A late post for SUNDAY 7th JAN 2024:

Having one day off work over the longer weekend period as usual I headed out for a day put on the Lancashire coast but a message on my phone soon had me racing back at 'breakneck' speed 

My other main Newchurch Common Patcher messaged me to say that he thought he'd found a very good bird on patch but being one that he'd never seen before he didn't want it broadcasting and would wait on patch for me to arrive. I set the SatNav for fastest route and pushed the speed limits to the max to get back, which I did but it took an hour so it was squeaky bum time as to whether the bird was still present. A quick call confirmed it was still there so I headed down the main track, half yomping half running! Arriving at 'Tony's Peg' on Big Pool I was met with a smile and the news that it was still there. Withing 5 seconds I was looking at a beautiful pristine drake Smew!

The bird was straight out from the middle peg but within 30secs it flew back to where I was told it was spending most time, tucked under the bankside vegetation in West Bay. I set my scope up to try to get some record digiscoped shots but due to distance and light I failed miserably. One shot proves what it was but that's all! A party of fishermen then arrived to use the pegs so the next 10mins was spent doing PR pending putting the news out as I knew there would be lots of birders coming to see it. I also watched in hope that it would come a bit closer for better pictures. But then, only 15mins after I had arrived the bird took flight, climbed higher and higher whilst circling over Big Pool and flew out of sight to the east. We quickly headed over to the east of the pool and searched all the bays, but as we feared the bird was nowhere to be seen. We searched in failing light and in the end had to conclude that it had flown off from the pools. As it headed east then Lapwing Hall Pool must be a good bet for it to turn up next, possibly being the bird seen there over the past few years. I had managed to get the bird by the skin of my teeth but sadly it looks like other than we two patchers and 2 fishermen that no-one else would see it at Newchurch. I put the news out retrospectively on our Cheshire WhatsApp group and a couple of folk from that said that they would check this morning, but no news so far is ominous. Other than the drake Smew there were 2 drake Goosanders of note on Big Pool, but surprisingly a very small gull roost.

A full day on my patch, a lovely sunny morning and an overcast mild afternoon.

A total of 4 Goosander were seen with 2 drakes on Big Pool and a pair on Lymm Vale Pool. Nothing else out of the ordinary in the duck line. There were 4 Little Grebes, 3 on Small Pool and 1 on Big Pool. Just 3 Cormorants were seen,  2 on Big Pool and one over the mosses. A Grey Heron was by Big Pool for a short while. A brief snipe count revealed 8 Common Snipe and 1 Jack Snipe whilst 2 Woodcocks were also seen. Several flocks of Lapwings were noted, not something I have seen over the past few weeks. A rough estimate gave me 147-250 Lapwings, depending upon whether the biggest flocks were the same birds or new ones. A single Lesser Black-backed Gull flew over near Lymm Vale.

A Collared Dove was predictably on Sandy Lane whilst only 1 Stock Dove was seen despite there being three-figure numbers of Woodpigeons in the arable fields. Just 1 Fieldfare and 5 Redwings were seen, a big drop from recent counts, but again they were around the former Leek Field along with a Mistle Thrush. However, this field held a larger finch flock than recently with up to 150 Chaffinches, 2 Bramblings and a Linnet seen. In the same area a Kestrel was seen and a total of 3 Buzzards were noted. Two good birds for the first day of the year were a Grey Wagtail over the horse paddocks by Novia Scotia Lane and even rare on patch a Meadow Pipit on Abbot's Moss. By the main track near Big Pool a feeding flock of 30 Lesser Redpolls was one of my biggest ever on patch, a few more were seen by the NW shore of Big Pool. A total of 15 Siskins consisted of small numbers of scattered birds in the alders across the site. A Treecreeper was again in Gull Pool Wood along with 2 Nuthatches, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 4 Goldcrests. Around the west end of Big Pool 3(1m) Bullfinches were seen as well as around 6 Goldfinches. On Sandy Lane 2 Starlings were present early morning.

In total 56 species were recorded in a 7 hour stint on my patch, a pretty good start considering that the average yearlist here is around 100-105 species.

A very brief visit in the rain today.

The drake Goosander was on Big Pool and the two main pools held 54 Tufted Ducks in a conservative count!

The former Leek Field held c.50 Chaffinches but several searches again revealed no Bramblings!

A Christmas Day morning walk seeing as how we're currently not doing Christmas! Amongst other things I have a tooth abscess and can't eat properly, extraction planned Jan 2nd so Christmas will be mid-Jan this winter!!

