Moore NR

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

RE: Moore NR

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

No sign of yesterdays reported Smew on Birchwood Pool during a three hr from dawn search of all the pools. Four Goldeneye is the highest count of this winter period for me on Birchwood Pool, also four Great Crested Grebe and two Little Grebe.

First Blackcaps singing and a flyover Yellowhammer was my first on patch this year.

Nice Little Egret on Pumphouse Pool and four pairs of Northern Shoveler displaying.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Wondering if its just Moore that seems quiet (more passerines along my road in suburban Appleton that at Moore some days) I decided to park up at Eastford Road, a quick scoot around the east end of Moore, then over to the "Dark Side" via Arply Meadows to Gatewarth to Richmond Bank and back down the canal and back via Arply Meadows.

Common Sandpiper (1) still on Black-fields. Haven't checked here much this year as there has been a lot of groundworks going on, have had overwintering ones a couple of times in 2022 and 2023 but given only one left in a good search suspect the three yesterday were all migrants moving on. Single Curlew, three Lapwing.

Nothing out the ordinary and no Willow Warblers yet but once north the Mersey the passerine density increased rapidly, I reckon a Chiffchaff density on the north side was 1 per 100-150m but 1 per 300m at the East End Moore. Dunnocks and Robins even higher densities.

Goosander on the Mersey by Sankey Bridges and displaying Lapwing on Arply Meadows. Couple of Great Spotted Woodpecker in the memorial wood by Gatewarth sewage works, which was bland of birds, the only duff spot today on the Dark Side.

(post duplicated to "North of the Mersey" thread as well).

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Been very "samey" for three weeks here. Apart from Chiffchaff increasing significantly especially after 17th.

Pochard and Wigeon gone from the pools. No sign/sound Willow Warbler yet though another birder mentioned Blackcaps around the Crossroads where I didn't venture today.

Black-fields Pools can't work out what the tip company are doing with these but they look ideal for wader passage and today there were three Common Sandpipers on there today. (I don't think I've ever seen three Common Sands together as they are usually solitary sandpipers here). Waders naff all else there though.

Still a Goldeneye on Pumphouse Pool (f) and a few Tufties. Great Crested and Little Grebe, Mute Swan, Coot Moorhen and Black-headed Gulls. Gadwall all seem paired up (likewise at Millbrook Pools East/ West and Eastern Reedbed) and Northern Shovlers still in display circling swimming dance was lovely to see.

Couple nests active in the Heronry.

Buzzard above Pumphouse Pool hovering a lot like a big Kestrel, very strange to see over water, then it dived down to the edge environs where the four fence posts are protruding into the water on the North sie and emerged carrying something long (1m) and thin (5cm) in its talons - eel?.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Saw the "pipit" again yesterday.

100% Water Pipit. Patch first for me...but niggled by I've already seen three this year elsewhere. Would have liked my patch first to be a year first. Funny how these arbitrary self imposed rules of patching nag at you without sane reason!

Seen this time from Round Cherval.

Again when disturbed by the tide it flew a long way across to Curdley Marsh, the light was with me to see small supercilium, wing bars and lack of streaking underneath, plus I'd always thought that Rock Pipits when disturbed just seem to try and get as little away from disturbance as possible whereas Water Pipits make for the Ho-chi-min Trail like billy-oh and get as far away as possible.

Otherwise apart from the usual five Gull species, Lapwing and Curlew the river was quiet and only Bullfinch were bringing any colour to Upper Moss Side where five years ago there were still Yellowhammer flocks, Tree Sparrows, Linnets. Also strange this year a distinct lack of [Little] Egrets (and Great anywhere from Wigg to Arpley) either on the occasional visit to the pools in the reserve or around the bars and banks on the Mersey.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Went to see if the High Tide would cover the Marsh today. Unfortunately not, but the Southern, middle and North gullies all did - judging by seagull and raptor activity. Strangely you could see Curdley Marsh flooding higher than I've ever seen it before, even when Norton Marsh fully floods. I suspect the wind pushing from the SE was putting the hump of the tide on the Curdley side. Something else I've never seen before watching high tides over the Marsh,m there was almost no ebb in the tide, River flow went straight from a fast flow up the river, slowed a bit, then reversed instantly, a large log that floated by almost stopped on a sixpence and did an instant reverse.

Anyway, its not Manchester Tidology Forum, so the birds.

Raptors one Marsh Harrier, two Kestrel, one very pale chested (juv?) Buzzard and two more 'normal' Buzzards, and two Merlin.

All common gull species present but in low numbers singles / pairs for the big Gulls, one Common, about 100 Black-headed).

17 Grey Herons on Curdley Marsh feasting on frogs and moles and other rodents.

Two Oystercatcher (plus two more at West Dock on the walk in), 47 Lapwing, 27 Curlew over - they didn't seem to know where to land four times they came over from the direction of Upper Moss Side, looked for somewhere to land an went back again.

