Billinge Hill

Wheatear 2

Swift 3

Chiffchaff 2

Whitethroat 1

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Bullfinch 1

Yellowhammer 30

Billinge Hill

Wheatear 2

Clwydian Range

I mentioned the other day that autumn is rapidly taking over from spring as my favourite season, and here's another reason why. We walked part of the Clwydian range from Cilcain to Moel Arthur and onto Moel Famau and the hillsides were covered in the purple flowers of heather. A breathtaking sight!

Billinge Hill

Wheatear 2

Billinge Hill

Tree Pipit 1 flew over calling

Wheatear 9

Yellowhammer 20

Sparrowhawk 2

Meadow Pipit 20

Willow Warbler 1 singing

Chiffchaff 3 inc. 1 singing

Whitethroat 1

Buzzard 3

Tree Sparrow 10





The were some dramatic skies around Billinge Hill this morning, and lots of heavy rain in the air, though I seemed to avoid it, and the Beacon itself was largely in sunshine. There were more Meadow Pipits around today, though it's difficult to say if they were the result of local movements or genuine migrants.

Martin Mere

Martin Mere today, one Wood Sandpiper on Sunleys marsh with 29 Ruff and a Greenshank, one Green Sandpiper from the Hale hide, Barn Owl from the Harrier hide and Tawny Owl in the box near the United Utilities hide.



I also found this lovely toad. Presumably it's a Common Toad, but I've never seen one so well marked.

Billinge Hill

Another great visit to Billinge Hill. I heard one Tree Pipit fly over and later found another perched on a wire, which allowed me to get a few photos. This is one species which seems much easier to identify when it flies over calling, than when it's sitting silently on a wire! There are also a few Meadow Pipits about, but this is a Tree Pipit because the streaking on the flanks is finer than that on the breast, it has largely white underparts, a shortish hind claw and a relatively stubby bill.



Also today, one Wheatear and at least 10 Swifts.

Bold Moss

Dragonflies seen today: Emperor 1, Common Hawker 3+, Black Darter 2, Emerald Damselflies 20, Southern Hawker 1

Billinge Hill

Tree Pipit 6 (flew over calling, all heading SW, between 8am and 9am)

Wheatear 1

Whitethroat 1

Blackcap 1 m

Chiffchaff 2

Willow Warbler 2

Swift 1

Buzzard 1

Yellowhammer 5



All these birds were seen around the summit.

Biking around St Helens

Newton Lake

Kingfisher 1



Eccleston Mere

Little Gull 1 2nd win

Buzzard 1

Kingfisher 1

Cackling Canada Goose (not seen by me, reported by JT at 8:14am)

Gadwalll 1 f



The Little Gull just flew through in a matter of seconds at about 10:15am and headed SW towards Knowsley Safari Park and Prescot Reservoirs, where presumably the same bird had been seen earlier (see Andy's blog)



Carr Mill Road

Burnet-saxifrage a few, nearly over

Wrinkled Snail (Candidula intersecta) a few



Billinge Hill

Spotted Flycatcher 2

Wheatear 4

Blackcaps

Willow Warblers

Chiffchaffs

Whitethroats

Buzzard 1

Yellowhammers



Queens Park, town centre

Raven 1 flew over heading SW





Despite it's name, Burnet-saxifrage is not a saxifrage, but is a member of the Umbellifer (carrot) family. However this small colony is growing out of the side of a wall, and so is behaving in quite a saxifrage like way! This is the only site I know of in St Helens for the species. It's normally a species of calcareous (limestone) grassslands, and the last place I saw it was in Upper Teesdale! I guess that there must be something in the mortar which allows it to grow here.





Wrinkled Snail at the same site as the Burnet-saxifrage. Once again it is the only site I know of in St Helens for the species. Thanks to Chris Felton for bringing this site to my attention.





St Helens from Billinge Hill

Old Coach Road

Juvenile Cuckoo on fence posts on Clare's Moss, near Mossborough Hall.