On the pools no fishermen but not reflected by a huge increase in waterfowl. A drake Goosander was on Big Pool as were 6 Teal and middling numbers of the commoner ducks. Only 2 Canada Geese were seen, flying over Novia Scotia Lane. On Small Pool 3 Little Grebes were together on the east side. A winter high-count of 5 Cormorants were on Big Pool. An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was circling high above Big Pool.

A Goldcrest low down in submerged sallows on the edge of Big Pool was a surprise. More expected were 10 Siskins, 1 Lesser Redpoll and a Coal Tit in alders near Big Pool Island Cut. There were at least 15 Long-tailed Tits in scattered groups around the two main pools and near Small Pool a Nuthatch and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers showed very well. The bushes close to the entrance barriers held 20 Redwings and 2 Mistle Thrushes. A Pied Wagtail flying across Big Pool was unexpected. In the former Leek Field a lone Stock Dove was seen but also here were 20 Magpies together! A Collared Dove was the first bird on the list flying over Dalefords Lane.

It's now fingers crossed that I am not in too much pain to start my patch yearlist on January 1st as is my tradition!

A morning visit, overcast but dry and mild. I only managed the Big Pool area due to chatting too much!

The headline bird was a first-winter Mediterranean Gull on Big Pool with plenty of Common and Black-headed Gulls and a lone Lesser Black-backed Gull. A drake Pochard and a drake Goosander were present along with a couple of Teal, at least 30 Gadwall and the usual Wigeon, Tufted Ducks and Mallards.

A Green Woodpecker was heard, nice as these have been scarce recently. In Finch Hedge a male Bullfinch and 2 Long-tailed Tits were nice to see.

On a snow-covered morning I had to go have a mooch around Big Pool to see if anything had dropped in.

My reward was a long-overdue patch yeartick in the shape of 3(2drk) Pochard, only just visible out on the misty lake. With the far shore not visible I was limited to ducks out to halfway and this included 2(1drk) Shoveler, which were new in. Also present were lost of Wigeon and Tufted Ducks and a few Gadwall, but with the mist/fog a count was not possible.

A Fieldfare was seen near the parking area as I arrived and a Redwing was in the same area as I left, both attracted by the hawthorn berries on the hedges here. Other than that it was eerily quiet, the fog seemingly dampening down any bird activity of note.

Had a nice morning walk in the sun which got warm late am. Thanks to Paul Hill, birding & drinking mate, for the lift after we dropped my car off for its MOT!

Again a new patch tick or 2023, this time it was a Mandarin on a small pool in Gull Pool Wood. I get these annually but the year was getting on and most of my sightings are in the breeding season. It flushed off the pool but was either a female or immature bird. Plenty of Wigeon on Big Pool and 2 Cormorants over. a small flock of 26 Pink-footed Geese flew over Shemmy Moss, this species seen in the last two visits after none had been seen all year previously! A Kingfisher gave a nice close fly-past on Big Pool.

A brief addition, just 3 miles away over my house on Sat 18th Nov am (the day after my Newchurch visit) I had 178 Pink-footed Geese over in 4 Skeins, obviously lots of local movement going on at the mo!

Popped on to patch for a morning walk, dull and very wet under foot.

On Big Pool there were 3(2drk) Goosanders which weren't there yesterday. There was also a huge influx of geese with 780 Canada Geese and 53 Greylag Geese. Also on the pool were 4 Cormorants and a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Most of the rest of the time was spent looking at fungi so birds took a back seat!

Went for an afternoon stroll before the rain of the approaching Storm Babet!

Pretty quiet with a female Goosander and 6 Wigeon being the Big Pool highlights. The Canada Goose flock now contained 2 Greylag Geese.

A Raven was heard over Gull Pool Wood. A Nuthatch showed well amongst tit flocks, which contained double-figure numbers of Long-tailed Tits, by the main track north of Small Pool.

A very short morning walk, bright and not too cold!

Fewer Geese on Big Pool and only 2 Cormorants. It's always busier with fishermen at the weekend so the pools are quieter for birds. Single best sighting was a Goldcrest  in the Pine Belt, first heard calling by Carys and then seen by me.

A morning walk, dry & warm with some sun.

The headline birds were 5 Redwings on Sandy Lane with 4 (probably migrant) Blackbirds, unexpected so early but coinciding with an increased East Coast arrival today after birds had been arriving since Thursday!

There were 4 Mute Swans present, a pair on each of Big and Small Pools. A Cormorant flew over the mosslands. There were 2 Grey Herons on Gull Pool.

Two Starlings were on Sandy Lane as were 2 Goldfinches. A Linnet was on Abbot's Moss and Nuthatches called at several locations.

