Marbury Country Park

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

Marbury Country Park

Greg Baker · Status: Offline

Where did you see the Brambling Steve? It would be a first for the patch in 2019!

Greg

Greg Baker · Status: Offline

For those interested, I have put together a bird report for 2018 covering the Marbury & Witton Flashes patch and therefore including Marbury Country Park. If you would like a copy please PM me with your email address and I'll send it to you. It's currently in a pdf format only.

Steve Judge · Status: Offline

Saturday, 2nd March 2019 10:30 - 15:00 hrs. Budworth Mere, Anderton, section of Trent and Mersey Canal, Great Budworth village.

Bittern x 1 (in Coward reedbed between 14:30 and 15:00 hrs). Thanks to guy from St Helens who gave me the tip off - would never have spotted it without his help!
Chiffchaff x 1 (my first of the year) - near feeders at Marbury Park bird hide
Skylark x 1
Buzzard x 7 different sightings
Reed Bunting x 2
Brambling x 1
Nuthatch x 2
Curlew x 1 (heard)
Song Thrush x 1
Mistle Thrush x 1
Greylag Geese x 6
Canada Geese x 30
Gadwall x 2
Shoveler x 3
Shelduck x 2
Lapwing x 10
Great Crested Grebe x 5
Little Grebe x 1
Grey Heron x 2
Dunnock x 1
House Sparrow x 10
Goldfinch x 8
Wren x 1
Long Tailed Tit x 4
Chaffinch x 3
Great Tit x 8
Blue Tit x 7
Robin x 3
Blackbird x 5
Coot x 30
Moorhen x 5
Tufted Duck x 20
Cormorant x 5
Black-Headed Gull x 50
Jackdaw x 40
Crow x 30
Woodpigeon x 25
Feral Pigeon x 20
Magpie x 7
Mallard x 25

John Williams · Status: Offline

11.30-13.15

Budworth Mere : 6 Great Crested Grebes, 3m Goosanders, and 2 Wigeon.

Kid Brook : 18 Curlew, 2 Oystercatchers and 10 Lapwings.

Large numbers of gulls were on the mere, but there was nothing unusual amongst them, there were 25 Common Gulls though.

2 Mistle Thrushes and a single Redwing were on the cattle pasture adjacent to Marbury Lane.

A Buzzard flew alongside Big Wood, whilst 2 more displayed above Marbury Lane.

No sign of any woodpeckers around the dead trees in the park, plenty of Nuthatches though.

The large roaming flocks of Long Tailed Tits appear to have broken up, with birds now mainly in pairs.

Mark Jarrett · Status: Offline

Mediterranean Gull this morning in with the Black-headed Gulls, middle of Budworth Mere in front of Kid Brook Spit. Fairly quiet otherwise with 10 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 2f Goldeneye and several Great-crested Grebe. Around 50 Curlew behind the Spit.

On Monday 11 February, I found a juvenile/1st Winter Russian White-fronted Goose in with the goose flock, in the field immediately behind Kid Brook Spit. The bird had disappeared by the following morning but, having seen photographs of a same aged bird that then turned up at Crossens Marsh, I am reasonably sure that this was the same bird.

Curt Whitby · Status: Offline

Had a brisk walk around marbury and the surrounds this morning saw the following- bullfinch in the car park. Two sparrow Hawks displaying overhead. Tree creeper. Half a dozen goosander. 30 curlew. Shell duck. Good view of a gs woodpecker and many others heard drumming. Lapwing. Cormarants. Long tailed tits. Coal tits. Nothing at Hayden's pool. What's going on there? The area looks devoid of life and the water levels well down. A fair number of gulls and water fowl seen at extreme distance at neumanns flash on an area that had thawed out, a large portion of the flash was still under ice. Could only make out lesser black backed and herring gulls. Lovely day for a walk.

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

After a cold long wait at the Coward Reedbed Screen last night without a sniff of a Bittern, and then finding out that 2 came out 10mins after we had left I decided that I had better go back today! So seeing as how it was a 5pm show yesterday I turned up at 4.50pm this evening to be greeted by several birders telling me that a Bittern was out & showing. I was soon scoping it as it clambered around in Coward Reedbed giving pretty good views. It flew short distances, clambered up to the top of the rreds and generallu showed off. Movement nearby suggested a 2nd Bittern in the reeds with it, but the second bird was a bit too shy to shopw itself whilst I was there wink

John Williams · Status: Offline

12.00-14.30

A single Bittern could be seen in the Coward reedbed, but it did'nt move very much and was extremely difficult to locate.

