A recuperative lunchtime walk west today down the Canal to Round Cherval and Wigg Island, back via Upper Moss Side and Lapwing Lane. Plenty of Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, two Garden Warbler, Whitethroats everywhere (no Lesser today), Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch all the common Tits including fledgling Blue and Long-tails.

The banks of the Mersey were exposed at low tide and between Penketh Bar, Penketh Bank and visible on Astmoor Marsh from Halfway House were 78 Shelduck, 87 Lapwing, 49 Canada Goose, three Gadwall, seven Mallard and two Grey Heron. Reed and Sedge warblers were present audibly both over at Oxmoor to the South of the Ship Canal, between Round Cherval and Halfway House and over on Cuerdly Marsh to the North the Mersey.

Emerging from the dark dingy nettle fest Fanghorn like Owens Wood to the gravelled esplanade of the Ethylene Station a Common Tern (year patch tick) shrieked down at me as it flew overhead from the Ship Canal towards Penketh Bar (later seen from the ex-Norton hide location as being on Pentketh Bar). A nice year tick and nice for once to actually call a Comic Tern as a Common one, usually views are to brief and distant.

Little Owl sunning at Moss Farm and five Swallows showing nest building signs.

Lapwing Lane Pool held a pair of Great crested Grebe with four young and a pair of Little Grebe with three young, the youngsters trying to chase themselves around the lake and running out of puff after about 10 yards. No Reed or Sedge Warblers on Lapwing Lane Pool this year in quite a few visits. No Swifts over the site yet either this year, now 9 days later than average return date .

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Tuesday 23rd of May 2023 07:43:04 PM

Rufous Cuckoo calling and showing well in the field by Millbrook Pool West this afternoon (Woodpecker fields). One also calling from over the top side of the Capped Tip in the Richmond Bank direction so 2/3 on patch this year (other one being west of the Capped Tip but didn't go there today).

Pumphouse Pool held 16 Gadwall, two Great Crested Grebe and a Magpie and a Rook.

Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers and Common Whitethroat abounded the path along the North of the Eastern Reedbed and four Cetti's Warblers were heard in a loop of the Reedbed.

 

And Stringy  patch "heard-only" tick should I need it for the year list  a Peacock calling, presumably from Walton Gardens.

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Tuesday 16th of May 2023 08:23:22 PM

Absolute utter hooleys of showers and downpours today I fear leading to a Binocular repair potentially (did drop them a few weeks ago so perhaps lost the inert gas...Doc B I'll be down your way if they don't clear in the Aga low temp oven overnight!).

Millbrook Pool West now all but empty and forlorn. Single green Sandpiper Millbrook East. Reed Warbler x3 around Eastern Reedbed.

Pumphouse Pool a real disappointment this year, water level very low and getting lower even in wet spells. Almost no waders when this time previous years Dunlin and Greenshank has passed through. Cuckoo on Capped Tip though and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull and two Gadwall made up the avifauna. Overall appears very much in decline as a managed wetland. As Shakespere never said in Sonnet 30

"When to birding muse of sweet silent thought,

I summon up remembrance of birds past'd,

I 'egret the lack of many a twitch I sought,

And with old woes, no Water Rail seen, my dear time's a wasted:

Pumphouse Pool, I can't even drown up to my eye, Pool now unus'd to flow".

Cheered up by Tawny Owl near the Crossroads towards Lapwing Lane feeders, Grasshopper Warbler reeling between showers along the Birchwood Pool - Feeders path and a fine view of a pair of Ravens, not "Gronking" but "Bonking" in the old quarry.

 

 

Went down the estuary for waders this avo (had Whimbrel the last couple years at this time of passage date adjusted) at low tide but there were none. OK there were two Oystercathers and two more Oycs flew through but thought the weather fronts might have dropped something 'moore' interesting in, but that is patching!

However there were a pair of Ruddy Shelduck (stringly year tick with the scope, feet being on patch) far west of Fiddlers on the North sands at 15:27 by my watch. Could these be the same birds at 15:40ish on Birdguides reported off Wigg Island.

