Hilbre and Parkgate

The temperature gauge in the car said that it was 12'C today, over 25'C warmer than it was at times last month, but the wind was force 5 and it was anything but pleasant walking across to the island. Around Little Eye we were confronted by not only a howling gale, but also a ferocious sand storm!
On the island itself it was pretty quiet. There were about 100 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, and a decent selection of waders, including at least 9 Purple Sandpipers, but nothing at all on the sea.

Then we headed off to Parkgate for the dusk harrier roost. It was a little difficult to say exactly how many birds were involved, but we saw at least three males and five females.

Little Eye

Waxwing invasion hits St Helens!

The Waxwings invasion finally hit St Helens this week, after weeks of dribs and drabs! During the week there were several flocks of 40 - 60 birds reported from places such as Fingerpost, Sutton Heath and most spectacularly Havelock Close / Pigot Street / Napier Close, where the flock peaked at 100+ birds.

Having missed out on most of the excitement due to work, I set out today determined to join in the fun! First we started at Pigot Street, where there wasn't a bird to be seen. Then we went to Lowe Street, but again nothing.

Then suddenly we spotted five Waxwings in trees on the car park in Westfield street, but almost immediately they flew and headed towards Duke Street. We followed them as best we could, and finally caught up with them in Cowley Hill, at Briars Green. And they weren't alone! We counted at least 60 birds before they were off again, this time heading towards Bishop Road. Once again we followed them, and finally found them, at least 80 birds, probably more like 100 in Wynne Road, off Bishop Road. They stayed in Sycamores here for about 20 minutes while we watched them, and were still there when we left. Interestingly, they weren't just resting, they were clearly eating Sycamore buds. All very exciting! If you've not caught up with them yet, you really must take this almost unique opportunity to see these wonderful birds. I've never seen them in St Helens in such large numbers before, and it may be a long time before we get this many again.

Then we headed to Eccleston Mere, where we found a drake and two female Goosanders, and two Water Rails in the south west corner.

Waxwings Wynne Road.

Waxwings Wynne Road.

Water Rail and Goosanders at Eccleston Mere.

More Waxwings in St Helens

What a winter it's been for Waxwings! Another 17 were reported from Lidl car park in the town centre earlier in the week, but today was the first real opportunity I had to go. Only 4 there today, but still stunning birds, and once again feeding on apples.

Then we went on to Martin Mere. It was a glorious afternoon, with Peter Scott skies and thousands of wildfowl. There were around 2000 Whooper Swans, 7 Bewick's and 5000 Pink-feet as well as thousands of Teal and Wigeon and a few hundred Shelduck and Pintail. Also adult Peregrine, Water Rail, 10 Brambling and 50 Ruff.

Earlier in the morning I also saw a Raven in Burtonhead Road.

Waxwings at Lidl. Never thought I'd say that!

Waxwing and destroyed apple!

Water Rail and male Brambling Martin Mere.

Three Whoopers and a Bewicks Swan, Martin Mere.

Waxwings Mere Sands Wood

I dunno, what can I say? Another flock of Waxwings captured in yet another poor photo. The light was poor, they were silhouetted, it was through a glass window. Usual excuses.....

However, they performed really well, right outside the information centre, feeding on apples. Seven birds altogether. It's been a great winter for Waxwings.


I'd never seen them feed on apples before I saw them doing just that at Leighton Moss the other day.

Lapland Bunting Westhoughton - part 2

We had much better views of the Lapland Bunting today, though it was still difficult to find in the scope. It was in a stubble field with Skylarks and a couple of Reed Buntings, and in all the time we watched (for about an hour and a half), the flock didn't fly once, and without a scope, I don't think you would even have known that there was a bird (any bird!) in the field. But once you got onto it, and if you stayed on it, it did show quite well at times.

Also today, about 50 Pink-feet over and nine Grey Partridge.

Lapland Bunting Westhoughton

The Lapland Bunting at Daisy Hill, Westhoughton showed reasonably well this afternoon, associating with a flock of about 70 Skylarks. Also in the area, about 70 Yellowhammers.

Great birds poor photos

I can only apologise to the birds concerned for the poor quality of photos today. My only excuse is that the light was so bad...

Leighton Moss
Bittern 2
Waxwing 4
Marsh Tit 1
Bearded Tit 2 heard
Water Rail 1

Preston dock
Iceland Gull 1 (1st win)

Bittern and Grey Heron (left) at Leighton Moss. Waxwing (right).

Robin (left) and 1st winter Iceland Gull (right) at Preston dock.

Bittern - Pennington Flash

I called in at Pennington Flash first thing this morning. The thaw has well and truely set in now, but the footpaths were lethal, the worst they have been this winter. They were like glass.

We stumbled (or should that be slid!) across a Bittern near Ramsdales hide. It didn't seem too conerned by our presence, probably less than 15m away from the bird. It just slowly wandered away into cover. Other birds today, about 10 Goosanders, 10 Bulfinches and two Willow Tits.

Christmas in the Lake District

Just a few photos from a couple of days in the Lake District. Didn't see many birds, just a few Redwings and common woodland species. Scenically very pretty though.

Grasmere.

Our hotel at Grasmere.

Ambleside.

Marton and Martin Mere

Another bitterly cold day, but some great birding none the less. We started off at Marton Mere near Blackpool, where there was an adult drake Ring-necked Duck, with a decent supporting cast of at least six Long-eared Owls and two Water Rails.

Then we headed to Martin Mere where the Whooper Swan flock of over 1700 birds contained at least five Bewick's Swans.


Spot the Long-eared Owl. This bush contained at least three birds, and there were three others in adjacent bushes, but you could easily have walked past and not noticed. The photo on the left was taken at 12x magnification, so imagine how difficult it would be with no extra magnification!

Two different Water Rails. The bird on the left seems to be shading the water with its wings to stop the reflection so that it can see potential prey easier. Some herons do this. I wonder what it is preying on. It looks pretty cold to me!

Bewick's Swan (left) and with a Whooper (right). It's not only the amount of yellow on the bill which distinguishes Bewick's from Whooper, there is quite a large size difference (compare the legs!), and Bewick's has a much cuter head shape. A quick look at my database reveals that as recently as 1991 there were at least 800 Bewick's Swans at Martin Mere, and even in 1997 there were over 100, but these days anything in double figures is a decent count. Since wildfowl learn how to migrate from their parents, it makes me wonder if Bewick''s Swans will ever return to Martin Mere in their former numbers, even if the winters become a lot harsher again. Perhaps as a species, they've just forgotten were Martin Mere is.

Eccleston Mere

Not officially a white Christmas, this is as close as it gets without it actually snowing! A decent couple of hours birding, with a Woodcock flying around the fields and ditches to the west of the mere, at least three Snipe and 10 Siskins.

Later two Ravens flew over Queens Park in the town centre.