Eccleston Mere

Mute Swan 1 juv.
Tufted Duck 5
Kingfisher 1

Lots of resident species singing, Wrens, Robins, Dunnocks etc., but no sign of any migrants yet. Won't be long though if it stays as mild as this and the winds stay in the south.

Hesketh Out Marsh and Crossens Marsh

It was back to Hesketh Out Marsh and Crossens Marsh this morning, to bring in the pitfall traps. Once again we were very lucky with the weather. Plenty of bird activity, but nothing that you wouldn't expect. Lots of Skylarks singing, Redshank and Curlew calling, the occasional Little Egret and lots of Shelduck and Teal. What more could you ask for? A wonderful experience!


Hesketh Out Marsh, looking towards the breach.


Ready for action at Crossens Marsh!

Eccleston Mere

Not much to report in the way of birds at the mere today, but one of the anglers had just caught this impressive Pike. Apparently this is by no means the largest Pike in the mere. It looks pretty fearsome to me!

Hesketh Out Marsh close up

Over the past few months I've been involved in a study of invertebrates at RSPB Hesketh Out Marsh and Crossens Marsh, on the Ribble estuary. The study involves the use of pitfall traps to catch insects and other invertebrates at the two sites, and these are then taken back to the lab where I identify and count them, so that a comparison can be made. Today we went out to set the traps in order to get some more samples.


This is the "bus shelter" hide at Hesketh Out Marsh, and is about as close as most visitors can get to the marsh.


However, armed with the necessary permission, relevant wading gear and collecting equipment, we headed out into the centre of the marsh.


Saltmarsh may seem like the sort of habitat which has remained unchanged since the dawn of time, one of the last wild places untouched by the hands of Man, but Hesketh Out Marsh is actually a vision of the future rather than an image of the past.

Up until 1980, this was indeed saltmarsh, but then a sea wall was built around the land, and it was converted to farmland. In 2006 the RSPB bought the land and breached the sea wall, allowing the sea to flood in again, which in turn allowed the saltmarsh to begin to return. The photo above shows the breach, which has now been made much wider than it initially was, by the actions of the sea. Not only does this provide a great new habitat for many saltmarsh creatures, it is also a form of managed realignment in the face of rising sea levels due to climate change.


This photo is also taken next to the breach.


Using a special tool, we sink pitfall traps into the ground, to catch ground dwelling invertebrates. The catches are usually dominated by spiders, ground beetles, rove beetles (staphs), water beetles, water bugs, amphipods, woodlice and springtails.


A lid is placed over the trap, using the two sticks to leave a 10mm gap. This is to stop larger creatures getting in, such as small mammals. The area is covered by the sea on spring high tides, which means that we are only able to set the traps during neap tides, since they need to be left out for a few days.


The sea really carves out the land, and at the moment Hesketh Out Marsh is a very dynamic and changing place.


It was a glorious day to be out on the marsh, with the calls of Redshank never far away. Shelduck were calling and chasing each other across the marsh, and the song of Skylarks filled the air, heralding the arrival of spring!

Pendle Hill

Had a walk around Pendle Hill today. Not many birds about, the best were 3 Stonechats and a few Red Grouse.

Eccleston Mere

Blackcap 1 singing male
Siskin 2
Kingfisher 1
Goldeneye 1 male
Pochard 1 male
Tufted Duck 8 (7males 1 female)
Sparrowhawk 1

Presumably the Blackcap is an overwintering bird inspired to sing due to the mild weather, rather than a returning migrant.

Moel Famau

The forecast of bright blue skies never really materialised on the Clwydian Range today, and in fact we even had a period of snow and hail. It wasn't really as cold as might appear from the pictures though, probably due to the light winds.

Not too many birds about today, but we did see quite a few Ravens, Stonechat, 50 Siskins and 2 Crossbills.

Ryhd-y-creuau, Betws-y-coed

Just spent the week at the Ryhd-y-creuau field centre, Betws-y-coed, studying freshwater invertebrates.




Drift sampling, one of the many types of sampling we used.


Rhithrogena semicolorata, one of many species of mayfly nymphs we found in the local streams.


An unidentified case caddis fly nymph.


The centre pond was good for amphibians. We saw lots of Common Toads and Palmate Newts, and most spectacularly on the last day, at least 50 spawning Common Frogs.




Cors Bodgynydd, near Llanwrst, a good site for many sphagnum moss species, and in summer for Golden-ringed Dragonfly and Keeled Skimmer, as well as Nightjar. I saw Siskins and heard Crossbills at this site.

Coue's Arctic Redpoll and Black Brant

I had an appointment in Norfolk on Thursday, so I decided to go a day early and stay over in order to get in a bit of birding on Wednesday. I started off at Titchwell, where I saw the long staying Coue's Arctic Redpoll, which was a new bird for me. Also at Titchwell, two drake Velvet Scoter just offshore, 4 Long-tailed Ducks and 3 Red-head Smew.

Next I called in at Wells-next-the-Sea, where the farmer had just very conveniently flushed the Dark-bellied Brent Goose flock off the fields and onto the harbour, allowing me to get great close up views of a Black Brant which was accompanying them

Finally I headed for Cley-next-the-Sea, which had a nice selection of birds, including another three Smew, but no sign of the long staying Western Sandpiper.


Wells harbour - spot the Black Brant. It is in the picture!


And here it is.


Note the more impressive neck collar which joins under the chin, and the bright, white flanks, compared to the accompanying Dark-bellied Brent.

I love Cley, it brings back so many happy memories and is so atmospheric!

The East Bank at Cley, one of the most famous birding walks in England.


Titchwell. Believe me, it was as cold as it looks!

A cold day

Siskin 2 - Eccleston Mere
Fieldfare 100 - Moss Lane
Corn Bunting 1 singing - Moss Lane
Yellowhammer 10 - Moss Lane


I had an early morning walk to the mere, when it was still very icey. The jewel in my hand had formed on the leaves of privet. The whole hedge was covered in ice. Quite a remarkable sight.

Eccleston Mere

Water Rail 1 in ditch in SW corner
Willow Tit 1
Buzzard 1
Teal 2 (m&f)


Alas this weasel was all too brief a view, resulting in a blurred, if still interesting photo.


The sedge Carex acuta, which here grows in tussocks on the edge of the mere. It will look a lot more impressive in about 4 months!