Great Patch day - There are more than ever great reasons for patch birding , as these days anything can turn up anywhere highlights today
Fieldfare - Massive movement 3000+ heading SW in the main ,some large groups dropping in to feed( see pic below)
Redwing - 2000+ SE
Linnet- 26 > South
Wigeon- 1 Male
Gadwall - 2 Male
Shoveler - 4
Meadow Pipit - 25
Hawfinch - 2 briefly landed then carried on South
Hen Harrier - 1st Winter Male > flew over high north
Then on hearing the 10 Greenland White-Fronted Geese had been disturbed from the field north of little Wooldon moss and had headed west I fired back to the patch , headed to the highest point and managed to pick them out near to franks farm on the south side of Holcroft lane , they got disturbed almost immediately by a Helicopter and tractor and flew off to the SE towards Irlam . a picture can be seen of them flying back into Manchester space via my photo site link below as it was too big a file to post here. Altogether a Beltin' day . Its one of those dilemma's can a bird seen from a patch that's not on a patch be counted for the patch , bit like garden lists do you only include birds in your garden or birds that flyover the garden . In this instance the geese were slightly north of the silver lane patch but seen from the centre of the patch . They were really at Holcroft Lane / Holcroft moss . From the spot they flew through Cheshire and Greater Manchester Airspace.
Last shot below ignore the exif time as my camera clock cannot be adjusted due to a fault it was 15.01
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Monday 4th of November 2024 09:05:53 PM
Hen Harrier - a juvenile likely Male was seen briefly early pm ,last seen flying off SW being chased by the Male Marsh Harrier. Initially I decided not to report it , due to the birds welfare. It was struggling to find food and looked very light and emaciated to me , but not seen by me after 1.15 pm when the fly through marsh Harrier chased it off SW. Record shot below.
9.15-11.00 of note in the drizzle:
Brambling 3 flew north - Goldfinchx35 with 7 Siskin among them - Bullfinch 2 pairs - Goldcrest x 3 - Mute Swan down to one now that the other flew off east two days ago - Shoveler 2 - Fieldfare 29 flew SW - Kingfisher 1 - Nuthatch 1, the latter two species being recorded far more often this year than in previous years.
10.00 - 1300 Very quiet in the Drizzle this morning only things of real note were 30 siskin , and a pair of shoveler , the masses of fieldfare yesterday seemingly moved on to pastures new.
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Friday 1st of November 2024 09:24:59 AM
Of note this morning and early afternoon - The Fieldfare's have finally arrived in number
Fieldfare - 1350 > SW some flocks 250+ strong also 250 on site at times seen to strip all the berries off one tree in a matter of mins (pic of some flying sw below)
Redwing -60
Pink footed Geese -770 around the area seen flying in all directions (pic of one group below )
Shoveler -2
Siskin- 60+
Redpoll - 25+
Goldfinch - 75+
Stonechat - 1 Pair
Water Rail - 1
Lapwing - 200+
Pied Wagtail -10
Skylark - one singing others present
Goldcrest -6
plus the usuals
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Wednesday 30th of October 2024 07:11:59 PM
Pink Footed Geese - 2500 in massive flocks heading towards Manchester over the mosslands , they seemed to not want to go into the mist and fog that way and most turned SW and headed over me towards the Mersey.
Kestrel -2
Marsh Harrier - a crackin'2nd winter Male came across the area searching for birds by the look of it record shot below , it headed off towards woolston Eyes
Ruff - 1 x 1st Winter Male ( 2nd ive seen on site , first with a decent view ) distant shot attached was there first thing but not present on way back at 1pm
Redwing - c100 sw
Stonechat - 1 Pair
Cormorant - Sinensis race ringed bird seen again today ring 271 , Ringed in the nest 24th June 2023 Hale. In Fact all 8 birds present today were sinensis race
obviously from the Colony at Hale Duck Decoy.
Buzzard-7
Marsh Harrier - 1 East
Pink Footed Geese - c60 > se
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 19th of October 2024 07:38:52 AM
Info on the pair of Mute Swans that appeared a few weeks ago - Info from Steve Christmas
4FIV cygnet (brood of 8) Polly's Pond, Abram 18/11/2022. It was at Pennington from April 2023 until Jan 2024
4FAL cygnet (brood of 5) Vulcan Village, Newton-le-Willows 7/8/22. This one has travelled around a bit more, to Sale WP, Moses Gate, Leigh and most recently Pennington in August 2024.
