Moore NR

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

RE: Moore NR

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

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

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

6-8am after Oxmoor down to the river at Moore from Bens Bridge. Greenfinch + Juv at Etheylene Station with family parties of Titmouse including juvenille - Long-tail, Blue and Geart. In addition four Cetti's Warblers on the way down, one Reed Warbler between Halfway House and Round Cherval and towards Randles tip an observable Chiffchaff going 'Chaff-chiff'. Even when close Cornell did not identify the audio! In total three Tufted Duck, five Gadwall and two Great- Crested Grebe on the Ship canal with two Cormorant. Lots of Magpie inc juv (40+) in Stobrats Horse Paddocks.

River on the falling tide held two Whimbrel, four Shelduck, three Canada Geese, 44 Lesser Black Backed Gulls (all sub Ad), and two Mallard. Curlew calling to the North of the river but not visible. An Osprey came from Fiddlers Ferry direction, made a couple of half hearted swoops / dives towards the river but then rose high and carried on South - surely wrong direction! But birds of the day (and I suspect will be bird of the year for me here) was a patch lifer I've long awaited - three Avocet flew East up the Mersey.

Four separate Swallow on the way back via the back path to Norton Marsh, Mistle and Song thrush singing, Lesser Whitethroat in the usual spot near the Tree Sparrow feeders and a House Martin over Lawing Lane.

Mark K Jones · Status: Offline

Five hours wandering down to the marsh brought a mix of birds starting in Lapwing lane by the car park where Goldfinch, Chiffchaff and Blue and Great Tits plus a Dunnock were all seen. In the woods near the triangle female Blackcap.

Rejoining Lapwing lane and a Nuthatch was seen entering the nest. The walk down past the fields and a Common Whitethroat was seen in the scrub on the left along with a resting Buzzard.

Turning towards the marsh down the path brought us towards the picnic table and from there down to the marsh we had Willow Warbler, Chaffinch, more Whitethroat and a distant Bullfinch. A Kestrel hovering over the field at the side of the path. Not much of note on the marsh but I didnt have a scope so couldnt determine if the bird on the cooling tower was a peregrine or not.

Returning from the marsh brought the two birds of the day. A patch first Garden Warbler on the path back up to the farm and a Little Owl in the grounds of the farm!

Returning back to Lapwing lane and the woods and the final two birds seen were Sparrowhawk quartering over the woods and a GS woodpecker flying across the path near the old feeding station.

A good day with some of the more unusual birds seen even if it did five hours.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Lapwing chicks alongside Lapwing Lane, two single Swallows. Pied Wagtail and Teal pair and Gadwall pair on the drying out scrape on Triangle field also. Common Whitethroat finally for the year (3) along Lapwing Lane in the Snipe Fields. Again, the bizarre sight of a Kingfisher flying down Lapwing Lane following every twist/turn of the road, as far from open water as you could get from anywhere in the patch (happened in Jan 2022 from memory). Cuckoo on Capped Tip, faint, probably Gatewarth side, Reed Warblers, Sedge and Cetti's all singing from Capped Tip area. Two Raven over Lapwing Lane.

Constant stream of Herring Gulls over west in ones and twos, must have been a few hundred in total as I looped out to the Marsh.

Another Common Whitethroat by the old Tree Sparrow feeder picnic bench, Lesser Whitethroat in the same bush as the last two years on the way to the old Norton Marsh Hide after the picnic bench and Grasshopper Warbler in the scrub to the NE of the path. Two more Lapwing with young in general area.

No Grasshopper Warblers in the usual spot on Norton Marsh but Sedge and Reed Warblers now in song and Red Bunting plus Skylark. White Wagtail with two Pied on Wader scrape. Distant views, high 10s of Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gull loafing on Penketh Bar at low tide.

Further Grasshopper Warbler in Balloon Hut field on the back path to the Etheylene station and Song Thrushes galore.

Greylag Geese and four Gosling on Lapwing Lane Pool, four Little Grebe, one Great Crested Grebe in beautiful plumage, two Gadwall, two Tufted duck, young Coot and Moorhen.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

If Ian Forum Owner doesn't mind a link to the most comprehensive blog about Moore is here;

https://moorepatcher.blogspot.com/2010/07/patch-perspectives.html

If you look down thread for my post Date: Thu Aug 10 8:57 AM, 2023 there is also a map of a few places down the western end.

Black fields pools are at the East End, you have to scramble up a bank on the path to the North side of the Eastern Reedbed Path W3W fish.doing.voting

Big Wood is North/ East of the big Dog field by the car park.

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Thursday 2nd of May 2024 11:07:19 PM

Oliver Morris · Status: Offline

Nice walk around yesterday, approx. 4.30pm - 7pm. Of interest:

Cuckoo heard and seen near raptor viewpoint; Linnets also heard but not seen. Whitethroat seen by the path that runs to the north of Lapwing Lake, and parakeets (at least 2) on Lapwing Lane. Reed warbler heard and briefly seen by the hide on Lapwing Lane, quite a few blackcaps around also. Not much of interest on Birchwood or Pumphouse pools, aside from a couple of lesser black-backed gulls chasing off a common buzzard. Didn't see any hirundines or swifts at all.

