Thanks as usual to Rich Steel for the latest selection of his superb images, taken on both sides of the Mersey.
Reeling Grasshopper Warblers - you can't beat 'em, although male Wheatears are pretty cool, and Rich has even had a dabble with those two Marshside perennials, Avocet and Blackwit.
As ever, the link to Rich's site is on the right - thanks again for sharing!
I had a quick check for Dotterel on the Withins and Plex Moss this morning - no sign yet, but conditions were perfect for passage, with hordes of Wheatears scattered about the fields - there were flocks of 13, 5, and 7, plus plenty of singletons all over Plex.
Few new Sedgies singing.
Nine White Wagtails in one field, and five Whimbrel in the crops opposite the Cheshire Lines cycle path.
The two fat white chickens, or Cattle Egrets by any other name, were still tootling round the cows by the caravan park at midday.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Hi John, Late entry, 22/4/09 Swift over Crossens inner heading N East.
Mike.
Hay John, first Cuckoo of the year today up White Coppice, 4 Redpoll and Green Woodpecker all in half an hour.
This morning had 5 Ring Ouzel, male Hen Harrier and large numbers of Red Grouse at Dunsop Bridge.
Hi John, thanks to your website and sat nav I got the two Cattle Egrets and the Whimbrel on Plex lane this morning on our first visit here.
Down at Marshside I couldn't find the Little Stint or the Spotted Redshank but found the Curlew Sandpiper - good views in front of Nels hide.
Also had my first Swifts of the year - 4 in all.
A tour of the mosslands near Formby in late afternoon produced 82 Whimbrel and 77 Wheatear.
Gropper reeling at corner of Marshside Road and Coast Rd this morning.
Yesterday evening I decided to visit Mere Sands Wood to glean some roving records, as the north-western corner is in one of my tetrads.
I arrived at 18.05 and fairly soon was pleased to be listening to a Wood Warbler singing on the path from the car park to the Marshall hide, I then popped into the Marshall hide, quickly followed by a visit to Ainscough hide. As I settled down to counting various waterfowl I became aware that some Gadwall, Teal and Shoveler were flying towards the hide at speed, as I looked to find what had disturbed them I was surprised to see a gentleman walk around in front of Rufford hide pulling up birch logs out of the ground and discarding them; this was a real surprise, it seemed a strange time of day for a volunteer to be undertaking any necessary reserve management.
So I rang the reserve office, and it was confirmed that the person shouldnâÂÂt be there.
I walked round to Rufford hide as Mere Sands Wood staff walked from the other direction; I got to the hide first and asked the âÂÂgentlemanâ what he was doing in front of the hide between 18.25 and 18.30 â to my astonishment he denied that he had been out there!
Clearly very embarrassed, probably as I recognised him as a Marshside regular, he admitted what he had done.
I then courteously explained to him the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act and the Birdwatchers code of conduct, he seemed to me to be completely disinterested and solely focused on the positioning of perches in order to photograph Kingfishers.
To get to the front of Rufford hide, he had had to go to a great deal of effort â a very determined man, and for someone in his 70s quite an achievement!
Staff from Mere Sands Wood then joined and I left the talking to them (not my reserve and my day off!), they did a cracking job of telling the man off (who, along with his wife, denied they had disturbed, without any justification, a range of wildlife). They did a wonderful job of giving the chap a dressing down and in fact eventually received an apology.
Well done to them!
Please can all birdwatchers, birders, twitchers, bird photographers and wildlife photographers please, please, please use some common sense when out in the field and while guests on nature reserves; respect wildlife and habitats first and foremost; but please also show some respect to those of us who have been given the privileged task of managing our wildlife havens â we generally know what we are talking about and what we are doing.
Appeared to be just one Cattle Egret this afternoon at Plex lane with Cuckoo calling nearby and three Common Swifts over.
Yes, I only had one of the fat white chickens today as well Paul, I wonder where the other one is?
A few more new Whitethroats in further out onto Plex, with Yellowhammer, 38+ Whimbrel and c24 Wheatears.
Sorry I missed the Cuckoo - must keep an eye out for him...
At Hall Road dunes north of the Coastguard Station this afternoon 3 Grasshopper Warblers, 2 pairs of Stonechat, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat etc. and 8 Whimbrel with Turnstones foraging on weed-covered rocks on the shore - great views!
Also, 68 colonies with 1360 nesting burrows of Vernal Mining Bee (Colletes cunicularius).
This seems to be a previously unrecorded population of this Red Data Book insect which is confined to sand-dunes in north-west England and a few sites in Wales.
Crackin' male Whinchat and 9+ Wheatear just off car park at Marshside at 6pm. Also two Groppers in Birkdale dunes early evening.
Hay John, went to see the Cattle Egrets last night and I could only find 1, searched for a long time for the other one but no luck, 1 Whitethroat and just over 30 Whimbrel apart from that not much.
Though I saw a Swift yesterday at Halton Castle, Runcorn - other postings probably confirm it wasn't one of my 'high altitude' illusions! [my 1st Swifts usually are c.5May by shopping city nest site]. Still my wife and daughter now have your pic of the RL Partridge in usual habitat to confirm!! Cracking views to Snowdonia, Longridge and the Pennines from up at t'Castle from the beer garden. Even the top of the wind turbines at Seaforth.
Earlier Grasshopper reeling at Wigg Island along with Reed, Willow, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Blackcap singing. Expect t'unexpected!
Hi!, In response to Duncan's Swift observations, we spotted a few passing through Marshside yesterday, 26th, at noon.This is my earliest personal record also.