Birkdale Saltmarsh and Sea Buckthorn thickets. Afternoon visit

Skylarks are still reasonably abundant here thankfully, as they appear to be in decline almost everywhere else.

Meadow Pipits did not seem as numerous as I've noted on previous visits though.

At least 10 Little Egrets were seen along the edge of the beach/saltmarsh.

Also seen were 5 Reed Buntings and 3 Kestrels, whilst a Cettis Warbler gave a loud burst of song from a patch of Sea Buckthorn.

I was hoping a Sedge Warbler would show today and pose for a photo, but they all stayed hidden unfortunately.

A nice selection of mini-beasts were to be found though, please see separate thread.

Birkdale beach & saltmarsh 10.30-14.30

Waders along the edge of the saltmarsh at high tide : Grey Plover (100+), Dunlin, Knot, Bar-Tailed Godwits, Sanderlings,

Turnstones and Oystercatchers. Just a few Redshanks were seen though, and oddly I couldn't find any Ringed Plovers,

but perhaps they were concentrated further along the shore?. At least 18 Common Scoters were noted close into the

shoreline, with the drakes aggressively chasing each other around. Large numbers of resplendent adult Common Gulls

were resting on the beach, whilst amongst the other gulls was a single adult Yellow Legged. Skylarks were very active

across the saltmarsh with numerous birds engaged in song flights, only around a dozen Meadow Pipits were seen though,

with just 3 seen indulging in parachute displays. A flock of 6 Long-Tailed Tits flitted around the Sea Buckthorn thicket.

Oddly just 1 Reed Bunting was noted around the saltmarsh. 3 Little Egrets were along the edge of the marsh.

09.00-13.00

Walk from Weld Road (Southport) to Ainsdale Beach and back. Out via the beach and back along the path through the slacks/dunes.

40+ Sandwich Terns rested on the beach amongst the gulls. Some terns were seen to display.

4 Sedge Warblers singing and showing well in the scrub area at the edge of the beach.

3 Willow Warblers singing and posing on the thickets of Sea Buckthorn.

Around 50 Cormorants resting on the beach, some carrying sticks or with their beaks crammed full of dead vegetation, can't think why they'd do that here?.

Skylarks and Reed Buntings abound in the slacks and along the edge of the beach, Meadow Pipits slightly less numerous, and Starlings seemed confined

to the area around Weld Road.

Also seen in the area were 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel and 10 Great Black Backed Gulls.

Yesterday news broke of a Dusky Warbler at Ainsdale NR but seeing as how I hadn't been on my Newchurch Partch for over 2 weeks I couldn't drag myself away from Cheshire to try for it. Having seen several Dusky Warblers in the UK, including one just last year and one in the NW region before too this wasn't a priority but would be nice to see. So this morning I waited on news and then when it was reported I headed off on the 50ml journey to try to see it.With typical clear Sunday roads I was on site in well under 50mins and parked up as directed, joining another couple of birders I know to walk on to try to locate where the bird was being seen.

Then the hard bit! We wandered into the dunes trying to make sense of directions given, especially as this mornings report was in a different area to where the bird was yesterday! All the birders we met were leaving with news of no sightings, they even doubted the first report as it was a brief heard-only single person report. Still I'd come all this way so may as well stick at it. We wandered a bit aimlessly in the general area until news did come through of it being seen a few minutes ago close to the seaward side of the dunes. Being adjacent to a direct path to the sea we headed up there with additional birders who we'd picked up on the way!! Soon we saw a group of birders all looking at one small bush and we knew we were in the correct place. Joining them within a few minutes the bird was seen in flight moving to another bush and then I saw it tail end on dive deeper into cover. I'd now seen it but would have liked a better view really!

