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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> Cheshire and The Wirral -> Cheshire River Mersey Sites (north of the river)
Post Info TOPIC: Cheshire River Mersey Sites (north of the river)
John O'Neill


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Cheshire River Mersey Sites
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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
Warblers heard /seen : 1 Reed Warbler in canal side reeds, 3 Blackcap, 10plus Chiffchaff including one to and fro from nest with food, 5 Willow Warbler, 6 Cettis Warbler.

A big f Sparrowhawk cruised high over Old Tip area, putting up flocks of finches.



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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
Blackcap 1
Willow Warbler 2
Chiffchaff 4
Cettis Warbler 2
Swallow 1

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
am
Bright sunshine.
An influx of Chiffchaff obvious with easily double numbers singing all over the site.
Great Crested Grebe on River.
4 Mute Swans on canal paired up.



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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
6 Chiffchaff
2 Cettis Warblers
1 Great Crested Grebe on River
1 juv Stonechat

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
At least 4 Chiffchaffs heard
5 Cettis Warblers heard or seen
1 Peregrine drifted over Old Tip area attended by a vigilant but distant Carrion Crow
2 Buzzards
Skylarks singing over fields



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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
2 Chiffchaffs singing were first of year for me.
1 Stonechat
2 Buzzards

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
3 Stonechat
1 Buzzard
2 Oystercatchers in horse fields

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
3 Stonechats active round the middens
2 Buzzards
20 plus Curlew on River

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
1 juv m Stonechat feeding with Dunnocks and Pied Wagtails on middens in horse fields . A different individual than the pair of adults here last week.
2 Cettis Warblers singing

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
pm
Handsome and active pair of Stonechat around the midden heaps in the horse fields.


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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
Pair Bullfinch
3 Cetti's Warblers heard singing

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry-Gatewarth
PM
Single Raven apparently doing a circuit around the site perching up on every pylon as it went , calling repeatedly while perched.
First butterfly of year here for me yesterday, a Peacock.

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
Very strong wind off River. Only raptor seen , a Buzzard, was basically perched under a hedge.
A pristine Icleland Gull was in a large flock of Gulls on Richmod Bank.
Single Great Crested Grebe fishing out in middle of River.
Only one Cettis Warbler singing today

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM

Skylarks singing over fields for first time this year
Min 4 Cettis Warblers heard
1 Raven
2 Linnets
1 f Kestrel



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Dave Riley


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A brief visit to Gatewarth this morning, as we arrived a curlew flew over and an Iceland Gull was on the opposite bank from the Ferry Tavern (thanks to Anthony Brandreth and partner for telling us), many Lapwing on Richmond Bank as well as at least one Redshank. As we returned to our car a Grey Wagtail flew over and when we met Anthony again we found an adult Mediterranean Gull where the Iceland had been previously.

Attached, distant photo of the Med. alongside a Black-headed Gull.

cheers

Dave

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
11am -12noon

2 Ravens horse fields
3 Snipe
2 Buzzards
1 juv m Kestrel being mercilessly bullied by a much larger Carrion Crow, the falcon spiraled higher and higher to escape
1 Stock Dove

High Tide. Cold.

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
1 F Sparrowhawk lowish over Old Tip area putting up small flocks of Linnets
Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming briefly
A Coot was building a nest in canal side reeds ignoring icy water conditions



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John O'Neill


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Sankey Bridges- Gatewarth
AM
2 Ravens over together
1 Cettis Warbler singing in canal reeds

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
PM
1 Cettis Warbler heard singing in canal side reeds
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel


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John O'Neill


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Sankey Bridges-Gatewarth
AM
Magpie watched for a while as it constructed (or repaired?) an impressively sized nest up in a tall canalside tree. Very diligent as it wound long thin twigs in place.
1 Buzzard
2 Kestrels, one being run out of town by a persistent Pied Wagtail


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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
AM
1 Bullfinch
1 Kestrel
Good nos of Gulls and Lapwing and Redshank on River



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John Williams


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Walked from Sankey Bridges to Moore NR (Via Trans Pennine Trail)

4 Meadow Pipits and 1 Reed Bunting seen near Gatewarth Treatment Works.

River Mersey : 1 Grey Heron, 2 Cormorants and 1 Little Grebe.

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John Williams
John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry-Gatewarth
AM
Clear and bright but cold
2 Stonechat (pair) old tip area
2 Stonechat (both ms) in flooded copse at River House. Standing water frozen and the chats joined other birds...Reed Buntings, Pied Wagtails, Blue Tits... feeding on and around icy surface.
1 each of Buzzard and Kestrel



-- Edited by John O'Neill on Monday 25th of January 2021 12:07:47 PM

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
900 - 1000am

1 m Stonechat in scrub by River

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
3pm
F Grey Wagtail bringing a splash of colour in flooded copse around the River House Pumping Station

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John O'Neill


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Fiidlers Ferry - Gatewarth
late AM
c 50 Curlew flying up from fields on opposite side of River down onto the River itself
2 Kestrels
1 Buzzard

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
4 Curlew on River
4 Gadwall on River
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Mixed flocks of Finches and Tits in alders
A few Pink Footed Geese over



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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry
Single Little Grebe diving in the canal by the level crossing.

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
9-10am
Slight fall of snow but warmer than has been, River not iced and Shelduck and Grey Herons , Lapwings and more Gulls were present
4 Bullfinch in hedge along main path

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
9.15 - 10.15 AM
Cold. Canal frozen. Even a bit of ice floating on the River itself.

4 Lesser Redpoll feeding low on alders in copse arounf the River House pumping station.
1 Kestrel

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
1:00 - 2:30pm

Cold, slight drizzle. Very high tide.
Pink Footed Geese - 100s over in skeins of various sizes, some quite low, by far the highest number of this species I have ever seen here.
1 Little Grebe on River, at outflow near Windpump.
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker flying to perch right on top of a tall electricity pylon. Another heard calling.
Several Jays.


