Hoylake Bird Observatory

[Jane Turner]

Well that IS what I plan on changing the name of my house to. I've decided to keep a running diary of my garden's birds here.

Yesterday was a good place to start. I already mentioned this in the "your birding day" forum, but its too good to miss putting in here too.

I hadn't been outside at all until about 3.30. It was already getting cold and dusk-like and I saw sawing a big log in half to be the mainstay of a bonfire when I saw something land and fly-catch of the wall next to me. I guessed it was probably a Robin, but just in case I stood up. There, not 6 feet away on my neighbours lawn was an 1st winter Black Redstart. I called a few friends who are doing a "Wirral Year bird race". Unfortunately the bird became rather mobile and moved up bout 10 gardens long the seafront and out of sight. I was able to show them the video I had taken of the bird.

Just as it going dark I was going out to the car and noticed the BR was on my daughter's swing, then on the BBQ. I called Steve and he came back. I thought I'd lost it again, since I had to go back into the house to turn off the food I was cooking. Then I noticed it on the roof of the house. Though it was practically dark Steve got great views. I last saw it from my kitchen window, settling down to roost in the back courtyard of the house.


No sign of it his morning so far, but there has been a nice bit of visible migration. Nothing too exciting, about 350 Chaffinches, a few bramblings and a Yellowhammer, the first of the year. That's 148 species in the garden so far this yer.

[Elizabeth Bigg]

I think THE Hoylake Bird Observatory would be more appropriate!

[Jane Turner]

Here is the report for 2000/01, kindly published on Richard Smith's Dee Estuary site. I have a slightly fuller E-version of this with more illustrations and graphs should anyone want one.
Red-throated Diver to Gannet http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/hob1.htm
Cormorant to Brent Goose http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/hob2.htm
Shelduck to Long-tailed Duck http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/hob3.htm
Common Scoter to Merlin http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/hob4.htm
Barbary Falcon to Knot http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/hob5.htm
Sanderling to Black-tailed Godwit http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/hob6.htm
Bar-tailed Godwit to Grey Phalarope http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/hob7.htm
Pomarine Skua to Kittiwake http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/hob8.htm
Sandwich Tern to Turtle Dove http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/hob9.htm
Cuckoo to Rock Pipit http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/hob10.htm
Yellow Wagtail to Blackbird http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/hob11.htm
Fieldfare to Willow Warbler http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/hob12.htm
Goldcrest to Carrion Crow http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/hob13.htm
Starling to Corn Bunting http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/hob14.htm

[Jane Turner]

The tide is looking good. About 7000 Knot and decent numbers of Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey plover, Sanderling and Ringed Plover.

The whole lot were spooked by a chunky female Merlin. A male Blackcap moved through the front garden at 11am and there is an Easternish Chiffchaff in the back garden.

[Gill Osborne]

WOW...your garden sounds amazing!!! 148 SPECIES in the garden!!!!! Do you charge for admission.....only joking!
A few minutes later......just had a look at some of your earlier postings....wow!!!!!! Your house seems to be situated in an absolutely heavenly spot......you can't help BUT be a birder!!!
Not sure what my garden list total is...have to work it out....but don't get too excited....I MIGHT be into double figures...if I'm lucky!!!

[Jane Turner]

No charge for visitors and tea/coffee on offer.

[Elizabeth Bigg]

No charge for visitors and tea/coffee on offer.

If only I had known this in January!!! We visited my sister in Crosby then, for our joint birthday celebration. My family moved to that area in 1943, and she is (in birding terms) sedentary. I've been an ex-pat in Surrey since 1962

[Jane Turner]

There is always next time! As for the location, I vowed that I was going to live somewhere where the birds would come to me!


Pics from today's tide. A still from a video of the Knot pack. It doesn't do it justice really. The other is mixed gulls and large waders. I still haven't seen Glaucous Gull from here, which is silly! There are 5000+ large Larus spp out there just now!

[Jane Turner]

A quiet day today. Two Grey Wagtails came onto the artifical stream in the back garden. There were fewer Knot today, but more Dunlin to compensate. I had a try for some sea duck, but only mustered a few Scoter. There were a couple of Red-throated Divers on the bay at hight tide too.

Later I heard a big flock of Long-tailed Tits and scrambled for the back garden. Only caught the back of them and couldn't see anything green and srtipy in them.

[Jane Turner]

Lovely day today, with plenty of waders about on the tide and a few Divers. I lost a Phylloscopus warbler in a flock of about 50 Long-tailed Tits. It looked small and clean but its in the got away box. I was a bit late reacting to the noise of th tit flock... Silly me.

This evening three Ravens joined the ubiquitous Carrion Crows on the beach. Its the second record for the garden, though the first was of two doing the same about this time last year. 149 species for the year! 150 looks more than possible! I missed a flock of 13 Snow Buntings which were only 100 yards from the bottom of the garden at the weekend.

Still nothing in the Gulls. If it stays this still I have a chance of picking up a small grebe on the calm sea tomorrow. I had one earlier in the year....probably a Black-necked, but I just couldn't get enough on it. Frustratingly one was off Hilbre Island (in view) at the same time. BNG is sort of a negative feature bird. At that range I could prove its not a BN...by seeing some Slav features, but not v.v.

[Jane Turner]

There is a Peregrine eating something small and Dunlin-like on the beach this morning. It looks like an immature bird. I love the fact that apart from April, when they tend to be close to their breeding grounds, I can see Peregrine every day here, sometimes up to 4 a day.

[Jane Turner]

It turned out to be a bit of a raptor day. An adult female missed a Feral pigeon, then later an immature male hade a real hash of chasing Dunlin. The young birds spend too much time chasing. Later in the day a female Merlin went west.

Force 10 winds forecast for tomorrow. Its baton down the hatches time.

[Jane Turner]

A quiet morning... a pity since Frank (Paj) cam to see if there were any little borwn jobs passing.

In half an hour we mustered 12 Chaffinches (one might have been a Brambling but was silent) about 12 Greenfinches and a few Meadow Pipits. Its getting late for visible passage though.

Shelducks have increased to 50. One of the local cats has killed its second Song Thrush this week and left the sorry little corpse on my back lawn.

[Jane Turner]

The Thrush corpse was cleaned up by the resident fox tonight. He seemed to enjoy this little tit bit.

[Jane Turner]

We have a new Song Thrush. How long before that cat gets it? The tides are buiding up again, so here's hoping for some good wader and gull numbers.

As ever, a Peregrine went through this morning, scattering absolutely everything from the beach


Here is a pic of the sea, taken from the front room during the gales last week... I do know how lucky I am to have a view like this!

[Jane Turner]

Just made it to 150 for the year... A rather fine Black-necked grebe on the incoming tide today, as well as 50+ Great-crested grebes and 5 Red-throated Divers. Fluffed a small auk though... probably a Puffin, but I didn't rule out Little. Either would be new for the year.

Good numbers of larger Auks moving, certainlny a lot more action on the sea than there has been for ages.

[Jane Turner]

Once again a female Pergrine had a crack at the Knot.

This appeared unexpectedly on the bird table, and hung around long enough for me to find the camera! A male Blackcap

[Jane Turner]

Its been raining Bar-tailed Godwits. I had three goes at counting them accurately today and each time the flock took flight when I was about 2/3rds through. So I estimate that there were 1700.

[Jane Turner]

I was woken this morning by the sound of a large Goose flock. There was a good deal of honking as well as winking. The light was bad and the cr*p scope I keep in the bedroom took ages to focus. Nearly all of the Goose flocks here are Pink-feet and to be honest the few birds that I managed to check looked like Pinks... can't help worrying that there were some White-fronts in there though.

There is a Chiffchaff in the front garden today. A very standard colybitta bird. Its a new arrival though and is feeding avidly in the buckthorn patch I planted round the small pond down by the seawall. Perhaps its not too late for a Dusky Warbler!

[Jane Turner]

Conscience time....

04/12 10:54 LANCASHIRE : Greenland White-fronted Goose, Crossen's Marsh [A]
one with Pink-footed Geese on Crossen's Outer Marsh

Well that is where my flock was heading for!

[Jane Turner]

Its blowing hard here...and the tide is coming in. Plenty of Kittiwakes and a few ducks moving. Pintail and Wigeon so far. Fingers crossed it doesn't rain (I can't see through the windows then!)

[Jane Turner]

I've decided to keep the house yearlist updated here.

So at the end of Jan 1st it stood at 37. Here they are in order

Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Starling, Carrion crow, Blackbird, Great Tit, Curlew, Shelduck, Common Gull, Cormorant, Dunlin, Red-throated Diver, Robin, Dunnock, Brent Goose, Oystercatcher, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Woodpigeon, Common Scoter, Grey Plover, Shelduck, Collared Dove, Great Crested Grebe, House Sparrow', Red-breasted Merganser, Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Goldfinch, Song Thrush, Wren, Feral Pigeon, Magpie, Ringed Plover, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit.

