Dunlin, a single Little Ringed Plover, a juvenile Yellow Wagtail and 10 Snipe.

Oh, and a message to the 'birder' who was stood in the field when I got there who "thought it was a reserve" (How?), get yourself a new scope and a decent field guide, because it definitely wasn't a Reeve!


-- Edited by Patrick Earith on Saturday 2nd of August 2014 11:14:09 AM

Wood Sandpiper still present for it's second day, on the far pool in the right hand corner as viewed from the gate on Town Lane. Snipe numbers building up nicely too with at least 5 visible. Also a pair of Little Ringed Plover, 6 Redshank, 20+ Black-tailed Godwit