Newchurch Common

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RE: Newchurch Common

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

Last few days were spent on patch in the sunshine but very little news on the bird front until today!

A new bird for the year was seen a 12.15pm when a stunning Red Kite drifted over Shemmy Moss. Initially if circled up to gain height and then floated off to the east at c.12.30pm. A Grey Heron flew over too for the second time in 3 days. The Canada Geese on Shemmy Moss hatched 3 goslings yesterday too and still had them today. On Nunsmere today 2 drake Gadwall were again seen.

Yesterday (11th May 2024) 2 Hobbies and 2 Kestrels were watched over Shemmy Moss, all at the same time and all hunting, the Hobbies taking Four-spotted Chaser Dragonflies and a Kestrel seen to catch a Common Lizard.

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An afternoon in sweltering sunshine! Around the Big pool area only.

A brood of 10 Canada Goose goslings was on Big Pool. The field east of the Pine Belt has been ploughed and contained 6 Lapwings.

A Cuckoo was heard from Big Pool so must have been closer than the mosslands. On the fields east of the Pine Belt 2 Stock Doves and 2 Feral Rock Doves were seen.

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A very early pop onto patch and then a more prolonged afternoon walk. Sunny but a bit cooler.

A Common Teal egg was found on Shemmy Moss, broken but I couldn't tell if it had hatched or had been taken by a predator from the nest. On the mossland pools 2 drake Teal were again seen. A Water Rail was heard squealing on Abbot's Moss again.

A Hobby was over Shemmy Moss early afternoon and then moved to Gull Pool where it was later seen patrolling the canopy of Gull Pool Wood.

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Fired up by my cracking patch lifer I went onto patch all am and later in the afternoon too. Warm & sunny all day.

Another good day. First the usual bits, 2 drake Teal were again on Shemmy Moss as well as the 2 Greylag Geese. The weirdest record was a Kingfisher sat on a small tree in the centre of Shemmy Moss at 6.05pm, the first record for me here!

Today 2(m+f) Hobbies gave super views around midday, they flew around together as a pair, mirroring each other, superb. Also over Shemmy Moss were a Kestrel and at least 6 Buzzards. Two more magic moments were provided by the male Cuckoo which was seen and heard on Shemmy Moss both early morning and early evening. In the morning it was perched in dead trees cuckoo-ing and then by me imitating its call I called it over and it flew over a group of us just 10m or so above us. Later when back on with Carys we had it calling and flying across the track in front of us again showing really well.

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A cracking morning on patch even though the weather was dull, cool and had a real flat feel to it!

A Patch Lifer in the shape of an immature (prob 2nd calendar year) Marsh Harrier which flew at mid height through Abbot's Moss and headed off SE without pausing. This species is increasing as a breeder in Cheshire so it was only a matter of time before one was seen over patch and luckily for me today was that day! Another good bird was the first Cuckoo of the year, heard only, over the mosses but distant. I had had a report from a dog walker that they had heard one last Thursday 2nd May.

On Shemmy Moss 2 drake Teal were on one of the pools and 2 Greylag Geese were flying around as usual. A Water Rail was heard squealing on Abbot's Moss, a relief after finding one dead a while ago, since when I hadn't heard one. A Cormorant flew over the mosses, a scarce bird in May followed by the same or a second one around half an hour later. Given their scarcity in May I'll err on the side of caution and record it as one bird. A Herring Gull and then later 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew over Abbot's Moss, the former being the rarer gull on patch.

A Raven was again over Abbot's Moss. A flock of 10 Goldfinches fed on dandelion heads and was joined by 2 Linnets. In a dead tree 2 male Reed Buntings perched together. A also watched 2 Whitethroats go into probable nest sites on Shemmy Moss. At least 5 Garden Warblers still sang on Shemmy Moss.

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Another sunny, and hot, morning walk, concentrating on the mossland part of my patch.

A count on Big Pool recorded 34 Tufted Ducks with more on Gull Pool, Small Pool and Shemmy Moss. There were 4 Greylag Geese today, 2 on Nunsmere ad 2 on Shemmy Moss.

Best bird of the day was my first Hobby of the year anywhere. It shot through Shemmy Moss and headed off rapidly east, but I had a message to say that it returned after I had gone and stayed to hunt for a while. It was a four species of raptor day with a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel and 6 Buzzards, all over the mosslands.

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A very early morning walk (5.30-7am) and then an afternoon in the sun with Carys my wife.

A flight of 4(2drk) Teal was seen over Abbot's Moss, presumably two pairs. A total of at least 4(3drk) Gadwall included 3 drakes on Redesmre and 3(2drks) flying over Abbot's Moss, and I'm assuming some overlap in individuals! Also on Nunsmere I watched 2 Great Crested Grebes in the full 'weed dance', rearing right up out of the water to do it, fantastic.