Many thanks to the lady who advised me exactly where to look. The bird was in the reedbed directly opposite the screen.

Nearby 2 Great Crested Grebes and a single female Goosander were on the mere.

13 Curlews were on the pasture at Kid Brook whilst 11 Common Gulls were amongst the gull flock.

2 Nuthatches and a couple of Song Thrushes were in Big Wood, whilst 2 Mistle Thrushes were on the nearby meadow, and 2 highly vocal Ravens flew over.

A recently ploughed field on the Marsden side of Big Wood attracted a large mixed flock of Starlings and Redwings, plus lesser numbers of Fieldfare, Goldfinch and Chaffinch.

steven burke · Status: Offline

2 bitterns in the coward reedbed from 3.30pm viewed from the screen.
Lots of disturbing gun shots coming from the side near kid brook spit meaning all the geese, coots & other birds dispursing, all the ducks & grebes coming to the coward reed bed end.
Woodcock flying over as I walked back to my car.

Curt Whitby · Status: Offline

A quick walk with the little uns the other day around Marbury to walk off Christmas excesses. Water fowl of note were a few Goosanders and a couple of Goldeneyes.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Bittern present at 4:15 pm today, chasing starlings in the left part of Coward Reedbed viewed from the main screen.

About 8000 Starlings in the roost.

Info thanks to Graham Roberts

Steve Costa · Status: Offline

15:40 - 16:25

Dusk visit to see the starling murmuration at Coward Reedbed.

Peregrine - 1 (possibly 2) - several sightings of soaring, stooping and swooping bird. First seen as soon as the first wave of starlings appeared. Presumably, it had been awaiting their arrival from a vantage point.

Sparrowhawk - one over the reedbed after the starlings arrived. (Not sure that either raptor was successful!)

Little Egret - 1 (Spit)
Kingfisher - 1
Water Rail - at least 2 heard

John Williams · Status: Offline

13.30-15.10

Budworth Mere : 50 Great Crested Grebes, 1f Goosander, 1m Pochard (Amongst a mass of Tufted Ducks) and 2 Little Grebes.

All the waterfowl gathered at the Western end of the mere due to sailing.

Elsewhere in the park, a male Kestrel patrolled alongside Big Wood. Raven heard but not seen here too.

A Hawfinch was reported at the woodland feeding station just before I arrived. Whilst I was there squirrels were preventing Chaffinches from feeding on the ground.

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

News today of a first for the Marbury Patch - a Cattle Egret, found by patch regular Trevor Davies. Unfortunately it was short staying, with no other patchers connecting as far as I know, but Trev got a record picture in time, before if flew off. I claim a small amount of credit as I provided Trevor with a step up thread adapter for his camera mount, at Focalpoint, just 2 days ago biggrin biggrin

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Thursday 15th of November 2018 12:47:15 PM

Mark Jarrett · Status: Offline

Spent two and a half hours this morning, viewing split between the slipway, the woodland hide and the screen hide overlooking Coward Reedbed. Weather cool but sunny and dry. Of note :-

Whooper Swan (2)
Mute Swan
Black-tailed Godwit (2)
Curlew (60 min)
Goosander (1)
Wigeon
Shoveler
Teal
Tufted Duck
Pochard (3)
Great Crested Grebe (c.50)
Cormorant (30 min)
Canada Goose (c.400)
Greylag Goose
Kingfisher (1)

No unusual gulls but at least 20 Common Gull seen.

Steve Costa · Status: Offline

10.55-13.40

Goldeneye 2
Curlew 60+
Kingfisher 1

Firecrest 1 - good views for a couple of minutes at 12.30. Active in the spindly yew next to the Grotto sign (opposite the path leading to the woodland hide). Probably a male, though it was difficult to observe the centre of the crown-stripe. Spent an hour trying to relocate it but only a goldcrest put in an appearance.

