MB

 

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
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


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Cheshire River Mersey Sites
Permalink  

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.

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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



__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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


__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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


__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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



__________________
John Williams


Status: Offline
Posts: 1870
Date:
Permalink  

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.

__________________
John Williams
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
900 - 1000am

1 m Stonechat in scrub by River

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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



__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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.


__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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


__________________
John Williams


Status: Offline
Posts: 1870
Date:
Permalink  

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.





__________________
John Williams
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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.

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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.

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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.


__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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.

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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.

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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

Loose flocks of post breeding passerines in brambles included Blackcap

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
8.00-9.00pm

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

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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.

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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



__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Sankey Bridges
Mute Swan pair on canal have 5 cygnets

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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.

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

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)



__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Fiddlers Ferry
30 plus House Martins zooming round pub garden and canal , 1 or 2 Swallows also here.

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Gatewarth
Lesser Whitethroat still present
Mute Swans nesting in canal side reeds
Numerous broods of Coot swimming around

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Sun26/04/20
Gatewarth
No sign of Cuckoo during afternoon walk
Lesser Whitethroat singing from thick scrub above River bank

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Gatewarth
Earlier start for my hour long allowed walk
9-10 AM ish

Grasshopper Warblers much in evidence, at least 6 birds heard/seen
Whitethroats also obvious at least 4 mainly in song flight
1st Sedge warblers of year here 2 in song flight
Reed Warblers in big nos sining from canal side reeds
At least 4 Cettis Warblers

Best of all A Cuckoo calling repeatedly from far side of River and seen briefly in flight distantly.. First recorded here for at least 4 years

Only 1 Swallow.

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Gatewarth 2.30-3.30 pm
Lesser Whitethroat , very vocal and mobile bird calling and singing seen and heard.
At one point, as it moved along the main hedge along the track close to the River, Lesser Whitethroat, Grasshopper Warbler and Cettis Warbler all audible together.

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Gatewarth
Identical walk to yesterday but fewer warblers heard, no Grasshopper Warblers nor Blackcaps nor Whitethroats heard or seen this morning.
Close views of Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff and Cettis Warbler some consolation.

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Gatewarth
Not managed to get down here for a few days and very noticeable increase in warblers present
2 Whitethroat seen
Heard :
at least 2 Grasshopper Warbler
at least 2 Cettis Warbler
2 Blackcap
3 plus Reed Warbler
numerous Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler

fisrt Swallow of Spring for me at Old Hall Stables

__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Gatewarth 7 April pm
at least 6 Willow Warblers singing
2 Blackcaps
Numerous Chiffchaff


__________________
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Gatewarth
Close enough for me to walk to as permitted exercise

Little Grebes still present, hopefully breeding
Single Raven low over mobbed by Crows

First Willow Warbler of Spring
10plus Chiffchaff
2 Cettis Warbler





__________________
John Williams


Status: Offline
Posts: 1870
Date:
Permalink  

Exercise walk along Sankey Valley Trail, Callands to Gatewarth & return. From 10.00am.

Sankey Valley Park : 2 Grey Herons (1 seen carrying sticks towards Gullivers World Theme Park)

A pair of Gadwall with Mallards on the St Helens Canal. 1pr of Mistle Thrushes.

Gatewarth former landfill and adjacent River Mersey : 2 Redwings, 1 Redshank, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Buzzards, 2 Ravens,

1 Great Crested Grebe and 14 Teal. In total of 8 singing Chiffchaffs were recorded throughout the walk.



__________________
John Williams
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Gatewarth
23/03 5.00pmish

2 Chiffchaff and also 2 Cetti's Warblers heard
1 Buzzard
a very active and vocal pair of Little Grebes in the reeds on the canal was an unusual sighting here
Great Spotted Woodpeckers round last year's nest site



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 24th of March 2020 06:41:26 AM

__________________
John Williams


Status: Offline
Posts: 1870
Date:
Permalink  

09.00-11.30

Gatewarth Former Tip Site :

2 Linnets, 2 Reed Buntings, 1 Sparrrowhawk, 2 Buzzards, 2 singing male Greenfinches and 2 singing Chiffchaffs.

River Mersey (Richmond Bank) :

6 Cormorants, a large gathering of Lesser Black Back, Herring and Black Headed Gulls and 1 adult Great Black Back.



__________________
John Williams
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Gatewarth
at least 4 Chiffchaffs heard and/or seen
1 Cettis Warbler singing, full porolonged song



__________________
John Williams


Status: Offline
Posts: 1870
Date:
Permalink  

Walk through Sankey Valley Park to Gatewarth/Richmond Bank (PM)

Sankey Valley Park : 2 Grey Herons, 1 singing Chiffchaff and a pair of Mistle Thrushes.

Gatewarth/Richmond Bank : 34 Black Tailed Godwits, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Buzzard and 2 Common Gulls.
Cettis Warbler heard only.
Former landfill : 3 Reed Buntings and 1 Meadow Pipit.





-- Edited by John Williams on Tuesday 17th of March 2020 11:06:48 PM

-- Edited by John Williams on Tuesday 17th of March 2020 11:10:30 PM

__________________
John Williams
John O'Neill


Status: Offline
Posts: 877
Date:
Permalink  

Fiddlers Ferry
good nos f Fieldfre feeding in roadside fields with Starlings
Gatewarth
pr Bullfinch
1 Cettis Warbler heard singing

__________________
«First  <  1 2 3 4 5 6 … 14  >  Last»  | Page of 14  sorted by
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> Cheshire and The Wirral -> Cheshire River Mersey Sites (north of the river)

RODIS

 

This forum is dedicated to the memory of Eva Janice McKerchar.