Eccleston Mere

Common "Mealy" Redpoll 1
Water Rail 2 in SW corner, chasing each other through Alder Carr
Lesser Redpoll 10
Siskin 30
Goldfinch 50
Bullfinch 1 male
Snipe 2
Willow Tit 1
Goldcrest 2
Goosander 2 (male and female)
Tufted Duck 6
Cormorant 6
Song Thrush 2 singing

The Mealy Redpoll was a great view, feeding with the finch flock on the ground. I was even more prepared for it than last week, having spent the past few days reading various books, browsing the internet and generally researching the identification features of the redpolls. Once again I was struck by how easy the bird was to pick out from the flock, and apart from the id features noted last week, today I paid particular attention to the birds back, which had two obvious pale lines down the middle when compared to the accompanying Lessers which did not show this feature. I think that you can just about see the lines on one of last weeks photos. No chance of a photo this morning, it was very dull and the birds were very skitish, any movement and they were off back into the trees with no guarentee that they would return to the same spot to feed, so I didn't bother trying. Despite having seen quite a few Mealys over the years, this is a very educational bird for me, and has allowed me to get back up to speed with Mealy identification.

I walked (or crept) past the SW corner 4 times today, and on the first 3 occasions didn't see sight nor sound of a Water Rail, but then on the 4th occasion there were 2 birds chasing each other through the Alder Carr completely oblivious to my presence!

Even more strange, on my first lap of the mere there was just one female Goosander, yet on my second lap it was with a drake! Presumably the latter flew in at some stage. If I'd gone home after my first lap I'd have been disapponted, with Bullfinch and female Goosander about the only good birds to report!

Birding the mosslands

I spent a few hours on the South West Lancs mosslands today, and saw a decent selection of birds. At least 2 ringtail Hen Harriers, Barn Owl, Peregrine, around 6000 Pink-footed Geese, Corn Buntings, Reed Buntings and Red-legged Partridge were the highlights. Also at least 4 Brown Hares.

Year 127


This flat featureless landscape is a haven for birds.


Phragmites australis (Common Reed) lines many of the ditches in the area.

Mealy Redpoll Eccleston Mere

Common "Mealy" Redpoll 1
Lesser Redpoll 8
Siskin 5
Goldfinch 40
Teal 2 male and female
Tufted Duck 7
Lapwing 100 flew over heading in the direction of Prescot Reservoirs

Year 125



Given the relatively large numbers of Lesser Redpolls at the mere this winter, I'm not entirely surprised that there is a Mealy with them, and I have been looking out for them. It was a good day for observing the finch flock today, because they were feeding mainly on the ground, probably due to the strong winds, and I was surprised at how easy the Mealy was to pick out. On the ground it was clearly larger and bulkier than the Lesser Redpolls and greyer in tone. It also had two distinctly white wing bars and white edges to the tertial feathers. Best of all though, when I first saw it, it was sitting low down on a branch preening, and I saw very well its white, streaked rump. The photos are poor, but they do show the white wing bars and the white edges to the tertial feathers quite well.

There have been Mealys at the mere in the past, and they are probably under recorded, but this was my first at the mere since I saw a flock of 20 in 1996.

Lesser Redpoll is the species which breeds in Britain, Common Redpoll is a continental species, breeding in Scandinavia. Until recently they were considered races of the same species, but they are now seperate species. There is an informative article about identifying mealys here.

Click here to see photos of a Mealy I photographed in the hand on Hilbre in 2009.

Rivington Reservoirs

Goosander 13 (8 males, 5 females) Yarrow Reservoir.
Goldeneye 4 females Angelzark Reservoir.
Buzzard 1
Raven 1


Goosanders on Yarrow Reservoir and Anglezark Reservoir.


The walls at Rivington are covered in ferns, such as this Polypody, bryophytes and lichens.


I've never seen such a blue lichen as this. It was just a small patch, and in life was even bluer than it appears in the photo. You would think it would be easy to identify, but the nearest I can get it to is Cobalt Crust Terana caerulea, but according the the NBN Gateway, that species doesn't occur in the area, although it is as close as Merseyside.

