Seven Ring-necked Parakeets resplendent in the autumnal morning sun along the Bridgewater Canal in Stockton Heath this morning, seem to be roosting around here most nights now.
Late morning 7 Pink-footed Geese over worksite in East Warrington, heading East. Workmates looking madly at me as I pointed at them and tried to explain a "sign of autumn" as we were working outside sweating our proverbials off in a number of layers of PPE in 28C heat!
Four Redwing as I drove through Birchwood Park on the way home.
Quick visit to Moore and there were still two Chiffchaff singing away at the Eastern Reedbed.
At home four Ring-necked Parakeets on the neighbours Orchard in North Appleton.
North Appleton. After the rain stopped the best flock I have ever had of tits and passerines moved through the trees in my garden. I must have missed a few as I was working away and then only when I sensed many more birds at one time than usual (five or six in view is a good count) did I start watching in earnest.
In total 17 Blue Tit - nine Juv; four Coal Tit, three Juv; 11 Long-tailed Tit, eight Juv; Treecreeper (1st garden bird since Christmas Day 2019); three Goldcrest; two Chiffchaff; four Great Tit.
Popping out to see anything else was about three Ring-necked Parakeets were in next door Orchard and five Swift flew over. Dunnock calling from the hedge and Starlings gathering on the wires.
-- Edited by Andy Slee on Monday 14th of August 2023 06:36:29 PM
2 p.m. just before the weather front came through a few small groups (5-7) of Swifts were over the general area of the Bridgewater Canal in North Appleton, probably 60 or so in total in 10 minutes, most circling and climbing until a Hobby (viewed from kitchen window = house / garden tick) heading SW/W scattered the remaining few. Seen very few Hobby this year......the cold wet weather not been great for their food sources?
Strangely warrington Town centre were we live the local pair of Buzzards predate the factory roof LBB Gull colony off Dallam Lane and constantly fly over carrying young gulls .
100+ redwing, 30 + Fieldfare around St Paul Court churchyard on Bewsey Road Central Warrington today feeding on any tree that had Berries no Waxwing in normal areas central Warrington, very few Berries left.
Grey Wagtail back in the garden everyday feeding on mealworms about the 5th year running this bird has wintered with us , also yesterday Amazingly a Grey Heron sat by our pond at lunchtime in a normal garden on an estate in Central Warrington.
374 Pink-footed Geese came from the direction of the centre of town and passed over my Garden in North Appleton, before turning to follow the Bridgewater Canal West at 13:15.
One of the biggest flocks of Pink footed Geese I've ever seen over our garden in central Warrington has just gone over all going NE it took a good 5 mins for them to go over .
Pink Footed Geese - 3500+ in one continuous Flock NE 18.10pm
Constant movement South this afternoon over the garden of Swallows heading for Africa for the winter,probably 2000 + in 2 hours intermingled with a few hundred House Martins ,looks like Winter is just round the corner and I expect the first Winter Thrushes to arrive in the next week or so .
SE Warrington after the rain early morn I was washing up / cooking at my kitchen window. Between 5:50am and 6:30am 80+ Swallows flew South often stopping circling over the canal before moving on. Best house window VisMig I've seen since the big fall of Redwing last autumn.
340ish mostly Black-headed but also some (25ish) Lesser Black-backed Gulls a couple hundred feet high in a tight defined "column" in the air over the wasteland at the East end of the A574 Birchwood Expressway. 5 - 10 Gulls arriving every minute from the South East direction (Woolston Eyes direction). At a guess feeding on flying ants?
Over Grey Mist Mere this afternoon one Great White Egret flying north, then just before the rain at least 30 Sand Martin over the mere and they stayed until at least 18.20
Pair of Shoveler on Whittle Hall Duck pond Great Sankey which seemed unusual for the middle of a housing estate although I've seen Pochard, Tufted Duck and Gadwall on there in the past.