[jada dulo]

Wow , Jane , you live in an excellent spot ! I've managed 26 species today , but I have had to work 17 hours , so the only birding I've done is in the car driving to and from work , walking the dog and through the window at work . Still , I got a few good birds , 1 Buzzard , c30 Goosander , 3 Bullfinch and best of all 2 Peregrines . I'm off work next week and I hope to get in a couple of really good days birding . Happy New Year !! ... and good birding .

[Jane Turner]

Jada...yes I know I am lucky..though I did work towards ths!

Today's additions:

Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Blackcap, Guillemot, Pergerine, so the year total is on to 42. The visibility was about 30 miles more than yesterday! 75ish Scoter were the highlight of the day.

[Jane Turner]

Jan 3rd additions. Not done any birding today, but added Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Pied Wagtail, Grey wagtail and Chaffinch, taking th year total to 47. Blue Tits are outnumbered by both Coal and Great Tits at the moment, I don't think they had a very good year

[Jane Turner]

Jan 4th. Barely looked at the garden today, but while ironing had a real scare when I swear I heard a Yellow-browed Warbler.... no sign of a bird of course, though I did see a Sparrowhawk while hanging out of the spare bedroom window checking out my neighbour's garden!

There is a Snow Bunting on the beach, but I just couldn't see it from the house! Had it been a Shore Lark I'd have got on the roof!

48 for the year.

[Jane Turner]

Been out a lot recently and had a bit of a heavy night last night! There was a nice tide, with plently of waders, though strangely still no sanderling. 20 or Turnstone, a drake Goldeneye and a Razorbill were new for the year. 50 for the year , I misread my spreadsheet before!

[Karl J]

Well worth the 5* Jane ... keep this thread going

[Stephen Dunstan]

Jane,

Scaup and LT Duck are conspicuous up here at the minute - any in your neck of the woods?

Stephen.

[Jane Turner]

No...actually very few Sea Duck at all. Scaup is a sort of Sh!t or bust species... there used to a flock of 250 in the Dee and occasionally then come out of the mouth of the river on a dropping tide. Don't recall seeing a LTD since February or there abouts. Never common here.

[Jane Turner]

12th Jan: Sanderling recorded at last! About 15 in the 1000 or so Dunlin on the beach. Failed comprehensively to get a decent shot of one, well actually anything today. Here are a couple of Ringed Plovers hiding behind some Spartina and trying to keep out of the wind.

[Jane Turner]

Shipping forecast SOLE LUNDY FASTNET IRISH SEA SHANNON
WEST OR SOUTHWEST 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9, OCCASIONALLY STORM 10 AT FIRST EXCEPT IN IRISH SEA, DECREASING 6 TO GALE 8. SQUALLY SHOWERS.
MAINLY GOOD.

Er its here... its blowing and who knows, there may be something interesting on the tide this afternoon.

[Bluetail]

Er its here... its blowing and who knows, there may be something interesting on the tide this afternoon.Best of luck. Hope the Brünnich's is still breathing.

Jason

[Jane Turner]

Fingers crossed Jason. There are a few Little Gulls out there... which is always a good sign

[Colin]

Jane,
I like these sort of threads - keep it going. You have more than enough information and pictures for your own website. Ever thought of starting one up. I do a small one for my own sightings here in Gloucestershire but I have to travel around the county whereas you have enough species and such a variety to do it all from home. You could even get a domain name of "Hoylakebirdobs.com" or similar and would rival the various bird observatories around the country.

[Jane Turner]

Not really considered...though I have produced my own bird report!

[Jane Turner]

Its really rough here. The windows are caked with salt, hence the poor pics, but at least you get an idea what it is like out there.

15 or so Little Gulls and plenty of Kittiwakes out at sea. Birds on the beach are keeping thier heads down, hiding behind anything they can find...apart from a Sanderling in the middle pic! I can't see anything in the Gull roost, as per usual, though there are 1000's fewer than normal. I guess they have gone inland to ride out the storm. On days like this we sometimes get waders on the front lawn!

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Looks like a rough day there Jane. It's fairly tranquil round these parts by comparison. I notice that a Cory's was blown up the Severn this morning so maybe the action is further south. Or perhaps you'll have something re-orienting tomorrow?

[Stephen Dunstan]

Jane,

Well as such it was quiet up here, but a blue Fulmar will be the second for Lancs so I could do with more quiet days like this one!!!

Boy was I pleased - persistence has its own rewards. :frog:

Stephen.

[Jane Turner]

Bizzare date for a Fulmar! Only had bluish ones here....

I'm working, haven't seen the sun for two days :(

Not even checked the pond for Little Auks!

[Stephen Dunstan]

Jane,

A notable date but they occur off Lancs / Walney most years in Jan.

Stephen.

[Denis J]

I went to Marsden (just south of the Tyne) on saturday to see the Black redstart and noticed at least half a dozen Fulmars including one that seemed to have picked out a prime "nest" site is this unusual or are they just more common on the east coast?

[Andrew Whitehouse]

There's a large breeding colony of Fulmars here in St Andrews and recently there have been several hundred about, usually sitting on the sea just offshore but sometimes prospecting the cliffs. As the winter goes on I expect them to be around more and more and to go up on to the cliffs more regularly until they start breeding in April. In fact the only time of the year when they are hardly ever about is between about late September and early November, after which time they start trickling back periodically. In recent winters particularly, there have been at least some birds around almost throughout the winter.

[Stephen Dunstan]

Denis,

They can apparently be seen on the ledges at St Bees, Cumbria in December (per Cumbria Atlas) so it doesn't seem to be an east coast thing.

Needs to be seen in context - numbers passing Lancashire seawatch sites have been dropping like a stone in recent years. This has happened with other species too, particularly Guillemot.

Stephen.

[Jane Turner]

There are over 1000 Bar-tailed Godwits out there and indecent numbers of gulls.

Took a few half-hearted pix in atrocious light and managed to have a brief moment of excitment...see anything that catches your eye?

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I'm tempted to say you have about half a dozen smithsonianus Herring Gulls - but maybe that's just the light. ;)

Maybe a Glaucous Gull out there too? About the middle in the top row, preening.

[Jane Turner]

Glauc would be a house tick....which precipitated a panic and its not there in life... I'd spot the wingtips for sure...Have just started a quiz on the subject

[Jane Turner]

now count its legs!

[Denis J]

Nice spot Jane..Larus argentatus Quadripedius not split yet but if it is a new bird for the wp congratulations

[Jane Turner]

The house year list is now 61. Snow Bunting, Fulmar, Gannet and Bonxie added in the last couple of days.

I have a new scope, so the pics are going to be a bit brighter now.

[Jane Turner]

This was an experiment. Taken in bad light! That is HE2, and its just about exactly 2 nautical miles away. It the limit that I feel comfortable identifying rarer seabirds!

All I need now is for a Frigatebird to land on it :)

[Rob Smallwood]

Jane

I think you will find that the Frigatebird is just behind, flying right to left - I was in the shelter (getting cold as usual)when you took this photo and the bird was clearly visible from there!

[Jane Turner]

Been a lovely day today. There was a nice wader roost that was scattered by two Peregrines, the usual male and a new immature female. There are a few meadow Pipits moving overhead and some Goldcrests in the front garden, the first spring passage of the year.

Been taking pics with the new scope!

[Jane Turner]

Nice light again today - so here is a small section of the wader flock...

They were so close to the garden today I needed to go in for some digi-binning!

[deboo]

Jane,

Is that the view from your back garden?????
I'm on my way......put the kettle on!

Dave.

[Jane Turner]

Front garden actually....

[Rob Smallwood]

Knot bad!

[Jane Turner]

Next time you are huddling in a shelter.. knock on the door Rob... I'll even make you a cuppa!

[Jane Turner]

62nd species of the year..... Black-throated Diver...this morning.

[Jane Turner]

I've not read up properly yet... but I think I've just seen something unusual.

The local Peregrine - I think the local ad male nailed what looked like a Grey plover on the beach this afternoon. I missed the kill, but its a long winged bird with a stong wing bar! Its miles away.. hence the slightly iffy pics.

It ate the plover for 40 minutes... flew about 50ft and had a sleep in some spartina... then went back and ate the carcass of an already dead Black-heded Gull that washed up on the beach today. Hope its not carrying botulinus!

[Jane Turner]

looking at it again... It might be a female.. Its only very lighly barred underneath.. buts it big! Its nearly dark now and its still munching on gull!

[Stephen Dunstan]

Jane,

I'm not sure what is unusual about this - do you mean it is a relatively big prey species?

Stephen.

[Jane Turner]

Peregine eating Carrion, I thought they only took live prey! The gull was long dead - a tideline corpse.


It was scarcely hungry - look at its crop in the middle pic!

[Surreybirder]

It seems strange that the peregrine should prefer a gull to the plover it had killed!

[Jane Turner]

It had already eaten the plover!

[Surreybirder]

Obviously not observing a Lent fast--sounds more like the Atkins diet!

[marek_walford]

Matbe it forgot it had eaten the plover and when it returned it thought the gull was the plover it had just killed. I've never heard of Peregrine eating carrion before. However, I always thought Red Kites only ate carrion until I saw one pluck a Jackdaw out of a tree!

