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.
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?
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).
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.....
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Lunch wanders both yesterday and today. First Wigeon back, but on Birchwood Pool rather than the usual haunt of Lapwing Lane Pool. Yesterday an Osprey flew West over Lapwing Lane Pool, 35 Coot, 10 Little Grebe being other highlights. Walking to Birchwood Pool a mixed Tit etc flock was moving along the edge of the tip drain and included Goldcrest, Treecreeper and a Nuthatch joined in briefly. A couple of Swallows and singles of House and Sand Martin flew over Birdwood Pool.
Today the river end, an ad+juv Peregrine was a nice treat on the Stobarts warehouse South of the Ship Canal. 238 Canada Geese at the river with 30 Lapwing, 105 Black-headed Gull, four Little Egret, four Cormorant, one Common Gull, 13 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, eight Herring Gulls. On the way back up the Ship Canal a freighter disturbed from the Northern bank of the Ship Canal a pair of Common Sandpiper that the flew down the canal ahead of the freighter which was a nice treat.
Yesterday lunch a wander to the river. 300+ Shelduck back on the Astmoor side of the bend at Halfway House. Juv Marsh Harrier (sightings in the last three/four years for me have gone from less than annual to more than twice annual in this area on a roughly similar amount of time spent down this end the reserve) flew from Curdley Marsh over to Astmoor. 37 Curlew on Penketh Bar, little else though, one Little Egret, two Grey Heron, 37 Curlew, 23 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, one Great Black-back, seven Black-headed but no Herring Gull or anything rarer.
Coming up Moss Lane 350+ Starlings feeding in the fields with another 13 Curlew.
A few Long-tailed Tit groups about, Robins, Corvids and a single Chiffchaff still singing but winds kept everything else at bay.
One of those days that make patching all worthwhile,even the death by clegs experience that Upper Moss Side can be.
Lapwing Lane a Grey Heron flew along the length to get harangued by a buzzard near Moss Farm. Two Curlew in the fields, Jay but otherwise apart from3 Blackbirds very quiet to Norton Marsh ex-hide. On the marsh fences posts was a beautiful female Whinchat (first for a while; 2- 3 years for me here) and just a Wren and another Buzzard over. A lot of gull movement over the river and Fiddlers Lagoons, so I set back to Halfway House (path from Tree Sparrow feeder to Ethelyene Station is almost fully overgrown in places, got a few bramble scars for my efforts going that way) as the tides should be falling and the Bars and Banks emerging.
What a treat awaited, a count of birds on the Bar and Banks from Round Cherval gave 294 Canada Geese, 1 Great Egret, 3 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 125 Lapwing, 274 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (50:50 ad/sub-ad), 1850 Black-headed Gull, 16 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 7 Herring Gulls. More and more birds were arriving over time (at between 5 - 50 birds a minute over the two hours I watched), there must have including 200-300 birds circling over Fiddlers Ferry been over 4,000 gulls present.
I started looking at non Gulls, 22 Cormorant, 2 Gadwall, Mallard, 12 Tufted Duck fly-by, two Buzzards, one Kestrel, Stock Dove and plenty Woodpigeon over, 59 Curlew, three Ruff, one Godwit, one Greenshank, 11 Redshank and four Oystercatchers.
Cetti's Warblers starting to sing again at three points on the ship canal which included Coot, more Tufted Duck, Little Grebe and Great crested Grebe.
Photo attached of just a quarter of the Banks and Bars covered with Gulls for those who reminisce for gulling at Moore.
Posted originally three years ago......re anyone regular at Moore......
I know Mike Mullholland, Andy Dutton and Mark (Moorepatchbirder) were fevrant posters here or on their own blogs of years lists up to the 130/140s.
There are a few peeps I see who engage socially to a more or less communicative level (God, you'd think most Birders were AHAD or autistic from the ones you meet at Moore NR (There is one that is a supported person who)) - the ladies from the Mersey Gateway Trust occasionally, Harry who doesn't do this website, and whats me name "Keith, from Lowton"
Down the river again, male Yellowhammer on the Norton Hide path so still hanging on somewhere round here (wouldn't be surprised if displaced from near Creamfields back to the old badlands of Upper Moss Side which are getting increasingly unkempt and briary) was a nice treat.
