This weeks visit of the birding group was to Moore Nature Reserve. According to their web site “Moore Nature Reserve is a 200-acre site in Warrington, north Cheshire. The reserve consists of five large lakes surrounded by extensive woodland, meadows and wetlands, made accessible by a network of paths and bird hides. Its many habitats provide a home for a variety of birds, mammals, insects, plants, amphibians and fungi.” The site is managed by Waste Recycling Group Limited (WRG) who operate a recycling and waste management plant on the site. In return for using the site they maintain the ponds, scapes, paths and hides etc of this interesting birding site.
We walked through the woodland bordering the lakes. There were a few waterbirds there and a flock of around 200 Starlings lifting up from the trees. It was a rather cloudy and misty day but as the day went on it improved. We had a good view of two Green Woodpeckers hanging either side of a tree just over a small meadow. They were there long enought to get a scope on them so good views were had by all. We also saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker but the third pecker eluded us – although they have been seen in the woods here.
We ended up at the feeding station which was teeming with birds so we saw most of the Tits, Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Reed Bunting.
Bird List
| Species | Count |
|---|---|
| Blue Tit | 4 |
| Chaffinch | 8 |
| Gadwall | 4 |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | 2 |
| Great Tit | 4 |
| Green Woodpecker | 2 |
| Grey Heron | 6 |
| Long-tailed Tit | 8 |
| Marsh Tit | 1 |
| Nuthatch | 1 |
| Reed Bunting | 4 |
| Robin | 1 |
| Starling | 200 |
| Treecreeper | 1 |
| Tufted Duck | 10 |
How To Get There
Getting there is simple. You get onto the M56 and come off at Junction 11, take the last exit off the roundabout onto the A56 (Chester Road) in the direction of Warrington. After a few miles you turn left onto Hobb Lane, then right onto Runcorn Road, the left onto Moore Lane (there is a sign for the recycling plant and Moore). You go over the canal and there is a car park straight ahead.