[Jane Turner]

I thought that might explain it - the plover corpse was only 10ft from the Gull. I might yet wander out there and see what is left of both of the food items

[Jane Turner]

Spring has arrived - a male Wheatear came in off the sea this morning.

[SimonC]

Excellent! one of my favs....must find an excuse to get out somewhere over the weekend..........wonder if my missus would like a trip to the coast for mother's day? ;)

[Jane Turner]

There is a huge tide today and a stiff wind. A pair of Pintail about 20ft up over the garden were new for the year 65th species.

[Jane Turner]

The 66th species for the year just sailed past on the tide edge - A Sandwich Tern! The earliest record since I moved in in May 2000, by 2 days!

[Rob Smallwood]

Keep watching Jane, there's a "Pom" due shortly!!

[Jane Turner]

35 Black-wits just went East - so that's 67 for the year. There is a very Scnadi looking Rock pipit on the beach at Red Rocks on the way down to West Kirby.

[Rob Smallwood]

Someone has posted a Water Pipit at West Kirby on "BirdGuides" this afternoon.

A couple of us spent half an hour grilling a pipit at Filey on Friday unsure as to if it was "littoralis" Rock or Water Pipit. They are just so difficult in winter, aren't they?

[Jane Turner]

I actually think they are harder in spring plumage - in winter Wapits are so brown... now they are going greyer above. This bird was well marked below- so there shouldn't have been much of a problem.. but it did have a lovely vinous wash to the breast, almost unstreaked grey mantle and very white wing bars and super. Saw it well enough to be sure there was no white on the second outermost TF

[Jane Turner]

68th species of the year. 7 Scaup on the sea. Its flat calm so once I have packed the kids off to school I'll count the Grebes!

[Jane Turner]

.........and now there is a Chiffchaff singing in the back garden. If he comes in range I'll see if I can get a picture of him. 69th

[Colin]

Jane,
What is the make of the new scope that seems to be doing the business for you?

[Colin]

I didn't know that Peregrines ate carrion but after doing some digging I have found that the Helm book of Raptors of the World uses the word "exceptionally" when referring to the eating of carrion. Dick Forsmans book on Raptors of Europe and the Middle East does not mention carrion. Having done a 'Google' I find the words pertaining to carrion are 'scare' 'rare' 'occasional' and there is a mention of eating carrion when live prey is in short supply which is clearly not the case in your observation. In this case I could agree with the idea of the bird 'mis-remembering' which prey it killed.

[Jane Turner]

Jane,
What is the make of the new scope that seems to be doing the business for you?

ColinThe new scope is a secondhand NIkon ED 78

[Jane Turner]

I didn't know that Peregrines ate carrion but after doing some digging I have found that the Helm book of Raptors of the World uses the word "exceptionally" when referring to the eating of carrion. Dick Forsmans book on Raptors of Europe and the Middle East does not mention carrion. Having done a 'Google' I find the words pertaining to carrion are 'scare' 'rare' 'occasional' and there is a mention of eating carrion when live prey is in short supply which is clearly not the case in your observation. In this case I could agree with the idea of the bird 'mis-remembering' which prey it killed.


You'd have through that was a big taste difference between fresh Grey Plover and mouldy old Black-headed Gull!

[Jane Turner]

Been a busy day. Had the first Siskin of the year drinking in the strea, in the back garden. Surprisingly still no White Wagtails though.

[Jane Turner]

Had a bit of a shock this morning - looked out of the front window, hoping to see an osprey and instead saw 3 female pheasants on the lawn. Previously only recorded as a sound record.

[Stephen Dunstan]

Jane,

Try looking a bit higher up! ;)

Stephen.

[Jane Turner]

Ah - that's where I am going wrong! Had a brief moment of excitement this evening when a large and very dark Redwing furtling about in the gorse bushes at the bottom of the front garden made me dive for my bins!

[Stephen Dunstan]

Aren't Icelandic Redwings large and dark, or am I thinking of something else?

Stephen.

[Colin]

Jane,
That model of Nikon scope is a cracking one in my opinion as is the new 82mm one. I am hoping to buy the latter when my house is sold (the paperwork is being done by the solicitors now).

[QUOTE]
You'd have through that was a big taste difference between fresh Grey Plover and mouldy old Black-headed Gull![QUOTE]


Yes, the taste should be different but the question is, how much taste do these birds have?

[Grousemore]

[QUOTE=Colin]Jane,
That model of Nikon scope is a cracking one in my opinion as is the new 82mm one. I am hoping to buy the latter when my house is sold (the paperwork is being done by the solicitors now).

[QUOTE]

Wow,now here's a dedicated birder,selling the house to buy a new scope ;)

[Jane Turner]

Aren't Icelandic Redwings large and dark, or am I thinking of something else?

Stephen.


That's what I was thinking.... I had a pico second thinking it was rarer though! From the back of the house I thought it was a Ring Ouzel by the way it was moving - then I saw the super!!!!!

[Jane Turner]

Yes, the taste should be different but the question is, how much taste do these birds have?

I watched a male hunting today - he had 5 goes at full blown stoops at passing Woodpigeons but turned down the Feral Pigeons and wasted Racers that collect round my bird seed. That suggests a modicum of taste!

[Jane Turner]

Here are the Pheasants btw. Cack picture since I was seawtching at the time and the birds were close. Pheasant was my last patch tick - and it took be 27 uears of watching to record my first 2 years ago. This is therefore something of an exceptional event. I have seen more Corncrakes and Spotted Crakes in Hoylake!

That's sand and a promenade behind them - not your usual Pheasant habitat!

[Jane Turner]

There is a Willow Warbler flicking about by the stream tonight. It might have been here all day, but I only just noticed it. 72 for the year in the garden now.

[Jane Turner]

Just had a brief moment of excitement - I saw a flock of mixed-sized corvids coming in off the sea. In the end it was a couple of Jackdaws with a few Carrion Crows. Rook is a major rarity here, but at least Jackdaw was new for the year.

All previous records since I moved in on May 14th 2000!

[Jane Turner]

There is a big tide with a bit of wind today. Had a cursory look earlier - the tide is still a mile out, but there seems to be a lot of action.

25 Gannets - the first serious numbers this year, a couple of Red-throated Divers two Sandwich Terns and a few Kittiwakes. Fingers crossed there will be something nice when the tide does make it a bit nearer!

Also just witnessed a fantastic scrap between a huge imm female Peregrine which nailed a racer over the garden, and two Carrion Crows which had a go at relieving her of her catch. Feathers everywhere - but the falcon held onto her prize and is munching it on a sand bank!

[Jane Turner]

Here she is, finishing Breakfast. She was joined by the local adult male who took an unhealthy interest in her!

[tom mckinney]

... a huge imm female Peregrine which nailed a racer over the garden...


Hooray!

[Stephen Dunstan]

Jane,

A couple of hours off here produced a few (c40) Gannet, 4 Fulmar, and one passge flock of c20 Kitts. The only divers looked like passage birds - eight together north at 'height'.

Stephen.

[Jane Turner]

Stephen, got to about 40 Gannets here too - but very little else out there!

[Jane Turner]

At last, a hinundine! A sand martin (bank swallow) just went past - taking the house year list to 75. Here they are in order of frequency then number.

Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Starling, Cormorant, Dunnock, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Shelduck, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Common Gull, Magpie, Feral Pigeon, Curlew, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Wren, Oystercatcher, Robin, Dunlin, Redshank, Chaffinch, Grey Plover, Coal Tit, Knot, Great-crested Grebe, Collared Dove, Ringed Plover, meadow pipit, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Tit, Common Scoter, Red-throated Diver, Woodpigeon, Peregrine, Bar-tailed Godwit, Pied Wagtail, guilemot, Red-breasted Merganser, Sanderling, Kittiwake, linnet, Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Sandwich Tern, Gannet, Turnstone, Skylark, Mistle Thrush, mallard, Sparrowhawk, Grey Wagtail, Chiffchaff, Brent Goose [pale-breasted], Black-tailed Godwit, Long-tailed Tit, Siskin, Pheasant, pintail, Grey Heron, Willow Warbler, Wheatear, Snow Bunting, redwing, Razorbill, Jackdaw, great skua, Goldeneye, fulmar, Black-throated Diver, Blackcap, Sand Martin

[Rob Smallwood]

Jane,

No sign of the Leasowe Hoopoe on your lawn yet?!

[Jane Turner]

Don't know who saw that... it certainly defied attempts of several of my friends to see it. Seen two in the garden anyway.... so I wasn't that bothered! ;)

[Jane Turner]

There is a rather nice male Redstart in the back garden tonight. I missed an Osprey going through Hoylake today,...bah...work..... failed to locate a White Stork which was last seen coming my way high, but did catch up with the Hoopoe that has been hiding nearby since Sunday. Not as yet in the garden though :P

[Rob Smallwood]

As soon as I saw it had been seen at Meols I thought of you ! A bit remiss of you missing the Stork, I was rather hoping its northward progress might bring it to Chorlton or Sale Water Parks!
I might try for the Hoopoe Thursday evening - my "pals" went for and saw the Conwy Valley bird this evening. I'll keep an eye out for you!