Greenfinch seem to be doing really well this year. This morning I had two pairs at Eastford Road at the East End and again a flock of 6 around the Ethylene Station on the Ship Canal this afternoon (2nd visit). 2020 - 2022 only saw individuals even when the feeders were still stocked.

Dead Canada Goose and Black-headed Gull on Norton Marsh though....bird flu creeping in....?

Warblers 5 Grasshoppers on Norton Marsh - Upper Moss Side route including two in Balloon Hut field. Lesser Whitethroat on path from Tree Sparrow Feeders to ex Norton Marsh hide. Six Garden Warbler on route from Yellow Gate to Owens Wood and the back through old Canal and Quarry. Sedge and Reed seem in lower numbers than previous years.

17 miles walked today, amazing how zig-zagging back and forth (mainly for the Mersey tide) adds up the miles.

Possible Woodcock over Capped Tip.

Early morning visit from carpark to Wigg Island to Pumphouse Pool and back.

Grasshopper Warblers (year tick) now present on the Upper Moss Side path at the Tree Sparrow feeding station and on Norton Marsh about 20yrds from the old hide location.

Garden Warbler (year tick) by yellow gate. Reed Warblers by Halfway House. Cettis Warblers everywhere almost rivalling Chiffchaff on todays route.

18 Shelduck on the mudflats at low tide at 6:30am. Waders at HWH included one Common Sandpiper, two Oystercatcher, one Redshank, three Lapwing. 39 Lesser Black-backed Gulls including 7 immature and two pairs in display. Couple hundred Black-headed Gulls washing in the low tide but constant movement made it hard to count. One Cormorant was present in the midst looking a bit confused. North of Astmoor Marsh there looked to be 000s of mostly big Black/Grey/Silver Gulls on the low tide mudbanks (2,700 - 3,200) but the light was bad and heat haze/scope CA at that distance was stopping me getting a good count.

Possible Sedge Warbler on Norton Marsh means (tbc year tick when I go back and find it for sure in the next couple of days) it could be easily the earliest I've ever completed the migrant "9 warbler finish" at Moore.

Got bitten by a Cleg on Norton Marsh; first bite of the year (year tick in the literal sense of the word).

Plenty of Whitethroat on Upper Moss Side and in the Snipe fields a Lesser Whitethroat was also present (year tick).

Pumphouse Pool provided the last "new arrivals" in the form of two dinner plate size Painted Turtles sunning themselves. Solitary Green and Common Sandpipers ran about the waters edge, two Pied Wagtails were in display and a single Little Ringed Plover scoured the north bank, doing a quick reverse ferret upon approaching the turtles. 13 Teal, Coot with three chicks.

And oft forgot in these parts the finches. A really good day for Greenfinch - eight along MSC esp around Ethylene Station. At least three pairs Bullfinch, two Linnet at Lapwing Lane and seven Chaffinch dotted about. Single Reed Bunting on Norton Marsh and male Yellowhammer Upper Moss Side.

 

What did I say 26th April last year?????

 

Andy Slee wrote:

---

First clegs of the year came out in the afternoon sun and started biting down the Norton Marsh end! First tim I've had clegs bite me before seeing a swallow!

Quick morning around the East End. Constant background of a Cuckoo (first of year for me) calling on the East side of the Capped Tip. A Green Woodpecker was also heard in the same area.

Pairs of Pochard on each of Eastern Reedbed, Black-fields Pools and Pumphouse Pool (what is left, shallower than even the depths of last summer). Singles of Little Ringed Plover and Lapwing on Pumphouse with 13 Teal and two Canada Goose, three Pied Wagtails passed through. Two Lesser Black-backed Gulls in mating display on Pumphouse also.

Three differentReed Warblers were singing away along the path by the Eastern Reedbed.

Walked from Lapwing Lane car park to Halfway House and back.

Outward via the path along the ship canal and returned via Moss Side.