30 Curlew at Halfway House, one Redshank, Great Black-backed Gull, six Shelduck, 35 Canada Geese, four Mallard and the black Muscovy / Mallard hybrid that hangs around the Ship Canal with them. Two Grey Herons, 16 Cormorants. No Little Egrets for a change. Swallows and Swifts over the estuary southwards. 416 Black-headed Gulls, one odd looking gull, I think from body shape and size a Common Gull but minimal black in the primaries. Seven Herring Gulls and thirty one Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Couple of Buzzards over Fidlers Ferry. Not seen the Peregrines there since early Spring, wonder if they have moved to a new home with the decom of the power station.
Best bird of the day a Spotted Flycatcher (patch year tick) on the old canal path back to Lapwing Lane, where the old Forestry Screen used to look over the Snipe fields.
Couple of ploughed fields coming into the reserve held good numbers of Gulls (00s near Mos Lane 99% Black-headed) wonder if the bass beat from Creamfields fools the worms to the surface as that is what most seemed to feed on despite it being dry, Wood Pigeon and three more Curlew but no small passerines - have had Wheatear around this time of year on some of the ploughed fields.
Lapwing Lane Pool - eight Little Grebe (4 Ad, 4juv), 35 Coot, seven Mallard, three Tufted Duck, one Cormorant.
Birchwood Pool - Great Crested Grebe juv, 45 Canada Goose, three Coot, 35 Tufted Duck, four Pochard.
Pumphouse Pool - two Green Sandpiper, three Coot, 27 Tufted Duck, one Mute Swan, eight Pochard, Moorhen.
Ship Canal - 17 Coot, 22 Tufted Duck.
Anglers quarry - nothing on view, limited sight lines with vegetation overgrown.
Ploughed fields on the way into the reserve held Curlew, Black-headed, Herring, Common and Lesser Black-backed Gull, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jay, Stock Dove (1), Wood Pigeon and Grey Heron.
Eight Swallows, a few parties of Long-tailed Tits, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff still.
Eastern End yesterday (Reedbed, Lagoon, Pumphouse Pool and the forlorn Black-fields no pool).
Couple of juv Reed Bunting and a Reed Warbler at the Reedbed, Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls over. Five Gadwall and one Coot.
juv Treecreeper (a beauty) near the Lagoon and lots of Long-tailed Tits families (at least seven groups of between 7-9).
Snipe and juv Stonechat on Factory Marsh. Grey Wagtails seen on the South bank of the Ship Canal, I suspect their home is the Waste Water Treatment works there as never see them further into the reserve than Colins Hide (~200m distance).
Pumphouse Pool had 47 Coot, seven Gadwall, three Little Grebe, seven Tufted Duck, four Mallard.
A racket from the sky at Colins hide and above were four House Martins and a juv Buzzard in a tussle. Not quite sure who was annoying who more, but another couple of Long-tailed Tits families went into alarm.
Starlings gathering on the wires at the pylons at Arpley (~55).
Early morning to the river at Halfway House / Round Cherval / Norton Marsh produced four Redshank, first Ruff for a couple of years, 17 Lapwing, three Common Gull, eight Grey Heron and seven Little Egret, 43 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and four Herrings Gulls plus 87 Black-headed. Quiet otherwise on the walk down there and back (from Wigg Island for a change) with just a couple juv Reed Warblers, juv Titmouse, Buzzard and Great Crested Grebes.
This morning (0:530 - 07:00) down the East two Greenshank at Colins Hide on Pumphouse Pool and a very brief fly in then of three Black-tailed Godwits which flew around the pool a few times but seeing no suitable grounds flew to the Black-fields Pools and came pretty quick back from there (filled in now) and left high over the WCML Bridge. Juv Kingfisher sat on the fence that goes into the pool for a long time and a juv Kestrel was trying desperately to hover over the tip to the west but was very unsteady on its wings. Redshank and Oystercatcher heard calling over towards Richmond Bank.
Snipe flushed on Factory Marsh.
Woods very quiet even clegs have been low in numbers this year, not worn DEET once (not sure that is a welcome sign of diminished insect numbers or not...). Juvs of Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits about, with Blackbird young and Thrushes also.
Common Gull on Birchwood Pool and four Great-crested Grebe with two young.
Curlew at Moss Lane and Swallows much diminished in numbers since a couple weeks ago, single House Martin.
Carrying on with my addiction to the river at the moment at Halfway House / Round Cherval / Norton Marsh.
