MB

 

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> Cheshire and The Wirral -> Newchurch Common
Post Info TOPIC: Newchurch Common
Doc Brewster


Status: Online
Posts: 4086
Date:
RE: Newchurch Common
Permalink  

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.



__________________
facebook
Doc Brewster


Status: Online
Posts: 4086
Date:
Permalink  

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.



__________________
facebook
Doc Brewster


Status: Online
Posts: 4086
Date:
Permalink  

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.



__________________
facebook
Doc Brewster


Status: Online
Posts: 4086
Date:
Permalink  

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.



__________________
facebook
Doc Brewster


Status: Online
Posts: 4086
Date:
Permalink  

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

__________________
facebook
Doc Brewster


Status: Online
Posts: 4086
Date:
Permalink  

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.



__________________
facebook
Doc Brewster


Status: Online
Posts: 4086
Date:
Permalink  

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.



__________________
facebook
« First  <  Page 8  >   Last »  sorted by
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> Cheshire and The Wirral -> Newchurch Common

RODIS

 

This forum is dedicated to the memory of Eva Janice McKerchar.