Budworth Mere

23rd Feb

1 Black-tailed Godwit
2 Shelduck
1 Curlew
2 Oystercatcher
1 Chinese Goose
woodpeckers heard drumming


Anderton Nature Park

2 Peregrine
3+ Buzzard
2 Jay

-- Edited by James Walsh on Friday 24th of February 2012 02:21:51 AM

A good couple of hours around the flash this afternoon with both bitterns showing really well from the hide allowing for reasonable photographs (considering the distance). Also both tawny owls were easier to spot today than they have been previously.

Other highlights were a male sparrowhawk bombarding the feeding station in front of the hide but flying away empty handed and a pair of buzzard putting on a nice display above the mere.

Unfortunately no lesser spot (also a bogey bird for me John). I'm sure I'll catch up with one soon.

Shame we didn't find the Bittern today but the Lesser Spottted Woodpecker was a real bogey bird for me. At least I can put that one to bed.

-- Edited by John Barber on Tuesday 14th of February 2012 08:46:58 PM

11.30-4.30pm sticking close to the 2 hides when all the sleet started, still plenty off birds about..
2 tawny owls (in usual roost tree)
2 ravens
4 buzzards
1 sparrowhawk
1 goldcrest
at least 4 great spotted woodpeckers
at least 6 treecreepers
lots off nuthatches
1 reed bunting
redwings all over the place inc song thrushes & blackbirds.
plus all usual birds around the feeders.
on frozen lake,small open patch on far side...
300+ teals
47 shovelers
3 shelducks
6 great crested grebes
54 wigeon
3 goldeneyes
29 pochards
7 tufted ducks
7 canada geese
mallards & coots
100+ b h gulls
2 g b b gulls
3 herring gulls
9 l b b gulls
15 common gulls
49 lapwings
all them birds in one small space
3 curlews on the field
2 snipe flew out off the reeds opposite the hide, but no signs off the bitterns or lesser spotted woodpecker.
good day appart from the weather

Nice walk today cold and bright

Redwings plenty behind the rangers compound
Great tits
Blue tits
Coal tits
Long tailed tits
Robins
Nuthatch
Chaffinches
Dunnock
Blackbirds
6 Bullfinch 5 of which where seen in the trees by the arch leading off the carpark
2 Tawny owls same tree as last winter
1Jay
1 Buzzard
Wrens

On the water
12 Great crested grebes
Black swan
Mute swans
Gray lags
Canadas
Mallards
9 Tufted ducks
6 Shovelers
12 Pochard
Cormorants
1 Bittern
Black headed gulls

Wet walk round today, none of the feeders seem to be being filled so eyes to the trees and watch
At least 22 Great crested grebes
Herons
Cormorants
Canadas
Mallard
Coot
Moorhen
Blackheaded gulls
Tree creepers
Nuthatch
Goldfinch
Robin
Song thrush
Blackbird
Coal tit
Blue tit
Great tit
Long tailed tit
Curlew
Lapwing

and 3 could have been Scaup they where to big to be tufted duck and no tufts
and on the way home at the M6 roundabout 20-25 Pink foot over

-- Edited by Graham Smith on Sunday 9th of October 2011 06:48:44 PM

4 Common Tern yesterday am
plus;
Sand Martin
Curlew
1 Black Swan
Stock Dove
juv W.Warblers
juv Whitethroats

A Garganey was on Budworth Mere this morning and then this afternoon a summer plumaged Black Tern dropped in over the mere for about an hour only. A Yellow Wagtail was by the fishermans path (above the old Sand Martin colony) am only.

The park was like Blackpool seafront this afternoon and if the good weather continues (but we had thunderstorms with heavy rain this evening!!) the rest of the Easter weekend could see similar numbers of folk around having fun in the sun!!

Cheers
Paul

Haydn's Pool @ 6pm yesterday;

1 Common Sandpiper
1 Black -tailed Godwit
2 Redshank (mating)
1 Green Sandpiper
1 Little Ringed Plover

lots of Reed Bunting,Chiffchgaff and Blackcap.

11 Bramblings and 1 Little Ringed Plover @ 6pm yesterday.

A couple of hours in the park before the rain this morning produced of interest:- more Sand Martins than I could count over the mere and a Sparrowhawk temporarily scattering them. On the feeders in front of the reed-bed hide Reed Buntings, Coal Tits and and 2 female Great Spotted Wood Peckers. Also watched a Mink swim out to the raft in front of the hide where it sat for a while after having a sniff about. Not much hope for any breeding birds on there then. Only one of the Tawny Owls in the normal tree and in the tall trees around the woodland hide excellent views of a calling male Lesser Pecker.

