Couple of hours this morning turned up some really nice spots! 1 nuthatch 3 song thrush 2 male blackcap 1 Jay 1 grey heron 1 treecreeper Lots of tufted duck and great crested grebe

Male Wheatear mid morning in ploughed field east of Big Wood.

Also Raven and Stock Dove.

Over four hours this morning from 7.10, same route as on 15th March but also taking in the fields to the north west of the mere. A mix of sun and cloud, 7-13*c, light winds. 55 species again, more or less the same as previously, adding Little Egret and Redshank on Kid Brook Spit and three Blackcap around the woodlands. Also a minimum of 24 Chiffchaff. Green Sandpiper noted on the Fishermans Path pool (taken from our WhatsApp group).

Lunchtime visit

2 Little Ringed Plovers and 1 Oystercatcher on Kid Brook Spit, alongside 8 resplendent adult Common Gulls.

A group of 4 Song Thrushes on the lawn by the visitor centre, 1 Mistle Thrush in Hopyards Wood.

A flock of 12 Redwings in Big Wood, also seen there were 2 Treecreepers, 3 Nuthatches (Having a territorial fight),

1f Bullfinch and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Just over five hours this morning from 7.10, sunny spells, light winds, 2-13*c. Same route as last time and which has now more or less become the norm. Amongst others :-

Greylag Goose (2)
Canada Goose (2)
Mute Swan (4)
Shelduck (8)
Wood Duck (1f)
Shoveler (8)
Wigeon (7)
Teal (3)
Tufted Duck (49)
Great Crested Grebe (15)
Stock Dove (10)
Water Rail (1)
Oystercatcher (3)
Lapwing (3)
Curlew (2)
Grey Heron (23)
Buzzard (3)
Kingfisher (1)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (5)
Sand Martin (12)
Chiffchaff (5)
Long-tailed Tit (6)
Goldcrest (4)
Nuthatch (8)
Treecreeper (1)
Redwing (24)
Siskin (2)

55 Species seen.
The Wood Duck is the assumed escapee/feral bird that bred last year, raising four young that soon perished or were predated.

-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Tuesday 15th of March 2022 01:36:36 PM

Three hours this morning from 9am in sunny and cold weather, 4-8*c. Mereside path - slipway - Forge Brook - Big Wood - open fields and return. Amongst others :-

Greylag Goose (13)
Canada Goose (30)
Mute Swan (4)
Shelduck (4)
Shoveler (4)
Tufted Duck (34)
Great Crested Grebe (23)
Stock Dove (2)
Oystercatcher (1)
Lapwing (8)
Curlew (14)
Common Gull (13)
Heron (10)
Sparrowhawk (1)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (3)
Green Woodpecker (1)
Long-tailed Tit (4)
Goldcrest (2)
Nuthatch (6)
Treecreeper (1)
Mistle Thrush (1)
Song Thrush (4)
Redwing (2)
Pied Wagtail (7)

I have been round a couple of times since my last report here but not posted as its been pretty much the same stuff being seen. Expecting the first Sand Martin within the next couple of weeks and the first incoming warblers thereafter. A Firecrest was seen late last week (Schedule 1) but as these have been reported from MCP in winter previously, I am assuming this is ok to broadcast. Subsequent searches have drawn a blank. Recent sightings have also included Mediterranean Gull, female Wood Duck and Bittern, the latter in Coward Reedbed as usual.

First visit here and completed a circular walk in the morning and a shorter walk in the afternoon.

In the morning (11:00 - 12:15) there were

- 8 Goosander (5m,3f)
- 20+ Curlew on the spit on the northern side of the Mere
- c20 lapwing in the same area
- 1 Treecreeper near the carpark
- Mistle Thrush heard
- 1 Kingfisher seen by my sister
- Flock of c12 Redwing
- Several singing Goldcrest

In the afternoon
- Several noisy Jays
- Female Reed Bunting near feeding station
- no sign of the Goosanders that were present in the morning
- no sign of the Bittern

Three and a quarter hours this morning from 8.40, usual walk, mereside path, Forge Brook, Big Wood and the open fields. Weather sunny and clear, minimal winds, 4-7*c. Fifty two species, amongst others :-