09.00-13.00

Ship Canal: 5 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Tufted Ducks, 10 Gadwall and 5 Cormorants.

On the South bank a Song Thrush was on the heath by the Stobart warehouse, whilst 2 Linnets were on the nearby fence.

Halfway House: Probably the same highly vocal Cettis Warbler that remained hidden on my 7th April visit,

sang for longer and louder today, and this time he had the decency to pose briefly from an elder bush.

Newton Marsh (R.Mersey); 14 Shelducks and 5 Gadwall, whilst a Kestrel and a Buzzard soared over the North Bank.

No waders at all were seen on the mudflats/sandbanks despite it being close to low tide.

Wooded areas: At least 5 Blackcaps were in song along the canal between Lapwing Lane and Halfway House.

Chiffchaffs still seemed numerous throughout, but only a few Willow Warblers were found.

A couple of male Bullfinches were seen and heard, both appeared to be announcing their territory.

Reed Warbler 1st of the year between Round Cherval and Halfway House. Fire Cetti's Warblers along the MSC from Ethelene Station to Halfway House, plus one over in Oxmoor NR audible from Moore. 

Two Oystercatcher and one Redshank on the river, two Reed Bunting and two Snipe on Norton Marsh. 147 Black-headed Gulls present and 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and four Great Black-backed Gulls.

Blackcaps now arrived whilst I was away so two nice patch ticks from todays outing.

An enforced couple of weeks away from patch calls just as migration heats up. So a 35 minute visit today was well rewarded with Swallow (year tick) over Moss Lane and Green Woodpecker over Capped Tip. Swallow date smack bang on average of eleven years data (late 2000s/10s, 2019 - date) with 23rd March being earliest and last year 27th April being latest (despite being on patch all but five days in April 2022).

11.00-15.00

Walked from Lapwing Lane car park to Halfway House and back.

Outward via the path along the ship canal and returned via Moss Side.

Ship Canal : 5 Great Crested Grebes (Single group), 4 Gadwall, 1m Pochard, 2 Grey Herons, 3 Cormorants,

12 Tufted Ducks and 6 Teal.

Woodlands, Heath and Hedgerows : Noticeably lots of Chiffchaffs, also 3 Willow Warblers, 4 Blackcaps, 1 Goldcrest,

2f Bullfinches and 2 Buzzards. A Blue Tit was seen aggressively ripping the petals from cherry blossom, for no apparent reason.

Halfway House area : 1 Cettis Warbler called loudly but remained hidden. It was high tide on the Mersey so no waders were to

be seen. A Little Egret rested on the banking alongside 5 Grey Herons waiting for the tide to ebb, whilst a pair of Mute Swans

appeared at ease in the centre of the river.

A repeat trip to the bend in the river Mersey at low tide at dawn to see if any waders were hanging around. Two Redshank represented the wader total until two Oystercatcher flew by. Including the banks to the North West of Wigg Island, from Halfway House 47 Shelduck could be seen, 217 Black-headed Gull (almost all immatures), 14 Lesser Black-backed Gull, two Great Black-backed Gull, one Mallard, two Cormorant, eight Gadwall and the usual Canada Geese.

Norton Marsh had eight Reed Bunting (4m,4f) and 12 Meadow Pipit (bit of passage), and six Skylark. Five Cetti's Warblers heard between Randles Tip and Round Cherval, two being on the South of the Ship Canal at Oxmoor NR. Six more heard singing transecting Norton Marsh. A White Wagtail was on Penketh Bar.

First Tree Sparrow for many months seen at Moss Farm and a lonely Wigeon was still on Lapwing Lane Lake. Kingfisher went up the Ship Canal as I drove over the swing bridge.

 

 

(edited to add Warbler to Cetti's, apols Ian for yesterdays sloppy post!).

 

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Tuesday 4th of April 2023 09:34:02 PM

Again, quiet the last two day with the Chiffchaffs and a few more Willow Warbler. Headed West today to the river, seven Snipe on Norton Marsh, two pair Reed Bunting, one Yellowhammer over, two Skylark, five Cetti's Warblers.

