This morning whist attending to the horse near Whitegate, very early, we had two Woodcocks fly over the field in a big circle, a Green Woodpecker bounce low over the field and then call madly and a Sparrowhawk flap-flap glide high over in the sun. Not a bad little haul whilst giving vetinary care to an injured horse

Couple of nice sightings today:

In our postage stamp sized back garden a Redwing driven in by the snow, found a worm in a snow free area that we are keeping that way for our avian visitors. So our efforts paid off. This Redwing spent a bit of time later in the front garden.

By New Bridge over the R.Weaver just S.of Moulton a Kingfisher showing really well in bankside trees.

Doc Brewster wrote:

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A crazy sighting on the way to work today.

Whilst driving north up Station Road in Lostock Gralam on the east side of Northwich a Woodcock flew across on front of my car, jinking at the last minute otherwise I would have hit it! Luckily I was in a 30mph zone, with a nursery school, in which I always go ultra-slow in, otherwise who knows? Woodcock for tea? 

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 Not so crazy, I have had news that on the same day as my sighting above there was a Woodcock seen flying down a residential road in Winnington and then the very next day a Woodcock was seen behind the Odeon Cinema in Northwich Town Centre! Adding to this 2 at Woolston Eyes on the same day as mine and 1 at Delamere the day before it seems like a mini movement was occurring in this area.

Had a phonecall yesterday from a birding mate to say that there was a Gannet on Big Pond in Vale Royal Cut next to the River Weaver. It was hanging around at the back of the pool and looking pretty inactive. Shame that I am away on holiday, so close to my home! But a great record!

Yellowhammer singing midday, field immediately south west of lowermost of the fishermen's ponds, off Shipbrook Road, Rudheath.

Trent and Mersey Canal, Whatcroft:

Cetti's Warbler very vocal again, plus Great Crested Grebe (2), Shoveler, Common Sandpiper, Curlew, Grey Wagtail, Willow Warbler (2), Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Swallow (10+) and Reed Bunting.

Trent and Mersey Canal, Whatcroft:

No so much birding, as I was actually out fishing with my lure rod tonight; all quiet on the fishing front but some good birds.......2 Great Crested Grebes displaying on the Canal wides along with a single Little Grebe. Single Willow and Reed Warblers singing and an unexpected Cetti's Warbler singing opposite the sign, showing where HS2 will cross the Canal. Also 2 singing Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and 10 Swallows through.

-- Edited by Neil Blood on Wednesday 19th of April 2017 09:37:37 PM

Again closer to Middlewich than Northwich, but still in the general area a Red Kite was seen overhead this morning at 9.50am (per Paul Hil thanks ).

Always a nice record for Cheshire

Actually officially Middlewich, but just 5 miles from my house on the outskirts of Middlewich driving from Northwich I visited a quiet backstreet to follow up sightings info that I had seen yesterday. Nothing had come through today but after a short wait, and just as I was about to leave, 20 Waxwings dropped into the top of a bare tree and then into a couple of Sorbus vilorinii trees (rowans with pink berries!) to feed. The exact location is Meadow View in Middlewich, CW10 9QB for those with a Sat Nav wanting to go take a look. Beware though as these were the most skittish Waxwings that I have ever seen, being spooked by Blackbird alarm calls, distant car doors, doga barking and as usual being chased off by a pair of Mistle Thrushes that 'owned' the trees too!

With them being so nervous I resorted to digiscoping from the car and took ages to get anything like a shot of them. Eventually on the fourth time they returned (with about 40mins between visits!) I got a few acceptable pictures. Light was poor and they were always against the sky but I still enjoyed the morning watching them, who can ever not do so with Waxwings

Two separate Starling gatherings were seen this evening. The first was over our local pub at Bostock Green and numbered probably around 600 birds. The second smaller flock of maybe 150 birds was over Moulton about an hour later. Both flocks headed in the general direction of Northwich, thus towards Neumann's Flash, presumably to join the main murmuration. This shows how far and wide Starlings must come from to join this mass roost

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Sunday 13th of March 2016 09:46:30 PM

Great to know that they're still around there Mark, I remember seeing them several years ago when the White Stork took up residence nearby & travelling up & down Cogshall Lane we saw Yellowhammers most times  Thanks 

A murmuration of Starlings upward of 5000 birds over Griffiths Road (the 'steam road' near Rudheath yesterday evening around 4.45pm as I drove home from work. They were lading on the pylon wires intermittantly too, a fabulous sight. Adjacent to the road are Griffiths Road Lagoons so this could be another roost site in the general area, possibly where many Starlings are if the Neumann's and/or Marbury murmurations are missing. Or alternatively this could be a [re-roost murmuration that moves over to Neumann's Flash as often birds are seen arriving from the general direction of Griffiths Road.

Hi Paul, I've just read your last post, and it just jogged a distant memory, in the dark recesses of my mind,( last Friday to be precise!). We were on our way to my mum's ,via Heswall, about 9-30 am, on the M56 just before junction 10, I saw a very large bird ,just standing in a field next to the motorway. I said to Jane, " that didn't half look like a Crane!",she just hmmmed back at me, and we carried on our merry way. I quickly wrote it off as being a Grey Heron, or just my dodgy eyesight. I've just had a quick look at Google Earth, and I reckon the bird was in one of the fields off Mosshall Lane,you never know heh? May be worth a nosey if you get the chance,not too far from your patch. See you soon, Chris.

On the fields across Ollershaw Lane from Marston Church Hall (part of the Marbury Patch as it can be viewed from within the 'official' patch boundaries!) - 4 Fieldfares, 4 Skylarks, 20 Meadow Pipits, 16 Linnets, 64 Stock Doves and 51 Pied Wagtails!! (all per Greg Baker)