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John O'Neill


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Sankey Bridges - Gatewarth
9AM
Flocks of 300 plus Lapwing with few Redshank on sandbanks in River
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker calling in copse near Windpump
Mixed flocks of tits and finches in hedges


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John Williams


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Walked from Penketh Station Road to Sankey Brook via the former Gatewarth tip site. 10.30 - 14.00.

Raptors :- 1 Buzzard and 1 Kestrel.

Richmond Bank (Mersey sand banks) : 1100 Lapwings (Actual count), 6 Shelducks, 10 Cormorants, 1 Grey Heron and 6 Snipe.

Penketh Reach : 2 Stonechats, 10 Bullfinches, 13 Reed Buntings, 6 Redwings, 6 Song Thrushes and 1 Meadow Pipit.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was a surprise find on a sapling by Sankey Brook.

A Cettis Warbler gave a burst of song at one point, and a Raven was heard once too.

The main feature was the abundance of Greenfinches, they were seen all the embankment and appear to be attracted by rose hips.

Goldfinches also numerous here, feeding on the seeds of Common Reed and other plants. Reed Buntings seemed to focus on the

seed heads of Common Reed too. Blackbirds also numerous, with a least one migrant flock around the embankment hawthorns.





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John Williams
John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
A sole Raven accompanied me pretty much all the way round, vocal, continually muttering to itself. First seen flying over old tip area, then perched up on pylon by wind pump, then over horse fields. When over the fields it started to indulge in acrobatic tumblings, climbing high then somersaulting down , wheeling over and over, changing vocalisation to a high shrill cry.

5 Meadow Pipits in small flock in flooded fields.

At least 4 Cettis Warblers singing round site.

50 plus Pink Footed Geese in skein high over.

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
Nice murmuration of Starlings restlessly formation flying over River. 4pm ish. 300 to 400 birds.

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
900-1000 AM
Single Redwing gorging on Haws on a Hawthorn Tree was first I 've seen on site this season
1m Bullfinch
Reed Buntings flitting along main pathside hedge like a flock of winter finches

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
900-1000 AM

Beautiful sunny morning

4 Stonechats inc a nice adult m with Robins and Reed Buntings mobile in hawthorn and reedy scrub on top of River Bank.
1 Buzzard

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
Typical Autumnal scene this morning with purple flush of naturalised Michelmass Daisies on the old tip and Berries, Hawes and Hips red in the hedges.
Lapwing numbers up on the river
Skylarks passing over in 2s and 3s , vocal.

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry -Gatewarth AM
Perfect procession of 2 adult and 8 rapidly whitening piebald young Mute Swans on canal. One of the adults headed the line, the other brought up the rear.
1 Cettis Warbler singing in reeds...weird kind of canaryish twitter rather than full on song.
1 Jay

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth AM
2 seperate family groups of Mute Swans on canal this morning, one with 2 adukts and 7 yiubg the other 2 adukts and 6 young. 3 other adult birds on River.

Cettis Warbler and, less expectedly, 2 Chiffchaff singing in and around hedge on top of Riverbank

Still 2 Swallows in and oit of barns at the Penketh Old Hall Stables.


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John O'Neill


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08/09 AM GATEWARTH
7 young (this year's birds) and 4 adult Mute Swans made an ironically vocal group on the canal.
1 Cetti's Warbler singing
Long loose flock of Long Tailed Tits had a few Blue Tits and Willow Warblers mixed in.

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth 5-630 pm

Large, mobile,vocal flock of adult and juvenile passerines feeding on hawthorn hedge along main path, drinking from muddy puddle as well included a Garden Warbler, a site tick and the tenth warbler species I have seen here, though I have seen them pretty close before.
Other species, in rough order of numbers : Goldfinch, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Robin.

7 near full grown cygnets feeding with both adult Mute Swans on canal.

Reed Warblers still just about singing.

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
Great Spotted Woodpecker om 99% dead Rowan Tree near wind pump

Loose flocks of post breeding passerines in brambles included Blackcap

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
8.00-9.00pm

1 Grasshopper Wabler reeling
2 Little Egrets on River
1 Stock Dove

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
1 m Bullfinch

Signs of the turning of the year, as Spring becomes Summer...plenty of fledged Whitethroats seen. Tiny Toadlets recently emerged. Field Mushrooms out.

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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
830pm
1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling rather half heartedly from grassy scrub and hawthorns on Old Tip area
3 Oystercatchers on River



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John O'Neill


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Gatewarth
early evening
Mute Swan pair at nest. Female sheltering 6 cygnets under wing.
Post breeding flocks of Starlings (40 plus) and Lapwing (30ish) formed

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John O'Neill


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Sankey Bridges
Mute Swan pair on canal have 5 cygnets

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John O'Neill


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Sankey Bridges
nr Sloop Inn
Mute Swan pair here still appear to be on eggs. A Canada Goose getting too close was seen off with extreme prejudice.

Hobby over.

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John O'Neill


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Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
8pm ish
Warblers heard/seen :
1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling
2 Cettis Warblers
Numerous Reed Warblers and Whitethroat
1 Sedge Warbler
2-3 Chiff Chaff
1plus Willow Warbler

Plenty of recently fledged young birds about including a mixed flock of Tits and Finches in trees round Water Compound, where 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were flying to and fro close to last year's nest site. Family party of 4 Whitethroat.3 or 4 young Pied Wagtails were skimming the water at the canal like swallows, catching flies with gusto.

1 Marsh Orchid (not fully flowering, appeared to be Northern Marsh)



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