Dee Estuary

Another fantastic day out, in glorious weather and with some great birds! I went onto Wirral, started at Hilbre Island, then onto Parkgate, next Decca Pools (Burton Marsh), then Burton Mere Wetlands before ending the day at Cop Pool near Connahs Quay. Lots of great birds, including 7 new birds for  the year, putting me on 124 species so far in 2013. First stop Hilbre......

Hilbre Island

An exhilarating visit to Hilbre, chilly yes, breezy also, but bright blue skies and crystal clear views right over to the Great Orme and what I assume was Carnedd Clywelyn in Snowdonia. There were lots of birds about, including probably about 2000 Knot, 130 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 5 Purple Sandpipers and at least 5000 Herring Gulls on the West Hoyle Bank.


Purple Sandpipers.


Pale-bellied Brent Geese.


Knot and Oystercatchers.


Looking towards the Point of Air, with a snow covered Carnedd Clywelyn behind.

Next onto Parkgate....

Parkgate

I parked at the Old Baths and spent about 30 minutes looking out across the estuary, but no sign of any harriers or owls, but I did see two Merlins dashing across the marsh. Also several Little Egrets, but no sign of the Great White Egret which has been around. About 500 Pink-footed Geese in the distance.

On to Burton Marsh......

Decca Pools, Burton Marsh

Decca Pools is a great spot, I always seem to see something there, and you get great views across the estuary. Once again, it didn't let me down. I had a fantastic view of a male Hen Harrier, also 2 Short-eared Owls, my third Merlin of the day and a Stonechat. Also, at least 1000 Pink-footed Geese in the distance, around 100 Wigeon and probably 20 Little Egrets. Burton Mere Wetlands beckoned....


Decca pools and Small Tortoiseshell. The day may have started with a -2'C, but this butterfly wasn't deterred!

Burton Mere Wetlands

Now it was a race against the clock, because it was getting to that time of day where you're thinking it's been a good day and perhaps this is the last stop. I arrived at BMW about 3:45pm. I had a quick look in the main hide and saw a Spotted Redshank and a Water Rail, both slightly distorted views through the glass, but still nice birds and a good way to end the day, or so I thought. On my way down to the next hide I saw Merlin number 4 for the day. I've never seen a Merlin behave quite like it to be honest, it was perching on top of a tree in the woods, and periodically flying out across the marsh to hunt, and then returning to the wood. Very strange! I was watching it with this bloke who I'd never met before, when he casually asked if I'd seen the Lesser Scaup which he had found at a place called Cop Pool near Connahs Quay. It was now 4:20pm and BMW was abandoned, I was off to Cop Pool....


Wood Merlin and dancing Water Rail (taken through glass).

Cop Pool and Connah's Quay

Finally, the last bird of the day, a drake Lesser Scaup with a few Tufties and a couple of Pochard on Cop Pool in Flintshire. It was a nice bright end to the day so I was still able to use the scope, and the Lesser Scaup looked good to me, a male with the right head shape, the right size and the correct bill pattern. My 6th Lesser Scaup in the UK. Now I could relax and head home.... err no. Apparently there was a flock of Bewick's and Whooper Swans on the marsh, but it required a 10 minute walk to the view point. Oh well, in for a penny as they say, and off I went. 5pm and I was watching 20 Bewick's Swans with Whoopers in the fading light. And that really was it. No more, it was dark and I wanted me tea!

Eccleston Mere

Water Rail 2 in SW corner. One in the ditch, the other in the Alder Carr, both in view at the same time and showing well.



Goosander 2 females

Kingfisher 1

Nuthatch 1 SE corner

Lesser Redpoll 10

Siskin 10

Goldfinch 40

Grey Wagtail 1

Great Crested Grebe 15

Tufted Duck 12

Greylag 2

Canada Goose 150

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 drumming









Broad Buckler Fern Dryopteris dilatata is one of the commonest ferns at Eccleston Mere, and I thought that this was a particularly nice specimin.








Another common fern, mainly along streams, this is Hart's-tongue Phyllitis scolopendrium.