Birding Group Visit to Rixton Clay Pits : 21st June 2011
This week’s birding group visit was to Rixton Clay Pits, a former clay extraction point now turned over to angling and parts of it are a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The general feel of the area is scrubland / woodland with a big lake for angling and further smaller ponds. There are footpaths through the area and some walkways are being constructed as it is all rather damp underfoot for the main part. We spoke to a warden there who said that originally the area was part of the flood plain of the River Mersey and as a result there was a considerable amount of sand in the area as well as clay. When the clay extraction first took place some of this sand was excavated and then dumped to make small hillocks giving the area the appearance of being hollows and hillocks.
We parked up on Moat Lane near the A47 end but you can park further up the lane at one or two places where there are access signs. Whilst we waited for the others to arrive we looked out onto a field where there is often a car boot sale. There was a large flock of domestic Geese grazing away with one solitary Greylag Goose in amongst them. Also on the meadow was a Mistle Thrush and lots of young Starlings bouncing about. We could also see a number of Pied Wagtails and a single Goldfinch. In the air however were large numbers of House Martins and, higher up, some Swallows. A Buzzard circled above.
When the others arrived we went into the wooded area of the site and walked pretty much all the paths that are there. It was a bit peculiar as we felt that there should have been many more birds darting around as there were plenty of reeds and shrubbery and mixed trees but for a while all we could really see were House Martins and Swallows and then some Swifts appeared higher up in the air. Another Buzzard was to be seen but our first real sighting in the woods were a few Reed Buntings. Some of the group saw a Heron and there were certainly fish in the area because you could see them leaping quite easily. There were a couple of Coot nests and some adults and chicks. We could hear Chiffchaffs pretty much all the time but they were well hidden. I saw Warblers from time to time but never for long enough to tell what kind. A small flock (a charm !) of fledgling Goldfinches appeared at one point and we also saw two Treecreepers and a Great Spotted Woodpecker but these were also very fleeting glimpses and we couldn’t get a scope on any of them. Our day was rounded off with a couple of Greenfinches. One chap whose house we passed came out wondering what we were doing and he mentioned that he usually has Goldcrests in his garden. Apparently he had heard them this year but not seen them yet – neither did we.
We got a bit soaked on our way back to the cars and whilst we had seen a few birds (others had also seen Willow Warbler and Wren but I didn’t) we still had the feeling that there must have been many more hiding away in these woods – perhaps the high humidity and slightly thunderous atmosphere had made them lie low for a bit.
Bird List
- Blue Tit 1
- Bullfinch 2
- Buzzard 2
- Carrion Crow 4
- Chiffchaff 2
- Collared Dove 4
- Coot 6
- Goldfinch 10
- Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
- Greenfinch 2
- Greylag Goose 1
- House Martin 12
- Magpie 2
- Mistle Thrush 1
- Reed Bunting 3
- Starling 12
- Swallow 8
- Swift 8
- Treecreeper 2
- Woodpigeon 2
Click Here For A Map of Rixton Clay Pits Map
How To Get There
- Head north on Chequers Rd toward High Ln/A5145 433 ft
- Turn left onto High Ln/A5145 Continue to follow A5145 1.3 mi
- Turn left onto Chester Rd/A56 0.7 mi
- Turn right (signs for Ring Rd (N)/L’pool/M62/Bolton/M61/Leeds/M60) 98 ft
- Turn right onto the ramp to M60 0.6 mi
- Keep right at the fork, follow signs for M60/Ring Rd (N & E)/Liverpool/M62/Bolton/M61/Leeds and merge onto M60 3.4 mi
- Exit at junction 11 0.1 mi
- At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Liverpool Rd/A57 heading to Irlam
- Continue to follow A57
- Go through 4 roundabouts
- Moat Lane is on the right- you may see a sign for a car boot sale