Billinge Hill

Raven 2 over the beacon. Probably the St Helens resident birds just moving around.
Wheatear 1 in the horse paddocks.
Chiffchaff 2 in bushes around beacon. One still singing.
Skylark 100 mainly heading south west.
Meadow Pipit 50
Yellowhammer 40
Bullfinch 3

It was a glorious morning on Billinge Hill. Highlight was the Skylark passage, but the Ravens are always pleasing birds to get on a site list!

Burton Mere Wetlands / Inner Marsh Farm

We called in today at the newly opened RSPB reserve Burton Mere Wetlands on Wirral. It's basically an extension of the old Inner Marsh Farm Reserve, and is very impressive. At the moment you can't walk from the new bit to the original hide, but that is the next stage of the development. Most of the best birds we saw today were from the old hide, where we saw Water Rail and 20 Curlew Sandpipers and there was also a Pectoral Sandpiper which we didn't see.
However there had been reported Honey Buzzard, Bearded Tit and Hobby in the new bit before we arrived, so it's all very promising.

The new buildings at Burton Mere Wetlands.


Migrant Hawker (left) and Water Rail (right).

Barred Sallow, Queens Park

Last night I caught a Barred Sallow, the second for my yard but only the third for St Helens. My first was in 2002 and at the time was only the third Lancashire record, and the first since 1995!

Billinge Hill

Willow Tit 1
Wheatear 1
Chiffchaff 1
Yellowhammer 30
Jay 4
Meadow Pipit 10 over beacon
Nuthatch 1
Swallow 3

I was particularly pleased with the Willow Tit. I thought that I had heard one on a couple of occasions recently, so it was nice to confirm it today. Also today, I'm sure that I heard a Redwing go over the beacon, but I've not heard of any others locally, so I'm a bit reluctant to claim it. A very distinct call obviously, but it was high up and the first of the autumn....

Old Coach Road

Curlew 2

No sign of any geese today.

Billinge Hill

Wheatear 1 near horse paddocks
Skylark 10 over beacon
Goldfinch 22
Tree Sparrow 15
Yellowhammer 30
House Martin 10 over beacon
Swallow 20 over beacon
Goldcrest 2

Disappointingly quiet this morning.

Eccleston Mere

A nice flock of 20 Siskin feeding in the hedge along the stream which flows into the mere at its southern end.

Billinge Hill

Golden Plover 2 flew west over horse paddocks
Wheatear 1 near horse paddocks
Siskin 1 over beacon
Skylark 50 mainly over beacon
Blackcap 2 male and female in bush near beacon
Chiffchaff 4 including 2 males still singing
Goldcrest 2 in bushes near beacon
Bullfinch 1
Treecreeper 1
Great spotted Woodpecker 1 over beacon
Buzzard 2

Martin Mere

Red Kite 1 juv. still showing very well on and off.
Marsh Harrier 2 females.
Peregrine 1

Billinge Hill

Wheatear 2 on the stone circle
Treecreeper 2
Meadow Pipit 10
Yellowhammer 30
Tree Sparrow 10

Old Coach Road

Pink-footed Goose 800