[Jane Turner]

It flew off well west and inland at dusk and might be a bit of a bugger to find unless it comes back to the same area. I'd wait to see if somone finds it first! I have the kids till 5.30 ish, but will have a lash for it later... or the Stork which may well be in the same fields.

Wear something distinctive!

[Jane Turner]

At last Swallow is on the house year list. It was getting silly! There are a few Willow Warblers in the back garden too.

[Jane Turner]

Been out and about this morning and seen almost no migrants. No sign of the Hoopoe early morning though I heard a distant Whimbrel.... a Wheatear or too at Meols and Red Rocks and a few crests.

Came back, went up the drive and there was a really smart White Wagtail on the front lawn. Usually they stay strictly on the beach and let the Pieds cavort on the grass.

Still on 77 for the year in the house. We should have a sweep on what the 100th species will be.

[Stephen Dunstan]

Balearic Shearwater.

I never win sweeps, other than Grand National office sweeps where I live a charmed life (two firsts and a third from three entered).

Stephen.

[Rob Smallwood]

Jane,

Couldn't get down last night (kids eh!?) but probably coming down later today.

If you hear any news on the Hoopoe I'd be interestd - I think we'll come anyway, perhaps calling in at IMF if the stork (which has left and returned once today) hangs around.

My entry to the sweep? I'll go for a "yank" so how about a Willet amongst the Godwit?!

[Jane Turner]

Its been in a field just south of Carr Lane Crossing and has been since it was relocated at 12 today.. hang on I'll get a map ref

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=324307&y=390088&z=1&sv=324250,390250&st=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf

[Jane Turner]

OK The Hoopoe Triangle with it favoured feeding fields marked with a hoopoe coloured spot and the best places to park in magenta!

[Rob Smallwood]

Jane,

Thanks - got your mesage on my return from....Meols!

Had excellent views of the bird feeding in the paddock, also a Swallow (my first for the year, with another by the Little Chef on the way back!) and a very confiding male Kestrel with a silver metallic ring on its right leg which used the fence posts in the paddock to hunt insects from.

No sign of the Willet on the shore though - but I was tempted by the house for sale at the Meols end with sea views from the back - I'd be able to pick up the Leach's before they got to you!!

[Jane Turner]

Dam I dipped on you - saw the Kessie though! Looks like the Stork is feeding on the Dee Marshes. I'd be tempted to sit on the broken bank running out towards Shotton if it had already gone from IMF

[Rob Smallwood]

Perhaps we saw each other and didn't realise - I was in birders standard blue, with slightly less interested wife and 8 1/2 year old son in tow!

[Jane Turner]

No... I was there early am.. then went on a pointless yomp round N.Wirral, clocking up 2 Swallows, 10 Sand Martins, 2 House Martins 2 Wheatear and a few Chiffchaffs... had about 30 Little Gulls over the tide from home... then had a kip and went out to see the Hoopoe again late pm.

[Jane Turner]

Just been listen to second half commentary of the football and staring at the stream. I was a little surprised to see a male Brambling come in for a drink. The first I have ever seen "down" in the garden, though they are regular overhead on autumn passage.

However I just noticed that my spreadsheet is counting not summing my column for species/sub species hybids etc, so actully the year list is back to 76!

There are NO migrants about today.. well amost none. There is a Chiffchaff in the front garden and a Siskin went over Red Rocks this morning. The Hoopoe seems pretty happy in the field between Meols Sewage Farm and Barker and Briscoe Brich Pit.

[Rob Smallwood]

Luke & I listened to the football commentary (although I suspect a different one!) whilst getting excellent views of the Chapel-en-le-Frith Great Grey Shrike then on to the moors by the Cat & Fiddle for Short-eared Owls but none of the hoped-for Ring Ouzel.

As I type the Goldfinches are attacking the Nijer seed - a Brambling would complete the day nicely!!

[Jane Turner]

Parus spp! Just missed another clucking Osprey, this time seen right over the house! I was about a mile away with two small kids on bikes!

[Rob Smallwood]

Good news Jane - If it was "clucking" it was probably a hen - Rhode Island Red perhaps?

Ospreys tend to "Phisss" as they go past!

[Swift]

Jane, do you tend to go about or did you with a tall gangly scouse gentleman?

[Jane Turner]

Jane, do you tend to go about or did you with a tall gangly scouse gentleman?


er no not usually. I was flocking briefly with Mark Garner on Friday...who could be described as tall, arguably gangly and is in possession of a regional accent!

[Jane Turner]

Added Whimbrel today...tomorrow I think I'll do a day list. It seems that we were about 50 miles or 4 hours off a mjor fall today - >1000 Willow Warblers on Bardsey. I'm expecting a nice flush of migrants in the morning. I didn't try and find the Hoopoe today - and it seems it was not reported by anyone. I bet it just moved fields again.

[Jane Turner]

I feel slightly cheated - someone around here will have had a fall, but it not here. Just a couple of Goldcrests feeding avidly on insects on the newly sprouting Rowan and a Blackcap moved through the front.

Compensation however came in the form of a Great Spotted Woodpecker which flew East high. I'm a long way from any mature woodland so GSW is strictly a dispersal species and not a common one at that. My 6th ever and first spring record. 79 for the year

[Jane Turner]

At last... an Osprey going up the tide edge towards Seaforth!

[Rob Smallwood]

Well done - not even a Mipit over Timperley this morning!

[Jane Turner]

350 plus over here and Willow warblers, Wheatears and Goldcrests are still coming in off the sea.

[Stephen Dunstan]

Jane,

No Osprey on this bit of coast but 3 Shovelers over the sea, which I couldn't see on your year list on a quick scan. They actually pitched down before they got to South Pier to the north.

Stephen.

[Jane Turner]

Shoveler is a bit of a mega here! 6 records in 25 years! Velvet Scoter and Long tailed Duck are much more common!

[Jane Turner]

For reasons that make no sense whatsoever, the sea is a hive of activity just now. The wind is in the wrong direction and there is no tide!

So far I have seen a summer plumage BT diver, Razorbill, Arctic and Common tern, both new for the year Scoter, Gannets, loads of Sandwich Terns and an early Manxie. Have some accounts to finish then I'll be staring at the sea again!

Also though I saw a Puffin, but it ditched before I got enough on it. Might have a chance of a small grebe later on the tide :)

83 for the year!

[Jane Turner]

Added two new species this morning, Merlin and Tree Pipit. (85 for year) There have been a few Siskins bathing in the stream, and like last night the beach is awash with White Wagtails. I'm just charging up the camera battery and will have a crack at photographing them shortly. The light is not good, but watch this space :)

[Jane Turner]

OK..here goes. It was windy, dull and these things are like clockwork mice on speed. I didn't get one decent shot without them moving and you wouldn't believe the number of pin sharp shots of bare sand I have! There are 75 or more out there now, but still no Yellow Wagtails.

Some have quite silvery-grey flanks, but they all sound like Whites. Once again I was stuck by how much more energetic and prone to losing control of their tails White Wags are compared to the resident Pieds. Has anyone else notice this?

[edenwatcher]

Hi Jane,
Just joined and thought I would make my first post on your thread. We too have a wonderful garden for birds, though not up to your sort of totals yet. We overlook the inner Eden estuary in Fife (hence the username) and the list stands at 126 since 29/11/02. I think our year total is 84 so I'd better find something new tonight to catch up with you.
Highlights in no particular order include:
smew, water pipit (Scottish rarity!), med. gull, 6 goose spp. including brent, barnacle and white-fronted, long-tailed duck, osprey, little stint, jack snipe, spotted redshank, little tern, kingfisher, waxwing ...
Recent star addition - 4 avocets which hung around for 10 days.
Most gutting dip - Fife's first American golden plover which was seen while we were away last September.

Anyway I enjoy reading about your sightings, might start a thread of my own ...


Rob

[Jane Turner]

Go for it... we can have a race to 100 :) I love the Eden Estaury!

[edenwatcher]

I think you'd win!
Open sea is a long way away (though have managed gannet and common scoter) and we don't get many passerine migrants ...

[alan_rymer]

OK..here goes. It was windy, dull and these things are like clockwork mice on speed. I didn't get one decent shot without them moving and you wouldn't believe the number of pin sharp shots of bare sand I have! There are 75 or more out there now, but still no Yellow Wagtails.

?Yellow Wags are the same, Seen them 3 times in the last week. Think I've got some cracking shots and , just grass, or a yellow blur, or a tail just going out of shot, or, it stays in the frame, its out of focus. Tonight I got a couple of reasonable shots at about 40 yards.

[Jane Turner]

Nice Yellow Wags... it funny they are pretty scarce here and we get a disproportionate number of "other" races.

More mobile White Wags - this time from a video!