9.15 - 11.30, 14/10/24 - Highlights of the day
Hawfinch 1, flew south at 11.50 this morning -
Pink footed Geese 70, -
Lapwing 200 -
Grey Partridge 5 -
Saturday 12th October
Great white Egret 1, on east field -
Yellow browed Warbler 1, among long tailed tit flock
-- Edited by Rob Smith on Monday 14th of October 2024 07:38:16 PM
-- Edited by Rob Smith on Monday 14th of October 2024 07:39:59 PM
Whooper Swan - 1 still present just south of Holcroft Lane in field . looks ok but strange to be stood near to the farm buildings this morning
Redwing 20> SE
Buzzard -6
Kestrel -4
Stonechat -2
Long Tailed Tit - 1 flock held 43 birds
Great Crested Grebe - only 1 Juvenile left on the west pool
Yellowhammer- 2
Skylark - 20 (one in full song)
Lapwing - 120
Cormorant - 12 including one colour ringed sinensis 2nd winter bird details to follow . In fact strangely or not these days at least half of the cormorants were of the sinensis race , 30 years ago 1 a year would have been the norm, like all these continental birds they have become normal now and also theres a lot of hybridisation with the Carbo race that its much harder to tell race of Cormorants and be totally sure. picture below
The ringed cormorant has the following details
t was ringed in the nest at Hale Duck Decoy on 24th June 2023. It has only been seen once since it was ringed, Pennington Flash on 8th April 2024. The BTO metal ring is 5176378.
Chiffchaff -3
Reed Bunting -4
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 6th of October 2024 08:35:03 AM
Whooper Swan Still Present at 1.30 pm in field off Holcroft Lane (rob Found this morning- pic below ), 4 stonechat , Yellow Browed Warbler was calling when I arrived at 10 am but was not heard on my way back at 1pm seen briefly. Buzzard- 8, Swallow 2 > S, Lapwing 30, Shoveler -10, Chiffchaff - 6 , Snipe-1 , Kestrel -3, Cormorant - 13 (10 on raft) pic attached, Kingfisher -1 Redwing - 30+ west, House Martin -1 >s
Also picture below a final shot This will be the Motorway Service station very soon , more Green belt gone and excellent Habitat everything in this picture will soon be gone under concrete .
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Friday 4th of October 2024 06:53:48 PM
8.00 - 11.30am, cool start, warm finish
Whooper Swan 1, in field off Holcroft lane -
Golden Plover 30, among lapwing east field -
Lapwing 240 -
Redwing 4, east side -
Kingfisher 1 -
Yellow browed Warbler, briefly calling nr J11 -
Chiffchaff 3, one singing -
Stonechat 2 -
Swallow 3 -
Grey Wagtail 1, male -
Mute Swan 2 -
Cormorant 13, peak count this year so far -
Shoveler 9 -
Teal 10 -
Mallard 33 -
Grey Partridge 4 -
Sparrowhawk 1, male -
Common Buzzard 3 -
A few Skylark & Meadow Pipit south
-- Edited by Rob Smith on Friday 4th of October 2024 01:38:07 PM
-- Edited by Rob Smith on Friday 4th of October 2024 01:42:49 PM
Marsh Harrier - A Female and Imm male 2 hours apart heading in transit from Little Wooldon Moss to Woolston Via Silver Lane , strangely or not they seem to follow the m62 then south along the m6 then off west about Thelwall Viaduct onto woolston. pic of the imm male below (record shot)
Lapwing -30
Great Crested Grebe - 5 (1 of the Juveniles seems to have taken a leap of faith and left the main pool for a new life elsewhere )
Pochard-5
Kingfisher -1
Cormorant -7
Meadow Pipit - 175 > South
Skylark - 40+ South
Swallow -3 > S
House Martin - 1> S
Jay - 7
Little Grebe - 9
Blackcap - 1 Male
Chiffchaff -3
Buzzard-6
Stonechat - 1 Pair
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Wednesday 25th of September 2024 03:37:52 PM
Thought I'd go here before work at Grisley Risley today. A lot more birdlife than there seems to be at Moore these days so quite a treat to hear all the morning birdsong including a three Chiffchaff and a Cetti's Warbler. four Redwing over the tip, Skylarks in sub-song, small passage of Meadow Pipits and a Peregrine over S were nice highlights.
Despite yesterdays foggy start, a few interesting records as the fog lifted
Shoveler - 10
Greenshank - 1, flew SW along with
Redshank - 2
Common Snipe, 1 dropping onto summit
Swallows - 14 south
Chiffchaff - 8, 2 actually singing
Common Whitethroat - 1,
Blackbird & Song Thrush - overnight influx of 20+ each around the area
Skylark & Meadow Pipit - light southerly movement under the fog
Gulls - mixed flock of 90+, on local fields & pools. Mostly Lesser black back adults & juveniles but several Herring Gulls &
Common Gull - 3, among them
Having monitored and submitted records of Silver Lanes wildlife for over 20+ years, it will be a sad day when these projects impact on the general ethos and wildlife of the area. Over that period I have liaised with Biffa to finance the rafts on the west pool, bird boxes and on occasions management of the landfill. In 2011, after several years of monitoring I submitted data and a report to Cheshire Wildlife Trust recommending it be recognised as a site of wildlife interest, in response they designated it as a Local Wildlife Site which was a start and which I had hoped they would build on that designation in the future to give the site some sort of protection, sadly that has not happened and we are now where we are!