A couple more Common Gull at the ebb of the tide, 37 Lesser Black-backed Gull imm and 18 ad, 3 ad Great Black-backed Gull and ~200 Black-headed Gull, though very mobile going towards Astmoor/Wigg and back much more than the other gull species.
Greylag Goose with broken wing in with the Canadas. Seven Little Egret, five Grey Heron.
Three Curlew and two Whimbrel, 45 Lapwing, Redshank heard but not seen. Two Oystercatchers downriver.
Lots of Magpies on the walk in and back inc. juv (est 50). Lots of Woodpigeon and on Moss Lane again 30+ Swallows on the wires.
Late post for Sunday 28th. First visit for a while. I walked down Lapwing lane and all the way to the Mersey where the old forestry commission hide was. Birds of note seen on the route included:
East End for a change today and some nice birds seen for the first time in the second half of the year (Jul-Dec) running total now 88 species for second half year vs. 127 species seen Jan - Jun.
Shoveler returning to Millbrook Pool was first of these, calling Green Woodpecker near Colins Field and Tawny Owl made up three of the new second half of the year species today.
Eastern Reedbed - Reed Warbler still singing, four House Martin over (fourth species), juv + Ad Reed Bunting. Cetti's Warbler also trying song without the usual gusto; perhaps a juv. Dead Mute Swan floating at east end.
Millbrook Pool, two Teal, two Shoveler, three Gadwall, seven Coot, Water Rail Calling, ad Mute Swan and two Cygnets. Lots of Jackdaw and Carrion Crow flying over to Capped Tip.
Pumphouse Pool - Canada Geese, Tufted Duck, Pochard pair + 2 juv, Grey Heron, Swift, Swallows, the very pale (almost white underwing) Buzzard soaring above the WCML bridge.
Canal path back to Eastford Road - Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, lots of Robins (15+), Blackbirds, couple Common Whitethroat and Song Thrush. Quick peek at the now empty Black-Field Pools area, nothing, now just an arid wasteland save for a couple Long-tailed Tits.
Wader numbers being the main interest again this week...Thirteen Redshank at Round Cherval Thursday just gone (25th July) is my new highest path record.
Lapwings between 45-90 on each on three visits.
A Whimbrel like bird in with the Curlews today finally gave up its identity with a curleewee call so I'm going juv Curlew on that bird. There were 27 Curlew today, peak was 41 on Weds (24th).
11 Oystercatchers still a good number and the first returning Common Gull.
Back to Moss Lane, 37 Swallows (18 + juvs) on the telegraph line, God'speed yee birds South for the winter.
From the Ship Canal looking S, five Buzzards were very high up over Oxmoor with another bird I just could get with the Binos but looked possibly Osprey, as the whiter bird went South the Buzzards all dropped back down.
But the rarest sighting I had today was another birder at Round Cherval / Halfway House. I haven't had one there for my patch list since 2019! Welcome Zilo if you join this forum!
A much, much (MM) wiser man than me who was a Moore Patch Birder for many years always tells me he has better bird experiences on falling tides at the Banks and Bars at the River Misery bend in the river at Round Cherval / Halfway House so the next few visits are putting that to the test........on todays falling tide or an hour and a half from when the Bars first expose until they reach full size on small tides like these.........(compare against the three visits below on rising tides when birds get flushed up the Mersey).
Three Herring Gull, 35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, only 5 definite adults, remainders in plumages in juv-sub Ad, three Great Black-backed Gulls, 235 Black-headed Gulls (2/3 juvs) when the rate of dropping in dropped to less than one a minute.
18 Canada Geese, four Cormorant, five Tufted Duck, 18 Mallard, one Great Crested Grebe, 18 Canada Geese, two Gadwall, one Teal.
Two Kestrel (one juv), one very distant Buzzard over Fiddlers Ferry.
One Curlew, one Common Sandpiper (downriver rom Richmond Bank - Astmoor, never grounded), 28 Lapwing an numbers building in from all directions slowly over the time I was there, seven Oyster catchers, five Grey Heron and one Little Egret.
About 20 Swift south in front of the rains that came at 5pm, Cetti's Warbler calling, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch all flyovers at Round Cherval.
Three Stock Dove, eighteen Carrion Crow and four Jackdaw also graced the sandbars.
So 50:50 in terms of birds being and better/different/worse on a rising or falling tide. All I know is that they are rubbish on a full tide at the river, unless it is going to top the Marsh.