[alan_rymer]

The Yellow Wags pass thru my patch each spring, Last year I saw none, this year so far 8. Six of them at one time! didn't know where to look first!. I get plenty of Pied Wags, there were 16 of them with this Yellow. We had one white Wag with the Pieds last year but not seen any this year so far. Regularly get Greys down near the stream and occaisionally in this field after heavy rain.
You are one lucky lady to have all of that on your doorstep" so to speak".

[Jane Turner]

I know it... I count my blessings every day!

[Jane Turner]

41 species so far this morning. There are at least 100 White Wagtails about - earlier I had 75 on the beach at Red Rocks (towards West Kirby) and 30+ in front of the house. Just done a sweep and there are currently 89 +/- a few in front of the house. Still no Yellow Wagtails, but Tree Pipit over, a Whimbrel calling away and both Mute Swan and Mediterranean Gull (smart summer adult) new for the year. 87 so far!

Oh and of the 8 or so Wheatears I can see, a couple of the males are looking big and brown - the first Greenlandish ones of the year. Perhaps they are bound for Iceland?

[Jane Turner]

88... and most unexpected! I was idling ,looking at the sea and thought I'd picked up a Leach's Petrel ... a dark long winged bird surface feeding off the buoy. A mad dash upstairs to the open window and a better scope revealed that it was a summer plumage Black Tern! How early is that!

There are 100+ White Wags here and a similar number at Seaforth...and presumably all points in between.

[dogfish]

Is this a record influx of white wags for your area, Jane? Certainly sounds enormous. I was well chuffed with a flock of eight at my local reservoir in London this week; I'd not seen more than three there. Don't recall any three- figure flocks on the south coast but will check the bird reports.

Sean

[CJW]

100+ on one ½ mile beach here on the IOM today. Pretty average numbers for the west coast of Britain, methinks.

[Jane Turner]

390ish is my record count. 50-75 is unremarkable for this time of year.

[Jane Turner]

Had a bit of a disaster today. Saw my first capped tit in the garden...... for about 3 pico seconds before it flew off. I last saw a capped tit in Hoylake in about 1992, and that was my first Marsh tit ever up here. There are about 6 Willow Tit records for the last 20 years.... might have to wait some time to get another chance! It looked like a Willow, but I really didn't get enough and if it called, I couldn't hear it through the glass and over the kids.

On a happier note the breeding Swallows are back - or at least thre are birds visiting last year's nest.

[Stephen Dunstan]

Throw it on the year list as a superspecies!

[Jane Turner]

Oh I considered that.... but its my own conscience that is the problem... its a bit like when I saw a Peregrine nail a large lump out over the beach..eat it... drag it up the beach ahead of the tide then later drop a headless, breastless woodcock into the garden.... I sort of saw it alive but only ID'd it when it was dead

[Jane Turner]

This morning has started well - I was woken by a very vocal Grasshopper Warbler....but can I see it? Also a Whichat and a Whitethroat made fleeting visits.

92 for the year!

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Birdguides is reporting a monster fall of at least 275 Groppers on Bardsey overnight. Looks like there could be a few more about!

[Jane Turner]

I have a mini fall - there appears to be three here reeling away... still not actually seen one though!. Also Redstart and two new birds for the year, Redpoll and more excitingly Stock Dove which is a bit of a mega - its my second ever. There is a tide later tosay and I fancy my chances of getting a good day list (33 so far)

[Jane Turner]

95th Species for the year has just put the wind up me - I convinced myself it was a large raptor miles up... it was high but not as high as I had thought. It was a Short-eared Owl

[Jane Turner]

The 96th species of the year gave me a brief moment of excitement before I saw enough to confirm it was a Lesser Whitethroat. They always look rare to me! There is yet another Redstart in the back garden - perhaps its the same bird been here for a fourtnight! Its generally been a miserable cold drizzly day, but there were at least 10 Little Gulls on the sea earlier.

any more takers for the 100th species sweep - Yellow wagtail, Sedge warbler, House Martin, Swift..... it won't be long!

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Think big Jane - it's gotta be a Red-rumped Swallow! ;)

[Jane Turner]

Nice idea...

[Rob Smallwood]

If it isn't going to be a "yank" - how about Pied Flycatcher?

[Jane Turner]

Very possible... or Wood Warbler/Garden Warbler????

[Jane Turner]

Spring appears to have gone backwards today, though I finally caught up with a couple of House Martins. The sea was busy today, with a large feeding flock of seabirds; 50+Gannets, 20 odd Kittiwakes a 100 or so Common Terns a few Arctic Terns and Little Gulls a few Scoter and a Red-throated Diver.

A dark phase Arctic Skua was slightly unexpected and new for the year, 98 now and getting ever so close to the 100, maybe tomorrow.

[edenwatcher]

Spring appears to have gone backwards today, though I finally caught up with a couple of House Martins. The sea was busy today, with a large feeding flock of seabirds; 50+Gannets, 20 odd Kittiwakes a 100 or so Common Terns a few Arctic Terns and Little Gulls a few Scoter and a Red-throated Diver.

A dark phase Arctic Skua was slightly unexpected and new for the year, 98 now and getting ever so close to the 100, maybe tomorrow.
Hi Jane,
You're pulling well clear now, we're still stranded on 88. Spring has gone away here, freezing northerly wind this morning. Had "fun" yesterday with a runt cormorant - still need shag for the garden list. Envious of the skua (come to that envious of the fact that you have all 4 on the garden list!)

Rob

[Jane Turner]

The sea is busy again today - thought its about a mile away at present!

[Jane Turner]

99th Species, a Swift which I heard about 2 seconds before it disappeared under the eaves of next doors house. I wonder what the 100th will be?

[Jasonbirder]

At the rate things seem to be going in the last couple of days, Red-rumped Swallow!!

[Jane Turner]

I'm looking - I'm looking - there are hundered of hirundines crossing the beach!

[Stephen Dunstan]

Have you had Spot Fly? Must be a good bet if not.

On the numbers front we broke the Fylde Bird Club area day list record on Thursday, but there are teams out over the weekend so we might not hold it very long!

Stephen.

[Colin]

Jane,
Over the last three days here in Gloucestershire it has been either very damp or heavy rain but there is quite a big movement of birds heading your way. There were 2 (two) Red-rumped Swallows together for the past two days at Lydney on the River Severn (not managed to get there yet) and hundreds and hundreds of hirundines and swifts have passed through my local patch including 85 tern spp which were VERY high and only seen with binnies (while scanning the aforementioned) and/or scope which were in a big 'V' formation heading NE (not quite your direction) so who knows what might roll up in the next few days in front of this grey weather which appears to be moving north. I suspect they were Arctic Terns as there are hundreds (300+) reported at different places along the River Severn and at some of the bigger lakes in the south Midlands.

The two RRS were the 2nd and 3rd for the county after one in the F and M year of 2001 at Slimbridge which was closed but as I was working there at the time I was able to see.

[Jane Turner]

Hopefully the migrants will be here this am!

[Jane Turner]

Been a good moring so far - 3 new birds for the year (102). Yellow Wagtail was technically the 100th by a few seconds from the Wood Warbler that was singing in the back garden. The best bird of the day was a flyover Little-ringed Plover not the Semi-P plover I was hoping for but only my second from the house! Also seen Whinchat, a sprinkling of Willow Warblers. Seen 48 species so far today, so I guess the day total record for the year is in danger!

[Rob Smallwood]

Yellow Wag just as you predicted!

Just had a flyover Buzzard sp here at home which I got on to too late - shame because as it drifted high north away from me I could clearly see a protruding head to balance the longish tail - doh!

[tom mckinney]

Rob a Honey Buzzard went s/over Skelmerdale at 1.10pm!!!

[Jane Turner]

I had a bizzare large raptor spp today - thought it was a dark Honey Buzzard for a second or two but think it must have been and escape.... looked most like an all-brown short-tailed Goshawk in flight and shape..... no idea what it could be!

[Rob Smallwood]

Jane,

Honey Buzzard with a damaged tail perhaps?

Tom,

Thanks - this is the second "possible" Honey that I've had this year, the first being at Frodsham - I'm beginning to get twitchy about it! Both have been seen by my wife who was sure about the first but had no optics for the second as I had grabbed hers!!

[Jane Turner]

The head shape was much more Accipiter.... and I still have no idea! Sounds like grounds for divorce to me!

[Jane Turner]

Yesterday did set the species total for the yesr... here are the 54 species in descending order of count.

Herring Gull
Starling
Sandwich Tern
Cormorant
Greenfinch
Dunlin
Goldfinch
Swallow
Yellow Wagtail
House Sparrow
meadow pipit
Great Black-backed Gull
linnet
Sanderling
Arctic Tern
Dunnock
Shelduck
Gannet
Blackbird
Magpie
Lesser Black-bcked Gull
Feral Pigeon
Carrion Crow
Wren
Blue Tit
Collared Dove
Coal Tit
Great-crested Grebe
Great Tit
Ringed Plover
Peregrine
Chaffinch
Pied Wagtail
Willow Warbler
Siskin
Kittiwake
Tree Pipit
Long-tailed Tit
Mistle Thrush
Common Tern
Sand Martin
Jackdaw
Swift
Redpoll
Black-headed Gull
Robin
Curlew
Redshank
Grey Plover
Woodpigeon
Sparrowhawk
Whinchat
Little-ringed Plover
Wood Warbler

[edenwatcher]

Yesterday did set the species total for the yesr... here are the 54 species in descending order of count.