Canada Geese, Mallard, Wigeon and Teal on the river, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe and Goldeneye on the Ship Canal.

Cetti's warblers (three at the Marsh, three more along the Canal) in full song, Reed Buntings calling away, a Skylark singing from in the reedbed (!) and most intriguingly a large pale greyer-than-browner Pipit was flushed and flew to the Curley side....going to keep and eye out for that over the coming days. Finally back to the car where a divine Goldcrest flitted in the trees only a few feet from me.

Edit finally broke my Rook-duck for the year despite their being 000s of Corvids about. 37 on Lapwing Lane and then one at Anglers Pool.

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Monday 3rd of March 2025 05:15:51 PM

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

The wild West end today. Willow Tit and Great Spotted Woodpeckers in Lapwing Lane Wood, three resplendent Bullfinches on Upper Moss Side. Pairs of Reed Bunting and Stonechat at Norton Marsh (seems like Stonechat are on migration at a few places).

River was only just starting to ebb but as the Bars appeared 31 Teal flew in, 17 Curlew, six Golden Plover and three Shelduck.

Two Buzzard and two Kestrel were the only raptors, still huge numbers (2,000ish) of Corvid at the fields by Lapwing Lane.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Round the Eastern Pools, 28 Teal on the Black-fields with a single Buzzard.

27 Coot, 40 Gadwall(paired up in 20 pairs pretty much), one Goldeneye, five pairs of displaying Shovler Pumphouse Pool.

Eight Grey Heron on Millbrook Pool East, three Tufted Duck on the Eastern Reedbed.

Any walking back to Eastford Road first Greenfinch of the year on patch. Seemed to be bouncing back a couple of years ago but back to being scare and a couple of sightings a year (say Yellow-browed Warblers on more occasions than Greenfinch last year).

Lots of signs the Hynet pipe excavations will be happening soon cutting through the reserve from Upper Moss side, by the capped tip, past Birchwood Pool and then along the Southern track to Eastfrod Road.

dstrath · Status: Offline

2 chiffchaff at a rather desolate reserve this morning.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Pleasant afternoon round the pools which were quiet and the woods dead in the Wind. Five Herring Gull including one hoofus sized one and two Common Gull on Birchwood Pool were the only thing of note there but the beatuy was saved for five pairs of Northern Shovler each only a couple of feet from the other doing the heads down circling on the water display dance.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

26 Linnet on set aside on Moss Lane on the way into the reserve best I've had for years.

Quiet in the Woods, third attempt at Willow Tit survey but too windy.

So if the woods frustrate went as always down the river. 46!!!46 Redshank at Round Cherval. Had 23 (no this isn't my double dioptre bins playing up - I was using my scope) on Richmond Bank on the Moore shore last month but my highest on Moore patch before has been 12 (a couple of occasions). Wonder whats attracting them so far up the river....perhaps all that nasty silt from the Manchester storms on New Years eve that's washed down and changed the shapes of the Banks and Bars and river channels?

A few hundred gulls were back and forth of all five common species, single figures of the big Gulls and Common, nice to see hoods forming on Black-headed Gulls.

13 Curlew, 11 Shelduck, 22 Mallard a couple of Teal and a flyover male Goosander made up the rest at the river.

Loads of Fieldfare and Redwing by Stobrats south of the Ship Canal on the walk back to the centre of the reserve and one Buzzard, fluffed up so big on a telegraph I had to double check it wasn't an eagle (dodgy bin dioptre again!!! smile ).

Nearly end Feb and no Rook at all. I've given up 'Gulling' and invented 'Corviding' spending ages going through the 000s of Jackdaw, Carrion Crow and Raven and Magpie but no not one Rook yet on patch this year? Looking at Birtrack and Ebird I'm not the only one scoring a Rook duck. 23 records last year so not like an unusual sighting in most years.....

(I was told a fact...that only one percent of the Mersey's flow annually actually comes downriver, the other 99% up to Howley Weir in Warrington is the Irish Sea....makes you wonder when you hear numbers like that just how significant the effect of a barrage stopping natural tidal sea flow will be).

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

I blame the duplicate mention of Teal in the fact I seem to have managed to break the dioptre on my Bins so one eye is focussed the other miles out! How I have broke it who knows how!

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Redshank at the Marsh. A smattering of all five usual Gull species on the river and a flock of 223 Lapwing.

A few Bullfinch on the walk down the Ship Canal and Great Crested Grebe in Display.

Very little else around at the moment apart from the bloody Parakeets.

Most ducks from the west end lakes seems to have moved over to Anglers Quarry including Teal, Wigeon, Pochard, Teal (first time ever seen Teal here in many years), Goldeneye and Pochards. The Black duck / Mallard hybrid has turned up again with the flock there - 137 Mallard today.

today by my database / computer says yes it was my 1000th visit to Moore since my first birding there in January 1996....before a massive layoff birds until 2020....... Of course it won't actually really be my 1000th visit really as I went there as a none birder as my MEng was designing Landfill lining Geotextiles so I know I went there late 1980s / 1990s and also to Risley 4 (now the capped tip at Silver Lane) smile but hey cake, must be eaten!