Is there a map for this site/the surrounding areas with the names that people in this forum use? I'm not super local to the area (closer to Wigan!), and I can't seem to find things like Norton Marsh, Big Wood, Black Fields Pool etc when I search them online.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Two Wheatear on Norton Marsh today - one looking possible for Greenland. Finally Reed and Sedge Warblers (patch year tick) back on the Marsh. Plenty of Cetti's Warblers to though at least seven between the Marsh / Upper Moss Side and Snipe fields.

Still quiet otherwise down on Upper Moss Side, couple Bullfinch, Chiffchaffs and Corvids the main avifauna.

More Coot, Mallard and Canada Goose chicks on Lapwing Lane Pool.

Green Woodpecker on field next to Big Wood and Hobby over briefly.

Still no Whitethroat of either species in the usual spots, House Martin or Swift. Strange times.........clegs are back though

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 1st of May 2024 09:47:45 PM

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Rare due to work these days a rare chance to traverse the whole reserve early. Birdsong was fantastic as the ground frost gave an eirie mist close to the ground in places. Came in from Wigg Island and heard Common Whitethroats twice on Randles tip and from Oxmoor, as soon as I passed Halfway House not one more all morning. Mind other warblers seem missing in usual places this year - still no Reed Warblers down the West. 13 Cetti's Warblers heard in the whole traverse from Halfway House - Owens Wood - back path to ex Norton Marsh Hide, Lapwing Lane Wood / Pool - Birchwood Pool - Pumphouse Pool - Black Fields Pool - Eastford Road - Morely Common.

31 Canada Geese on Cuerdly Marsh had goslings present, difficult to see in the long grass. Redshank (1), Little Egret (2), Grey Heron (5), Black-headed Gulls (49), one Herring Gull, three Lesser Black Backed Gulls and two Great Black Backed gulls came through Round Cherval whilst watching the tide fall and the mudbanks revealled but no waders seemed to be dropping in as the sun rose. Two Oystercatchers "peeped" their way upriver and a couple of Gadwall and four Shelduck were on the river but little else.

Snipe, Kestrel, Reed Bunting and Skylarks over the Marsh. No Warblers apart from Cetti's on the Marsh.

Five (!!!) Ring-necked Parakeets flew from the direction of Promenade Park to a house with feeders on Lapwing Lane.

Great Spotted Woodpecker and Garden Warbler by the new aquatic scrape. with a nice showy Treecreeper.

Juvenille Coot and Mallard on Lapwing Lane Pool. Two Little Grebe.

Pumphouse Pool still very high little suitable wader ground, eight Tufted Duck, two Shoveler, eight Mallard, two Little Grebe, two Gadwall, 13 Sand Martin, 1 Little Egret, two Siskin in the Alders behind Colin's Hide.

Two Oystercatchers dropped into the Black Fields Pool which has been drained to leave a decent amount of muddy shore, where a Little Egret flew in (from Pumphouse?). Two more Grey Heron present. Mallard, Little Grebe, four Tufted Duck on the pool with a Common Sandpiper the the back of the West cell and resplendent in the morning sun on the back of the East cell a Wood Sandpiper (patch first for me and thus patch first for year).

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

Very similar to last week on the Marsh or Eastern Reedbeds except for stayover(?) Siskin singing in the alders near the Eastern Reedbed. Not usual for them to stay to the breeding season.

Willow Warbler numbers seem very low as do Chiffchaff - Blackcap equalling Chiffchaff for territories down the Eastern End and no Chiffies up the Marsh end. Still no Whitethroat (either spp.) or Grasshopper Warblers or Reed Warblers on the Marsh at the West End, three Reed Warblers round the Eastern Reedbed / Black-fields Pools.

Andy Slee · Status: Offline

East End today. Morely Common a couple of times a year has big numbers of Wagtails and today was no different with approx. 32 Pied and nine White Wagtail.

Moving round to the Black Fields Pools where the water is being pumped out a Common Sandpiper was flitting about. Star birds though were 29 Sand Martin dropping over the pool calling away. One Little Egret was present, Canada Geese, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe and Grey Heron.

Pumphouse Pool conversely the water is getting higher and higher. A second Common Sandpiper was here - a much paler individual than the one on the the Black Fields. Further Sand Martin, single Black-headed Gull, Cuckoo heard calling towards East entrance to Capped Tip, two Pochards, Tufted Duck, and single Mute Swan. Flyover Oystercatcher.

Eastern Reedbeds held at least three Reed Warblers to make up for the dearth in the marsh at the West End. Seven Cetti's Warblers on the loop around the East End and a Tawny Owl watching from a roost spot near one of the paths. Blackcaps almost outnumbering Chiffchaff at the end of the reserve.