Greylag Goose (c.25)
Canada Goose (c.50)
Mute Swan (2)
Shelduck (1)
Wigeon (4)
Teal (6)
Tufted Duck (17)
Goldeneye (3)
Goosander (12)
Little Grebe (1)
Great Crested Grebe (23)
Stock Dove (7)
Water Rail (1)
Oystercatcher (1)
Lapwing (18)
Curlew (31)
Grey Heron (14)
Little Egret (1)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (1)
Nuthatch (9)
Redwing (38)
Siskin (c.20)

Afternoon visit

A Tawny Owl was heard calling by the canal bridge along Marbury Lane, whilst a Goldcrest flitted through ivy nearby.

Budworth Mere : 15 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Wigeon, 10 Goosanders (3m+7f) and 1 Kingfisher.

Kid Brook : 102 Lapwings and 1 Curlew.

2 Sparrowhawks were seen, 1 over the reedbed, the other, a male, passed close to the bird table at breath taking speed.

Jays appeared unusually plentiful, both at Marbury CP and at nearby Neumanns Flash.

Again, as on the 19th, the Bittern failed to make an appearance during my vigil, I gave up at 3.30pm due to the visibility becoming

very murky, and the fear of frostbite. I'm sure somebody is going to tell me that I just missed it!!.

Three and a half hours this morning from 8.55 in sunny and clear weather, minimal winds, -2 to 2*c. Mereside path - Slipway - Big Wood - open fields & return via same route. Budworth Mere 90% frozen. 53 Species seen, amongst others :-

Greylag Goose (43)
Canada Goose (c.200)
Mute Swan (3)
Shelduck (3)
Shoveler (5)
Wigeon (21)
Mallard (45)
Teal (8)
Pochard (3)
Tufted Duck (22)
Goosander (8)
Great Crested Grebe (27)
Stock Dove (7)
Water Rail (1)
Lapwing (108)
Curlew (22)
Little Egret (1)
Buzzard (1)
Kingfisher (1)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (3)
Green Woodpecker (1)
Long-tailed Tit (10)
Goldcrest (1)
Nuthatch (9)
Mistle Thrush (1)
Bullfinch (3)

Just over two and a half hours, this morning, from 7.50am, dull but fine. Mainly to view the Starlings leaving Coward Reedbed. The roost has steadily built up over the Autumn/Winter period and a count last night estimated 120k. It was a superb sight (and noise) when they left around 8am. A bit of a quiet feel on the mere and in the woodland. Amongst others :-

Canada Goose (65)
Mute Swan (2)
Pochard (3)
Goldeneye (2)
Great Crested Grebe (37)
Water Rail (1)
Lapwing (c.200)
Curlew (2)
Sparrowhawk (1)
Tawny Owl (1)
Kingfisher (2)
Raven (2)
Nuthatch (3)
Long-tailed Tit (4)
Starling (120k)
Redwing (23)

Without having the Bittern Hide, lost earlier this year due to vandalism, it has been harder to witness the Starling roost and possible Bittern activity in Coward Reedbed. There have been no reports of Bittern this back end so, this afternoon, I decided to take one of those fold up £5 green chairs and just sit and wait.

After I had been there for an hour and three quarters, the first Starling started to drop in at around 15.45 hrs. Several groups had circled around and moved on before a flock of around 2k dropped in at 16.00 hrs. Thereafter, many other groups decided to join the party and when I left at 16.30 hrs (still a fair bit of daylight left) I reckon a good 7.5k had roosted and others were still arriving.

The highlight of the afternoon was a Bittern in brief flight at around 16.15 hrs at the left hand corner of the reedbed, just a few yards but great to see. Earlier, a 1w Sparrowhawk had been present, waiting for the Starling to arrive. Three Water Rail were heard, squealing away, from within the reedbed.

For information purposes, funding is now in place for a replacement hide, which will be situated more or less where it was, but just a few yards to the left. Should be in situ by April but no doubt consideration will have to be given to not disturbing the Bittern(s) now that one has arrived. Last Winter, there was generally one bird present but sometimes two. Until then, it will be a case of viewing whilst stood up at, or near, the viewing area.

