A stroll from the Fiddle i' the Bag produced 2 Banded Demoiselles at Causey Bridge, unfortunately the hoped for Kingfishes didn't show (thanks to Brian Baird for the info), 3 Yellowhammers were singing in the fields towards Farmers Lane with another along Hall Lane, a juvenile Yellow Wagtail also showed very well here.
A walk from the community centre today, 8 Wheatears seen in a field adjacent to Clay Lane with a further 2 in horse paddocks near Farmers Lane also 1 Yellow Wagtail in fields Tan House Lane and Old Alder Lane
Walk from Causey Bridge to Sankey Canal ( Red House Farm) & back via Fiddle pub and Alder Lane.
5 Lapwings and a pair of Oystercatchers on newly sown fields. 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Reed Buntings, 10 Yellowhammers (most near Causey Bridges farm).
Near Red House Farm 40+ Swallows and a single House Martin swooping low mainly along the Sankey Canal.
The flooded paddock opposite as now largely dried up, sadly no waders around just a Moorhen and 4 Mallard on the remaining pool.
The dry paddocks nearby though held a flock of 40 Fieldfares, 4 Mistle Thrushes and 5 Wheatears.
There was a steady south bound passage of adult Lesser Black Back and Herring Gulls throughout, some of which chased the swooping Swallows at Red House Farm.
Although the impression I got was that it was just for fun, maybe they did it to impress, they certainly did'nt catch one?.
Near Causey Bridges farm were 4 Collared Doves and a single Buzzard.
Had a quick stroll from the Fiddle i' the Bag late afternoon and along the St. Helens Canal, saw my first Sand Martins (7) and Swallows (4) of the year, also 20 Redwings, 1 Fieldfare and 4 Yellowhammers.
Been watching that pool/flood as I've driven past for ages and wondering when it would attract something other than Mallard, Moorhen and the odd Teal :)
At least 250 Fieldfare were in the field east of Clay Lane this afternoon with 48 Lapwings and approx 50 Starlings. Never seen so many, it seemed like the ground was moving as I watched them. A Brown Hare scampering across the field and two Buzzards circling overhead added to the scene.
Large flock of approx 30 Fieldfare with a smaller number of Redwing in the field between Clay lane and Joy Lane, Burtonwood, plus a single Red-legged Partridge in the same field.
35 Golden Plover in one of the ploughed fields along Alder Lane this morning, with 2 Lapwings and 3 Common Gulls. The horse paddocks nearby, at Old Alder Lane had a mixed flock of around 40 Fieldfares with a few Redwings plus another flock of at least 20 Meadow Pipits with Corn Buntings, Skylarks, Starlings and Pied Wagtails all busy feeding.
Another merlin today might have been the same bird I saw the other week. Flew low accross the road in front of my car on the bridge on alder lane approaching the fiddle.
Amazing thing happened today at midday driving past the hospital towards burtonwood a merlin flew alongside my car in the field for about hundred yards then landed on a fence post. It was yards from me all the time and a perfect view of a merlin the difference between it and a kestrel was totally obvious.
Well done for finding these in such good numbers. It's obviously a very under watched / reported area. Just wondered though, if the Tree Sparrows had followed you from Waterworks Lane, Winwick looking for a freebie.
Cheers Brian
-- Edited by Brian Baird on Sunday 27th of January 2013 02:22:44 PM
A walk along a couple of the footpaths this morning in the pleasant conditions revealed:-
7 Skylark 4 Meadow Pipit 7 Robin 4 Collared Dove 4 Jay 8 Crow 2 Blackbird 2 Chaffinch 4 Blue Tit 1 Dunnock 1 Gt. Tit 23 Starling 80+ Herring Gull 13 Lesser Black-backed Gull 39 Jackdaw 10+ Magpie 100+ Woodpigeon 2 Buzzard plus a Speckled Wood and a Red Admiral active in the sunshine.
A Kingfisher flew up Sankey Brook towards Causey Bridges Farm this afternoon from underneath the M62 at Gemini, whilst I was admiring two Banded Demoiselle dragonflies at the under pass by Harveys Furniture depot. Two Grey Wagtail were here last week but not today.
I followed the footpath to the farm and found three more male Demoiselles fluttering above the Brook at Causey West Bridge (north side) on old Alder Lane.
Also had good views of a Buzzard circling and calling over the fields here.
Three excellent ales this evening, I only had the RS Mexico (Cottage Brewery) after the initial samples, the food also excellent. It's always well worth checking out the paddocks for finches and wagtails, while Yellowhammers are also regular around there.
Good real ale in the fiddle plus you can go birding without leaving your seat in the beer garden. Its gets no better than that plus the landlord lets you try the ales before you buy.
150+ Linnets, 20+ Goldfinches, 20+ Greenfinches, 8 Pied Wagtails and 1 juvenile Yellow Wagtail in the horse paddocks opposite Fiddle I'th Bag at about 10.30 am, second field back from Alder Lane.
A female Wheatear in the fields here this afternoon as I walked along the footpaths, north of the M62, and along Old Alder Lane to Causey Bridges. Also seen on a cold and windy day - Lapwing 4 Skylark 1 Meadow Pipit 4 Wood Pigeon 20+ Buzzard 1 Goldfinch 2 Mistle Thrush 1 Starling 6 Collared Dove 2 Mallard 2 Herring Gull 10 Carrion Crow 4 Magpie 6 Blue Tit 2 Kestrel 1