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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Red Rocks Marsh NNR, Merseyside (1 Viewer)

14th April
ESE1 1/8th hazy, vis 1 mile
A classic morning weatherwise, if a little early in the year.

At first light there were a few Willow Warblers in the Poplars and I stood on a female Ring Ouzel that took off like a rocket and flew to Hilbre. A trip down the boardwalk produced a singingGrassopper Warbler and a Redstart at the south end of the marsh. A second Ring Ouzel, a smart ad male dropped into the ivy-filled hollow, known locally as the superbowl. A trip down the gardens to see it drew a blank initially, until an Ouzel was sighted in the south end of the dunes. This bird flew off high. Shortly afterwards an Imm male Ouzel appeared in the poplars, then showed very well in the end gardens for an hour or so before becoming more elusive. So at least three and possibly 4 Ouzels were present.

Overhead passage included three Tree Pipits, about 6 Swallows a Yellow Wagtail a Redpoll and a few White Wagtails. At about eight thirty there was a notable arrival of fresh migrants, with about 15 Wheatears and 20 or so Willow Warblers at the point. The most unexpected and intially rare looking bird of the morning was a Redwing which dropped into the Poplars for a minute or so before leaving to the south. There were three Sandwich Terns offshore

Three Tree Sparrows and a Rook overhead were unusual records and there was a notable movement of Woodpigeons (175) and Collared Doves (120)

A very small male Peregrine sat on the beach for about 40 mins before flying over the point. Two Kestrels and A Sparrowhawk also went through. Finally 700 or so Knot left the estaury high to the north.

Its looking good for an overshoot!
 
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Similar weather to y'day - even warmer!

The imm male Ring Ouzel is still in the superowl, though its very elusive. At one point this morning it was singing. Fewer migrants today, though two Chiffchaffs and an unseen Goldcrest were new from yesterday and there was a new Grasshopper Warbler about half way down the boardwalk. Not exactly showy, but it was briefly visible. About 12 Willow Warblers arrived at 9am and a little later what appeared to be a Lesser Whitethroat dived into the ivy. Alas I got nothing on it at all.

Two Tree pipits, including one sat in the Poplars on a couple of occasions, about 15 Redpoll, 2 Siskins, two more (or the same) Tree Sparrows, three Swallows, a Yellow Wagtail a Great spotted Woodpecker and two Jackdaws constituted this morning's visible passge. Oh and there was a Short-eared owl that flew over, though I didn't see which diection it arrived from.
 
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News from Red Rocks this morning suggested that a few more migrants have arrived. The Grasshopper Warbler is still reeling away and has been joined by Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat
 
The male Ring Ouzel is still gorging itself on Ivy berries. I managed to miss a Red Kite today, which was a bit galling since I missed the previous two too.
 
S-0-1 to W 3-4
8/8ths, Vis 10 miles

Not much evidence of overnight passage, little overhead passage and worsening weather curtailed our visit. The Sedge Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler are still singing and showing occasionally. To see the Grasshopper Warbler you need to be up early. He sings from the golf course side of the boardwalk from a small patch of burnet rose (as the boardwalk starts to climb). When he gets self-conscious, he crosses the boarwalk (into the rose bush on where the new section of boardwalk has beem set in). From there he bails out into the reed bed.

There were also two Whitethroats, already next building, and 3 or so Willow Warblers. Overhead passage was restricted to 4 Swallows and a Grey Wagtail.

75 Knot flew over.
 
The rain, and lack of an obvious associated fall in my garden, put me off going to Red Rocks today. Had I gone I'd probably have left before the Osprey flew over at 0945 anyway.
 
The first Cuckoo and Swifts (25) were there today. The Ring Ouzel the first Reed Warbler, 2 Garden Warblers and yet another Osprey yesterday. Not I hasten to add seen by me. The Grasshopper Warbler continues to hold territory.
 
hi jane
going red rocks tommorrow becoming a regular visiter thanks to your exellent accounts.Where abouts are the garden warblers Jane or were they just passing threw
thanks Ray
 
I didn't see them. Most likely in the point gardens or Poplars. They will have gone by now, but who knows, there may be fresh birds tomorrow.
 
