Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB

Rob Bell · Status: Offline

RE: Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB

PHIL GREENWOOD · Status: Offline

A rather quiet Saturday afternoon visit produced:

Marsh Harrier 1imm.
Hen Harrier 1 ringtail.
Shelducks, 3 Wigeon and 2 Teal.
Linnet 50+.
Grey Partridge 1 heard.

John Lyon · Status: Offline

An excellent day at the Reserve today,

1 Merlin
2 Peregrines
2 Buzzard
1 Ring Tail Hen Harrier
1 Male Marsh Harrier
1 Little Owl amongst hay bales in farmers field
1 Barn Owl
2 kestrels

In hedge row to the right of the carpark, there was a good number of mixed finches moving with Linnets, Chaffinch, Bramling, Reed Buntings spotted and 8-10 Tree Sparrows. No Sign of the Lapland Bunting or any Corn Buntings, but the cold was well setting in by alte afternoon.

Wildfowl was scarce, due to pools still frooze over but the raptors put up Widgeon and Shellduck, Mallard and Redshank was noted as well in the scope at a distance.

Ian Woosey · Status: Offline

2/1/11

A good day on the Ribble Marshes today with Mr Meadows, and for a change, and despite contrary weather predictions it was quite mild(ish) and not too uncomfortable...

First stop, (and only warranting a passing mention here) was two and a half hours spent at a very quiet Marshside, where undoubtably the highlight were two Merlins on Crossens Marsh. Three Black-tailed Godwits and a marauding Great Black-backed Gull were of interest on the reserve.

Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB:

2 Bewick`s Swans were with a herd of at least 40 Whoopers in a field to the East of the carpark.
2 ringtail Hen Harrier
1 fem Marsh Harrier
7+ Brambling
3 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel
Reed Buntings, Redshank, Curlew, Linnets in support..

Smashing

Jonathan Platt · Status: Offline

I've birded Hesketh Out Marsh for several hours on each of the last three days, it's been superb for raptors with six species on Friday and seven on Christmas Day and today. Four (I think!) hen harriers (including an adult male on Fri & Sat), a marsh harrier, at least six merlins today, 6-8 buzzards, sparrowhawks, kestrels (hunting passerines on the marsh like merlins) and a couple of peregrines. A barn owl was flying around on Christmas Day too.

The cover crop and the hawthorn hedge by the car park have been great too, with a flock of 30-40 brambling there on Friday, linnets, tree sparrows, chaffinches, corn and reed buntings and, today, a lapland bunting. I didn't see the lappy today, though we had a calling bird circle the car park on Friday before heading out to the marsh with a passing flock of skylarks.

It's probably the large numbers of skylarks on the marsh that's attracting the concentration of raptors. These will probably disperse if a thaw sets in, so it's worth going soon if you're interested.

Jonathan Platt · Status: Offline

The hawthorn hedge to the north east of the car park held large numbers of passerines this morning. Fieldfare and redwing were utilizing thawed floods by the path to drink and bathe, a flock of mixed finches feeding on the nearby cover crop contained mainly linnets, but also half a dozen brambling, chaffinches, tree sparrows and goldfinches. Reed buntings flitted around the hedgerow and five corn buntings, also in the hawthorns, included a singing male (they do sing in December!).

A ring-tailed hen harrier put in a couple of appearances, a merlin was hunting from a giant straw bale, and kestrel, sparrowhawk and buzzard were also seen. Wildfowl were few and far between as much of the marsh is still frozen, but there were mallard, wigeon and couple of gadwall on ice-free gutters, teal flushed from the open ditch by the sea wall to the north, several groups of whooper swans flighted out from the area at dawn, and always there were pinkfeet lacing the sky. Waders included redshank on the salt marsh, curlew and a few lapwings on adjoining fields, a lone golden plover flew by and we flushed several snipe.