bernard hooley · Status: Offline

Visit to Focalpoint yesterday to buy a scope.Whilst there I decided to make my debut
at this venue.No special birds but an impressive place.Birds as follows:
Starling: Small flock of 8
Magpie 6
Blue Tit 12
Redwing:Alarge flock put up by a tractor opposite Focalpoint.Around 30
mallard 20
coot 32
LLittle Grebe 1
Great Crested Grebe 26
Nuthatch 4
Shoveler 2
Black Headed Gull 80+
Cormorant 1
Carrion Crow 4
Mute Swan 3
Long Tailed Tit 1
Kingfisher 1
Coal Tit 6
Robin 4
Great Tit 3
Willow Tit 2
Lesser Black Backed Gull 2
Blackbird 3
Wood Pigeon 4
House Sparrow 4
Rook 1
Common Buzzard 1
Herring Gull 2

Mark Jarrett · Status: Offline

Juvenile Little Gull still present mid afternoon at the east end of Budworth Mere. Flying around due to fishermen in the water and several yachts doing circuits. Viewed from the Fisherman's Path, accessed via the A559 lay-by. Nice find by Luke O-H this morning.

Mark Jarrett · Status: Offline

The 4CY Yellow-legged Gull was present again this morning on Budworth Mere. Wasnt showing for the first hour, so presumably flew in from Neumanns Flash where it was noted late afternoon yesterday. Raven over and a superb close-in view of a Kingfisher by the boat house, otherwise fairly quiet, no waders on Kid Brook Spit and nothing else of note.

Mark Jarrett · Status: Offline

Mereside path from Bittern Screen to slipway, very warm, 7.40-9.40 am. Amongst others :-

Little Ringed Plover (2)
Oystercatcher (4)
Lapwing
Stock Dove (2)
Kingfisher (2)
Common Tern (1)
Yellow-legged Gull (1 4CY)
Mediterranean Gull (1 Juv)

No sign of yesterdays Ruddy Shelduck.

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

Of interest today was a Ruddy Shelduck. When I saw it it was a scope job, tucked in the grass behind Kid Brook Spit, with Canada Geese. It was viewed from the inlet near Big Wood at the end of the mereside path.

colin rushmer · Status: Offline

White-winged Black Tern still present about 5.00pm

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 18th of May 2018 06:36:28 PM

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

After hot-footing it from Neumann's Flash Malc Curtin re-located the stunning adult summer White-winged Black Tern on Budworth Mere at 12.30pm. The bird was favouring the Kid Brook Spit area, often perching on the posts there. The bird was still present at 2.45pm at least.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 18th of May 2018 04:52:39 PM

Dave Benson · Status: Offline

50 Black-tailed Godwit on Haydn's Pool at 1.30pm

Mark Jarrett · Status: Offline

Garden Warbler singing away at Garden Warbler Corner this morning along with a Blackcap fifteen yards to its left. Common Sandpiper over on Kid Brook Spit together with two Little Ringed Plover. Female type Goosander over to the left, asleep on the grass. Around a hundred Sand Martin and House Martin over the Mere prior to most of them departing. Walked across to Dairy House Meadows via Big Wood where at least one Lesser Whitethroat was being very vocal. Two Common Whitethroat also present.

-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Tuesday 1st of May 2018 03:05:38 PM

John Williams · Status: Offline

(25.04.18) 19.00-20.00

2 Arctic Terns on Budworth Mere, also 1f Goosander and 6 Great Crested Grebes.

2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 19 Pied Wagtails and 1 White Wagtail by Kid Brook.

Lots of Swallows and Sand Martins over the mere, plus 1 House Martin.

Brief burst of Lesser Whitethroat song from bushes by the small pond (NW corner of Big Wood}

Paul Flackett · Status: Offline

Friday pm dropped in at Budworth Mere on way back from BMW. I was particularly looking for yellow wags but was destined to be disappointed for the second time this week. However some determined scoping of the far shore around Kid Brook produced Little Ringed Plover and Dunlin as well as the usual Oystercatchers and Curlew. Would have tried for the lesser spot again but someone had nicked the bridge blankstare

John Williams · Status: Offline

10.45-14.00

On the mere : 8 Great Crested Grebes, 35 Tufted Ducks (Mainly in a large single group, lots of displaying going on).

Raven heard calling near the Coward screen. Numerous Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs in song throughout the park.

Lesser Whitethroat singing briefly in the hedge alongside Big Wood, near the marshy area and pond.

