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

Upland Birder · Jul 30, 2008

I live in the Staffordshire Moorlands Region. For a while now I have been aware of the close proximity of Cheshire and the Wirral to the Staffordshire Moorlands and North Staffordshire border. I think it would be great to hear from birders and naturalists who go birding, wildlife watching and walking in the region, to hear about their favourite walks/local patches, different habitats and sightings. Perhaps a few photos could also be added from time to time adding another dimention to the reports.

I often find myself crossing the border into Cheshire for a walk in the hills and moorlands to the east or making my way across to the Wirral and the Dee Estuary. Earlier in the year I visited Hilbre with a good friend of mine from the Yorkshire thread. This region is rich in birds and wildlife and there is so much of interest that could be reported here.

Let the thread begin.

Dean

Boom · Jul 31, 2008

there`s some great sites over on The Wirral-still seeing Marsh Harrier on Parkgate Marsh- Hobby has been knocking about on Burton Marsh (just outside of Neston) and Barn Owl is regular there.

There`s an RSPB reserve (Inner Marsh Farm) that`s had Spotted Flycatcher and Grasshopper Warbler regularly lately as well as Glossy Ibis which seems to fluctuate between there and Marshside by Southport.

the reserve is closed on Tuesdays i think.

go to google and type in "dee estuary latest sightings" follow the link- very informative and updated daily.

cheers.

Upland Birder · Jul 31, 2008

Hilbre Memories-April 2008

Back to the 6th April 2008 I was up at 6am and it was -4 degrees outside in the snow and I visited snowy Cheshire making my way to the Wirral and the Dee Estuary for a walk to Hilbre with my friend Jay Jay from the Yorkshire thread.

We didn't have to walk across and was given a lift by the coast guard which was interesting and bumpy to say the least. He has lived on the island for 10 years. There was not a lot about on the island itself other than the odd Meadow Pippit and it was windy or breezy depending on where we stood or sat.

We stayed on Hilbre over high tide and out to sea saw four Velvet Scoter (we were both very pleased with this find), a number of Cormorants in flight, along with various gulls.

On Middle Eye there were a number of Curlew resting on the grassy top. Below them were large numbers of Oystercatcher, Knot, and common gulls. There were seals out at sea.

As the sea receeded we watched 100+ Pale Bellied Brent Geese in flight returning to the shore between Hilbre and Middle Eye. They flew by very closely and from a distance were more or less in a line when in flight. This was superb moment

Got very close views of Knot, Turnstone, and Purple Sandpiper, a few Redshank in flight and feeding close to the Hilbre shoreline.

All in all a good day with sunshine but chilly. Great views towards the snow capped North Wales hills and mountains on the otherside of the estuary and the Point of Ayr.

Finally, about 5 hours later we walked back across the sands to the mornings start point.

I managed a few photos and thought I'd share three of them.

Bananafishbones · Aug 3, 2008

Hi Dean (and now other thread watchers and users)

I will certainly keep this thread updated.
I live 20minutes from the border of Cheshire & Derbyshire so the local patch for me straddles both.

My main areas of interest are:

Teggs nose
Goyt Valley
Axe edge Moor
Three Shire Heads
Middlewood way
Tittesworth
Reedsmere

I will keep this thread updated

Best regards
Dave

Bananafishbones · Aug 3, 2008

3 hr walk along part of the Middlewood way (Poynton area) this afternoon
Nothing unusual but its amazing what you can see when your out and about:

Pied Wagtail, Moorehen + Juvenile, Coot, 4 Mallards, Song Thrush (Pair), Blackbirds (2pair), Dunnock, Robin, 2 Willow Warbler + 1 Juvenile, 2 Carrion Crow, 4 Herring Gull, 4 Magpie, Swifts, Tree Sparrows.

Plus an unusual Duck in someones pool (about to look it up)

Bananafishbones · Aug 12, 2008

A short visit to Teggs Nose country park, the Bottoms reservoire at Macclesfield.

Kestrel (Although only a fly-by)
Carrion Crow (12)
Magpie
Coot (3)
Moorhen (2)
Grey Heron (3)
Great Crested Crebe (6)

mosschops · Aug 16, 2008

Hi Guys,
Good effort Dean in starting this thread. Im a confirmed lurker and irregular poster on Deans Staffordshire moorlands thread. I'll also post my Cheshire sightings on here.
Hopefully next year when the legalities are sorted out we'll have new access and carpark at Inner Marsh Farm. The RSPB have big plans for the reserve, i believe they want it to be the 'minsmere of the north'.
Theres a long way to go to that but its already good and the potential is superb.

Upland Birder · Aug 16, 2008

Hi jason,

Nice to see that you have found the thread and posted. The plans for Inner Marsh Farm sound interesting.

Dean:t::t:

mosschops · Aug 25, 2008

Sandbach Flashes 24/08

Up at the crack of dawn on sunday at Elton Hall Flash which was very quiet as the water level is very high at the moment.
No waders except lapwing but great views of 2 little egrets drifting over.
Even quiet on the duck front. Mallards and a few Teal.