Up river to Richmond Bank a couple of Redshank and four Lapwing were seen on the way but Richmond Bank stole the day with 97 Lesser Black-backed Gulls including two almost pitch black coated ones (fuscus graselli?) and 22 Great Black-backed Gulls and a single Herring Gull. Six Black-headed Gulls loafed on the river with seven Canada Geese.

Two Siskin in the alders by teh farm fields footpath on the way back and two Oystercatcher in the wood on Birchwood Pool Island provided the last of the days excitement.

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Friday 31st of March 2023 05:10:45 PM

Today marks the Spring Solstice and thus the end of Quarter 1 of "Solstice to Solstice" year patch birding (I was banned from doing a 2023 patch list as apparently I have a lot of gardening and DIY to do.......)!

So a few trips have been had down the patch the last few days to see if I could get a share of the Sand Martins, Wheatears and Common Scoters that seem to be dropping in all over Cheshire (though Moore does seem to get its migrants later than the southern 2/3s Cheshire) to get the patch Q1 score to 100 (personal best in Q1 before 97). Nada, not a dicky-bird, quite literally. Bad birding ju-ju last few days. Hmmm, the Yin to the Yang of that excellent week a couple of weeks ago.

Then this morning, on a loop from Pumphouse Pool two Oystercatchers, one Lapwing, one Common Sandpiper, Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Teal, Gadwall, Grey Heron and Mallard).Chiffchaff. 28 in total across the route (Pumphouse, Birchwood Pool, Lapwing Lane, back field path via Shiptons Wood (11 here alone) to Owens Wood, then to Round Cherval (tide still high, Canada Geese and Shelduck only birds on the river) and then back up the Ship Canal to the crossroads and swing bridge).

Male Goldeneye on Birchwood Pool, seven pairs great Crested Grebe across Birchwood Pool and the Ship Canal, Grey Wagtail on the roof of Recovery Wharf, three Ravens over Triangle field made the best of the rest.

Little else about, a decent number of Redwing (30+) and Song Thrush (12) were on the Southern Ship Canal horse fields by Stobarts Warehouse.

The destruction and decline of Moore NR continues. Birchwood East hide has (intentionally one presumes) been bulldozed into the pool itself. A youth had taken advantage of this new "launch spot" on Sunday and was canoeing on the pool..."the sign only says no swimming mate, doesn't say no watersports" which in reflection was a fair response to my challenge what he was doing there. Having canoed the Mersey a number of times past Moore i can't really fault the logic or take a high ground here as long as the Island and roosting birds isn't disturbed.

Scores on the doors: 98 for the Q1 "year" list to date (new PB but probably aided by the Marsh Harrier in the last week of Dec 2022), 281 miles walked, 132 hrs "on patch" since December 21st.

Afternoon mid to low tide yomp down the Mersey mudflats from Arpley Bridge to Richmond Bank, 2 Oystercatchers, four Lapwing, three Carrion Crow, 18 Black-headed Gull, 7 Great Black-backed Gull, four Lesser Black-backed Gull and one each Common Gull and Herring Gull. 33 Teal on the Bank.

Back to the reserve paths, now smelling of wellies full of sewage / Mersey mud.......Pumphouse Pool was best, 47 Teal, two Green Sandpiper and for less than a minute, five Wagtails landed on the Spit then flew off high to the North calling. At least two were White Wagtails, possibly a third but they flew as I was switching from Bins to 'scope so didn't get he best look at birds 3-5. 47 Teal and 9 Gadwall of note for duck.

5 Pochard on the Black-fields Pools, Gargeny not seen nor reported since Tue. A further 32 Teal (group from Richmond Bank or a third separate group, 112 Teal on patch would be my highest). 9 Tufted Duck.

And most strangely, on the roof of a warehouse at recovery wharf a Green Woodpecker pecking at the moss on the roof. Some inscety feed present warmed by the building heat loss?

