April 2024 Summary

New “Year Ticks” in April 2024: 20
New “Life Ticks” in April 2024: 0
Total Species for 2024 so far: 88

Our birding month got off to a fine start with a flock of Waxwings that were feeding on some berries at the end of Capenhurst Close in Wythenshawe. We went ther on the 1st and didn’t see them but when we returned the following day we had more luck with good views of a small flock of about thirteen birds. We also managed to get to three of the birding group outings in April.

On the 9th April we went up to the Wirral for a high tide of 10.2 metres at 12:19pm. It turned out to be a wild day with a storm coming in that led to most of Burton Mere Wetlands being closed due to flooding. Flooding was the theme of the day but with a bit of “ducking and diving” we managed to get some great birds starting with hearing a Green Woodpecker caling very close to the car park at BMW. We also saw our first House Martin of the year there. We went to Riverbank Road which was deep in water and then back to Parkgate where the sea was all the way in to the promenade and we got exciting views of some of the birds there including excellent views of a panicked Water Rail.

The following week, on the 16th April we went to Pennington Flash. It turned out that the car park was closed so we had to walk from the main road. This seemed to deter a lot of the usual visitors there so it was very quiet which made for a splendid visit. We got our first Common Tern of the year and first Chiffchaffs and WIllow Warblers as well as a first Blackcap of the year.

We missed the following week but were able to join the group for a trip on the 30th April to Macclesfield Forest where it was a lovely day even if the track was rather challenging. We got a nice pair of year-tick Grey Wagtails (nesting behind some foliage growing out of the wall of the mill race) and also year-tick Kestrel, Mandarin Duck and great views of our first male Pied Flycatcher of the year.

In the garden it remains rather quiet with rare visits from a Robin and no Blackbirds. It really feels like something is amiss with some of the garden birds this year. We continue to have regular visits from Ring-necked Parakeets and Goldfinches; the House Sparrows are back and seem to be in good numbers all down the street. A few Starlings have appeared and we had a visit from a couple of Long-tailed Tits.  A pair of Magpies have become resident and one in particular is very bold. I sometimes give it some hedghog pellets which it seems to like. It is probably feeding a female on eggs at the moment.

As for the hedgehogs, they are back; we first noticed one on 27th March but now we have seen three at the same time – probably 2 males and a female as there is certain amount of rutting going on. They didn’t bother to use of expensive hedgehog hibernating box that we put at the end of the garden!

Year Ticks in April 2024