The bird then stayed deep in cover for a relatively long time and I reassesssed my tactics. One birder was at the far side of the bush from me whilst I was with a dozen up on a dune looking down onto the bush. My feelings were that I would see better from the lone birders position so I skirted round the bush at a distance and joined him. In the end our positioning paid off when we heard and then saw the bird make a short feeding sortie low down in front of us. Something no-one could see from the dune top. But still not great views. Just 5 minutes later the Dusky Warbler appeared right out in the open on our side of the bush, showing superbly well in the sunshine. Again on-one else could see it but we gestured to let all others know that it was on show. Then after showing for around 5mins in the open it called and flew again, to another bush. It was relocated easily and showed well for all in this bush, always a tiny bit in cover, and moving about, but nonetheless fabulous views, just not as good as our previous ones of the bird right out in the open and perched up for a long time!

Also just behind where we were standing a Long-eared Owl was flushed and flew low through the dunes. Flushed by birders arriving to look for the Dusky, not their fault as they had no idea it was there. That made it a great day out, but a sting was in its tail. Walking back I jumped down a dune face, only a short distance, but as I landed one lens from my specs shot out & landed on the sand in front of me! I picked it up & checked my specs, the screw holding the lens in was gone so the lens wouldn't now stay in, and I had 50 miles to drive back home - one-eyed at this rate Getting back to my car I was still wondering what to do, when a resident from the road I'd parked on popped out & asked if I'd had a good walk. I explained my dilemma and he invited me into his house where we mended my specs with sticky tape. So looking like Jack Duckworth from Corrie I managed to get home OK after quite an eventful trip.

Paul Richardson wrote:

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 one juvenile Albino probably same as seen in N Wales in July (Thanks John Tymon for help with this one!)

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 Possibly from a colour ringing project in north-east Scotland by Grampian Ringing Group (light green three letter ring?), with a very similar bird seen in Angus during mid-July.

11.30-16.00

Birkdale Beach and Saltmarsh

17 Bar Tailed Godwits, 4 Grey Plovers, 10 Curlews, 40+ Oystercatchers, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kestrel, 1 Skylark, 3 Linnets and 5 Reed Buntings.

Small groups of Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Sanderlings were along the beach. A trickle of Swifts and Swallows were drifting South across the saltmarsh.

4 or 5 Swallows, perhaps local birds. patrolled the beach occasionally landing and resting on the sand, behaviour I have not witnessed before.

There was nothing rare seen amongst the gulls on the beach, although 15 Common Gulls were with the Herring, Lesser Black Backed and Black Headed.

15.00 hrs. Thurs 5th Jan.

With Ian Lyth and Paul Greenall.

BIRKDALE VILLAGE ...... Daisy Way off Moss Road.

Cattle Egret. 4.

We had been told that they had been feeding in a field on Moss Rd and after a good scout round thought that we had dipped.
Walking back to the car Paul G noticed another field at the end of a small cul-de-sac, Daisy Way.
We had a peep over the hedge to find all 4 feeding about 20 yds away.

Roger.




-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Thursday 5th of January 2017 09:04:12 PM

Yesterday

In the dunes and marsh- Meadow Pipits, Jack Snipe, heard Green Woodpecker, Water Rail,

Beach Bar Tailed Godwits dunlin Curlew, Sanderling Knot, Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Grey Heron, Common Scoter,

Plants still flowering Yellow Wort, Grass of Parnassus, Water Mint

-- Edited by Ian Boote on Sunday 9th of October 2016 02:51:30 PM

Sunday 22nd May.
Late afternoon visit with Steve Burke.

No sign anywhere of the Caspian Gull, and we covered a fair size area too!

- Little Tern 1 fairly close to us near the tide line
- Sanderling c20-30 zipping along the tide line
- Common Gulls plenty around
- Little Egret 1 feeding in one of the channels on the beach

A few deliveries in Ormskirk and Southport today meant I had a chance to catch up with the 2nd winter Caspian Gull on a gale blown Ainsdale beach.

Not seen it since August last year and again it was showing really well, sat right infront of me then flying over to the burger van then back again. A belting bird, but looks like it did indeed lose a leg as I suspected it would if the entanglement wasn't able to be sorted. What a shame.