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Pleasant walk through Hillcrest Quarry and the old Canal got a group of four Bullfinch, Siskins a Treecreeper and a singing Willow Tit.

Quiet at the Marsh, just one Snipe. Mobile flock of unsettled Lapwing (~200) constant in the air.

Six Raven with the Corvid flock above Lapwing Lane.

Ring-necked Parakeets poking in nest holes near Lapwing Lane Lake which was very quite a few Cormorant roosting six Teal, two Gadwall, three Coot a Moorhen, a Little Grebe and three Mallard.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Quiet walk around the farm lanes / Millennium Fields and briefly to Lapwing Lane Pool. Quite quiet apart from the Ring-necked Parakeets, small passerines and peckers seem absent from Lapwing Lang, just a few Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long-tailed Tits, Chaffinch and Robins and Nuthatch.

Goldeneye on Lapwing Lane Pool with the Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Tufted Duck, solitary Pochard (just one seems to be here yet the rest of the flock are all at Pumphouse Pool most visits), Little Grebe, Tufted Duck and Cormorant.

Curlew and Fieldfare in the fields with Jackdaws. Must have been a dispersal of the big Corvid roost from a few weeks ago as very few around now.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Quiet today on a lunchtime walk from Lapwing Lane over the Marsh to Halfway House.

Highlights two Nuthatch, 17 Curlew, one Green Sandpiper, seven Snipe (I think joint equal biggest Wisp I have had here), nothing at the River as got the full Tide wrong. Mallard, Gadwall, Wigeon, Teal, Little Grebe and Cormorant on Lapwing Lane Pool.

Marsh Harrier over Norton Marsh best bird of the day.

Strangely, I seem to have zoned out the constant cacophony of the Jackdaws and Carrions Crows which are permanently overhead / in flocks in the fields since autumn. Never seen / heard such number down here. Then just once in a while, the noise zones in and I realise how loud they are.

Perhaps they are zoning me out on picking up one some species I really should hae seen by now this year based on a number of previous years data such as Redpoll (whichever sp. now lumped), Greenfinch, Stonechat and Linnet....or is this forbearance that something further is up for passerines?

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Windy. Took three attempts this morning to walk over the Swing Bridge in the high winds which had a roar to them I've never heard before when sometime still at ground level, weird. Passerines virtually none existent, Robins, Blue Tits, a Willow/Marsh Tit near the old feeders, Long Tailed Tit family groups and of course Great Tits everywhere.

A lot of Gulls dipping in and out so a five Gull day Black-headed, Lesser Black-back and two Common Gull on Birchwood Pool. Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls on the Ship Canal.

Ducks were great, Coots everywhere inc Ship Canal saw 316.

Lapwing Lane Pool Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Wigeon, Little Grebe.

Birchwood Pool Pochard, Great Crested Grebe, Gadwall, Canada Geese, Tufted Duck.

Pumphouse Pool the most gorgeous male Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Morehen, Mallard and more Coots.

Millbrook Pool (West) Six Shovelers and four Teal and more Coots.

Eastern Reedbed. Nothing! Not even a Coot.

Three Grey Heron flying about and the continual overload of Woodpigeon and Jackdaws continues.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Lunch, down the Ship Canal to Halfway House, back via the Marsh and Upper Moss Side.

Highlights Cetti's Warbler starting to sing again since the snow. Already pineing for Whitethroats, Swallows and Swifts! Need some warmth

Much wildfowl on the Canal including Pochard and large numbers of Gadwall and the usual Tufted Duck and Great Crested Grebes.

Still good numbers of Bullfinch (8 seen today).

Grey Wagtail on the canal beach near Oxmoor and the adjacent Sewage Works (I'm convinced there are two separate pairs the other pair seen on patch at Factory Marsh/Port Warrington can be seen sometimes South of the ship canal at Walton Sewage Works).

Two Green Sandpiper flushed from the Mersey banks broke the wader duck which remained low though only 3 Lapwing on the river and a Snipe on the Marsh. Six Curlew in the fields though at Big Hand Ranch on leaving the reserve.

Six Meadow Pipits on the Marsh and the top of Penketh Bank had 87 Canada Geese with six Greylag Geese (getting scare at Moore) with two white Greylag Geese.

Still huge numbers Jackdaws, they outnumbered the Gulls (Black-headed, Herring and Lesser Black-back) 10:1 on the banks and bars at Halfway House and Woodpigeon everywhere, constantly in view flying over this way and thataway. 36 Redwing over Upper Moss Side fields.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Winter Gull Survey Roost count on Richmond Bank from corner of Upper Moss Side/Capped Tip.

1 Yellow-legged Gull, 7 Common Gull, 11 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 6 Great Black-backed Gull, 12 Herring Gulls, 884 Black-headed Gulls built up in the roost from 3:45 to 4:45 (dusk)...............when they all took off and headed to Frodsham Score! So that is a zero for the Winter Gull Survey!

