Summary November 2016
Species this month = 84
New Species added to 2016 Year List in November= 1
Bewick Swan at Burton Mere Wetlands on the 15th November
New UK Life List Birds In November = 0
Running Total for the 2016 UK So Far = 196
Birding Days Out
We went up to WWT Martin Mere for the North West Birding Festival on the 13th of November where we attended a talk on eggs by Tim Birkhead which was fascinating and also said hello to John Poyner who was there representing the BWWC and the Grant Arms Hotel. We had a good day but there was nothing particularly special there and the place was full of photographers. A cold at the end of the month put paid to some of our possible birding trips and one of our anticipated trips, to north Wales, we had to cancel due to very bad weather.
Birding Group
The first birding group outing of November was on the 1st and we took in , Hoylake, Neston Old Quay at the Harp Inn and Burton Mere Wetlands during and after a modest high tide of 9.2 metres, We had a very pleasant day but the birds of prey were the highlights as we got Kestrel, Short-eared Owl, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Hen Harrier and Marsh Harrier all seen well and for prolonged periods of time. I missed the next week which was to Neumann’s Flash and the week after that was a return to the Wirral for another high tide on the 15th. This one was a bit bigger high tide but still not really a mega one though we did get more great views of birds of prey. The 22nd was rescheduled and ended up being Pennington Flash where we had good views of a Long-tailed Duck
Garden
We continued to have a Nuthatch, usually early in the mornings, and other birds are appearing in greater numbers, particularly Blackbird, some presumably newly arrived from further north. I have heard a Mistle Thrush a few times but haven’t managed to see it yet. As the month went ona few House Sparrows started to venture over the ginnel from our back neighbours garden where they seem to live. We had a Jay at least once and three Stock Doves have re-appeared; we seem to get these each winter. Of course, a squirrel continues to be a problem, as does the neighbour’s cat. A few frozen bird baths at the end of the month but still a bit variable temperature-wise.