Usual Gulls around too including Herring, Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed.
Thought I saw a Tern too out over the sea but with the viscious wind my eyes were streaming and I lost it over the choppy waves so I wasn't 100% sure.

(Add an hour to the image times as I forgot to alter my camera time yesterday)

sid ashton wrote:

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Rob Creek wrote:

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Pete Welch wrote:

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Went looking for Northern Lights last night and tried from Ainsdale Beach - no luck with the aurora but had a Barn Owl fly past along the edge of the dunes in the headlights. Also reported the tangled Caspian Gull to the RSPCA just in case they have time to try and catch it/help.

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Hi Pete,
I was going to ask during last week if there was any update with the Gull as it seems you saw it tangled last Monday. I wondered if they'd been to assess it.
Cheers

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Rob the wardens are looking at finding a way to address the problem so hopefully they will come up with something.

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Thanks for the update Sid - hopefully it wouldn't take a full canon netting!

Pete Welch wrote:

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Went looking for Northern Lights last night and tried from Ainsdale Beach - no luck with the aurora but had a Barn Owl fly past along the edge of the dunes in the headlights. Also reported the tangled Caspian Gull to the RSPCA just in case they have time to try and catch it/help.

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Hi Pete,
I was going to ask during last week if there was any update with the Gull as it seems you saw it tangled last Monday. I wondered if they'd been to assess it.
Cheers

Another day along the Ribble Tideline at High tide the second time this week in Glorious Sunshine (Never trust the weather reports that forecast nowt but rain) only me on 4 mile of beach :) and I saw-
Knot-30000+
Dunlin-c5000
Oystercatcher-c5000
Bar Tailed Godwit- c100
Grey Plover- c100
Sanderling-c3000
Sandwich Tern-50+
Turnstone-10
Cormorant 50+
Wheatear-4
Swallows- plenty through
Merlin- 1 female

Marshside RSPB
Very Little of note.
I can never fathom why people sit in the Sand grounders hide all day staring at very little when there's a high tide 9.5 metres today when just a mile down the road theres 50000 waders on the beach at high tide with just a short walk to see them.

Hiya Marc,

Last time it was reported was Weds 26th.

Had a good scout round for it on Thursday evening but no joy ... the only white headed juvenile gull that we could find was a monster Great black-backed gull ripping a bin-liner to bits.

Sandwich Terns and Sanderling on the shoreline.

Roger.

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Saturday 29th of August 2015 11:13:02 PM

Caspian gull on beach at Ainsdale at waters edge. Directly in front of the lifeguard station.

Also upto 200 mixed juvenile and adult Sandwich Terns on the beach, spectacular sight.

Also forgot to add a recently dead Porpoise on the beach. It had hardly been touched by the gulls, a Great Black-Backed Gull was having a go at it but gave up. Photographed it for my records, if anyone wants a copy for id purposes please let me know. It was still bleeding so must have been recently deceased and had a significant gash across its head.

Phil

-- Edited by Phil Hampson on Tuesday 25th of August 2015 02:11:33 PM

-- Edited by Phil Hampson on Tuesday 25th of August 2015 04:48:15 PM

Simon Gough wrote:

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The photography debate will run and run anyway...

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On the discussion forum if it does please folks...

Saturday 22nd August

Afternoon visit with Steve Burke to see the Caspian Gull...a Lifer for me and well worth the visit.
A fantastic looking bird with its clean white head, long bill, black beady eye, and long pink legs. We located it fairly quickly and noticed 3 or 4 other birders were walking over towards it. Not content with how close they were, the bird was scared off further down the beach and unbelievably the same thing happened again, and again!
I looked at Steve and said "What's their game?"
In the end, my blood was boiling and the Gull must've had enough too because it flew off and relocated right over by the tide line.
Steve and I had a walk over and easily found it again where we watched it for about 20 mins without it barely moving except for kids and beach strollers, where it simply just lifted its wings and drifted a few feet out of their path, not scared off as such!
Big lenses and throwing bread prevailed before long and the Caspian Gull flew off back over towards the top of the beach, at which point, we gave up and did a sea watch.