Down to the bend in the River for the tides coming in, Black-tailed Godwit and Redshank seen for the first time this "autumn". 67 Lapwing, two Oystercatchers, one Common Sandpiper, seven Little Egret, four Grey Herons, 246 Black-headed Gulls, two Great Black-backed Gulls and seven Herring Gulls, but no Lesser Black-backed Gulls - very odd. There did seem in the distance a lot more gulls than usual towards Astmoor / Widness Warth and all the Shelduck were well down the river in that direction.
An hour afternoon trip from Yellow gate at West end of Lapwing Lane to Halfway House had sightings of Reed and Sedge Warbler (Chiffys heard of course), Great and Blue Tit juv, Mistle and Song Thrush, juv Magpies but not much else.
The river held the interest as the tide had started turn turn and rushed over the bars with three Common Sandpipers individually upriver, two Oystercatcher, three+two flyover Curlew and numerous (50+) Lapwing providing the waders.
A juv+Ad Grey Wagtail (year tick) were flushed as the tide rose on the bank - not seen this end of the reserve before, wonder if like at the East End they breed/roost at the WWTs on the Ship Canal south bank then come onto the reserve to feed.
Seven Little Egret, three Grey Heron, constant circulation of Lesser Black-backed, Great Black-backed and Herring and Black-headed Gulls. Quite otherwise and clegs biting madly.
Lunchtime visit around the pools today very quiet apart from really being bitten badly by clegs. Birchwood Pool held a Pochard brood and a couple of Coot. A nice Goldcrest displayed well on the path back to the ex-feeding station and Lapwing Lane Pool held 34 Gadwall inc juv and 34 Mallard inc juv plus Great Crested Grebe and eight Little Grebe.
Monday lunch a walk to the Marsh produced Grasshopper Warbler still reeling away by the ex-Tree Sparrow feeder location. 23 Curlew and 64 Lapwing were on the river bars and Gull numbers building up with 146 Black-headed Gull, four Great Black-backed Gulls, 27 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 11 Herring Gulls being the first of the 'autiumn'. Still a few Reed Warbers, Common and Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Blackcap singing away along the Ship Canal and west end of Lapwing Lane.
Greenshank circling over Pumphouse Pool before flying high over the railway was a welcome addition to the year list for the patch. Two Little Grebe, two Great Crested Crebe, 11 Canada Geese, single Mallard eclipse, six Gadwall, 19 Coot (3 juv) and a single Moorhen juv. Three Swift and two Sand Martin over.
Why the Greenshank wasn't on the usual Black-fields they traditionally stop at was clear from noise and then viewing - the Pools have been emptied and inert material is being added to fill them (part the Port Warrington Plan to turn the Pools and Arpley Meadows into Light Industrial during 2025/6). A single Coot and a Magpie were the only inhabitants. Shame, always been a good corner of teh patch to view, even if just out the bounds of the reserve itself.
Reed Buntings calling away at the Eastern Reedbed with a few Chiffchaffs still singing away, only a single Coot on both pools (again not suprising if the roost site at Black-fields has gone and no Grey Herons in the Heronry either).
-- Edited by Andy Slee on Friday 5th of July 2024 04:14:34 PM
I think this is my highest species day list of 74 species (and missed an Owl that was roosting near the car park).
Visit over whole reserve from 07:00-14:00. (dumb copy of EBird (paste special/no format) would be nice to format as list + localation but doesn't seem to)
Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, 4 Bullfinch inc juv, 3 Buzzard, 21 Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Chaffinch, 13 Chiffchaff, 2 Coal Tit, 2 Collared Dove, 1 Common Sandpiper, Coot, Cormorant, 19 Curlew at the river, Dunnock, Feral Pigeon, Gadwall, Garden Warbler, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, 2 Kestrel, 2 Kingfisher, 87 Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Lesser Whitethroat, 11 Little Egret, Little Grebe, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, 5 Oystercatcher, 3 Pheasant, Pied Wagtail,5 Pochard, 5 Raven, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Robin, Rook, Sand Martin, Sedge Warbler, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, 11 Starling, juv Stonechat, Swallow, 11 Swift, Teal, Tufted Duck, Water Rail, Whitethroat, 3 Willow Tit inc juv, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, 3 Yellowhammer
Kingfisher on the Ship Canal and one ad Great Crested Grebe.
