Jane Turner
Well-known member
I thought since I spent most of my birding time at Red Rocks, I should keep a thread going in parallel to the one for my house. There is more chance of something exciting appearing here and I will endeavour to take a few pictures to liven it up!
If you want to see info on RR - check >---HERE---<
Yesterday was my first dawn trip of the spring. I'd seen a Wheatear the previous morning and was greeted by the sight of a new, cold looking male clinging to the rocks under the sea wall. Later on there were two more on the 16th fairway of the Royal Liverpool GC. Overhead passage was promising, with 3 Grey Wagtails, about 50 Meadow Pipits and a few finches; most interestingly a handful of Siskin and a single Lesser Redpoll. Other birds moving south, as nearly all birds do at Red Rocks, regardless of season, were 25 or so Woodpigeons and more interestingly single Rook and Lapwing - both unusual records.
Breeding is well underway, with 6 Skylarks and 4 Reed Buntings singing. I also blundered into a pair of Mallard at the south end of the marsh - my first of the year in the area.
The only other notable bird was a large female Sparrowhawk, intially seen pursued by a pair of Magpies, though it soon turned the tables and was last seen charging through the dunes in hot pursuit of the rather surprised sounding Corvids!
I'll put together a year list shortly - though I have already missed a bit of a crippler - a Kingfisher on the Natterjack scapes! I think my last here was as long ago as 1976! Speaking of Toads, there was plenty of gratuitous Common Toad sex going on in the southern pool, which is already full of Frog Spawn...
Oh and I nealy forgot, I surprised a Water Rail under the boardwalk. It sounds like there are at least 5 left.
If you want to see info on RR - check >---HERE---<
Yesterday was my first dawn trip of the spring. I'd seen a Wheatear the previous morning and was greeted by the sight of a new, cold looking male clinging to the rocks under the sea wall. Later on there were two more on the 16th fairway of the Royal Liverpool GC. Overhead passage was promising, with 3 Grey Wagtails, about 50 Meadow Pipits and a few finches; most interestingly a handful of Siskin and a single Lesser Redpoll. Other birds moving south, as nearly all birds do at Red Rocks, regardless of season, were 25 or so Woodpigeons and more interestingly single Rook and Lapwing - both unusual records.
Breeding is well underway, with 6 Skylarks and 4 Reed Buntings singing. I also blundered into a pair of Mallard at the south end of the marsh - my first of the year in the area.
The only other notable bird was a large female Sparrowhawk, intially seen pursued by a pair of Magpies, though it soon turned the tables and was last seen charging through the dunes in hot pursuit of the rather surprised sounding Corvids!
I'll put together a year list shortly - though I have already missed a bit of a crippler - a Kingfisher on the Natterjack scapes! I think my last here was as long ago as 1976! Speaking of Toads, there was plenty of gratuitous Common Toad sex going on in the southern pool, which is already full of Frog Spawn...
Oh and I nealy forgot, I surprised a Water Rail under the boardwalk. It sounds like there are at least 5 left.
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