Sean Sweeney · Status: Offline

Popped in to Hesketh Outmarsh on way back from Heysham yesterday, as somebody mentioned that a few Lapland Buntings were in the stubble fields. Unfortunetely there are so many stubble fields there and time was not on my side with darkness approaching fast. A quick stroll along the bank scanning the fields and saltmarsh brought the following, but no Laplands

:

Little Egret 6
Pink-footed Goose 30,000+
Whooper Swan 6
Merlin 1
Grey Partridge 12+
Water Rail 1
Woodcock 2
Snipe 15+
Meadow Pipit 20+
Fieldfare 200+

Missed the Laplands, but there's always next time heh...........

Sean Sweeney · Status: Offline

Got over to Hesketh before dusk and before the fog took over yesterday, just. Had lots of PF Geese towards the outer bank, with some Whooper Swans with them.

Merlin and 1st CY Hen Harrier too, both affording lovely long views at reasonable distances.

Not much else of note before the fog rolled in and I couldn't see a thing. Curlew, Little Egret, Meadow Pipits and a few Fieldfares & Redwings.......... Brambling have been reported over the last week, but couldn't locate any.

Good place to see and hear Barn Owls/Little Owls too, but not for me yesterday evening, but it was very cold and I couldn't hardly see the end of my telescope let alone into fields!?!?

Gary Gorner · Status: Offline

Gary Gorner wrote:

difficult conditions due to the wind but stilll the little egrets and ringed plovers showed well ,along with a greenshank ,dunlin and a very distant female marsh harrier.
Also a group of 6 shelduck came in through one of he chanels.

14 little egrets
17 ringed plover
3 dunlin
1 marsh harrier
6 shellduck
1 greenshank

Gary Gorner · Status: Offline

oops

PHIL GREENWOOD · Status: Offline

RE: Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB

Ian Woosey · Status: Offline

RE: Hesketh Outer Marsh

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

A first visit, for me, to RSPB Hesketh Out Marsh. This afternoon with Wigan RSPB Group.

The reserve now boasts a car park with cycle storage and and a viewing shelter with a bench seat.
On arrival, a Marsh Harrier (f) was circling over the SW corner of the marsh,spooking some Avocets and Little Egrets.
On the tidal mud were 100 Dunlin and 50 Ringed Plover.
We counted at least 15 Little Egrets; there must have been more.
A walk down the footpath on the bank gave better views of a Merlin on a post, as well as Meadow Pipits and an Oystercatcher .
Retuning to the shelter gave a distant view of a Peregrine.
The tide poured in through the channels as Egrets and Herons fished .
Over the west bank the tide put up a very large Lapwing flock and two Kestrels hunted.

-- Edited by keith mills on Saturday 14th of August 2010 09:31:00 PM

Geoff Walton · Status: Offline

We started off here, and had a lovely time following a female hen harrier flying low for 10 mins or so.

Not that many birds about, as the tide was out, and a haze did not help distance viewing.

lapwing
curlew
redshank
tuffties
shelduck
godwit
widgeon
skylark
knot
oystercatcher
little egret

No Eurofighter

sid ashton · Status: Offline

Felt the need of a spot of fresh air today and I certainly found some walking along the sea defence wall at Hesketh Outer Marsh in search of the reported Bewick's Swans - it was extremely fresh. From a birding point of view the new floods were quite disappointing - just a few Shelduck on the lagoon in front of the view point and further along a single Ruff, a couple of Redshank, a Curlew and 5 Mute Swans. There were two Peregrine around and there were great views of the Eurofighter

.

The inland fields were more productive with big numbers of Fieldfare and Golden Plover and a group of 15 Whoopers Swans but sadly no Bewick's.

Geoff Walton · Status: Offline

We three+1 went today, and thought it was/will be a great place. The weather was very kind, and we "did Marshside" as well. Overall saw 41 species.
Loads of Curlew at HOM some snipe,Lapwings and the usual on the water,plus Linnits flying around, with duck et above, not to mention a Nimrod and Eurofighter as well.

