Author's posts
Feb 23 2016
Snow Buntings and North Wales : 23rd February 2016
Snow Buntings and North Wales : 23rd February 2016
A slot in the birding group schedule for this week merely said “north Wales” so it was a bit of a “decide on the hoof” day out. We started, though, at Pensarn where we at least got some Common Scoters but no Divers which was a bit of a disappointment. There were some Great Crested Grebes on the water and lotsof gulls but we never could quite find a definite Diver. The water was quite rough even though it was a mild and sunny day. A few of the group walked down the beach looking for Snow Buntings but with no luck. We next decided to go back down the road a bit to Kinmel Bay where we had more luck.
Feb 16 2016
Tatton Park and the 100th Species of the year: 16th February 2016
Tatton Park and the 100th Species of the year: 16th February 2016
The birding group had a blank slot this Tuesday and we decided to fill it with a visit to Tatton Park as our previous visit there was stymied in part by the closure of Dog Wood as a result of high winds. We thought that on a very cold, bright and dry morning at our disposal we decided to try again. As it happened Dog Wood was well named today and there were so many dogs there that it was a real distraction from what was a lovely morning for a walk.
Feb 15 2016
Starling Murmuration at Neumann’s Flash : 15th February 2016
Starling Murmuration at Neumann’s Flash : 15th February 2016
Starling Murmuration, Neuman’s Flash
Feb 15 2016
Bittern at Marbury Country Park : 15th February 2016
Bittern at Marbury Country Park : 15th February 2016
Bittern, Coward’s Reedbed, Marbury Park
Feb 15 2016
Redhead Smew at Newchurch Common : 15th February 2016
Redhead Smew at Newchurch Common : 15th February 2016
I had read about a red-headed Smew wintering on one of the fishing lakes at Newchurch Common and, as it had been there for quite a while, I reckoned we had a fair chance of seeing it. I had only seen a Smew twice before (each time a redhead); the first at Leighton Moss from Lillian’s Hide on 1st March 2012 and at Moor Nature Reserve on the Birch Pool on 6th January 2013. A Smew would be a nice addition to my year list and I was hopeful.
Feb 12 2016
High Tide on the Wirral : 12th February 2016
High Tide on the Wirral : 12th February 2016
A second chance for a high tide on the Wirral arose on Friday the 12th. We thought that we would give Riverbank Road a go first instead of Parkgate, which we would normally go to. The tide wasn’t particularly high at 9.9m at 1.45pm but we still fancied it and we took in several Wirral sites. Ee were not to be disappointed and even managed to get year ticks at Burton Mere Wetlands, Riverbank Road and Parkgate.
Feb 10 2016
Starling Murmuration at Neumann’s Flash : 10th February 2016
Starling Murmuration at Neumann’s Flash : 10th February 2016
Feb 09 2016
High Tide on the Wirral : 9th February 2016
High Tide on the Wirral : 9th February 2016
The birding group morning on the 9th February landed on a moderately high tide of 9.7m at 11.33 GMT (Liverpool) so it was decided to go to a number of Wirral sites. We started at Hoylake where, even 90 minutes before the official high tide, the sea was already up to the boat scultpture at the bowling green. Be that as it may we still got smallish numbers of Dunlin and a few Knot. There were also a few Curlew and Redshank but the Gulls were best represented with Great and Lesser Black-backed, Herring, Black-headed and Common Gulls also present in large numbers.
Feb 07 2016
Chorlton Water Park : 7th February 2016
Chorlton Water Park : 7th February 2016
I wanted to go back to Chorlton Water Park to try to get some decent photos of the Scaup that has been there in recent days. I went round to the far end of the island but it was reluctant to come out from the safety of the overhanging tree braches. I did get some photos but none of them very good.
Feb 05 2016
Chorlton Water Park : 5th February 2016
Chorlton Water Park : 5th February 2016
I had seen reports of a Greater Scaup on Chorlton Water Park and at the first chance of dry weather – at least for a couple of hours – I walked from the car park down to the edge of the water and it didn’t take long before another birder was able to point me in the direction of the bird. It was on the smaller of the two islands (near the car park) and I walked round until I came to the set of steps that lead down to an angling platform. From here, looking straight forward I located the bird hanging around with a bunch of Pochards. It was drifting around from the front of the branches that dip into the water to the back. I got good views in the scope but eventually it disappeared so I walked around to the other side of the island.