Pleased they're still there; not seen any this year

John, absolutely right. There's no public right of way between the upper & lower footpaths, though dogwalkers used to take that shortcut. I think the owner of Ratcliffe House Farm doesn't want people & dogs near the horses that are sometimes in that field. And it's her right of course

I've misunderstood the directions twice now, but now there's a pin, access should be: park on the tarmac part of Bent Lane in Culcheth, walk E, then do a quick right-left before entering Ratcliffe property (poorly marked but squeeze past horizontal bar), then head E again for 700 m

I've noted Quail at Franks Farm many years ago, calling for a month

Early morn dawn raid around Silver Lane Pools....but did a little detour at the NE corner (path over the wooden bridge, NE towards and under railway, then one field NE on the public footpath and was to the East in the next field, w3w kickbacks.sensible.maybe) over to where a Common Quail had been heard last week and at 7:20 this morn it was still singing away.

Very little else though apart from a couple of Skylarks.

The probable Siberian Chiffchaff seen again quite well along the fence line just north of the western most filter bed. Saw it really well this afternoon and it shows all the plumage attributes of this species,and luckily there was a Colybitis Chiffchaff feeding nearby for comparison. Unfortunately the bird didn't call once,but other than never hearing a call I'm certain as I can be that it's a sibe.
Also several Goldcrest and Robins in song,and a single Reed Bunting and 4 Redwing feeding on the filter beds,and a male Bullfinch perched up nearby.

Blackcap - 1, male in garden. After having a female here a month ago, so where do they go between visits ??

Of interest in the garden today:

Blackcap - female, possibly same one I saw last week on Silver Lane, seems to be moving around with the mixed tit flocks

Reed Bunting - 4

Jay - 5

Coal Tit - 2

Goldfinch - 5, becoming a bit of a rarity in the garden these days!

Bullfinch - pair

Chaffinch - 2

At least 3 Chiffchaff around the northern perimeter fence of Glazebury S W,one of which had the plumage features of Siberian,but unfortunately none of them were calling in spite of spending 30 mins with them.!!!

Still not quite mobile so still recording from the garden

Pink footed Geese -270, flew east at 3.30pm

Reed Bunting - 2, being seriously chased/harassed by a Robin which was ignoring all the other birds around the feeders!

Bullfinch - 2, pair

Greenfinch - 1, smart male & a rarity these days!

Jays - 5, almost daily now

Pink footed Geese - Between 10-11pm last night a considerable - by calls, movement of birds east to NE

Bullfinch - 2 males - today, first time on feeders for awhile

Glazebury Sewage Works was fairly quiet bird wise. However there was an interesting Chiffchaff there which I watched for 30 mins or so. Unfortunately it never called once in that time,so
was unable to id it,but quite a pale bird showing potential for a Sibe.
Other than that just a couple Robins,several Blackbirds and 2 Goldcrest were the only other birds seen.

10 Greenland White-fronted Geese Briefly on the south side of Holcroft lane at 3pm (see silver lane thread for details )

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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White Stork of unknown origin in the freshly cut field alongside the A574 Warrington Road, directly opposite the Raven Inn around midday/early afternoon.

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 The bird, now gone, was apparently a Little Egret after all.

Jackdaw - 30, spiralling & interacting high overhead, pre breeding/pairing activity?

A check round Glazebury Sewage Works produced at least 1,possibly 2 wintering Chiffchaff in trees adjacent to the filter beds. Also seen Goldcrest,Blue and Great Tit,several male Blackbirds feeding on the filter beds with the usual Pied Wagtails.
A bit quiet really but some cold weather might push a few more birds to feed there,as it's been really mild recently.

Swifts, 30 drifting SW this morning

A walk down Moss lane at dusk. Quail calling occasionally from field opp bungalow also Grasshopper warbler reeling within UU site & Tawny Owl calling nearby.

Red kite drifting north over village

Quick visit to sewage works. Pied Wagtail 140, 40 on field joined by 100 coming off works in single flock; Grey Wagtail, a really striking male; Goldcrest 2 + usual residents.

Mistle Thrush - 2 over part way down Moss Lane

Grey Wagtail - 2, [1 adult male/1 immature] foraging beneath one of the Solar Arrays. Workman nearby so little to see on the usual beds although vegetation is high & obscures the view.

Very little else in the wind & rain

A quick look round the perimeter of the sewage works on the way to Little Woolden produced at least 8 Reed Buntings feeding on midges in the trees around the perimeter. Still plenty of Pied Wagtails flicking between the fields and filter beds,and approx 30 Black Headed Gulls on the grass inside the works.

A pleasant but cool walk down Moss Lane to the farms & back again, snow & ice mostly gone

Kestrel - female was the only raptor seen

Lapwing - 20

Mistle Thrush - 2

Jackdaw - 500+

Starlings - 700+

Tree Sparrow - 30

Greenfinch - 6 among the above flock

Chaffinch - 40+, flitting about the trees

Corn Bunting - 12

Yellowhammer - 6

Treecreeper - 1 on tree beside R. Glaze

+ the usuals

Observing the new Tier 4 restrictions, decided on a farmland walk, exit via back gate & along the local footpath network to fields alongside Holcroft Lane and ending up at Glazebury Treatment works. With a noticeable thaw underway a lot of birds out feeding on the fields.

Mallard 12, on local farm pond

Kestrel 1, female

Stock Dove 120, this various sized flock has been around for a few weeks

Fieldfare 150, total of two separate flocks on different fields

Redwing 10+, not seeing much of these birds this winter.

Starling 800+, again in separate flocks

Skylark 150+

House Sparrow 30 in farm hedge

Chaffinch 40+

Greenfinch 10,

Yellowhammer 3


Treatment Works, pretty quiet but workman close by probably disturbing stuff

Goldcrest 1

Grey Wagtail 1, female looking a bit bedraggled

Pied Wagtail 40+

No sign of any chiffchaff

Another visit to Glazebury Sewage Works this morning produced 3 Chiffchaffs all feeding in the same general area ,unfortunately all of which we just collybita ,and no sign of the possible tristis. Also there 3 Reed Buntings, couple of Goldcrest and a party of Long Tailed Tits feeding in the surrounding trees.
Plenty of Pied Wagtails, a single Grey Wagtail and numerous Black Headed Gulls feeding on and around the filter beds.

Cheers John, nice record & good to hear