On the way back we saw a barn Owl flying low, so stopped, got our bins out, and ran to the field beside the road. It did 6 or so fly-pasts, and settled on two posts as well, so we were well rewarded sfter a great day. It was the nearest any of have been to a BO in the wild

JOHN TYMON · Status: Offline

sid ashton wrote:

JOHN TYMON wrote:

must try agin at low tidemaybe thats the best time to go

John like many of our coastal sites there will be an optimum tide level for watching at Hesketh. You wouldn't for example think of going to Red Rocks or Parkgate on a low tide whereas Leasowe or Caldy may be very good. Low tide may be OK at the new place but no doubt a picture will develop with time.

As an aside I realise that Penny isn't tidal but if you are thinking of going over to the Wirral the following link may be helpful - http://deeestuary.co.uk/place.htm

thanks for that link,im going to give the wirrell a bash this winter

Jimmy Meadows · Status: Offline

Hi Sid
We went yesterday to see what had been done to the area and there was chance to go on a walk and find out more about the reserve that we had heard so much about but did not really know whereabouts it was situated.

It was quite rewarding to see and be informed by Graham Clarkson who took us round and we liked what we saw and heard about the work that had already been done and the potential for the reserve is very good it was just unlucky that the walk we was on was at low tide thats why we did not see many species of birds no other reason.
The birds what we did see was soon spooked as we walked along the flood barrier which we could understand.
It was great watching and listening to the Pink Feet and the Whooper Swans in the fields.

It looks like we will be going again on wed and as it is with birding you never know what will turn up.

Jimmy

sid ashton · Status: Offline

JOHN TYMON wrote:

must try agin at low tidemaybe thats the best time to go

John like many of our coastal sites there will be an optimum tide level for watching at Hesketh. You wouldn't for example think of going to Red Rocks or Parkgate on a low tide whereas Leasowe or Caldy may be very good. Low tide may be OK at the new place but no doubt a picture will develop with time.

As an aside I realise that Penny isn't tidal but if you are thinking of going over to the Wirral the following link may be helpful - http://deeestuary.co.uk/place.htm

JOHN TYMON · Status: Offline

sid ashton wrote:

I fully agree Paul - it looks to be a great place.

must try agin at low tide

maybe thats the best time to go

sid ashton · Status: Offline

I fully agree Paul - it looks to be a great place.

paul brady · Status: Offline

I was there yesterday too - went to the viewing platform a bit later on (just after high tide) and saw plenty of birds:

Ringtail hen harrier (a merlin was reported too)

ringed plover
redshank
greenshank
oystercatcher
culrew

shelduck

pink feet galore
canada geese

whooper swans

meadow pipits
skylarks
pied wagtails

at least 5 little egrets

Not bad for just over an hour or so - it looks promising to me...

-- Edited by paul brady on Sunday 11th of October 2009 09:32:23 AM

JOHN TYMON · Status: Offline

j meadows wrote:

We had a trip out to the new rspb reserve at Hesketh Outer Marsh today had a guided walk with the warden Graham Clarkson
Not many species of birds seen but it was at low tide and will be a lot better at high tide Birds seen
Peregrine,
over 1000 Pink feet who must have got sick of the Helicopter coming off Warton
25 Whoopers
1 Ring Plover
Redshank
Snipe
Wigeon
Teal
2 Little Egret
Skylark singing which must baffle any Skylarks that are migrating over the area,
On the whole it looks to be a good place
Not a place for fair weather Birdwatchers only a platform to look from but it does have a roof on and no doubt in middle of winter when the wind is blowing it will be mighty cold
Cannot wait to go on a winters high tide,
plus we saw no dogwalkers
But missed the Marsh Harrier at Bryn Marsh
Oh well cant have everything

Cheers Jimmy

me and charlie owen went at full high tide the other week,although it was fully in when we got there,and saw nowt but water,it looked like penny flash,without the birds

think that it will take a few years before that reserve is right for watching,at the moment the tide comes in like a bore,and is completely covered before you know it,but it will be a great breeding site in summer for avocet etc,once it settles down,back to saltmarsh

Jimmy Meadows · Status: Offline

Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB