Cheshire And Wirral Birding: Hills, Lowland and Coast (1 Viewer)

[Himalaya]

Failed to get LSW today at Moore but others saw it. In fact some believe there maybe 2 males. Unless they adopt babies its no good!

Plenty of Wrens, Nuthatches, quite a few GSW. A mighty tussle between a Great Tit and Nuthatch. They both started scrapping on forest floor.

 

[deeestuary]

Nice photo of the of the Red Kite seen over north Wirral this morning on www.deeestuary.co.uk. Unfortunately I didn't see it as I was told it was heading for Heswall which is where I went!
It must have flown right over Gilroy Nature park which is a couple of minutes drive from my house.

 

[Jane Turner]

It went behind me - I was looking the wrong way! (For an Osprey)

 

[deeestuary]

It went behind me - I was looking the wrong way! (For an Osprey)

Two birders I know well were looking out to sea at Leasowe when it flew unseen behind them.
It went right over CB's house (by Gilroy) almost at roof height except he was in Lancashire at the time!

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Yesterday - Spoonbill and Wheatear at Parkgate; Black Redstart at Red Rocks; Bittern, 2 Avocets and 2 Spotted Redshanks at Burton Mere Wetlands; 2 Iceland Gulls at Sandbach Flashes; 5 Black-necked Grebes at Woolston Eyes; Willow Warbler, 2 Stonechats, Wheatear, 12 Goldcrests, Merlin and 3 Short-eared Owls at Leasowe; 60 Little Gulls, 6 Red-throated Divers, c150 Common Scoters, 12 Purple Sandpipers and 166 Brent Geese at Hilbre; 10 Scaup and 400+ Common Scoters at Hoylake;

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Today - Great White Egret and 2 Short-eared Owls at Frodsham; Red Kite at Leasowe then Hoylake, Hilbre (4th Hilbre record), West Kirby and Bidston; Bittern, 2 Hen Harriers and Spotted Redshank at Burton Mere Wetlands; Spoonbill at Parkgate; Scaup at Doddington; 10 Crossbills and c80 Bramblings at Macclesfield Forest; Tree Sparrow, 25 Goldcrests and 4 Wheatears at Hilbre; 4 White Wagtails and 500+ Meadow Pipits at Leasowe;

CB

 

[Jane Turner]

8 CHiffchaffs, 4 Goldcrests 25 Redpoll, 70 Siskin, 19 Pied Wagtails 75 Meadow Pipits and a Fieldfare at Red Rocks this morning - no sign of the Black Redstart- but that isn't unusual

 

[hampers]

Again 10 crossbills, brambling, siskin and redpoll, Standing Stones Car Park, Macclesfield Forest. Very misty morning so the visit to Danebower provided nothing as visibility was about 20yds.

Phil

 

[cheshirebirder]

Hampers, Danebower had wheatear on 19th. and red kite a 2 days ago.No ring ouzel yet ,as far as I know but having a look round later today.

 

[hampers]

Hampers, Danebower had wheatear on 19th. and red kite a 2 days ago.No ring ouzel yet ,as far as I know but having a look round later today.

I had wheatear there on 20th. This is about right time for the rouzels (just noticed spell checker had changed this!) as well. Will be up there tomorrow, hopefully in better weather - although its glorious now.

Phil

 

[chris butterworth]

It went right over CB's house (by Gilroy) almost at roof height except he was in Lancashire at the time!

Thanks Richard. I really needed to feel even more bitter about that

Chris

 

[gregbaker]

Just returned from a late morning session at Richmond Bank, where a 3rd/4th year Caspian Gull present, 2 adult Iceland Gulls plus a possible first or second year Kumlien's Gull. I have posted photos on the gallery with link below. Unfortunately none show the bill or legs, which in both cases was black. Seemed larger than adult Icelands and but when seen briefly in flight more Iceland-like proportions.

Comments appreciated!