Jason.

Bananafishbones · Aug 31, 2008

Up early to visit Cheshire Staffs border tittesworth etc and saw:

Pea soup

mosschops · Sep 7, 2008

Sandbach Flashes - 07/09/2008

Crazy water levels today, Pumphouse flash has trebled in size therefore no mud for waders.
2 Dunlin
2 Ruff
500 Lapwing
Chiff Chaff singing
Whitethroat singing and a late Swift.
Not much else apart from the more common gull species.

Jason

Bananafishbones · Sep 7, 2008

Walked along New Brighton front today:

I guess I saw nothing unusual for those parts but enjoyed it non the less:

Turnstone
Redshank
Oystercatcher
Knot
Lesser BB Gull
Common Gull
Great BB Gull
Cormorant
Carrion Crow
Magpie
Starling

mosschops · Sep 8, 2008

Bananafishbones said:
Walked along New Brighton front today:

I guess I saw nothing unusual for those parts but enjoyed it non the less:

Turnstone
Redshank
Oystercatcher
Knot
Lesser BB Gull
Common Gull
Great BB Gull
Cormorant
Carrion Crow
Magpie
Starling

Doesn't matter though does it. When you're from the east of the county like us, its just nice being by the sea.
Any good sightings are a bonus. I love my winter forays to the Dee estuary, i could spend hours just gazing over Burton marsh. |=)|

Upland Birder · Sep 8, 2008

Hi Jason and Dave,

Good to see you reporting here. I am looking forward to some Autumn and winter forays to Burton Marsh, the Dee and Hilbre. I am also looking forward to the occassional foray into east Cheshire as well:t:

Dean

Bananafishbones · Sep 8, 2008

Cheers Guys

Your right about getting to the coast, another aspect to the birding day out especially from this part of Cheshire. The Turnstones were fantastic with one or two happy to venture very close by to me while I was sat on the rocks, some cracking pics , Looking forward to later in the year by the coast now.

Just a mention of the Knot on Sunday....It was mingled in with the Redshanks and at first I thought it was a Greenshank, further inspection proved to be a Knot... My first ever sighting!!

That alone was worth the day out.

Bananafishbones · Sep 8, 2008

I will attach a pic just to enable a positive KNOT ID

LOL

Bananafishbones · Sep 8, 2008

Please ignore the picture quality, however I think my ever improving bird knowledge says I got a KNOT:eek!:

Bananafishbones · Sep 9, 2008

Today spent a couple of hours at Bottoms resevoire in Macclesfield:
Buzzard 3
Sparrowhawk
Robin
Goldfinch (10ish)
Great Crested Grebe 3
Tufted Duck M 1
Tufted Duck F 5 (Lucky Fellow!!)
Mallards 11
Moorehen 4
Grey Heron
Wren
Black Headed Gull Juv 5
Mistle thrush (I think) Plump with black mottled against white breast

and a first tick for me... Little Grebe

Not bad for a rainy 2 hours

Upland Birder · Sep 14, 2008

I went across to the Wirral today and visited RSPB Inner Marsh Farm. The cloud was low but managed to see Black Tailed Godwit, Ruff, Golden Plover(preening), a couple of Snipe, Redshank, Greenshank, Long tailed, Blue and Great tits and a Buzzard. Canada and Greylagg Geese were about and had a good view of a Mute Swan in flight and coming into land. Plenty of lapwings and crows about.

All in all it was quiet today at Inner marsh and then I went down on to Burton Marsh itself. Had good views of numerous Kestrals, Buzzards, a Barn Owl hunting at close quarters, flocks of starlings, and 4 Little Egret in flight over the marsh.

One interesting episode was a flock of crows chasing a Kestral across the marsh and the kestral doing its best to avoid attack.

I made my way home mid afternoon and following a diversion came across a pub called the Goshawk!!

Dean:t:

Bananafishbones · Sep 15, 2008

I guess we have movement in the skys above:

About 2pm Sunday 2 shelduck passed above my house heading in a yorkshirley direction.

18.00hrs a flock of over 50+ crows flew over in the wirrel direction and about an hour later 100+ lapwing flew over my house also heading in a wirrel direction (very noisely)

20+ Goldfinch in one of my trees on Friday and Saturday, then a sparowhawk circled close by (my first sighting of one above my garden) and disappeared out of sight fairly quickly didnt see which direction as I was trying to reach for my camera in the kitchen, however since the sparrowhawks visit the Goldfinch have not been seen.

Did get 3 greenfinch though

also one that I didnt recognise, definatly not a greenfinch (its beak seemed smaller), dull head similar shape and colour to adult willow warbler but down its back it got greener with a very prominant narrow yellow band down towards its rump, didnt see its breast

Starling numbers gone up dramatically in my close, 50 or more now

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

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