But most gruntlingly there were 23 Redshank (by far the highest count I have had at any spot on the Mersey around Moore), 55 Lapwing, 000s again of Woodpigeon and Jackdaw / Carrion Crow on the Capped Tip, never seen such big flocks here the sky was literally black when the Corvid flocks were in the air; and as I left a female Marsh Harrier drifted in from Upper Moss Side.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

WEBS at the Marsh. Fully expected with the pools frozen there to be a displacement of some birds to here. 97 Coot, 143 Tufted Duck, Seven Teal, one Great Black-backed Gull, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, two Gadwall, seven Great Crested Grebe, 14 Cormorant, 47 Mallard, one Grey Heron and somewhere as the mist came down, Lapwing flew in calling to save the day being a wader blank. Interesting was two Little Grebe just floating in on the incoming tide on the Mersey not seen them do that here before they tend to go on the Ship Canal.

Redwing, Reed Bunting (4), Wrens singing and chasing each other being the main interest on a bird quiet walk in and out to the Marsh.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Lunchtime wander round the East to the middle. All pools frozen apart from a postage stamp sized section of Birchwood Pool that held one Little Grebe, two Shoveler and 17 Coot. Very quite apart from Great Tits singing everywhere, a few Long-tailed Tit families, two Siskin over at Colin's Hide and a smattering of Redwing.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

A snowy (and wet some paths flooded almost to tops of my wellies) lunchtime walk from the swing bridge to the Marsh via Lapwing Lane. Curlew, huge flock Jackdaws and Carrion Crows (around 1,500) near the farms. Two Ring-necked Parakeet at Lapwing Lane poking around the woodpecker nests . 27 Teal and seven Wigeon on Lapwing Lane Lake. Little else apart from a nice surprise at the end of six Goosander (3m, 3f - possibly those from Akers Pit in Stockton Heath in December) an Anglers Quarry (viewed from road through trees). Only ever had female Goosander at Moore twice in the past so seeing the males was a nice treat! Pochard, Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck and Mallard

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Final visit to Moore for the year.

Birds much the same as recent weeks, with the only thing of note a build up of Gulls over high tide at Birchwood Pool. All Black-headed, Common or Herring Gull.

Finished the year on my highest patch ever - 142. Gutted to have missed Firecrest, Iceland Gull and Brent Goose seen by others this year as they would all be patch ticks for me. Still added Waxwing, Short-eared Owl, Avocet, Wood Sandpiper, Hawfinch and Dipper to my patch life list of 158 (plus two more plastics to the six plastics above 158).

Noticeable changes bird wise. Ring-necked Parakeets and other species have changed the Woodpecker dynamic of the site. Willow Warbler really down compared to Chiffchaff (usually about a 1:3 ratio; this year 1:10) but Garden Warbler up compared to usual and almost equal to Blackcap this year. Still good numbers of gulls and waders at the banks and bars on the river when you get there at the right tide states; hopefully the revised Fiddlers Ferry plan to keep the lagoons as nature reserves will help the whole locale.

Next year expect disruption when they cut and cover the new Hydrogen Pipe through Upper Moss Side, N of Birchwood Pool and S of Eastern Reedbeds. Black-fields Pools lost now as a habitat (Bitterns moved here ca 2018 when the Eastern Reedbed started to silt up) and the only Bittern sighting (after the warden said 30 years of continuous winter Bitterns down the Eastern end of the sight) was one passing through mid-Oct at Lapwing Lane Pool Reeds. Less maintenance, feeders now completely removed, increased vandalism. Not sure where I stand on people putting food in the hides - does lead to birds around the hides but leads to bird poo and decaying food around the hide with rats and squirrels. Sword of Damocles over the East End with the filling of the Black-fields Pools and light Industrial estate on Arply meadows still suggested to go ahead just access via Sankey Bridges if the Western Bypass doesn't get built. Turning teh Capped Tip into a country park still seems a mile off, the tip is leaking some horrible hydrocarbons so is still "active" and I suspect can't be handed over for renovation just yet.

Montage of the feeders [location] from 2009 on a vintage AE-1 Canon - B&W film before we had colour photography biggrin in a Canon SLR with totally manual settings / focus to todays photography on a crappy iPhone attached to show the change of the last 15 years....what will the next 15 bring!.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Pumphouse Pool - one Grey Heron, four Cormorants, 39 Teal, 45 Coot, seven Mallard, two Wigeon, three Shoveler, ten Tufted Duck, one Moorhen. Sparrowhawk over and one Black-headed Gull.

Eastern Reedbed - 17 Pochard, seven Teal, ten Tufted Duck, seven Mallard, one Coot. Flyover Snipe and Curlew calling to NW (Arpley Meadows).

