Flying visit to Cheshire (1 Viewer)

[tigglestiger]

Hi all,

I have booked a weekend at Peckforton Castle with my wife in March. Can anyone tell me any sites worth visiting in the local area?

There looks to be extensive woodland around the hotel but I don't have any knowledge of the area.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Delamere Forest is not far away. Frodsham and the Dee Estuary are defo worth a visit. Hope you enjoy your visit.

Try this http://www.cawos.org/indexmain.htm, click on the county sites link and it will direct you to a list of sites and maps of each.

CB

 

[tigglestiger]

Thanks for the link CB, I'm looking forward to exploring outside of Essex and Suffolk!

 

[PhilW]

Have you got any target species you want to see?

 

[tigglestiger]

Hi Phil,

Not really, would like some sea birds if possible? gannets, fulmar etc... Don't know if that's possible?

We dont get many passing through Essex.

 

[chris butterworth]

March is a bit early for sea birds but, depending on the tides, Gannet may be possible from the North Wirral coast ( they've been becoming commoner in spring lately, as have Manxies ). As its only a flying visit North Wales, in particularly Anglesey, may be a bit too far.

Chris

 

[tigglestiger]

Thanks Chris,

North Wales is an option, I have taken the whole week off work so am currently looking at somewhere to explore after Cheshire.

Is there anywhere you can recommend worth visiting whilst I'm up that way?

 

[JamesA]

If North Wales is an option in the other couple of days, it's well worth it. That coast has seabirds - especially sea ducks - in a way that Essex just can't compete with.

Might also be worth a stop off at the World's End grouse lekk on the way; something else you're not likely to see over our way any time soon!

 

[chris butterworth]

On the Wirral I'd try Burton Mere RSPB for general 'stuff', West Kirby should still hold Pale-bellied Brent ( depending on the tide they can be less than 20m away, on the edge of the saltmarsh ), the high tide wader roost between Kings Gap and the RNLI station, Hoylake should still be 10, 000+ ( and really close ). In North Wales it has to be World's End / Rhuabon Mountain ( at the back of Llangollen ) for lekking Black Grouse. On Anglesey, Holyhead Fish Quay for Black Guillemot ( it's to early for the boat trips around Puffin Island which puts you within a few feet of Black Guillemot ), the Auks / Fulmars / Kittiwakes should be returned / returning to the cliffs at South Stack where Chough are ( almost ) impossible to miss. You often see Fulmar over the A55 around Llanfairfechan and Red Kite and Dipper around Aber Falls, not far away.

Chris

 

[tigglestiger]

Thanks Chris and James, i reckon it will be worth going to Worlds End to pay the Black Grouse a visit.

Anglesey, Holyhead Fish Quay sound very good, will have to get my road trip planned out now!

Thanks for all the advice!