At least we still have a better day list - your year list is romping ahead! Particularly envious of the wood warbler. Commiserations with the SemiP. I've had a couple of similar "ones that got away": a possible tree swallow outside work when I wasn't equipped with bins in November 98, and a possible pallid swift in October 2001. The 'avatar' last October makes up for it though ....

Rob

[Jane Turner]

I'm hoping for a migrant fall that coincides with a good tide - then 60 or even 70 might be in reach! Isn't it frustrating when you get birds in that band where you know what you saw, but also know there is no way you can submit it!

There is an almost total lack of birds but nice light, soI took some habitat shots today!

The first pic is what I see if I look to the left out of my bedroom window. Hilbre Island is visible with the Clwyd hills behind. On clearer days Snowdonia and the Great Orme are also visible.

The second pic is straight ahead from the same window. It the bottom left of the garden you can see the patch of buckthorn surrounding a small pond that I planted with the sole aim of slowing down a Bluethroat. Grasshopper Warblers and Sedge Warblers seem to like it and the dip (the ground was hollowed out to give the plants a bit of protection from the wind, has already had two Ring Ouzels! Next comes the gorse patch with is finally becoming established. Its had Lesser Whitethroat already this spring and I'm ever hopeful that it might attract a Subalpine Warbler or similar. My main reason for planing it was to get Linnets to breed. In the right hand corners there is a patch of hawthorn and brambles and a few sycamores which I'm hoping will be attractive to more warblers.

The view to the right: My neighbours to the right have serious cover! I wonder if they'd ever sell me their garden :)

The final pic shows the view from the back room. The stream attracts all sorts of interesting birds. Its the only flowing water for miles, even if its fake, and Redstarts and Pied Flycathers love it. Last Autumn there was a Wryneck at the far end. The trees are starting to take hold in the back - being protected from the wind helps. Yesterday's Wood Warbler was in the birch by the back gate! If Michael is reading, note the lovely little Scots pine starting to get a foothold. It will be home to a Firecrest soon enough!

[Jane Turner]

In very strong low light this evening.... a Linnet gave the gorse patch a test run... maybe next year it will be dense enough!

[PhilW]

The Linnet or the Gorse (sorry Jane Couldn't resist that one!).
I must ask where you manage to get gorse and buckthorn? Theyre not the usual plants you find in garde ncentres and I could do wit hpalnting some gorse around the pond by our house.

[Jane Turner]

I got them via Groundwork - they do urban renewal projects.

and yes..I thought that re the Linnet when I posted it!

[Ben Dickinson]

Looks like a great little garden you got there - some of those birds you mentioned I can only dream of being right smack bang in the middle of the longest road in Liverpool!

Fingers crossed for the Subalpine/Firecrest - you must let us know on here as soon as you do get anything - I'll be on the train straight away ;)

[Jane Turner]

I've already had a couple of Firecrests and a Yellow-browed Warbler (actually 2 but I didn't see one of them!) The bad news is that most of the birds I get are seriously transient, as in they fly though the garden!

Thats why I'm planting..... considering turning the back garden into an orchard

[Jane Turner]

Been a quiet few days, but I saw another or the same Arctic Skua a few Gannets and Kittiwakes on the tides and today I heard, but failed to see a Greenshank, the 102nd species of the year!

Nice sunset though to compensate for the non-conducive (for migrants) weather!

[Tanny]

Lovely sunset Jane, was this taken from your window looking west. The other day I saw 12 Sedge warblers and 10 Whitethroat at Leasow, they must have passed through your garden to get there.

[Jane Turner]

Yes - taken from my front room!

[Ben Dickinson]

I see a Nightjar was reported from Red Rocks this morning... great sighting - was that you Jane? :)

[RockyRacoon]

Wow my Garden bird list is about 10! :eek!:

[Jane Turner]

Yes the Nightjar was me :) This is number 182 for the House (I found two errors in the list) - also my first in Cheshire, my first at Red Rocks - since that is where is started and my first ever found :)


I believe its a male, but I'm well rusty on Honey Buzzards

[Jane Turner]

In addition to the Bunney above, there has been a couple of Tree Pipits and a Yellow Wagtail with a dark head. Unfortunately it was in flight so I'm not going to do any better than "not flava" but it looked like a Grey-head type.


103 for the year.

[Rob Smallwood]

Nice Honey Buzzard - almost identical to the probable I had at Frodsham last month.

Tell us more about the Nightjar (I was in Norfolk listening but not seeing Nightjar at Salthouse at the time!!).

[Jane Turner]

Tell us more about the Nightjar (I was in Norfolk listening but not seeing Nightjar at Salthouse at the time!!).
The nightjar is a great tale of how hard honest graft can reap rewards.... I got up just before 4 that day - determined to check if the grasshopper warbler that had come in earlier in the month was on territory on the golf course. I find that paired (and unopposed birds birds tend to sing very very very early only. I'm taking part in the Cheshire Atlas breeding and wintering bird survey! Anyway I was on the Royal Liverpool Golf Course - I do have permission to be there but its always tricky explain it to the greenstaff. The permission was granted in 1978.... and I rather not have to renegotiate it :). The evening before there had been a Stonechat and I was interested to see if it was breeding in the center of the course.

Behind the 10th green (its set in a protected hollow in the dunes) is a 20ft square patch of Corsican Pines... I've never seen anything in there before but always check it religiously, expecting a LEO! This time as I approached (via a whopping great hawthorn) which you can't see from the public footpath, I more or less trod on the Nightjar (a male) which was either on a low branch of the Hawthorn, or on the Fox path between the bush and the pines. To say I was surprised would be a huge understatement.... it went flopping out west over the dunes... I scampered up to the top but couldn't see it, though it was incredibly misty. My guess is its one of the Clywd birds that got a bit disoriented in the fog - I can more or less see the breeding site 12 miles away as the Nightjar flies across the estuary.

After fininishing off walking the Royal Liverpool - I also trudged round the Hoylake Municipal GC too... I got almost as excited about the pari of Tree Sparrows I found breeding there... on my tetrad!

[Rob Smallwood]

Just reward Jane, just reward!

[Jane Turner]

Had a bit of a panic this morning... I was at the very bottom of the garden, scanning the beach...mostly to find a Peregrine, when I noticed a large, quite broad winged "floppy" bird come in off the sea. It was still about a mile away and I only had bins, but I just about convinced myself it was a Long-eared Owl.. so I had to run the length of the garden and up two flights of stairs to find the nearest scope pointing in the right direction....

I got there slightly out of breath.......and the bird was a Short-eared Owl.... the second of the spring. I've also had Yellow Wagtail and Tree Pipit over.

There is a good height tide today, one that leaves a nice crescent of beach, not that there are many wader lefts to populate it.....

[Jane Turner]

I added another new species (104) yesterday afternoon, with a Sedge Warbler doing an imitation of something very rare in the Buckthorn. The tide was good, with about 50 Gannets the second Fulmar of the year, plenty of Sandwich and Common Terns and at least two Arctic Skuas hanging about and mugging the Terns.

The waders were slightly disappointing, with 38 Dunlin, 54 Ringed Plover and a few Sanderling.

The only other surprise was a Grey Wagtail - I'm miles from any breeding sites!

Its quite windy today so I am hopeful that there may be something interesting on this lunchtime's tide, if the heat haze holds off.. There are plenty of Terns, Gannets and Kittiwakes out there already.

[Jane Turner]

Been really lazy with updates haven't I... not had much new over the summer - will check back... Little Tern for certain.

Last weekend the first good bird of the autumn was a returning Short-eared Owl. Today there has been a big fall of migrants... 50 or so Willow Warblers and a couple of Whitethroats as well as large numbers of dispersing tits.

[edenwatcher]

Been really lazy with updates haven't I... not had much new over the summer - will check back... Little Tern for certain.

Last weekend the first good bird of the autumn was a returning Short-eared Owl. Today there has been a big fall of migrants... 50 or so Willow Warblers and a couple of Whitethroats as well as large numbers of dispersing tits.
I was wondering where you'd got to? Envy the migrants - a single willow warbler yesterday doesn't really cut it!
Couldn't even see the estuary this morning - thick haar.

Rob

[Jane Turner]

Last night there was quite a movement of Hirundines, about 100 Swallows, 50 House Martins and a single Sand Martin. Also a couple of Swifts, passage birds since the breeders left on Aug 5th!

Finally I have some waders to look at, but alas, just Ringed Plovers and Dunlin (about 50 of each) so far.

This morning there were a couple of Pied Flycatchers in the back garden but they seem to have moved on now. One of those birds that always looks rare

[Jane Turner]

I've been back through my diary and have found two additional species for the year list, Storm Petrel on July 3rd, and Little Tern dailing since late May.