River Mersey from the Eastern Reedbed to the Transporter Bridge, 2,000+ Woodpigeon, 200 Feral Pigeon, one Collared Dove, four Stock Dove, 52 Magpie, 50+ Mallard, Kestrel, pale Morph Common Buzzard, three (2m+f) Stonechat and a Skylark singing over the land they are about to build houses on, few Tits about and a small charm of 20ish Goldcrest over.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Somewhat peeved when to go for lunch at a relatives to find it was a "seven bird roast" I knew it had Quail and Game in it, but Teal. No thanks. I made my "getting a dodgy tummy" excuses and settled for no Christmas dinner but a walk to Halfway House where I was greeted by a year tick of four Red Knot. (I've already broken my patch annual record but this takes things that bit further!).

Very quiet otherwise until 15:15 when the trains of Black-headed Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gulls heading west filled the sky, probably 2.5k BHG and over 3k LBBGs in the time I was walking back from Round Cherval to the yellow gate at Lapwing Lane.

Apart from as per previous lots of Bullfinch and Chaffinch much much more than usual. Greenfinch though after a couple years resurgence hardly see any again.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Well I must have been a good boy this year as Santa came to me early. Not expecting much in the wind and rain apart from a soaking and getting squashed by falling trees I took a yomp to Halfway House and the River. On the way saw six/seven Bullfinch, their numbers are really up on patch. However, Santa's treat was on the rocky stream at Randall's Sluices was a Dipper bobbing around. Patch first for me, year first as well - missed dipped out on Dipper at all my usual spots! Nice, forgot about the wind and rain for a few minutes.

Definitely a day of quality over quantity, the rest of the birds were Jackdaw everywhere in the 00s, Woodpigeon 00s also, two Stock Dove, 74 Curlew, 203 Lapwing and a Redshank at Penketh Bar, Canada Geese, Great Black-back, Lesser Black-Back, Herring, Common and Black-headed Gulls, ~300 in total but the rain was really coming down now and I don't have thaaaaaaaaaaaat much enthusiasm to count gulls every day. Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck, Cormorant on the Ship Canal, Long-tailed, Great, Blue and Coal Tits, couple of Blackbirds, flyover Buzzard and Wigeon and that was it.

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Sunday 22nd of December 2024 05:13:33 PM

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Sunday 22nd of December 2024 05:13:54 PM

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

94 Cormorant tonight at Lapwing Lane Pool is my highest ever roost (47 previous).

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Flushed a Woodcock walking down Lapwing Lane at dawn meaning I've seen all the "expected" second winter species back on patch this autumn/winter.

Norton Marsh and the river had three Shelduck, six Mallards with a Pekin Duck (plastic site first for me!), two Redshank, 185 Black-headed Gull, two Common Gull, two Great Black-back Gulls and three Lesser Black-backed Gulls with 87 Curlew and 147 Lapwing.

Two Skeins of Pink-footed Geese 87 W and then 30 South. Two Greylag Geese were with the 79 Canada Geese visible on Curdley Marsh.

Lots of flyover duck including Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, Tufted Duck.

Back to Lapwing Lane around 700 Woodpigeon and 400 Jackdaw in the fields. Good numbers of Chaffinch (15+) about and 26 Redwing in three flocks.

Following the back path past the old feeders a mixed flock included Blue, Great, Coal, Long-tailed Tit, two Great spotted Woodpecker (M+F chasing each other) and tantalisingly briefly a Marsh / Willow Tit. Smack bang on the point where the Marsh Tits territory is to the east and the Willow Tits territory is to the west, never called and only poor views against the light so goes down as an either.

44 more Black-headed Gull and three Common Gull on Birchwood Pool, really devoid of duck life these days.

Plastic site first ticks ticks continued as I left the site with a Peahen (escapee from Walton Hall) wandering down Moss Lane.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 15th of December 2024 07:42:58 PM

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Full day yesterday over the whole reserve pulled up a very respectable 67 species. Highlights were the 144 Teal on Lapwing Lane Pool (plus another 24 across Pumphouse, Eastern Reedbed and Black-fields Pools).

Siskin (26, Lapwing Lane near Morris's farm) and 14 Fieldfare (flyover) added these species to the list for the second half the year.

5 Snipe on the Marsh, three Redshank, one Oystercatcher, 46 Curlew and 484 Lapwing were on Penketh Bar.

1905 Black-headed Gull, five Common Gull, 14 Great Black-backed Gull, 202 Lesser Black-backed Gull (84 imm) and 56 Herring Gull were on the river by Round Cherval doing a very strange feeding routine I'd not seen before. Floating downstream on the falling tide to about as far as Astmoor, then flying back up to Ferry Tavern area then floating back down again. Watched one Great Black-backed Gull do this three time over forty minutes. Hence why posting now - was impossible to count the gulls as they were circulating so I've been dot counting the static photos I took all at the same time of that section of river.

Single Chiffchaff singing at the gate to the tip and at least three Cetti's Warblers about singing the subsong that makes it sound like they have forgotten how to call properly.

