At Marbury today with Henry C looking for the reported Hawfinch - no luck. Nothing at Haydns Pool either except the rangers building a Sand Martin bank. However, on the mere we had excellent views of a couple of Kingfisher, a Raven over and at the end really close sightings of a Water Rail - didn't realis...
(Can't find another thread specifically for Lymm Dam but felt it worthy of a mention here) Spent a very pleasant hour wandering around the Dam last night and enjoyed some very close and interesting views of several species. The paths around the Dam follow the sides of of the slopes and at some point aff...
Mrs P and I, plus 8 week old Mini P successfully twitched the Squacco Heron in Angle yesterday.
I have to say, it was probably one of the easiest Twitches I have ever been invloved in! We parked up on the track near to the harbour near the described red boat, and it was in the creek just beyond the boat, app...
I've been searching for bugs and other flora and fauna in the area in 2011 will update fully once season ends The area is basically Spenmoor, Res, Canal, Hinds, Lower Hinds, Radcliffe Marl Pits, Radcliffe Cen, Swan Lodge, Warth Fold Railway, Dip. Many of these are SBI or Site of Biological importance...
The 2008 Lancashire Bird Report arrived earlier this week. It's a beltin' thing to dip in to and the colour plates are excellent. I always find it interesting to compare bits from the Lancs report with goings-on in GM. For example, good days of Meadow Pipit passage over Billinge or elsewhere, unsurpr...
I was leading a walk at Urmston Meadows last night and towards the end we came across a large hawker dragonfly in the woods along the bridleway section. It wasn't a Brown Hawker, and having seen Emperor at Sale Water Park on Monday I told everyone that's what is was. But on reflection (and looking at some...
I think with this post i will tell you about some of the great places i visited for birding around north wales and Anglesey,starting with the latter.Cemlyn on Anglesey is a brilliant spot on the west coast with waders in abundance dunlin,turnstone,sanderling, oyster catchers,redshank,curlew,r...
Visited this new managed realignment scheme near Skeffling this morning and it was excellent. Highlights: 2 Common Crane, 2 Merlin, 200+ Avocet, 4 Greenshank, 2 Yellowhammer, Dunlin, 100+ Redshank, 20+ Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Golden Plover, Whimbrel, uncounted Shelduck, Greylag Geese,...
Couldn't find a thread for this, which is unusual as it's a well known birdwatching hotspot. Visited on Friday morning pre Migfest. Highlights: Black Tern, 3 Little Stint, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 500+ Sand Martin, 4 Swift, 100+ House Martin, 30 Swallow, Marsh Harrier, 2 Hobby.
Great White Egret been present since last Sunday on Holden Wood Red, will fly to Ogden which is next res on north side. Was away on Wednesday and Thursday but came back. Gets a lot of grief from Herons. Bigger than Heron's when standing close. Quite a few Whinchat around at least 10 seen on o e day by 2 diffe...
Four hours gulling today with Pete Berry and 'our Jack' in perfect weather conditions (for grey hue assessment ) and probably over 20,000 large gulls in the area (including Arpley Tip) with a very large proportion coming and going through Richmond Bank in that time. 2 Iceland Gulls- the usual 2nd win...
Vale Royal Locks to Winsford (PM) I was advised by a nature lover from Northwich that this area is a hotspot for Grass Snakes, alas I didn't find any. It's a walk worth doing though, no uncommon birds about, but lots of wildlife, and at this time of year a botanical gem, especially the marshy areas adjoin...
Didn't expect to see much in the way of fungi but the site was teeming with it especially around the young Silver Birch trees next to New Water & growing out of the old mining rucks also. Identified species in picture order :- Blackening Waxcap Blushing Bracket Common Earthball Crimson Waxcap Fly...
Marsh Cinquefoil now established at Etherow CP. In pond opposite the entrance to the hide. One of the Broad-leaved Helloborine sites had 5 plants showing -not in flower yet- 2 further plants broken off as part of area has been trampled. -- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 16th of June 2012 04:22:34...
Astley moss Saturday 01/10 1 Stoat and a Wood mouse in the fields around Rindle road. -- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 28th of June 2015 09:57:03 AM
3 Little Stints at Frodsham on No 6 tank at 1400hrs at the west end with Golden Plovers. -- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 24th of April 2009 06:18:36 PM
Sunday 7th: An impressive group of 12 Buzzards circling in the vicinity of Ashurst Beacon before dispersing Peregrine along the West Lancs side of the Billinge Hill ridge -- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 20th of April 2011 10:27:00 PM
Sunday 7th August 10.00-12.00 Large numbers of the more common ducks and geese. Mallards Coots Mute Swans Canadian Geese Tufted Ducks Lots of juvenile Black Headed Gulls 1 Greylag Goose 2 Grey Heron 3 Great Crested Grebes (2 Juveniles) 1 Grey Wagtail 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 3 Nuthatch Sacred Ibi...
Had an early walk around lower brushes up to Walkerwood reservoir
blue tits
great tits
wood pigeon 14
magpie 5
blackbird 3
blackheaded gulls 48
canada geese 37
robin 3
longtailed tits 6
mallard 2
pheasant
greenfinch 3
wren 1
house sparrows 4
mistlethrush
chaffinch
goldfinch
jac...
I'm in Argyll at the moment, playing belated Father Christmas for some of my relatives. Had a trip down the Kintyre Peninsular with my mate today, despite poor weather we didn't do too badly. First stop was Rhunahaorine Point, an excellent place to scan the superb Sound of Gigha. On show today were Gre...
A full-on twitch to Musselburgh for the recently split American White-winged Scoter with Paul Greenall (our impeccable driver), Ian Lyth and Roger Baker. Alarm set for a brain-shattering 01.30 and our journey north began inauspiciously with delays due to i-phone updates and motorway closures....
Tue. 6th Feb. f. Mandarin - River Douglas @ Marylebone Bridge Grey Partridge - Lady Mabel`s 2 Green Woodpecker - nr. Whelley Loop Line. Also 3 f. Bullfinch. 3 Nuthatch, 2 Treecreeper & 3 Goldcrest - `Yellow Brook` area. -- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 18:13, 2007-05-01-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 2...