Added Common Sandpiper a few days ago taking the total to 106.

Today there has been a big influx of waders, though still nothing exciting with the 400 or so Dunlin and Ringed Plovers. In the mist and drizzle I can hear Whimbrels and what I think is my first Greenshank of the Year.

[Jane Turner]

The year list should be 110... I've clearly missed a few of the more routine birds off! Still way behind last year so I need a good autumn to reach 150 and I suspect I can wave goodbye to Cuckoo and Spotted Flycatcher this year.

[edenwatcher]

The year list should be 110... I've clearly missed a few of the more routine birds off! Still way behind last year so I need a good autumn to reach 150 and I suspect I can wave goodbye to Cuckoo and Spotted Flycatcher this year.
Hmm, neck and neck (also 110). I thought you would be way ahead by now. Not much easy left for us though - osprey, snipe spotshank, little stint.

Rob

[Jane Turner]

I have plenty of seabirds and a few migrants to go... and daft things like Lapwing!

[edenwatcher]

I have plenty of seabirds and a few migrants to go... and daft things like Lapwing!
Could probably spare you a few dozen lapwing - in exchange for a pied fly or something!

[Jane Turner]

In cheking waht I could still see I found I'd fail to tick off Long-tailed Tit and Snow Bunting, so the list is actually 112. I have 30 more species that I expect to see, things like Filedfare, Brambling, Rook etc which are very much autumn dispersal birds...


If I get desperate enough for Lapwing I'll get on the roof - there are some about a mile away!

[edenwatcher]

In cheking waht I could still see I found I'd fail to tick off Long-tailed Tit and Snow Bunting, so the list is actually 112. I have 30 more species that I expect to see, things like Filedfare, Brambling, Rook etc which are very much autumn dispersal birds...

Ah yes, still need long-tailed tit (and whooper swan if it comes to that). Last year's total was 120 so at some point soon you will roar way ...

[Jane Turner]

Just checked the waders - up to 500 now and three moulting adult Curlew Sandpipers takes me to 113.

Have you checked your hedges for a Greenish warbler.. its raining them up there :)

[edenwatcher]

Have you checked your hedges for a Greenish warbler.. its raining them up there :)
All to the north of here, sadly. Now the sun is shining and it is clear as a bell so they all have b*ggered off by the time I go looking tomorrow.
Unfortunately our hedges are exposed to easterly winds, which makes finding migrants in them that much harder...

Well done with the curlew sands.

Rob

[Jane Turner]

Often when birds hit high on the east coast, they filter down the west coast a couple of days later.... think I might give Red Rocks a close examination on Sunday morning.

[edenwatcher]

Often when birds hit high on the east coast, they filter down the west coast a couple of days later.... think I might give Red Rocks a close examination on Sunday morning.
Spoke too soon. Greenish in Fife, time to leave work early perhaps?

[Jane Turner]

I'd say so.....

[Jane Turner]

Hmm - looks like its going to be a "wear bins around the house day today" Was considering going to the test match.. but now I think its watch it on TV and keep an eye on the garden.

The first two birds I saw in the back garden were a Spotted Flycatcher and a Lesser Whitethroat, first and second of the year respectively. There is a nice height tide today and there should be plenty on it. Last night (but this morning) I was kept awake by a huge flock of Sandwich Terns karking away.. I had to shut the window in the end, but not before I'd heard a Green Sandpiper.

115 for the year in the garden and a good recovery on Spot Fly which I thought I'd blown!


Edit: Now two Lesser Whitethroats and a sprinkling of Phylloscs.

[Jane Turner]

Decided to keep a daylist for today.. will keep updating this entry

1. Little Tern, 2. Common Tern 3. Sandwich Tern, 4. Spotted Flycather, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 6. Fulmar, 7 Ringed PLover, 8. Peregrine, 9. Willow Warbler, 10. Feral Pigeon, 11. Blackbird, 12.Green Sandpiper 13.Dunlin, 14. Redshank, 15 Curlew, 16 Oystercatcher 17.Black-headed Gull, 18. Common Gull, 19 Herring Gull 20 Lesser black-backed gull, 21 GBBG, 22 Starling 23 House Sparrow, 24 Blue Tit, 25 Linnet, 26 Great Tit, 27 Coal tit, 28 Carrion Crow, 29 Wren. 30. Swallow 31 Pied Wagtail Up to 08.00

32. 0805 Chaffinch
33. 0813 Garden Warbler New for year = 116
34. 0813 Chiffchaff
35. Cormorant, missed off earlier
36. 0844 Gannet
37. 0844 House Martin
38. 0915 Dunnock
39. 0920 Meadow Pipit
40. 0915 Whitethroat the 5th warbler sp.... hope there is a 6th that isn't a Blackcap :)
41. 0941 Goldfinch... but the lack of Collared Doves is getting silly!
42. 1104 Sanderling
43. 1110 Arctic Tern
44. 1125 Arctic Skua
(and a deceased Guillemot!)

[edenwatcher]

Decided to keep a daylist for today.. will keep updating this entry


You seem to be on for a good one ... (unless you crack and go for the great knot!)
I think we managed 54 yesterday.
Long tailed tit fell over the w/e. UTVs of the greenish on Friday but got one in Angus on Saturday and a male red-backed shrike

Rob

[Jane Turner]

I've worked out that I won't beat the tide! I may well have a crack tomorrow am though!

[Jane Turner]

Daylist continues

45. 11.55 Bar-tailed Godwit (nearly a great knot!)
46. 13.10 Greenfinch - flew over.. .still no Collared Dove! but three peregrines and two Arctic Skuas1
47. 13.20 Mediterranean Gull

.....and the corpse isn't a Guillemot - I thought I should go out to make sure its wasn't a Little Shearwater... when I got to it (it was in some of the gooiest smelliest mud on the planet) it turned out to be an adult Great Crested Grebe. I never could judge the size of dead birds!

[Jane Turner]

Had a bit of an incident today.. a BIG grey stint with a honking bill appeared briefly in front of the house. Of couse it vanished seconds later leaving me grasping at Semi-P straws. There were two nice Little Stints, 117 for the year.

Yesterday there were the first returning Knot.. well apart from some in late June which may have been coming or going, 30 in all including some stunning red ones. 12 Grey Plovers in perfect summer plumage, [single Bar-tailed Godwit and a couple of Juv Black-tailed Godwits and single Turnstone and Common Sandpiper added some variety to the carpet of sleeping Dunlin Sanderling and Ringed Plovers, about 3000 in all.

I saw a Manx Shearwater from bed too!

[Jane Turner]

Nasty grey day, lashing rain and distant waders... but lovely plumage!

[Jane Turner]

Its frustrating - the sea is busy, but its a mile away and there is so much heat haze the wings and body of the Gannets are drifting apart.

I hope the evening tide will calm down the haze and bring me some tubenoses!

[Jane Turner]

Less haze today ans a stiff WNW wind. The sea was excellent with 20 or so Arctic Skuas moving through and about 5 hanging about harrying the Kittiwakes and Terns. The first decent numbers or Arctic Terns this autumn too, with 15 or so. Plenty of Gannets fishing too, though these were untroubled by the 5 Great Skuas which were moving through. The highlight of the day was however the tubenoses, 80 Fulmar, 40 Manxies and a single Storm Petrel as well as a probable but 3 miles offshore Sooty Shearwater...too far for me to claim!

[Jane Turner]

The sea is strangely qioet this morning... but the beach made up for it. Just 15 birds in front of the house but 6 species, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Sanderling, Knot,Curlew Sandpiper(1) and Little Stint (1)

[John o'Sullivan]

Jane how can you appear so blase about missing possible semi-p. I've been after one at goldcliff for about 4 years now. found a bairds and two temmincks there . Not a sniff at semi -p. Maybe this year. As with my post on eden watchers enjoying this thread, though somewhat envious. John

[Jane Turner]

Its an annual event more or less John.. always adult stints... always hard to be sure and always 'kin flushed. The worst one ever was a prob Westerm.. it was Western or Semi P.. and that got flushed never to return too.


Come and stay... I believe you still have some vinyl of mine from 20 odd years ago!

[Jane Turner]

There is a Curlew Sandpiper on the beach but the excitement of the day came in the form of a Little Egret which flew over the garden and landed on the beach. Though common on the Dee, its still really rare up here - my 4th ever and the second for the house. The previous was on Aug 31st 2000! 118 for the year.

[Jane Turner]

I was really busy on Bank Holiday Monday but was able to add Leach's Petrel (3) to the year list along with excellent numbers of other seabirds. 119

Nearly got 120 today - but I wasn't in the garden when I saw a Ring-billed Gull fly over the beach in front of the house.

[Jane Turner]

There were 5 Snipe over the garden last week - a house record count. and the 120th species of the year The sea has been diverting, with good numbers of Skuas, Terns, Shearwaters and Petrels... though I can't see any of the rare skuas that keep getting seen either side of me.