2 female Goldeneye on Millbrook Pool West were unusual, usually at Birchwood Pool - which seems devoid of ducks this year, wonder if somethings changed in the water chemistry / food chain to move bird to parts of the site less frequently used? Big flocks of Jackdaw and Woodpigeon (000s) on the ploughed field on Upper Moss Side. The team working on the new Hydrogen Pipework going through there were making lots of sharp bangs and setting the birds to flight, quite spectacular.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Quiet the last few days when I've been down for short stretches and managed to cover all of the patch. Of note, again ducks out of place sighting Goldeneye (f) first of the second winter season but on the Eastern Reedbed. Never seen one there before would have though it far too shallow the way it is silting up.

Pumphouse Pool Pochard flock stable at 18 (9m,9f), 48 Mallard a high number and 47 on Lapwing Lane Pool quite an influx for the site of these, plus a few dodgy Mallard hybrids. 80-90 Coot seems typical for Pumphouse Pool and Birchwood Pool is a bland glade of grebe, duck goose and gull at the moment.

Only Siskin, Woodcock and Fieldfare not yet seen in the second year period that would be expected annually. Quite a lot of disturbance from drilling rigs and cranes working along the HyNet Pipeline provisional route doing ground surveying / boreholes might explain why these three species are not yet in the usual spots...or mildness of the winter to date?

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Had one of those moments today at Birchwood Pool when I couldn't work out a duck I saw at first the jizz was Wigeon familiar but the plumage, well, looked like a female American Wigeon. Then it struck me I'd never seen a Wigeon on Birchwood pool, ever (usually Lapwing Lane Pool or more rarely Pumphouse or the Eastern Reedbed). Pool first, patch first, year tick this could be the day!

Whipped out the ID book, looks good for female American Wigeon but why is it it with Gadwall and not the Wigeon 1/4 mile away.....hold on, ....duck, ....hybrid, ...googles "hybrid Gadwall/Eurasian Wigeon". Ah, that is the bird! Heartrate slowed down. Still a beautiful bird, came right in front of the hide and you could see the details on the individual feathers.

Again much of a muchness and quiet in the Woods but noticeably this year many more Chaffinch than usual around (across the whole site from UMS to Eastern Reedbed) and also much higher Mallard numbers (including a few Hybrids and a Black Mallard with a green / purple head sheen).

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Bah Humbug! Unwanted second half of the year tick, Ring-necked Parakeets back near the Green Woodpecker nest they predated in Spring. Hopefully they get culled a bit earlier this year so the Woodpeckers have a chance (though Greater seem to have taken over the area Lessers used to nest).

Very quiet other than 40 Curlew on the fields North o' Lapwing Lane, 300+ Woodpigeon, 186 Starling quasi-murmurating in daytime.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Down to the river and back at lunch today. First Lesser Redpoll of the autumn and three Bullfinch were highlights.

At the river 11 Grey Heron, 224 Lapwing, 30 Curlew (later seen flying into fields at UMS as the tide will have risen), seven Shelduck, 30 Canada Geese, one Little Egret, 124 Black-headed Gulls, one Great-black Backed Gull. four Herring and seven Lesser Black -backed Gulls.

Single Redwing, beautiful Mistle Thrush in the sun and a Jack Snipe (first of the year at Moore for me) flushed from path from Tree Sparrow feeder to Norton Marsh hide.

(At the weekend a fellow birder said when one is counting bids absolutely - rather than by block estimate - an easy trick is to count from the back of the flock forwards and it did seem easier to keep place as birds moved about)!

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Monday 11th of November 2024 08:50:14 PM

Mark K Jones · Status: Offline

Great day at Moore with a real variety of birds seen. Really peaceful atmosphere today. Started with a Great Tit, quickly followed by Blue Tit, Wren, Long-tailed Tit and then a Kingfisher from the hide on Lapwing lane.

After the hide I got a couple of Goldcrest and a large flock of finches turned out to be a mix of Goldfinch, Siskin and Redpoll.

I seemed to be in among the birds today. Some days I dont get much at all but in quick succession A Coal Tit showed well before I got my woodland trinity of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and a Treecreeper. Many of these were seen again along lapwing lane.

Chaffinch, Jay, Robin, Blackbird, Redwing made up the other species.

On Lapwing lane pool was Wigeon, Tufted duck, Shoveler, and Little Grebe.

A really good haul for me.

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Flyover Hawfinch at Halfway House early morning (patch first for me). 343 Black-headed Gulls, 82 Curlew on the river with three Grey Heron and four Grey Heron, lots of Long-tailed Tits, noticeable flock of 34 Chaffinch, many Magpies.

Influx of Mallard, 37 down the river including two Black Duck style (feral, seen last winter, where does the flock go though?) and 16 at Lapwing Lane.

Other than that pairs of Shovelers and Gadwall, Coot, Moorhen, Wigeon and Tufted Duck on Lapwing Lane Pool.