Two hours yesterday morning from 8.50, down the mereside path to the slipway, then on through Big Wood and back to the car park via the open fields. Weather sunny, cold and clear, 4-6*c, light winds. Amongst others :-

Greylag Goose (49)
Canada Goose (133)
Mute Swan (2)
Shelduck (1)
Gadwall (2)
Mallard (c.150)
Tufted Duck (53)
Little Grebe (1)
Great Crested Grebe (62)
Northern Lapwing (18)
Eurasian Curlew (41)
Great Cormorant (10)
Grey Heron (1)
Little Egret (1)
Common Raven (2)
Eurasian Skylark (1)
Long-tailed Tit (6)
Goldcrest (2)
Nuthatch (4)
European Starling (35)
Redwing (50+)

Highlights of over two and a half hours around the park this morning were a juvenile Hobby over Kid Brook Marsh and two Egyptian Geese in with the goose flock. Otherwise, standard fayre.

A similar walk on Thursday, taking in the mereside path and Big Wood yielded 47 species including Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Common Sandpiper, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Swallow and House Martin.

There is an upside to this story. The hide was 25 years old and not in perfect condition. Plans for a replacement are already in process.

to day 25 June 21, the Bittern Hide has be destroyed by yobs, so it is no longer usable. (*******)

Spotted Flycatcher showing well, late afternoon, by the Bittern Hide. Been present here since Thursday.

Lesser Whitethroat singing from long hedge, west of the main footpath through the adjacent Dairy House Meadows. The meadows are sandwiched between Marbury Country Park and Neumanns Flash.

Decided to try my luck on the Fishermans Path by Budworth Mere, late afternoon, the showery weather always decent at dropping stuff in. We have only had singles of Yellow Wagtail on passage, so it was nice to find four in the middle field along with two Wheatear. This field has been given the muck spreading treatment a couple of weeks ago and the next field has recently been ploughed, making the general area attractive for migrants feeding. The second hedge along is a thick, mature one and feeders have recently been added which have attracted Tree Sparrow and Yellowhammer, patch rarities. As I was scanning through feeding Reed Buntings by the hedge, hoping for a Yellowhammer, I found a female Redstart, again only a passage migrant on patch, some years we only get one, some none at all. A productive hour or so. GB had, this morning, found a Lesser Whitethroat in the first hedge by the Fishermans Path.

Spent an hour at the slipway from 7.30 am viewing Kid Brook Spit. Two Common Sandpiper, two Green Sandpiper and a White Wagtail. I had had a White Wagtail, late afternoon yesterday, in the ploughed field by the Fishermans Path but nothing today. There were, however, a dozen or so Fieldfare that have been present for a few days.

Around 1000 Sand Martin at Budworth Mere, 7.30am today with half a dozen Swallow in the mix. Nothing on Kid Brook Spit other than a pair of Oystercatcher. Two Blackcap by the mereside path.

Mark Jarrett wrote:

---

Another Osprey was reported on BirdGuides as passing over nearby Cuddington, heading north east, early evening. This would have taken it close to Budworth Mere but, with no further reports, it may well have veered off northwards.

---

 On RBA the Cuddington Osprey is reported as heading NE over Kennel Lane at 10.14am, but the news wasn't transmitted until after 6.50am.

Little bit of an afternoon mooch after an early finish from work. From 4pm lots of tufted duck and great crested grebe. 

Sand Martin active and plentiful at the west end.

Also blackcap heard but not seen and great spotted woodpecker drumming.

Some very fine looking great tit (rapidly becoming my favourite tit!) around the hide

Roughly four shelduck came in around half four as well 

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 1st of April 2021 08:30:14 PM

Two Tree Sparrow were down at the east end of the mere this morning, in a hedgerow adjacent to the Fishermans Path. A scarce patch tick these days.

10:30 At least 5 Sand Martin at west end of mere. Also a stunning male Firecrest at the west end of Big Wood then across the small field to the other side. Flycatching and flitting about.