A Sedge Warbler heard from deep cover in brambles , along with same 8 sps as day before, gave the "Full" complement of singing warblers yesterday afternoon, with all 9 that are generally seen here (by me, anyway....I have had Garden W but not regular )
Grasshopper Warbler was by River Bank nr main channel outflow again, reeling in full sunshine.
Gatewarth
4-5 pm
Warbler-tastic this afternoon with 8 species heard or seen (mainly heard)
1 Grasshopper Warbler in reedy scrub right on River edge near main outflow channel
1 Lesser Whitethroat very mobile all along main hedge at top of River bank, as far down as by the WIndpump
Also : Cettis Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Reed Warbler , Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff.
Gatewarth
8.30pm
At least 2 Grasshopper Warblers reeling from Old Tip area
A Whitethroat and "my" Lesser Whitethroat (thanks for the attribution Andy !) singing in same location.
Ruddy Shelduck between Wigg Island and Spike Island.
Very vocal Lesser Whitethroat halfway along the Gatewarth tip path by Richmond Bank (John's bird from yesterday?). Whitethroat, Reed,Sedge, Willow Warblers Blackcap all along Tip or adjacent Sankey Canal.
Gatewarth
8-9pm
No sign of any Grasshopper Warblers but a very accommodating Lesser Whitethroat was showing well as it moved around the hawthorn hedge along the main track . Very vocal.
Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
pm
4 Warbler sps in song round site...Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Cettis
4 Butterfly sps on wing, Brimstone, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Small White
Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth AM 10 plus Chiffchaff, 5 plus Cettis Warblers and 1 Skylark all in song around site A f Sparrowhawk and m Kestrel were up separately, soaring on thermals in warm conditions.
Wondering if its just Moore that seems quiet (more passerines along my road in suburban Appleton that at Moore some days) I decided to park up at Eastford Road, a quick scoot around the east end of Moore, then over to the "Dark Side" via Arply Meadows to Gatewarth to Richmond Bank and back down the canal and back via Arply Meadows.
Nothing out the ordinary at Moore and no Willow Warblers yet but once north the Mersey the passerine density increased rapidly, I reckon a Chiffchaff density on the north side was 1 per 100-150m but 1 per 300m at the East End Moore. Dunnocks and Robins even higher densities.
Goosander on the Mersey by Sankey Bridges and displaying Lapwing on Arply Meadows. Couple of Great Spotted Woodpecker in the memorial wood by Gatewarth sewage works, which was bland of birds, the only duff spot today on the Dark Side.
-- Edited by Andy Slee on Wednesday 26th of March 2025 07:01:27 PM
Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
Pair Goosander on river
3 Meadow Pipits Horse Paddocks
1 f Sparrowhawk near Ferry Pub car park First seen on site for over 12 months
A scope around from the wharf this morning. Less numbers of Shelduck but found a few rafts of Teal tucked into the sand bank. Curlew and Redshank dotted about nothing else of note
The highest number of Shelduck I think I've seen on the intermediate tide from Widnes waterfront. Loads of Canada Geese of similar number to the Shelduck 100-150+ 10+ Redshank 5 or so curlew. Most surprising though was I couldn't see any Teal. Pair of Gadwall on the canal, didn't hear any cettis warblers
1 Kingfisher : River
1 Great Crested Grebe : River
10 plus Golden Plover in with Lapwings : Richmond Bank
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker : Old Tip area
1 Little Grebe : Canal
Snow still on ground. Fields either flooded or frozen over or both.
Pair Stonechat on Old Tip area
Loose flock of Redwing, Fieldfare and Starlings on horse paddocks.
Birds in hedges and trees included Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Reed Buntings.
1 Kingfisher on River (perched on ground at main outflow near Wind Pump)
Mobile flocks of Tits and Finches still have a few Chiffchaff mixed in with them
1 each of Buzzard, Kestrel and Jay.
Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
1 juv m Stonechat by the pub car park
1 M Bullfinch
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Kestrel
Small Flock of Reed Bunting feeding in hedgerows
Same distinctive ad M Marsh Harrier hunting the River banks putting up flocks of Lapwing from Richmond Bank. (Only 50 or so, and no Golden Plover this morning)
6 Snipe flew down onto River
Single Fieldfare over first here this Winter for me
Gatewarth Ad M Marsh Harrier very low over River then moved to quartering the reed bed on opposite bank. Pale individual. 1 Little Egret on River 150 ish Golden Plover with about half that number of Lapwing. 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Jay
-- Edited by John O'Neill on Wednesday 6th of November 2024 07:12:17 PM
Gatewarth
AM
100 plus Pink Footed Geese in an untidy skein moving upriver towards Warrington.
Soon followed by a much larger number moving over towards Moore .
Prob 500 birds in total.
Gatewarth
1 juv Little Grebe on canal
1 Little Egret on River.
Mixed flock of tits and a few young warblers (chiffchaff and/or willow warblers) in hedges.
Juv M Marsh Harrier hunting over fields on far side of River.
2 as Little Grebe with 2 fully grown young on canal.
10or so Swallows, adults and jus, over.
Sankey Bridges - Gatewarth Mute Swan pair at Sankey Bridges had 4 fledged young. The only Swift nest site locally I am aware of, behind the Sloop Inn, also had young birds fledged. Other fledglings on site included Goldfinch, Willow Warblers and/or Chiffchaff , Reed Warblers.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 8th of July 2024 08:41:12 PM
Sankey Bridges - Gatewarth
PM
high tide
1 Common Sandpiper by main outflow channel near wind pump
2 Buzzards
Pair Mute Swans nesting by car park at Sloop Pub