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
Gatewarth
yesterday pm
Warbler sps for year here reached eight with several Whitethroat singing from bushes on grassed over tip area.
Numbers of Reed Warblers and Blackcap into double figures. Six m Blackcaps all together in one of the taller willows seemingly vying for the tree as their territory, all singing and chasing others off.
First Swallow of year
Lesser |whitethroat still present, singing a lot more and moving up and down the main hawthorn hedge at top of riverbank. Hopefully settling up territory.
Fiddler's Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
Not been able to get down here for a while so, despite typical Spring conditions (Hail, Rain, Wind) not surprising that the number of warblers seen / heard were up on previous visit...
1 Reed Warbler
1 Lesser Whitethroat
4 or 5 Willow Warblers
At least 10 Chiffchaff
4 Cetti's Warblers
Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
20 plus Golden Plover on River
A few Curlew on far side fields
1 Kestrel hunting. The only raptor present despite high tide.
Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
Bit of a Red Letter Day as the last of the paths still closed for the now completed works was finally re-opened. Access to the site now unrestricted.
4 Little Grebes together on canal (2ad 2 juv)
1 Kestrel
1 Jay
Relatively large loose flock of finches along hedges, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch 100 plus birds.
I have added a post onto the Richmond Bank thread as you can get down to the river and get good views over the bank now the filter station works have finished.
Fiddlers Ferry- Gatewarth
PM
F Grey Wagtail at horse paddock midden piles. Looking beautiful in bright Winter sunshine. (The wagtail...not the middens.)
Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
Early PM
Scattering of snow on ground. Standing water and most of canal iced over.
3 or 4 Siskins in canalside alders.
Great Spotted Woodpecker calling nearby
2 Little Grebe on canal
1 Kestrel hunting over the area where work recently finished.
Small numbers of Fieldfare over
2 Buzzards hunting in tandem on far bank putting up flocks of Curlew (30plus birds) and smaller numbers of Lapwing.