Other birds around the beach...
- Sandwich Tern - massive flock on the beach, estimate minimum 250, sometimes put up in the air swirling around almost Wader-like from a distance, more out to sea, more mixed in with the Gulls
- Great Black-backed Gull - 2 adults and 1 huge juvenile that dwarved virtually all else
- Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- Herring Gulls
- Black-headed Gulls
- Common Gull - I only saw 2, think Steve picked up on a few more
(Some of the Gulls were swarming in big numbers over the dunes presumably feeding on the abundant flying insects)
- Golden Plover flock
- Dunlin flock with some Sanderling

Out to sea...
- Common Scoter - unable to put a number to, they were everywhere, high 100's???
- Gannet - adults and juveniles around, probably 10+
- Cormorant - quite a few around
- Manx Shearwater - 1 following the horizon towards the rig


Simon Gough and Chris Chandler joined us later and caught up with the Caspian Gull, needless to say with the same birders around it trying to get the perfect photo. Apparently 1 birder was heard saying they were trying to get it to fly, and I think Simon was on the verge of saying something to them.
Brilliant bird sightings, shame they were overshadowed!

Weld Road and beach produced
Twite ( inc 100+ opposite marine Lake)
Stonechat
3 Jack Snipe
Common Snipe
Red Throated Diver
3 Common Eider (all Drakes)
Common Scoter
Bar-tailed Godwits, Oystercatchers, Dunlin, Sanderling ( in good numbers )
Peregrine - taking a small Wader and then plucking it on the beach
27 Little Grebes on the marine lake
30 plus Golden Plover (opposite. Marine lake)

Just to add to Johns tally, i saw 2 Twite

WEBs again this morning

1000+ Sanderling
91 Dunlin
10 Red Throated Divers
4 Gannet
Common Scoter
Grey Plover
91 White Wagtail
9 Ringed Plover
1 Bar-Tailed Godwit
120+ Cormorant
6 Wheatear
Reed Warbler
10+ Swallows
2 Sand Martin
Plenty of Reed Buntings, Skylarks and a handful of Meadow Pipits

-- Edited by Jon Bowen on Sunday 27th of April 2014 04:49:36 PM

Ainsdale boating lake

Razorbill and Kittiwake.

Thanks Paul, I'll take a look next time I'm on Facebook. The Mersey Birders site was a good one too, especially with regards to gulls.

Thanks Nick, I check John Dempsey's blog regularly, it makes great reading.
I rarely venture to the Sefton Coast, but those recent sightings of Yellow Browed Warblers turning up in almost every coastal tit flock just proved too tempting.
Now I wished I'd checked out the extensive areas of Sea Buckthorn at the Weld Road end, but you wellies there, its largely swamp.

Probably right Paul, I know this small lake as produced a few rare duck sightings over the years.

The area of scrub just inland of the Coastal Road, and North of Shore Road looks good too, I just had a glance at it and it appears to have lots of Sea Buckthorn etc.

The dunes are brilliant for botanists, and those lucky enough to catch site of a lizard, there great for insects too.

Passerine wise though, the areas of Marram Grass seem just to produce just Meadow Pipits, that flush just before you stand on them, with Goldfinches on the thistles.

The more mature dunes are open heath, possibly a good place to look for Richards Pipits, but with very few bushes, so there are no tit flocks or garden birds.

I know the beach sometimes holds Lapland and Snow Buntings, Wheatears and migrant wagtails, but it's also popular with dog walkers and kite flyers, especially at weekends.

The area close to Ainsdale Forest looks good though, with some chunky Hawthorne thickets bordering the pines.

I was quite happy with watching the fox hunting voles though, it was it great condition, quite small so perhaps one this years youngsters, and was just about 20 feet away.

I set out to perhaps find a Yellow Browed Warbler from the recent influx, I just picked the wrong habitat, so perhaps I'll try Birkdale next year?.