ColinD
Wednesday 12th November 2003, 00:14
On Friday 14th November 2003, I will be leaving my current employer in Warrington, Cheshire, and moving to pastures new. One of my biggest regrets is that I will probably no longer get to visit one of my favourite birding sites, Houghton Green Flash. This is a little known, flooded field, which turns up some exeptional birds, and I thought I would take this oppertunity to close this chapter of my birding life with a brief site guide. This is based purely on my experiences over the past three years, visiting the site once a week in my lunch break, and in that time I have never met a single other birder with whom to compare notes
The flash can be seen from the M6 motorway, at the junction with the M62. Parking is a real problem, I usually approach it from the Croft end taking the route marked on the map which takes you along a public footpath, over the M6 and under a slip road.
When you get to the flash, you will be struck by the fact that there is almost no habitat. It really is a flooded, grassy field, and short grass at that.
In winter, the site holds up to 80 Wigeon, I know of no other site locally which consistanly holds so many. Up to 50 Teal are present, 30 Ruddy Ducks, 100 Coot and once I saw an adult Whooper Swan. The hedges abound with Fieldfares and Redwings.
Spring is my favourite time. In 2003, there were 8 Summer plumage Black-necked Grebes on the Flash throughout May. There is no breeding habitat for them, and by June they were gone, presumably to local breeding sites. A stunning way to spend your dinner break, just a few feet away from these beautiful birds! Also in spring, there are a number of sightings of Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Yellow wagtail and masses of hirundines, plus other common migrants.
One of the star birds of the spring for me though, is the Lesser Whitethroat, which apparently breeds in one of the hedges alongside the flash. For years this species was a complete mystery to me, I just never saw them, but about 5 years ago I learnt the song, and now I see them frequently in the North West, despite the fact that they are nowhere common locally. At least one pair breeds at the Flash.
Summer sees a build up of grebes, presumably non or failed breeders, with 5 or 6 Black-necked, 30 Great Crested and 10 Little Grebes. There's always a chance of a strange duck at this time of year, such as the Long-tailed Duck from a few years back, and drake Pochards are present.
Autumn passage sees the odd tern pass through, and Common Sandpipers are a little commoner than in spring. Redshanks start to be seen, and Buzzards, which are increasing throughout the area, are at their most numerous. Wigeon begin to build up, and in 2003 a Black-necked Grebe lingered from August to at least mid November.
In years gone by I have visited the flash to see various rarities, and these have included a Lesser Yellowlegs in the mid 1990's, and a Laughing Gull (which I dipped out on unfortunately).
If you get chance, visit the site. It's one of those places where you can make really good discoveries for yourself, much better for birds than local reserves such as Risley Moss, and I speak as one who visits Risley Moss 3 times a week.
Colin
The flash can be seen from the M6 motorway, at the junction with the M62. Parking is a real problem, I usually approach it from the Croft end taking the route marked on the map which takes you along a public footpath, over the M6 and under a slip road.
When you get to the flash, you will be struck by the fact that there is almost no habitat. It really is a flooded, grassy field, and short grass at that.
In winter, the site holds up to 80 Wigeon, I know of no other site locally which consistanly holds so many. Up to 50 Teal are present, 30 Ruddy Ducks, 100 Coot and once I saw an adult Whooper Swan. The hedges abound with Fieldfares and Redwings.
Spring is my favourite time. In 2003, there were 8 Summer plumage Black-necked Grebes on the Flash throughout May. There is no breeding habitat for them, and by June they were gone, presumably to local breeding sites. A stunning way to spend your dinner break, just a few feet away from these beautiful birds! Also in spring, there are a number of sightings of Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Yellow wagtail and masses of hirundines, plus other common migrants.
One of the star birds of the spring for me though, is the Lesser Whitethroat, which apparently breeds in one of the hedges alongside the flash. For years this species was a complete mystery to me, I just never saw them, but about 5 years ago I learnt the song, and now I see them frequently in the North West, despite the fact that they are nowhere common locally. At least one pair breeds at the Flash.
Summer sees a build up of grebes, presumably non or failed breeders, with 5 or 6 Black-necked, 30 Great Crested and 10 Little Grebes. There's always a chance of a strange duck at this time of year, such as the Long-tailed Duck from a few years back, and drake Pochards are present.
Autumn passage sees the odd tern pass through, and Common Sandpipers are a little commoner than in spring. Redshanks start to be seen, and Buzzards, which are increasing throughout the area, are at their most numerous. Wigeon begin to build up, and in 2003 a Black-necked Grebe lingered from August to at least mid November.
In years gone by I have visited the flash to see various rarities, and these have included a Lesser Yellowlegs in the mid 1990's, and a Laughing Gull (which I dipped out on unfortunately).
If you get chance, visit the site. It's one of those places where you can make really good discoveries for yourself, much better for birds than local reserves such as Risley Moss, and I speak as one who visits Risley Moss 3 times a week.
Colin