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Apr 28 2019
NWT Weeting Heath and RSPB Lakenheath Fen 28th April 2019
The weather this day was much better than the previous day when we had done so poorly at NWT Weeting Heath and RSPB Lakenheath Fen. In fact it turned out to be a really good day with forty-one species seen including three good year ticks – Garganey, Grasshopper Warbler and Stone Curlew
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Apr 27 2019
NWT Weeting Heath, RSPB Lakenheath Fen and BTO Nunnery Lakes 27th April 2019
The 27th April saw us visit an ununsual combination of reserves – unusual because all three were run by different ornithological conservation groups, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust reserve at Weeting Heath, the RSPB reserve at nearby Lakenheath Fen and also the only reserve run by the British Trust for Ornithology, Nunnery Lakes. The weather was very poor, however, with high winds that rather spoiled our chances of seeing much. We still managed a few year ticks though.
Apr 26 2019
Rutland Water 26th April 2019
We started out on the 26th with a visit to Rutland Water. Our first stop was the Egleton Visitor Centre where we did a straight march to Lagoon 4 first visiting the Sandpiper Hide and then the Plover Hide. At Lagoon 4 we got Avocet, Ringed Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit etc. From there we worked our way back via the other hides that overlook Lagoons 3 and 2. On our way back we stood for quite a while listening to a Nightingale sing but we could not manage to get sight of it. Other warblers seen and / or heard were Sedge and Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and Cetti’s Warbler. From the hides we got Sand Martin, House Martin and Hobby as well as a variety of the usual ducks.
Apr 17 2019
2019 Birding Group Spring/ Summer Schedule
2019 Birding Group Spring/ Summer Schedule
April 30 Pennington
May 7 Macclesfield Forest
May 14 Martin Mere and Mere Sands Wood
May 21 Goyt Valley
May 28 Burton
June 3-4, Blacktoft, North Cave, Bempton
June 11 Moore (W)
June 18 Conway/north Wales
June 25 Wigan Flashes
July 2 Marbury + planning lunch
Apr 16 2019
Birding Group Visit To Moore Nature Reserve 16th April 2019
The birding group had a morning at Moore Nature Reserve followed by a lunchtime planning session for the next “term”. Although it was a relatively short morning we did manage to get some good birds with “year tick” Goldcrests and plenty of Treecreepers and Nuthatches. No Lesser SPotted Woodpeckers, though, just GSW and a heard Green Woodpecker. The highlight of the day was actually at the pub afterwards where we had our planning session.
Apr 15 2019
The Wirral 15th April 2019
Bird Sightings Leosowe Lighthouse 15th April 2019
We had a solo day out on the Wirral on the 15th, starting out looking for migrants at Leosowe Lighthouse. Unfortunately the wind was so strong that all the dust was blowing up from the car park and made hard work of my contact lenses. We tried to get away from it and so ended up down by the horse paddocks where on the seaward side we got a nice group of birds including Stonechat, Linnet and our first Wheatear of the year.
Apr 09 2019
Green-winged Teal and Spoonbill at RSPB Leighton Moss 9th April 2019
We only had four of us for the birding group visit to RSPB Leighton Moss on 9th April 2019 but we had a most fantastic day with good weather and lots of birds including a number of year ticks and a life tick as well.
Apr 02 2019
Birding Group visit to Brockholes 2nd April 2019
The first birding group outing of the month was to Brockholes near Preston, a site we have not been to in quite a while. It was still abit early in the year so we were not sure quite what we would find there. What we did find included some late-staying Fieldfares and the first Sand Martins of the year – a nice combination.
Mar 31 2019
March 2019 : Summary
March 2019 : Summary
UK Species Year List to March: 107
Total UK Species in March: 73
New “Year Ticks” in March: 4
New “Life Ticks” in March: 0
Mar 28 2019
Burton Mere Wetlands 28th March 2019
Our last birding outing of the month was a solo affair and again featured Burton Mere Wetlands. We were rather hoping that we could see the Long-tailed Duck that has been there. Also we wanted to check out the walk from Denhall Lane, past Net’s Cafe and on to the Denhall Quay and The Harp Inn.