Originally posted by Jason Dulhanty today:

Marbury park...Hide at Budworth
Black swan
kingfisher
GB Grebes
Heron fishing right next to Hide
Jay
Usual Tits
Tufted ducks
Cormorant
goosander
Nuthatch
Heard Woodpecker not seen
Song Thrush
No Bittern

Are there marsh tits at Marbury? I know there are willow tit there.

Originally posted by Jason Dulhanty today:

First visit to Marbury , saw the Bittern from the hide at Budworth mere , many thanks to the Guy who pointed him out , watched him for a good half hour, so difficult to spot gave a lot of people a lot of pleasure. Second one this year chuffed to bits.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 28th of February 2011 06:37:42 PM

Walked round yesterday {Sunday} lake was at least 70% frozen

1 Great spotted woodpecker
2 Tree creeper
2 Tawny owls
1 Bullfinch
1 Goldcrest
2 Chaffinch
Blue tits
Great tits
Coal tits
Long tailed tits
Nuthatch by the bucketful
Robins

on the water
Goldeneye
Shoveler
Teal
Widgeon
Pochard
4 Mute swans
Canadas
Grey lags
Cormorants

and various gulls

15th Jan 2011;
1 Little Egret
1 Goldeneye male
1 GBB Gull
2 Gadwall (pair)
50 Shovelers pin-wheeling
and 2 Buzzards argueing over a recent Woodpigeon kill were the highlights of a visit over the weekend.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 17th of January 2011 07:06:13 PM

Rob Smallwood wrote:

---

Marsh Tit unusual at Marbury I think - any chance they might have been Willow?

---

Was thinking the same Rob!!

Went for a walk on Sunday the following where seen
1 Great spotted woodpecker
2Tawny owls roosting
12 Nuthatch
3Treecreepers
2 Marsh tits
Long tailed tits
Great tits
Blue tits
Coal tits
Robins
1 Goldcrest
Dunnocks

on the water
Coot
Shell duck
Shoveler duck
Herons
Canada's

Walk round with the kids today so no bins but saw several Nuthatch, one Tawny Owl in the roost tree and the Robins at the Woodland Hide literally eating mealworms out of the kids' hands - they were amazingly enthused - so anyone who knows any little people that need to be encouraged in all things birdy it might be worth a walk!

Had a pleasant couple of hours in the park late morning/early afternoon. The highlights were:- good close views of a Common Buzzard around the end of the mere near the reed-bed hide, a Water Rail and a female Sparrowhawk that was rushing through putting the small birds up. Then close to the boathouse the resident pair of Tawny Owls showed well sitting out in the sunshine. At the woodland hide we found Wren, Treecreeper and Nuthatch as well as Great spotted Pecker and various makes of Tit. But the highlight was the Robin that took cake crumbs from my hand - I wonder if it was one of those birds that we saw in January 2009 ???? The mere was almost completely frozen but on the one bit of clear water 10's of Canada and Greylag Geese were present. Unfortunately no sign of the Bittern today.

Henry Cook wrote:

---

Those Robins at the woodland hide did the same for me and Sid recently Mike!
Who's watching who?!

---

Best part of the day for me Henry. I felt a bit guilty that I didn't have any food for them after all that begging.

Mike

Very pleasant wander around Marbury this morning.

Perhaps because I turned up not particularly looking for one the female Hawfinch showed well within 5 mins of my arrival.

2 Green Woodpeckers were calling nr the Rangers hut, a Treecreeper and several Nuthatches also present with 6 Bullfinches nearby.

Kingfisher over the Mere with 4 Wigeon and 3 Goldeneye also present. Water Rail showed briefly at the Bittern screen.

In the woodland hide 2 Robins decided to try the view from my perspective and then hovered around me for at least 20 mins, regularly coming within inches of me and completely ignoring my dog, Billy.

On the path back what I initially though was a dog in the undergrowth turned out to be a large fox which nearly collided with Billy, not having seen him! Bill made a half-hearted attempt to chase the fox but soon gave it up as a bad idea.

Lots of other common species around and lots of sun - very enjoyable morning.

Mike

Had another bash for the Hawfinch today, gave it 4 hours - still no luck birdwise but did meet one Eddie King - nice to meet you Eddie, our chat helped to pass the time.

Henry - you forgot the Moorhen