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

On my way back from Leighton Moss I had to travel past Marbury CP so I popped in and managed to pick up a couple of good birds that had been found earlier by a couple of local patch 'lads' smile

Best of these was an adult Little Gull, in very near full-summer plumage but just with a few flecks of white in the black hood, not noticeable uless scoped at high mag. This smart bird also had the pink flush that many Little Gulls often do. It was watched coursing up and down Budworth Mere, occasionally alighting on the water. Also present were two Common Terns, one with long tail-streamers that had earlier raised hopes of it being an Arctic Tern, but sadly not. A female Goosander was on the far shore near the spit as well as two Oystercatchers.

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

Popped down pm Mark & the Tawny Owl had shuffled its way back deep into the ivy, only the breast and wing were showing when I first watched it & then by the time Dave H came after I phoned him it was pretty much just a few feathers that we could see. Hope it turns out to be a regular roosting tree smile

Mark Jarrett · Status: Offline

Male Scaup on Budworth Mere this morning with four Goldeneye and a minimum of two Goosander amongst others. Nice to see a roosting Tawny Owl, quite out in the open sunning itself in Big Wood.

Steve Costa · Status: Offline

08:40 - 10:50

Mediterranean Gull - 2 on Budworth Mere

Both adults in immaculate breeding plumage. They were amongst c200 gulls - predominantly black-headed and common gulls (60-70%, the former species), with a few lesser black-backed gulls.

pete berry · Status: Offline

Like Mark I spent a couple of hours with a friend of mine looking for the Hawfinch and we only had one prolonged view of a single bird in the scope plus a couple of birds just in flight.Didn't heard any birds calling all the time we were there either.There were probably about 10 people searching for the birds as well.Last time I went we had 5 or 6 birds on and off most of the time we were there.Whether they've moved on or we just went on a bad day?,be interesting to see what reports come out in the next week or so.

Mark Jarrett · Status: Offline

Spent around two and a half hours this morning doing circuits of the Old Hall/Arboretum area looking for Hawfinch as a friend had come down from Lancashire. Managed to see just the one bird and from speaking to others, it would appear that only a couple of birds have been showing. Spent a while at the slipway looking across to Kid Brook Spit plus further time viewing the flooded fields from the spot where the bridge used to be. Amongst others :-

Hawfinch (1)
Goosander (4)
Goldeneye (5)
Mandarin (1m)
Ruff (1)
Green Sandpiper (1)
Sparrowhawk (1)
Buzzard (2)

Came back later in the day and spent an hour at the screen hoping to see Bittern, without luck.

Ian Chisnall · Status: Offline

That would be wonderful Mark

Thank you for the information

Ian

Mark Jarrett · Status: Offline

Ian Chisnall wrote:

Will these Hawfinches that have come to the UK this winter go back to Europe at the end of winter or can we expect some at least of them to stay and breed?

I would hazard a guess that most will return to the continent Ian. A couple of the Marbury birds have been heard singing (as opposed to calling) and one has been observed pulling moss from a tree and flying off with it. The whole Marbury Country Park, when added to Anderton Nature Park and the Flashes is a huge area and easily capable of supporting a couple of pairs of Hawfinch. There is also a wide range of trees and therefore food. Fingers crossed that one or two stay.

Ian Chisnall · Status: Offline

Will these Hawfinches that have come to the UK this winter go back to Europe at the end of winter or can we expect some at least of them to stay and breed?

Mark Jarrett · Status: Offline

Spent an hour and a half on the slipway, this morning, looking across to Kid Brook Spit, then a further hour or so split between looking for any Hawfinch and hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the two Bittern in Coward Reedbed.

Much of Budworth Mere is still frozen and plenty of birds were congregated around the spit which was ice free. These included 6 Goosander, the odd Wigeon and Teal, good numbers of Tufted Duck, a few Shelduck, Canada Goose and Greylag Goose. Waders were represented by 2 Ruff, 1 Dunlin, 3 Oystercatcher, a few Lapwing and 1 Snipe.

Great Spotted Woodpecker were heard drumming nearby at the edge of Big Wood.

Although a couple of Hawfinch had been seen earlier by a patch birder, I was out of luck after checking the usual spots. I had had 10 on Saturday morning and there were reports of a minimum of 17 yesterday. These charismatic birds have been with us for four months now and surely it wont be long until they disperse.

One of the two Bittern did show briefly.

John Williams · Status: Offline

11.30-15.00

3 Hawfinches showed briefly on top of the big trees behind the picnic tables near the garden centre.

The Bittern had been seen earlier in the morning but stayed hidden whilst I was there.