Blowing really hard here and I just had a Leach's Petrel about 60ft from the garden wall. I am hopeful of seeing Sabine's Gull and Long-tailed Skua if this keeps up.

[Jane Turner]

And now had one in the garden... :)

This was nearly in too

[Jane Turner]

Still plenty of Petrels out there.... not sure why they are on the beach, a mile from the sea at extreme low tide and without yesterday's howling gale!

[Stephen Dunstan]

They are exhausted perhaps?

I have been unable to seawatch these last three days due to work commitments and tides, which has been frustrating. Did get a nice Lancs bird on Sunday (Black Guillemot) which helped a bit.

Stephen.

[Jane Turner]

Its not as though its THAT windy or that the winds have been that prolonged.. they seem happy enough pattering about on beach pools though :)

[Stephen Dunstan]

Anecdotally a Wilson's off St Ives was reported feeding on Manxie corpses, suggesting some mortality in the recent winds.

A couple of years ago Kitts were wrecked all along the Blackpool coast but nobody elsewhere in Lancs recorded the same thing.

[Jane Turner]

Maybe they were weakend out in the Atlantic.... looks good for you Wed/Thurs wind wise... going SW'ly.

[Jane Turner]

and just to reinforce your point Stephen, I have seen one dead and three dying Manxies today ...put one in the Freezer - will take it to Liverpool Uni at my first opportunity

[Jane Turner]

The winds have vanished as have the Petrels.. still by way of compensation the garden is full of migrants this morning.

Three species of chat on the lawn for a start, though the Whinchat buggered off before I found the camera. The Wheatears were a little more obliging. Yesterday was a bit of a Duck day, with 125 Common Scoter and the first Pintail of the autumn

[Jane Turner]

122 for the year now... a Shag a few days ago and the Ring-billed Gull from a few days back right over the house!

[Jane Turner]

Things really hotted up in the evening. Plenty of Petrels - at least 35 Leach's Petrels were feeding offshore and a Sub-adult pale phase Pomarine Skua (123) went ploughing through.

I had a disconcerting half an hour or so with a small short-winged Petrel spp, 2/3rds the size of Leach's and occasion looking ever so like a Wilson's Petrel as it sheared about like a mini Shearwater.... then of course it started buzzing about like a typical Stormie...which I guess is what it had to be. It was too dark to see if it had trailing feet or not... paler upper-wing panel ...or not - it wasn't possible to see the wing panels on the Leach's Petrels alongside.

Then there was a weakly fluttering shearwater... but I'm pretty sure that it was just a knackered Manxie.

[Jane Turner]

Right.. today was some day. No new species, but totals as follows
Arctic Skua 54, Great Skua 29, Fulmar 11, Gannet 355, Kittiwake 340, Leach's Petrel 46, Arctic Tern 12, Common Tern 4, Sandwich Tern 6, Razorbill 3 Red-throated Diver 1, Common Scoter 9, Guillemot 25, Manx Shearwater 195

[John o'Sullivan]

Jane, there are four types of birdwatching I enjoy
1. Patch watching
2. Seawatching
3. Waders
4. Gulls
you've got them all without going anywhere.
Once my kids have finished comp I'm going to sell up and find something similar. John.

[Jane Turner]

Don't suppose it helps to know that I saw all that lot sat on my bed! Go for it John... its worth it.

[Jane Turner]

Puffin and Sabines Gull added to the year list - 125 for the year. There are so many seabirds out there its amazing. Seen three Sabine's Gulls together!

[Eagle]

I just love reading about the activities you can see from the bed...kitchen...back door !
Puffin? How many? Just flying?
In East London
I'm having a quick 10 min breather from the perils of yr 11...I teach ICT so I can flit back and forth to check whats occuring....here I see Blackbird ,feral pigeons, occassional Herring Gulls (from the River Thames)....much better in the West of London!
But difficult to compare with u!

[Jane Turner]

Two Puffins.. flying - also 150 Gulliemots and 20 or so Razorbills

[postcardcv]

What a fantastic day - I think next year I'll be taking my holiday in your house!

[Jane Turner]

So the end totals for yesterday

Sabine's Gull. 4-9... hard to be sure if the birds were passing or lingering, but three juvs together one unaged bird an adult and three single juvs was a bit special. The unaged bird was particularly pleasing.. it was too distant to make out plumage but I was certain it was a Sabs..and then it was joined and overtaken by a party of Kittiwakes giving excellent comparisons. I thinks Sabs has to be the most jizzy bird of all! The other big feature of today was the Kittiwake passage. I'm afraid I couldn't count them propperly but estimate that there were at least 750. There were fewer Manx Shearwaters today - about 120 and fewer Gannets - probably only 250. I'm still getting huge numbers of Skuas, but no rare ones... 43 Arctic Skuas and 38 Bonxies including a party of 8! I'm missing out on the Petrels though - my guess it that they are all sheltering in the Mersey mouth - just 38 Leach's, but one was in the back garden!

Auks were up 2 Puffins always rare here, 190 Guillemots and 45 Razorbills

[Jane Turner]

Wednesday

With the dropping winds, the Leach's Petrels trapped in the Mersey mouth and Liverpool bay made a bid for freedom. I wasn't watching all day, but suspect I saw the peak passage of 90/hour... I kept going long enough to get the day count into three figures 107 to be precise. Also recorded two firsts for the autumn, 3 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and a juv Black Tern. Manx Shearwaters were still prominent, with a raft of 70 opposite the house. No hint of a Balearic...apart from an oiled Manxie! In all I recorded 175 yesterday. Skuas remain prominent - I think this is my best autumn ever for them - well Great Skua for sure... another 22 today, with 29 Arctic Skuas and two pale adult or sub adult Pomarine Skuas ploughing West.

Supporting cast: 75 Gannets, 120 Kittiwakes, 2 Arctic Terns, 6 Sandwich Terns a single Fulmar and 17 Scoter.

[Jane Turner]

Its a big Leach's day today and I won't be here to witness it. 215 in an hour!!!!! Also an adult Sabine's Gull on the beach and a single Storm Petrel

[Jane Turner]

Been a disappointing autumn to say the least... no passerines of note so far.... apart from a Black Redstart on Nov 2nd 126 for the year.

There have been loads of Ducks in the last couple of days, with 10 Eider yesterday and three Shoveler today new for the year. = 128

[desgreene]

Been a disappointing autumn to say the least... no passerines of note so far.... apart from a Black Redstart on Nov 2nd 126 for the year.

There have been loads of Ducks in the last couple of days, with 10 Eider yesterday and three Shoveler today new for the year. = 128

Hi Jane,
what's it been like on the wader front recently? I was going to visit Hoylake yesterday, but went walking instead since it was such a nice day. Didn't see much Goldcrest and Treecreeper were the best.

Des.

[Jane Turner]

There have been good numbers of especially Knot.. 8-10,000 and decent numbers of Dunlin, Sanderling, Grey Plover and Bar-Wits. The tides are too high just now and most of the waders are pushed off at high tide, leaving about 6000 large Gulls, which I still can't find anything in.

There are 15 or Brent Geese on Hilbre

[desgreene]

There have been good numbers of especially Knot.. 8-10,000 and decent numbers of Dunlin, Sanderling, Grey Plover and Bar-Wits. The tides are too high just now and most of the waders are pushed off at high tide, leaving about 6000 large Gulls, which I still can't find anything in.

There are 15 or Brent Geese on Hilbre

Thanks Jane. What are the tides like next Saturday/Sunday?

[Rob Smallwood]

I fully expected you to have seen a Little Auk today Jane!

[Jane Turner]

I was out....

I did add two species on Nov 24th though.. Lapwing, also a record count, with 145 and Golden Plover 4... and a Brambling this morning 131

[edenwatcher]

3 new birds for the year in late November - I've got no chance!
Waxwing yesterday though.

Rob

[Jane Turner]

I've been really lazy this autumn.... so 140 looks like about as good as I'll get. Plenty of sea-duck still required! Seen 4 Teal today.. can't recall if they are new for the year without checking back a year's worth of records! They are scarce here though. Plenty of Divers (15), all id-able range ones were Red-throated and there are 40 or so Great-crested Grebes. I found and lost almost immediately a small grebe spp... as is usual off here. A female Peregrine was eating what appeared to be a Knot which made a change since an immature male has been my regular bird this month.

There is a Grey Wagtail in the the front garden but disappointing numbers of waders etc in the high tide roost.

Dunlin 750
Knot 900
Grey Plover 250
Sanderling 250
Cormorant 95
Curlew 25
Shelduck 135
Herring Gull 1500
Lesser Black-backed Gull 400
Great Black-backed Gull 25
Common Gull 400
Black-headed Gull 400

[Jane Turner]

Nothing new today, but plenty of interest on the tide.

140 Lapwing, over 1000 Bar-tailed Godwits, a few hundred Sanderling and 2-3000 each of Dunlin and Knot. An imm female Peregrine chose a Knot for dinner... but ran out of beach to eat it on and had to fly inland.

This was taken with my phone! On a very grey day!

[Rob Smallwood]

Black-browed Albatross heading your way Jane!