One of those weeks patch birding and the hrs put in pay off. A very short visit today around the Eastern Reedbed and Pumphouse Pool (Long-tailed Tits two pair off, were the only woodland birds apart from a Wren), six Teal, eight Gadwall one Cormorant and a Grey Heron on Pumphouse.

Up the embankment to view the Black Field Pools (level is high looks, poor for wader passage this year but plenty diving duck present); one pochard, 17 Tufted Duck, a Coot, two Mallard, Buzzard overhead, two Moorhen, Black-headed Gull and at the back skulking along the reeds by the rear third pool, resplendent in the morning sunshine a Garganey. First patch bird of the year, first summer migrant on patch, first self-found Garganey. Not a bad end to a week with patch year ticks of Caspian Gull (less than annual) and Black-tailed Godwit (just about annual in the last 10 years, usually autumn on Pumphouse though rather than on the River banks.

So having seen the first "summer migrant" it is time to invoke the Moore Universal Law of Listing (C) Mark Feltham. I.e. you take the number of species at the first summer migrant, divide by 0.7 (on 96 species, divided by 0.7 suggests 137 species will be passing through the reserve....but you need to take 10% away as you'll not get every species), giving a year predicted patch total of 124 species. 8-9 more Warblers potentially, so 96 goes to 105, Cuckoo 106, Swallows, Swifts and Martins 110, three more plover species 113, a Tern species 114 (wouldn't an April Black tern be a nice tick?),  autumn Greenshanks 114, Hobby and Osprey 116, Woodcock 117, the illusive Stock Dove 118 and Water Rail hasn't been seen or heard this year but lack of access to the old Phoenix hide may be the reason. Hmm, that leaves 5-6 or so wild cards....perhaps Wheatear on migration and Ring Ouzel again if really lucky.

Record shot

 

Lunchbreak visit to the reserve from Car Park crossroads to the Eastern Reedbed and environs.

1 Parakeet still Lapwing Lane behind the hide and reports of three more. Buzzard over Ship Canal with 18 Gadwall. Great crested Grebe on canal also. 27 Tufted Duck on Anglers Pool.

Reed Bunting and Skylarks flying over the tip areas.

Green Sandpiper and two Teal on Pumphouse Pool but little else to the east all the way to Eastford Road.

Back to Birchwood Pool and there was a good raft of Gulls (high tide at Fidddlers Ferry was around 11:40). Up to 140 Black-headed Gulls with numbers coming and going over an hour. 18 Common Gull, my highest here for many years. Three Lesser Black-backed Gull (1ad, 2 imm), two Herring Gulls and a Gull that had a slightly different manner - slightly bulkier hind but more slender / edgy up front and look to it, even giving washing out sunlight conditions a very "pale" Herring Gull cf the classic Argentus next to it. Could only pick up bridge forehead going to flat top profile, pale yellow-green bill with very small ruddy dark spot, straight bill (cf the adjacent Herring Gulls fine yellow and red respectively). With the sunlight directly on the gull it looked very pale. Moving from the Southern Hide to the Western I got a much better side on view and pale head and neck striping were visible with the better light angle as were the primary showing white only on the tip and side (~2cm white grey stripe) of the outer primary and a small spot on P9 when the gulls was washing its wings, with only the smallest smidgeon of white when the wings were folded - seems good for a sub/ad winter Caspian Gull. There was also as per 22nd Feb "interesting Lesser Black-backed (presume) Gull was also on Pumphouse, I suspect tricks of the light, its legs appeared very vividly Crayola Crayon Yellow, and its back was as black as night, much darker than a compatriot next to it. There were no white areas showing in the tail primaries either, completely black, unlike the bird next to it" but I can't get diagnostic features to add up for that individual.

Screenshot from video taken, bird on left - too poor quality photo to ascertain anything but there for the record. Will try and process the video to an uploadedable size.