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Down at the river....123 Lapwing, 24 Curlew one Snipe, one Green Sandpiper. 24 Cormorant, one each of Grey Heron and Little Egret.

98 Black-headed Gull, 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls including one very pale mantled bird, almost Herring Gull in colour, 12 Great Black-backed Gulls, four Herring Gull including a huge Argentatus almost the size of a Great Black-backed Gull.

A single Buzzard was the only raptor of note.

Seven Wigeon, 24 Mallard and eight Tufted Duck.

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Highlights from WEBS count on Norton Marsh / Halfway House. 14 Redshank (my highest ever patch count), 7 Curlew, 210+ Shelduck, 494 Black-headed Gulls, adult Caspian Gull (patch year tick), 14 Herring Gulls, three Great Black-backed Gulls, 97 (70 adult, 27 imm) Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 6 Snipe, one Kingfisher, 32 Mallard, 34 Teal, seven Wigeon, three Cormorant and one Little Egret and Grey Heron with 24 Mallard and one Great Crested Grebe.

A distinct lack of Common Gull this autumn would have expected them to be increasing by now from past data.

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Yesterday in amongst the storms only visited Lapwing Lane Pool. Kingfisher performed brilliantly in front of the hide getting Sticklebacks out the lake - presume the biblical rain was bringing them to the surface. Other than that seven Wigeon, 14 Mallard, 19 Coot - but I could only see halfway down the pool! Three Swallow down on the wires by Big Hand Ranch.

Today went to Halfway House for the high tide - the Ship Canal was the highest I have ever seen and the tide at turn just flooded Norton Marsh. Highlights four Buzzards, three Ravens, one Great Egret, seven Little Egret (but no Grey Heron?), flyby Common Sandpiper, five Redshank, 69 Lapwing, 52 Golden Plover, 17 Curlew, 119 Black-headed Gull, 19 Lesser Black-backed Gull and seven Herring Gull. Along the Canal 69 Tufted Duck, 110+ Coot, Little Grebe (unusual on the canal) and Cormorant.

Six Redwing in Owens Wood and a female Stonechat near the Tree Sparrow feeders.

Edit. Jeeps, shows how this species status has changed...forgot to mention Yellow-browed Warbler in Hillcrest Quarry - at a educate guess same bird I saw about 100 yrd N last week and was seen a few hundred yards E at the weekend by others.

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Thursday 17th of October 2024 06:49:03 PM

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Thursday 17th of October 2024 06:54:24 PM

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Kingfisher showing well at Lapwing Lane Pool. Belated news from others there of a Bittern present for around three hours on Thursday.

Pink-footed Geese were the highlight with seven skeins over, 126, 118, 142, 46 and three uncountable due to being in the depths of the woods when they passed. All the visible flocks came from the North of Fiddlers and turned SE as they passed Fiddlers to head to Cheshire. (Lancashire, Martin Mere? birds rather than Dee birds).

29 Lapwing and 142 Black-headed Gulls at the river with a single Great Black-backed Gull.

52 Starlings on the wires.

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Quiet day - Wigeon flock building up again at Lapwing Lane. Nothing hardly on the farm fields and Marsh.

Coming back through the old canal west of where the Forestry Commission screen was in a mixed Tit flock was a Yellow-browed Warbler, a bit anti-climatic being the third one I've seen in a week...........who'd have thought these little sprites would have such a fall.

I told two birders whom I know have patched Moore....their replies "Had one in my garden today" and "I'm watching one on Scilly right now" somewhat removed more gruntlement from the day. Ho-hum.....

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Despite putting feelers out with fellow birders since last Thursday for Yellow-browed Warbler none have turned up this yet , despite now seemingly all over the NW including one I found 50yrs North of patch at Gatewarth (see North of Mersey thread). Still time as it was 26th Oct last year I had one on patch.

Pumphouse was the main interest of a wander round the Eastern end, 17 Pochard, three Grey Heron, two Mute Swan, one Little Grebe 80 Coot, one Swallow (my latest at Moore by 7 days), 41 Tufted Duck and then 102 Canada Geese at Birchwood Pool.

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Yesterday 785 Woodpigeon on the fields if Upper Moss Side. quieter today but four Mipits over, female Stonechat Norton Marsh, 104 Lapwing and 11 Curlew on the river with the usual five Gull species. First Redwing of the second half of the year also over here.

320 Pink-footed Geese in from ESE at 12:45 (wonder if these were the same flock that went S over Warrington around 8:30. As always the Pink-feet seem to fly towards Fiddlers Ferry and then turn NNW which puts them on a line pretty much towards Martin Mere and the Lancashire Mosses.

Seven Swallow at Big Hand Ranch on the way out the reserve.

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Cracking lunchtime walk via Hillcrest Quarry, the woods and the MSC to Round Cherval and back.

49 Pink-footed Goose as I opened the car door set the day off as a good one, followed shortly by six Mistle Thrush and then Peregrines again on Stobart's warehouse south of the MSC.