For me the real problem over time, yes productive and important habitats will be lost in the shortish term, but the installation of steps leading up to the summit from the MSA area will undoubtedly encourage increased access to and across the area generally & all the problems that folk bring with them! I've enjoyed how the area has matured over the years, the wildlife it attracts, so it will be a sad time as that begins to changes because of the pressures from the MSA & the solar farm and who knows what else!
A significant area of the patch of Greenbelt and peat moss land on the eastern side of the patch will disappear very soon under the new Motorway Service Station taking up all of the south end of the easter arable land that has been a wintering site for Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer plus many more and one of the best wild flower meadows I've ever seen this summer . This area will be completely obliterated, an established stream redirected, all the hedgerows removed in fact the area I saw the Wryneck last week will be totally gone.It looks like the building part starts in October. The parking area at junc 11 also disappears so nowhere to park at that end,to even get on the patch. and then more work will start also by Biffa , putting a massive solar panel farm on top of the landfill removing the area 12 pairs of Skylark normally nest , and the stonechats winter. The Whole area will totally change leaving just the pools of interest in the main . Apparently the area bult on with a hotel and service station will have a 19% net gain of biodiversity according to the ecology reports, not sure how that works when the whole area will be under concrete . Its tragic that we keep losing these significant wildlife sites. We did our best to fight it and initially it was rejected but after they appealed and the council withdrew their objection the plan went through about 3 years ago.
This is the end of the planning. Work actually started on the site 2 years ago doing the peat and water surveys etc
If you wish to see the full plans and maps they are here https://online.warrington.gov.uk/planning/
planning application number - 2024/00963/REMM
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 14th of September 2024 08:09:26 AM
Potentially even worse is the double-whammy of the Service Station opening up access to J11 from the North side and the fact that HS2 isn't going to go through the Linear Park at Culcheth; the 1960s plans for the A580 Leigh - M62 Culcheth / Glazebury bypass (S/ SE side of Culcheth, then NW of Glazebury to join the A580 2 miles west of Bents) are ressurected - a friend has been working on the pre-planning study for a few months. One hopes Warrington BC being skint means that this wouldn't go ahead (nor the Western Bypass which would cut through Moore NR Eastern Reedbeds and Black-fields Pools). The funding sounds though for the capital of the build like it has been kicked to the Road Improvements Scheme Tranche 4 (2030-2035).
-- Edited by Andy Slee on Monday 16th of September 2024 09:35:14 PM
Whinchat - 4 (12th) 2 (13th) always illusive and hard to find
Stonechat-3
Hobby - 1 > ne (13th)
Marsh Harrier - 1 imm Male > S (12th)
Plenty Swallows both days 100+ South Same with House Martin
decent Movement South of Skylark and Meadow Pipit both days
Kingfisher-2
Shoveler - 7
Pink Footed Geese - several flocks between 30 and 70 west both days
plus the usuals
A significant area of the patch of Greenbelt and peat moss land on the eastern side of the patch will disappear very soon under the new Motorway Service Station taking up all of the south end of the easter arable land that has been a wintering site for Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer plus many more and one of the best wild flower meadows I've ever seen this summer . This area will be completely obliterated, an established stream redirected, all the hedgerows removed in fact the area I saw the Wryneck last week will be totally gone.It looks like the building part starts in October. The parking area at junc 11 also disappears so nowhere to park at that end,to even get on the patch. and then more work will start also by Biffa , putting a massive solar panel farm on top of the landfill removing the area 12 pairs of Skylark normally nest , and the stonechats winter. The Whole area will totally change leaving just the pools of interest in the main . Apparently the area bult on with a hotel and service station will have a 19% net gain of biodiversity according to the ecology reports, not sure how that works when the whole area will be under concrete . Its tragic that we keep losing these significant wildlife sites. We did our best to fight it and initially it was rejected but after they appealed and the council withdrew their objection the plan went through about 3 years ago.
This is the end of the planning. Work actually started on the site 2 years ago doing the peat and water surveys etc
If you wish to see the full plans and maps they are here https://online.warrington.gov.uk/planning/
planning application number - 2024/00963/REMM
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 14th of September 2024 08:09:26 AM
Wryneck at Silver Lane Pools very briefly 9.30 but flew off over the eastern arable and no further sign. Saw it at 3 feet . Great bird first for sight .
No further sign up to 1pm , but wasn't really expecting to see it again as it flew off originally SE .
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Friday 6th of September 2024 01:11:17 PM
The early promise with a fall of about 30 Willow Warbler/ Chiffchaff lead to a rather dismal morning with the 1mile by 1 mile landfill a completely bird free zone apart from 3 Kestrels hunting .
Pools were as normal with 500+ Canada Geese roosting on West pool .
The place seemed like grandparents had been let out of jail after a summer holiday indoors looking after grandkids , as most youngsters don't do outdoors unfortunately these days. There were more dogs than birds today on the landfill.
Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin still present in small numbers.
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Thursday 5th of September 2024 09:12:56 AM