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Tuesday 7th of March 2023 04:33:40 PM

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 11th of March 2023 05:44:56 PM

I saw the Parakeets last week - if they're settled, they'll be taking over Woodpecker holes . Potentially serious problem there

Andy, agreed, short is best

Hmmm, not convinced. Think a shorter narrative of highlights rather than a full list from the Birdtrack App as filled in as walked is more useful / easier to read. Comments welcome. Cheers, Andy

Lots of Tits in Song this afternoon. Very quite otherwise. No raptors. The Wigeon seem to have departed the reserve for the spring elsewhere. Three Cormorants alone in the roost on Lapwing Lane Pool.

Pumphouse Pool had the wader action with a solitary Green Sandpiper and likewise a solitary Lapwing and a solitary Pied Wagtail. Interesting Gadwall (x Mallard [Falcated?]) type duck with Gadwall body back and breast but a white throat band and green crown. Hybrid Mallard x Muscovy duck also present. Perhaps from one of the local farms or from the feral duck collection off the back of Eastford Road.

Two Common Gull amongst 49 Black-headed Gulls on Birchwood Pool. Great crested Grebe look to be building a nest on the East End the Island. Herring Gulls over a few times, perhaps 12 in two hours on the reserve.

Two Goldeneye (m+f) on Birchwood Pool. Six Little Grebe.

Black-fields Pools - seventeen Pochard (my site highest ever count), 7m, 10f.  Coot, Moorhen, Gadwall and Little Egret.

 

 

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Monday 27th of February 2023 08:52:43 PM

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 27th of February 2023 09:07:11 PM

Down to the river for Dawn. Plenty of singing Song Thrush, Dunnock, Bullfinch, Chaffinch and Great Tits on the way from Lapwing Lane. 17 Grey Heron on the south bank of the Ship Canal, spaced between 120 and 145 "Andy Slee steps" apart, amazing regularity in spacing!

432 Lapwing on Penketh Bar, with 53 Curlew, four Herring Gull, one Little Egret and two Black-headed Gulls. Eight Canada Geese on river. Two Shelduck distant toward the saltmarsh at Wigg Island.

Eight Redwing back at Lapwing Lane, Marsh Tit heard but not seen on path from feeders to Birchwood Pool. Plenty of Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Mistle Thrushes singing away. Great Spotted Woodpecker showing well by Lapwing Lane hide, drumming away. 27 Wigeon on Lapwing Lane Pool.

Lapwing Lane Pool; 27 Wigeon, m+f Goldeneye, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Gadwall, Blue Tits, Great Tit, Nuthatch and Treecreeper.

Richmond Bank; 457 Lapwing, two Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, 47 Black-headed Gulls.

Two Yellowhammer and six Skylark, Wren, Buzzard, two Grey Partridge, resplendent in the sun a male Stonechat, two Jack Snipe on Upper Moss Side and Norton Marsh.

Penketh Bar; 1097 Lapwing (none ever flew past me as I came down river from Richmond Bank so presume separate from the Richmond Bank birds), Four adult and one juvenile Great Black-backed Gulls, four Herring Gulls, one Shelduck, Grey Heron, 102 Black-headed Gulls.

Single Curlew flew over as I returned through the farm path. Quiet on the farm fields apart from Corvids. Woods back to Lapwing Lane also quiet a couple of Robins, Blackbirds and a Song Thrush.

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Wednesday 15th of February 2023 03:55:26 PM

AM
Birchwood Pool
2 dapper M Goldeneye displaying to 1 F bird in sunshine.

Skylarks (2), Dunnock, Reed Bunting and Cetti's Warbler on Norton Marsh.

47 Lapwing and 27 Curlew on Penketh Bank. Four Great Black-backed Gull, Mallard, Grey Heron, 47 Black-headed Gull. One Herring Gull.

Re Stock Dove funny, I was just wondering if any were still about. There used to be a pair to the left of Lapwing Lane hide. Re LEO the warden was telling me of recent sightings over the fields / marsh area so eyes open certainly. There is a second pair Tawny down near the Eastern Reedbed as well as the ones near the crossroads these days.