Three Ravens were having a bad time hassled by Magpies - up to four.

A Cetti's Warbler was singing in full throttle by Sedge Viewpoint with I presume its juv protégé that only managed two notes from the characteristic explosive song.

17 Goldfinch in a charm was nice but I've not seen Greenfinch or Bullfinch again for a good while....

Got my tides wrong again so no Bars or Banks at Round Cherval (might have been all the rain holding the river high anyway; the Ship Canal was flowing as fast as the Mersey river). Smattering of Black-headed Gull, two Lesser Black-backed a single Great Black Backed and a couples of Little Egret and one Teal, three Gadwall.

Jays everywhere!!!!

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

A great day for ducks and the weather with it too!

Lapwing Lane Pool - 35 Coot, four Tufted Duck, two Gadwall, two Mallard, a Little Grebe. Great Spotted Woodpecker showed well next to the hide with plenty of Tits (Great, Coal, Blue, Long Tailed) flitting to the food balls in the hedge next to the hide.

Birchwood Pool, seven Tufted Duck,four Cormorant, the only Gull of the day - a single Black-headed. Seven Coot, three Great Crested Grebe and one Little Grebe, eight Tufted Duck, two Mallard, 43 Canada Geese.

Pumphouse Pool you could have walked from one side to another stepping on ducks never seen it so populated! 57 Tufted Duck, 14 Pochard, four Cormorant, pair Mute Swan, 55 Canada Geese, a Grey Heron, four Gadwall, one Shoveler, four Mallard, a Little Grebe.

Two Nuthatch chasing each other in the woods on the way back to the car park.

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Decent number of swallows both yesterday (13) and today (22) going south.

Eight Curlew the only interest at the river apart from a Great Egret which now seems pretty regular on the river / Norton Marsh. I only saw my first for the patch two years ago, which I think was only the patch second, now seen on around of 50% of visits to the river / Marsh or Northern Pools.

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Taking a step back from worrying about the future and going to the patch to see what was there in the mists this morn (plus a day late WEBS count for Norton Marsh).

27 Curlew and a Redshank were the waders. A very good number of Teal at the river (45) ith a smattering of Tufted Duck, Mallard and Gadwall. Three Little Egret and Three Grey Heron were busy fishing away, with 45 Black-headed Gulls, a couple of Great Black-backs and eight Lesser Black-backs and seven Herring Gulls. No geese or raptors but the mist was keeping things down.

Good numbers of finches, seven Chaffinch in one flock and a charm of 70 Goldfinch on the path to Upper Moss Side. Quite a few Chiffchaff seen, lots of Titmouse, Treecreeper, Goldcrest flitting about especially at Owens Wood and at the West of Lapwing Lane.

Three Kingfisher at West Dock.

Back at Lapwing Lane Hide there was debate going on, a Firecrest had been mentioned as being seen Thursday just gone (18th) but conflicting reports as to whether it was on the path to Birchwood Pool or the path to Wigg Island (about as far apart as you could be!). Not seen anything on the usual threads/chats/Whattsapps.

Oh, and Grey Partridge on the field by Big Hand Ranch on the way in. Patch tick 135 for the year!

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Monday 23rd of September 2024 10:19:30 PM

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https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/news/mersey-tidal-power-scheme-reaches-two-major-milestones

Public consultation opening on 1st Oct for the tidal barrage between Birkenhead and Liverpool - will reduce tidal ranges in the Mersey estuary, mudflat expanse etc and provide a physical barrier for birds flying low to come up the estuary.

Have your say before it is too late!

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A dawn repeat of yesterday with pool numbers the same. I guess the higher than usual number of wildfowl on Pumphouse is due to the loss of habitat at the Black-fields Pools.

Kestrel and Sparrowhawk both seen but the best was a Tree Pipit (year first anywhere for me and only my second at Moore) flitting around the conifers at the Green Woodpecker fields.

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Pleasant trip round all the pools today.

Black-fields Pools almost waterless and totally birdless.

Pumphouse Pool: 18 Pochard, 75 Coot, 65 Tufted Duck, one Shoveler, one Gadwall, one Mute Swan, three Moorhen, two Little Grebe, 19 Black-headed Gulls.

Birchwood Pool, a few Coot, four Great crested Grebe, three Black-headed Gull.

Lapwing Lane Pool: 35 Coot, seven Tufted Duck, eight Gadwall, two Moorhen, three Little Grebe, Kingfisher.

Millbrook Pool: One Gadwall, one Grey Heron.

Eastern Reedbed: Two Cetti's Warblers, two Tufted Duck, one Wigeon.

Buzzard, 19 Jays, Coal Tit, singing Chiffchaff, two Nuthatch, one Treecreeper and singing Coal Tit best of the non-waterbirds.

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3pm very quick visit round the full loop of Lapwing Lane in a vehicle for none birding purposes....

17+18 Pink-footed Geese SE about three minutes apart.

Eight Swallows over Triangle field.