Reed Warbler still singing along the path along the Canal, Buzzard, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Little Egret all flying along the Canal.
19 Curlew back on Penketh Bar at the bend in the River and 65 Shelduck visible over towards Astmoor from Halfway House. Three more Grey Heron around the river and seven Little Egrets, four Oystercatcher, three Swift, a single Swallow.
Seven juv starlings were on the roof at Stobarts warehouse and lots of Magpie, everywhere (gave up counting after 80).
Quiet on patch the last few visits but todays loop around Lapwing Lane and Pool was pure gruntling serenity. 41 species, nothing out the ordinary but juvs and first sign of return passage.
Two juv Pochard with Ads on the side pool to Lapwing Lane Pool - where did they breed?
Juvs of Coot, Little and Great Crested Grebe on Lapwing Lane Main Pool, Water Rail in Reedbed to right of hide, plus Gadwall young.
Three Curlew by Moss Lanewhen I left; start of the return passage? Could see Lapwing moving from the River to Fiddlers Ferry at High tide at 5:30pm-ish but not countable due to treeline.
Something made me think a lunchtime wander to the river at Halfway House was in order today and I am very glad I did so. Starting out from the Yellow Gate on Lapwing Lane I dropped onto West Dock to see an adult Kingfisher passing a sprat to a juv. Pure patch magic. This set the tone for the day in terms of Adults and Juveniles.
Blackcap, Song and Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Wren, Blue, Coal and Great Tits, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Chaffinch and Goldfinch were all singing away along the track down the Ship Canal going west. Star of the morning though in terms of numbers were Common Whitethroat, 13 Ad and 7 juv in the dead-on one mile from West Dock to Halfway House. 11 Cetti's were heard calling on the Moore side plus 2 or 3 more from Oxmoor. A couple of Reed Warblers tried to impress with their singing but were pale compatriots to the Whitethroats and Cetti's.
The between Round Cherval and Halfway House I heard a Sedge Warble song start up. Watching the thin patch of reeds a juv climbed up a reed to full view only a few feet from me; I froze; in flew an adult with a cleg in its beak and passed it to the juv............whilst a few reeds away a juv Cettis Warbler popped it head up and watched on enviously (I don't know if birds know envy but the look on this little Cetti can only be described as such). Pure patch magic #2!
Looking over the Mersey sandbanks to the sound of a Raven family (2 ad, 2 juv) performing acrobatics. The stayed for around 20 minutes then flew off high South over Oxmoor. One ad Great Black-backed Gull, 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls of all ages, two Blacked Headed adult Gulls, one Little Egret, 47 Lapwing, two Grey Heron, two Oystercatcher, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe and two Cormorant made up the birds on the river. Five Swift spent time over the river.
On the return walk a Buzzard, ad+juv Kestrel flew over and a male ad Stonechat was in the Stobart horse paddocks with final birds of the day at the swing bridge being a flyover Great spotted Woodpecker and Canada Geese.
A very pleasing 51 spp. for a two and a bit mile walk over an hr and a quarter, especially with the sprinklings of patch magic applied!
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 11th of June 2024 09:46:51 PM
WEBS Count on Upper Moss Side yesterday - quietest I've ever seen that part of the patch - 11 Canada Geese (7 gos), 1 Gadwall (m), 10 Mallard (all m), one male Teal, one Coot, single flypast Oystercatcher and Cormorants, 61 Lapwing flushed off Fiddlers Ferry Lagoons but never settled onto the river and 12 (6 pr) Shelduck. Three each of Lesser Black-backed, great Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls and one Buzzard, one Reed Bunting and two Skylark.
The walk in / out via the Tree Sparrow feeders though had a family of four Stonechat present on almost adjacent fence posts, Cetti's, Reed, Sedge and Grasshopper Warblers singing with Common Whitethroat at the Snipe Fields by Lapwing Lane. All four Corvids present grubbing on farm fields with Sparrowhawk over and pleasant numbers of Titmouse flitting about.
Chaffinch and Greenfinch at Moss Farm, Bullfinch at the start of the path into Upper Moss Side, Great Spotted Woodpecker at Lapwing Lane and Mallard, Moorhen, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Coot, Great Crested and Little Grebe on Lapwing Lane Pool.