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showgallery.php/ppuser/58657/cat/500

 

[cheshirebirder]

Well, a trawl round up at danebower only produced wheatear. Tried over towards Knotbury too. For years ( I'm going back to the 70's ) I always saw rouzel before wheatear but not so for about a decade. Probably because the rouzels have declined very much - I no longer see them around 3 shires/cuthorne for example.
Better news,though, was a flock of 40+ golden plover nearby on the Cheshire moors .

 

[tigertom]

Hi I am thinking of a vist round macclesfileld forest next week end dos any one know if there is any public transport links from macclesfiled that go that way
Thanks.
|=)|MIKE:cat:

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Hi I am thinking of a vist round macclesfileld forest next week end dos any one know if there is any public transport links from macclesfiled that go that way
Thanks.
|=)|MIKE:cat:

Get the train to Macclesfield. You can't get to the Forest easily by public transport. Try this link - http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/transport_and_travel/public_transport/bus/bus_service_timetables.aspx

Route 14 goes from Macclesfield to Langley (the nearest place to Macc Forest, then you can walk to the Forest).

Route 58 goes from Macclesfield to Buxton (so you could get off at The Cat and Fiddle to goto Danebower Quarries).

Hope this helps. I'd wait till mid April at least and then you can get Pied Flys and Redstarts plus a host of Warblers.

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Well, a trawl round up at danebower only produced wheatear. Tried over towards Knotbury too. For years ( I'm going back to the 70's ) I always saw rouzel before wheatear but not so for about a decade. Probably because the rouzels have declined very much - I no longer see them around 3 shires/cuthorne for example.
Better news,though, was a flock of 40+ golden plover nearby on the Cheshire moors .

Ring Ousels seem to have almost vanished from the Danebower area. Last spring they were very difficult to see, with only a few sightings.

CB

 

[tigertom]

Get the train to Macclesfield. You can't get to the Forest easily by public transport. Try this link - http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/transport_and_travel/public_transport/bus/bus_service_timetables.aspx

Route 14 goes from Macclesfield to Langley (the nearest place to Macc Forest, then you can walk to the Forest).

Route 58 goes from Macclesfield to Buxton (so you could get off at The Cat and Fiddle to goto Danebower Quarries).

Hope this helps. I'd wait till mid April at least and then you can get Pied Flys and Redstarts plus a host of Warblers.

CB

Thanks for that will be makeing a few vists this year I think, looks like a good spot to vist and not to far :t:
|=)| MIKE:cat:

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Just returned from a late morning session at Richmond Bank, where a 3rd/4th year Caspian Gull present, 2 adult Iceland Gulls plus a possible first or second year Kumlien's Gull. I have posted photos on the gallery with link below. Unfortunately none show the bill or legs, which in both cases was black. Seemed larger than adult Icelands and but when seen briefly in flight more Iceland-like proportions.

Comments appreciated!

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showgallery.php/ppuser/58657/cat/500

Did you hear anything about an American Herring Gull there today?

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Todays other news - Ring Ousel and 2 Twite at Leasowe; Bittern at Burton Mere Wetlands; Spoonbill at Parkgate; Little Gull at Hale; 10 Crossbills at Macclesfield Forest; 5 White Wagtails, Blackcap, 13 Chiffchaffs and 2 Little Ringed Plovers at Marbury CP; White Wagtail at Leasowe; good numbers of Chiffchaffs again today.

CB

 

[yoyo]

Just returned from a late morning session at Richmond Bank, where a 3rd/4th year Caspian Gull present, 2 adult Iceland Gulls plus a possible first or second year Kumlien's Gull. I have posted photos on the gallery with link below. Unfortunately none show the bill or legs, which in both cases was black. Seemed larger than adult Icelands and but when seen briefly in flight more Iceland-like proportions.

Comments appreciated!

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showgallery.php/ppuser/58657/cat/500

Hi Greg,

Your possible Kumlien's is probably a pale 1w Herring Gull, I possibly photographed the same bird last Saturday. I would say on your photos the patterniang of the scapulars and tertials are very Herring Gull. Compare it to a 1w I photographed in 2009 here.

Cheers
Jason