30th April

After a very early start, waiting for the Black Kite to wake up from the position it had gone to sleep in 3 mins before I arrived the night before (that will teach me to have no petrol in the car), I went to Red Rocks.

I thought it was going to be one of those days. As I shut the car door, a Pied Flycatcher flicked out of the last pine tree on Stanley Rd and disappeared into the gardens. I looked up and though...ooh eck that is a funny thin Wheatear (into the light). It was in fact an icredibly early Spotted Flycatcher. There were three Willow Warblers in the first Buckthorn bush and a couple of Wheatears on the point.

Unfortunatley. That was it. Just a drop of birds at dawn, and little else. There are plenty of Sedge Warblers and about 4 Reed Warblers chortling away in the Reed bed now and four Whitethroats holding territory.

There was a Lesser Whitethroat and three Swifts on the 28th.
 
30th April

After a very early start, waiting for the Black Kite to wake up from the position it had gone to sleep in 3 mins before I arrived the night before (that will teach me to have no petrol in the car), I went to Red Rocks.

Woke at 06.00 y'day Jane and thought of you & Allan waiting at dawn for the kite! Nice to compare your 30 year old Alfa with my similarly aged Elan!:cool:
 
I used to have a 63 Giulia Phil. Now that was a car. Alas I blew the engine up, in most spectacular fashion!

I was late getting to Red Rocks, but early morning cloud and dodgy visibilitygave me hope that there might be some migrants left as late as 9am. Two Spotted Flycatchers in the Poplars and grounded Tree Pipit, perhaps the same as yesterday's, were evidence that there were some birds about. PLenty of Willow Warblers (8) a Chiffchaff, and a couple of Reed Warblers coming out of the gardens were further proof. Pity about the need to do the school run really. Overhead there was a healthy passage of Swallows (50+) and a screaming party of Swifts. The Peregrine as ever, was on the beach.

Yesterday the big news was a Bullfinch. A mega at Red Rocks, and an early grounded Tree pipit. As I left at 7 there was a mini fall of Willow Warblers (30 ish) and a Blackcap. Peregrine and Whimbrel on the beach.

I guess associated with this was the Garden Warbler, two Grasshopper Warblers and a Whinchat seen by someone else later in the day.
 
Yesterday: More of the same weather wise. The Tree Pipit is still about - now singing. Also there was a Garden Warbler, a Blackcap, about 4 Willow Wablers, Chiffchaff, Peregrine, 6 Swifts, a late Sand Martin and 4 Greylag geese.

Today. Weather still right and sunny, a little haze at dawn, with a little more South in the wind.

I was up very early, wanting to try an experiment. I'm useless at digiscoping, largely because I hate carrying a big scope, never have a tripod and if I do see something, I tend to want to look at it rather than photograph it. I've picked up a coolpix 4500 and a 3x converter off ebay. My theory is that will give me 12x mags and point and shoot capability. I'll never take good pics, but I might be able to get record shots of anything good I see. This is quite imortant since I mostly bird alone at a site where birds clear off sharpish! The attached, mostly taken before dawn and or into the light, show me that I should be able to get a clinching photograph ok. Had they been Rufous Turtle Dove, Moustached Warbler, Sibechat, Sardininan Warbler and Rustic Bunting, I'd have the proof. Unfortunately they weren't.

There were a few new migrants in today. A female Redstart in the gardens showed well at 5.30 but became elusive almost immediately. Two new Grasshopper Warblers have come in, one at either end of the marsh. A smart male Whinchat made a brief appearance in the dunes before moving onto the golf course. The Tree Pipit was still on the golf course.

There were some interesting waifs and strays about today, notably a Lapwing, two Rooks and a Budgie.
 

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Now with photos too! It won't be longuntil mobile phones will have good enough zoom capabilities for everyone to carry around a camera good enough to get record shots.

Just off to the shed to devise an adapter to fit a anyphone to any pair on bins!
 
Had they been Rufous Turtle Dove, Moustached Warbler, Sibechat, Sardininan Warbler and Rustic Bunting, I'd have the proof.

Proof that they were actually birds, anyway! Sorry - that's a bit harsh.

I look forward to when they really ARE those species (or similar)!
 
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