Pleasant lunchtime brief trip. Had lunch at The Shed (cafe on the way to Moore village) and the horse paddocks being formed there look to have some promised. A reasonable chattering of 50-60 Starling including juv were moving from field to field, juv Pied Wagtails present and swallows nesting in a couple of the sheds.
Lapwing Lane Pool was all I had time for but there were six (2ad, 4juv) Little Grebe, 2ad+2juv Great Creasted Grebe, juv Moorehen and juv Water Rail in front of the hide, seven juv Coot.
Tufted Duck, Mallard, Gadwall and Shovler (unexpected) all present
Pleasant couple trips around Moore today, one early avo to take a friend to the patch and then picked them up early eve to take them home as they don't drive. On the way home out of Moore to Sandymoor we checked a `flooded field that has good numbers of Wagtails hoping for a Yellow.......only to see a Western Cattle Egret in there!!! Now I know the patch rule is if your feet are on the patch and you can see the bird off-patch it counts......................but what about if the bird could see the patch from where it was..... Umpire disqualified the bird for Moore patch!
But all was not lost on patch listing. Tree Sparrow male + juv at Big Hand Ranch, plus 19 Swallows was a great start.
Everything after that was until the WCE a bit of a lower buzz, Canadas with 7 juv, 32 Shelduck at the river, no waders , plenty juv Titmouse, no raptors (not even Buzzard on the Marsh), Gulls almost all Lesser Black-backed at the river and overhead (around 65 in total but could be double counting overheads).
Three Cetti's Warblers, very few Chiffchaffs (time of day), couple of half hearted Willow Warbler, one Garden Warbler, two Reed and one Sedge on the walk to the River. 12 Grey Heron visible from Halfway House including seven juv.
Stock Dove on Moss Farm roof and friend whilst doing a second lap whilst I'd gone home had Little Owl on one of the farm buildings off Lapwing Lane which I haven't seen this year.
Three family groups of Greenfinch from Lapwing Lane - the Ethylene Station they seem to be recovering at Moore and juvenile Starling at Ethylene Station.
(The pipeline through Moore that runs along the ship canal via the two Ethylene stations and out at Eastford Road is possibly due to be upgraded as part of the HYNET green Hydrogen work - wonder what changes that may bring).
Finally for the year, Common Swift (2) over Lapwing Lane Pool in front of the weather this afternoon. Three Coot Broods (4,3,2), 2 juv Great Crested Grebe, 2 juv Little Grebe. Possible juv Reed Warbler to left of hide - seems early considering the Warblers arrived late this year.
The river was quiet at low tide, three Oystercatcher were the only waders and Lesser Black-backed, Herring and Black-headed Gulls loafed back and forth.
An interesting sight was a patch of sprats of some sort that were in a river wye isolated by the falling tide. An Otter came over from Fiddlers Ferry and made short work of a few of them with Corvids coming in to clean up remnant left as the tide further dropped.
Greenfinch were seen in three new places on the walk - they seem to have had a good couple of years. Little else over the farmland or Horse fields.
Early doors one day late WEBS trip to Norton Marsh and the adjacent banks as the tide dropped.
Waders: Common Sandpiper (1), Oystercatcher flyby (2), Dunlin (2) beauties in summer plumage stopped on the Bar for a few minutes as tide dropped then flew off high north over Fiddlers, Ringed Plover (2) under Norton Marsh Bank, Snipe (1 on Marsh itself), Lapwing (3), Redshank one flyby.
Six Shelduck , three Cormorant, 4 male Mallard, one male Gadwall, pair Mute Swan, oners of Tufted Duck and Little Egret, two Grey Heron, 3 juv Black-headed Gull, one ad Common Gull, 22 Lesser Black-backed Gull (20 imms).
Buzzard, Kestrel, Reed Bunting, Skylark and Raven all present over the Marsh.
Year list at 123 which is fairly typical for this time of year now spring migration is dropping off; bumped up slightly by new sightings for the patch of Januarys Long-tailed Duck and Waxwing and recent Sandpiper and Avocets but lacking usual ticks like Common Swift and hirundines in general have been poor, warblers [Reed, Common Whitethroat, Willow and Sedge] all lower at the Marsh (though Garden Warbler seem to be having a good year) and as for Nuthatch away from the original and alternate feeders - none existent since April.
-- Edited by Andy Slee on Tuesday 14th of May 2024 07:29:31 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 14th of May 2024 07:51:31 PM