Lots of Redwings, Fieldfares and Blackbirds were on the fields bordering the NW corner of the park, and also the pasture opposite Big Wood.

Amongst the mixed thrush flock were 4 Mistle Thrushes and 7 Song Thrushes. The thrushes were being closely watched by a Buzzard and a Kestrel.

There was the sad sight of a freshly killed male Blackbirds head on the path indicating predation.

6 Great Crested Grebes were on the mere and a Tawny Owl was calling near the arbitorium.

2 Great Black Backed Gulls were on Kid Brook, whilst on the adjoining meadow were 12 Curlews, 8 Oystercatchers and 12 Wigeon.

Mark Jarrett · Status: Offline

A minimum of nine Hawfinch seen today around the Old Hall site. Two or three others were noted within the arboretum, with another group of four nearby. Most than likely some duplication in numbers.

Richard Thew · Status: Offline

Well, What can I say?, this trip has rendered me speechless!

Last year, I was planning to view the hawfinches at Sizergh castle which took place in November. Though they showed, it was misty and silhouetted and not as good as my lifer view years prior. So rather than going all that way again at dawn in February, I thought I'd try those visitors in Marbury first. This was by far the best decision I made.

I Didn't know what to expect when I arrived at the park. I could hear two Hawfinches calling from a small conifer straight away in the area close and eventually i managed to see one close in full view and it stayed for 2 mins through a gap in the tree. But, nothing could have prepared me for the photographic results as I was impressed that they turned out well as usually shots taken at an awkward angle and through a tiny gap with lots of distractions and objects in the way for the camera ends up with blurry images!

This was a fine example of being in the right spot at the right moment! After which, we only caught glimpses of them.

41 species were seen with 3 others heard (jay, great spotted woodpecker and 3 water rails very close)

Other highlights were; sparrowhawk male, 3 buzzards showing superbly well calling, goldcrest, treecreeper, shelduck, Oystercatcher, goosander, and shoveler.

Ta!

Mark Jarrett · Status: Offline

Around 17 Hawfinch were showing, at times very well, this morning along the western side of the arboretum.

Eric Finch · Status: Offline

5 Hawfinches seen today, but I'm sure there were more to be heard around the Old Hall area. It was great to have prolonged views - the birds' call was quite distinctive and gave them away, but they remained reasonably mobile. I managed a record shot before one of the birds was scared off by an over enthusiastic Jack Russell

Mark Jarrett · Status: Offline

Seven Hawfinch seen this morning in the usual Old Hall area. Sometimes elusive, today they were very active, coming and going over the forty five minutes I was there. On or by the Mere were seventy five Curlew, three Goosander, five Pochard and two Barnacle Goose amongst the usual fayre. One of the patch birders/photographers had an interesting photograph from yesterday showing an extremely small Canada Goose in amongst the flock. Size wise good for Cackling Goose but the bill wasnt stubby at all and just a tiny Canada.

Mark Burgess · Status: Offline

2 Hawfinch seen perched up in trees around the Old hall site, I had 6/7 sightings of Hawfinch in flight and perched up but never more that 2 in view together.
Also
Green Woodpecker calling in the same area
Greenfinch 7 in one flock
And a very unusual sighting of a fly through Kingfisher in a wooded and open area some distance from any water

sid ashton · Status: Offline

Doc Brewster wrote:
Passed on from a Marbury regular:
10 Hawfinch in trees near Rangers Cabins this morning, after 8 (of these) were seen in the car park earlier

Yes Paul amazing I was with the Marbury regular, Dave H when we found the 10 Hawfinch together in one of the bare trees, viewed from the area of the old hall, at 10.20 this morning. They stayed around for a while giving excellent views. Earlier there was a Buzzard feeding on the ground and flitting about near the picnic tables, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel over. The raptors had left when the Hawfinch settled on the tree in the sunshine.

Also a nice surprise for me was a Kingfisher passing the hide overlooking the mere.

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

Passed on from a Marbury regular:

10 Hawfinch in trees near Rangers Cabins this morning, after 8 (of these) were seen in the car park earlier smile

Phil Cunliffe · Status: Offline

Late report for yesterday afternoon: 3 hawfinch flying over (not great views), 4 bullfinch, 1 pochard, numerous tufted duck, 2 nuthatch, 1 goosander, 1 siskin and 1 reed bunting.

Jeff Clarke · Status: Offline

Seven Hawfinch around the area of the old hall at lunch time today.