P.S. after posting the Redwings on a Cheshire Whatsapp Group I had a private message from a birding pal who is in Yorkshire on hol & he had thousands of Redwings arriving on the coast to coincide with my sighting, explains it a bit more

Not keen on Sundays on patch, too busy, but when you work Saturday and Monday then needs must! Dry, and sunny at times.

Pretty quiet and concentrated on mosslands as fewer folk over there. A Grey Heron was on Shemmy Moss. A drake Gadwall was on Gull Pool.

At least 2 Chiffchaffs were heard calling, with one seen. A Nuthatch was in Gull Pool Wood. Two Ravens were over the mosslands. On Abbot's Moss a Jay did a superb impression of a Buzzard call in front of myself and another patch watcher, we were very impressed!

Just next to my patch, in fact less than half a mile as the bird flies, I found a smart male Stonechat yesterday. This was in the hedge of our horse paddocks, predictably near the midden where there are most flies! A great local bird never recorded here before

A morning walk in warm sunshine.

A Green Woodpecker called near Small Pool and a Raven called over Abbot's Moss. Otherwise quiet again.

An afternoon walk.

A Green Woodpecker and at least 5 Nuthatches were heard.

Still very quiet!

A morning walk in the sun, but again not much on the bird front.

An increase over my last visit to c.38 Tufted Ducks on Big Pool. The most interesting sighting was a Great Crested Grebe with a small jack Pike in its beak!

A Yellowhammer was again north of Big Pool.

An afternoon walk in hot sun and the only birds of note were in the same bush on Shemmy Moss. These were an adult Common Whitethorat feeding a young one,  and a Willow Warbler showing behaviour possibly indicating young nearby.

Went for a late afternoon visit to patch. Very late decision but turned out to be a mega decision! Fine and dry and warm, but later went black in the sky so left just before the rain.

A patch lifer and patch mega find was the highlight when north of Big Pool I was drawn to the sound of small birds, especially Blackbirds angrily chacking at something in the gorse. As I approached I got a huge shock when a Short-eared Owl appeared a few feet away from me and showed extremely well as it slowly flapped away westwards low to the ground and headed off round the gorse and out of sight. Not wanting to disturb it I left it at that, just very pleased to have seen it.

Other birds of note included 2 recently fledged Chiffchaffs near a bramble bank behind Beach Peg, that their nest was probably under. In the same area a feeding flock was already forming with Great Tits, Blue Tits, a Chiffchaff and 2 Bullfinches, fitting with the autumnal feel of the weather at the moment! A young Garden Warbler was also in this area, showing well.

An early start due to family circumstances. Dry with some sun at first, cloud later then rain!

On Big Pool there was a family of 2 Tufted Duck Ducklings with their mum. Over the water 4 Sand Martins skimmed low, a portent of the weather to come. A Lapwing was heard on Shemmy Moss. Also over Shemmy Moss were 3 Oystercatchers, flying round and calling noisily, as they do!

A Hobby was seen again, over Shemmy Moss and the Nurseries, but was just a fly through, right place, right time. A pair of Linnets showed well on the mosslands and a male Bullfinch was there too.

Morning & afternoon on patch, hot and sunny but breezy at times.

Confirmation of no Mute Swan Cygnets. An influx of 20 Tufted Ducks onto Big Pool. The 2 Oystercatchers were on the Abbot's Moss Nursery Fields and Skylarks sang overhead. Otherwise still quiet!

A morning walk with a mate for him to photograph stuff, sunny and warm.

Nothing much on the avian front, just a recently fledged Chiffchaff, still with it's gape, really nice to see it was pumping its tail like an adult!!

The good news from Big Pool is that 3 Mute Swan cygnets survive in the company of the male swan, but sadly now no sign of the female since 11th June, we suspect that she has died. The pair of Oystercatchers flew in a noisy display flight over Big Pool. There was a definite increase in waterbirds on Big Pool, especially Tufted Ducks, Great Crested Grebes and Coot. A Kestrel hunted in the Big Pool area.

Up very early so onto patch this morning. Hot and sunny.

The best sighting today was a well-grown young Water Rail in the area in which 2 adults have been summering, superb to have absolute proof of breeding on patch. Other breeders included a young Tufted Duck and 4(ad+3y) Little Grebes, all on Gull Pool.

A male Reed Bunting was on breeding territory and all 5 common warbler species were recorded, including good views of a different Garden Warbler to yesterdays one. A large group of young Blue Tits suggest a better year for this species compared to last year. A Raven and a Buzzard were over Shemmy Moss.

Another walk, another guest, still hot and sunny, but some cloud today after thunderstorms last night!

The male Yellowhammer was on the wires over the field to the north of Big Pool. Still 3 Mute Swan cygnets but the female looking suspiciously unwell    A pair of Bullfinches was also near Big Pool.