The best passerine was heard by Carys only, as it is a hearing frequency that I lost years ago when I had meningitis, namely a Grasshopper Warbler on Abbot's Moss. This is a patch first and I can now only hope that it shows itself sometime. Also on Abbot's Moss 2(1m) Reed Bunting were seen together. The common warbler species were all present including a probable female Garden Warbler in the early morning visit as it was just a meter away from a singing male, was silent, and came out of the cover of a bramble when first seen.

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First a late note from yesterday 29th April: Very little bird-wise, but of note was the first brood of 3 Coots on Small Pool. Also seen were 30 Sand Martins over Big Pool.

Today 30th April: Again very little on the bird front but a stunning drake Mandarin on Nunsmere, seen from the far western patch boundary on the mosses was a really nice sighting. A group of 20 Sand Martins was over Big Pool, at the moment these birds are dropping in and spending a very short time feeding before departing off high. On Shemmy Moss there are now 5 Garden Warblers singing, all being very elusive.

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Morning walk, dry and overcast.

A Great Crested Grebe was on a nest near Big Pool Island. An Oystercatcher showed well in the recently ploughed and plated field east of the Pine Belt. As I watched 5 Sand Martins dropped in to feed over Big Pool.

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A morning walk again, overcast, dry but cool.

A drake Gadwall was a surprise, seen from the extreme western patch boundary on Nunsmere and looking alert. A Lesser Black-backed Gull flew over the mosses. A total of 4 Swallows included 2 over Big Pool and 2 on territory at Dairy Farm, also 25 Sand Martins over Big Pool.

Now 3 Garden Warblers singing on Shemmy Moss, all very elusive but a long search gave reasonable views of one of the birds. All the ploughed fields were again checked but just 1 Pied Wagtail was the reward, although 2 Starlings were a scarcer find! at least 2m Reed Buntings were on Abbot's Moss. The first Nuthatch for a while was heard in woods by Gull Pool.

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Saturday 27th of April 2024 03:36:25 PM

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A great morning walk in the sunshine, but nippy when the clouds obscured the sun at times!

A pair of Greylag Geese flew over Shemmy Moss and were then seen on Gull Pool. The fields east of the Pine Belt were being ploughed and 2 Oystercatchers fed there. At least 12 Lapwings mooched around in fields that have been ploughed, no doubt that nests and young have been destroyed and/or predated.

A distant displaying Sparrowhawk was seen. The star birds today were 2(1m) Stonechats, a pair, on Shemmy Moss, after an absence of 25 days! A breeding attempt may now be possible, everything crossed. Also here were 2m Yellowhammers, again after no sign for some while, and 2(1m) Reed Buntings together. A Garden Warbler was again singing on Shemmy Moss and a pair of Whitethroats was seen around a bramble clump, obviously on territory.

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A brief visit this morning in rain to only check the ploughed fields.

Not much seen and the tractors were still planting potatoes. Opposite in a flooded horse paddock a female Mallard had 11 newly hatched ducklings in tow.

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A morning walk with a brief visit back pm, sunny and warm.

At least 35 Tufted Ducks were on Big Pool, a good number in late April. On Shemmy Moss 4(3drk) Teal were seen. Also on Shemmy Moss a pair of Mallards with a well grown duckling and a Mallards nest with 11 eggs, well hidden so I hope she hatches them safely. In the fields off Sandy lane that were being ploughed I found 12 Lapwings and one small young that I hope can survive now that the cover has all been ploughed away

In the ploughed fields were 2 White Wagtails and 16 Pied Wagtails, the former being the first seen this year and overdue, but ploughing is late. Also over these fields were 2 Swallows whilst 20 Sand Martins were over Big Pool. Again 2 Ravens were over the mosses. A Chiffchaff was seen carrying nest material on Shemmy Moss where a Whitethroat was heard.

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A long morning walk, mainly on the mosslands. Sunny, cool at first but warm when sheltered.

A total of 4 drake Teal was noteworthy on Shemmy Moss. A small group of 2 House Martins and 5 Sand Martins was over Big Pool.

A pair of Ravens were over Shemmy Moss, at first being mobbed by 2 Carrion Crows and then one of the Ravens mobbed a Buzzard! A Green Woodpecker was heard across the mosses, just the second record this year. The best bird of the day was a singing Garden Warbler on Shemmy Moss, the first this year, with the four other warbler species all singing too. A total of 6 Linnets included a bird collecting nesting material and a male in full song at the edge of Shemmy Moss. A Pied Wagtail was in a ploughed field off Sandy Lane.

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A limited afternoon walk just in the Big Pool area, sunny and warm.

There were 17 Stock Doves and 10 Lapwings in the field east of the Pine Belt. A Goldcrest fed in trees near the main track.

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Afternoon visit and the only birds of note were 12 Sand Martins over Big Pool!! The current 4 warbler species were heard, Garden Warblers must arrive soon!