• BirdForum is the net's largest birding community dedicated to wild birds and birding, and is absolutely FREE!

    Register for an account to take part in lively discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.

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

Cheshire Birder

Well-known member
News for yesterday - 3 B.N.Grebes at both Houghton Green Flash and Woolston; 2 L.S.Woodpeckers at Moore; Garganey, Spoonbill, 2 Avocets & 9 Spotted Redshanks at IMF; 2 Velvet Scoters off Hilbre; Ospreys over Northwich, Lymm and Neston;

CB
 
Last edited:

HughPulsford

County Bird Recorder Cheshire and Wirral
This is interesting info. The recent Atlas showed no 2K squares where both species were present in the breeding season across the whole of Cheshire and Wirral. The County recording system is asking birders to submit a brief description of Willow and Marsh Tits they see to CAWOS in 2010 so a clearer picture of wintering birds and "out of known breeding site" records can be evaluated. Appreciate doing a description of these "Capped" Tits is a challenge but these two species have now become sufficently rare ( Marsh Tit in NW England, & Willow Tit nationally,) to justify scrutiny of casual records.
Thanks
Hugh
County Recorder , Cheshire and Wirral
 

chris butterworth

aka The Person Named Above
I had a quick look around Gilroy first thing this morning. 1 Common Sandpiper disturbed from the pool in Gilroy ( my 1st in the UK for the year ), 2 singing Willow Warbler and c 6 Chiffchaff, but little else. The only waders in the field opposite were 4 Lapwing and a lone Redshank - although there were "hundreds" of Blackwit at IMF- plus 37 Greylags, which seem to have taken over from Canadas, this year, as the goose on site.
Chris
 

Jane Turner

Well-known member
A notable increase in migrants in Hoylake. I have 3-5 Willow warblers in the garden and my first White Wagtails are on the beach.
 

Bananafishbones

Incoherently Rambling .....
Poynton marina 18.00hrs - 19.30hrs
Nothing special but got two year ticks

First Chiffchaff (2) of the year ... at last
Kestrel
Buzzard calling
Mistle Thrush 2
First Swallow of the year also
Pied Wagtail

usual Mallards, Dunnock etc
Dave
 

Cheshire Birder

Well-known member
Good fall of Willow Warblers on the Wirral today; Osprey over West Kirby; Common Sandpiper and 1 Spotted Redshank at IMF

Belated news from yesterday - 118 Brent Geese, Greenshank, 120 Little Gulls, 15 Guillemot, 25 Gannets, 15 Common and two Velvet Scoter at Hilbre; Little Egret at moore NR; Glaucous and Yellow-legged Gull at Richmond Bank;

Very belated news - Yellow Wagtail reported at Doddington Pool on Apr 2nd.

CB
 

COLG

Well-known member
Can any of the much-travelled birders on this forum tell me what I would be likely to see from the hides and at the feeding station at Wigg Island please ? .... I was contemplating a visit and was wondering if anything unusual turns up .
 

Zoot

Well-known member
Most of the hides look out over the estuary, so what you see depends on the tide. It's not the most bird-packed part of the Mersey, but good numbers of gulls are present and smaller numbers of waders. I see peregrine there quite regularly too. the feeding stations attract a typical range of woodland birds, but its also a good area for bullfinches.

If you walk right to the end of Wigg ther's a Tower Hide overlooking Astmoor Lagoon and the adjacent saltmarsh. There's also a feeding station behind the Tower which has supported willow tits all winter. A scope is pretty much essential for viewing the lagoon, but its the best area at Wigg. A good variety of widlfowl are usually present in the spring, and there there water rails, grasshopper warblers and sometimes Cetti's warbler there too. Little egrets are pretty regular and I've seen hobby, garganey and greenshank there. I've always thought it an underwatched place, but the difficulty of viewing the best areas probably puts people off. The saltmarsh turns up regular merlin and short-eared owl, but of course is best in the winter for these. In the summer there are breeding lapwing and sometimes redshank.

Hope that helps.
 

Cheshire Birder

Well-known member
Can any of the much-travelled birders on this forum tell me what I would be likely to see from the hides and at the feeding station at Wigg Island please ? .... I was contemplating a visit and was wondering if anything unusual turns up .

It is a site that offers so much potential but has failed to deliver on my previous visits. The range of habitats on the reserve is good and will improve with age and management. As Zoot says the tide will dictate what is on the estuary. Try this site - http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide/EasyTide/SelectPort.aspx and click on either Widnes or Fiddler's Ferry to get the high tide time. Don't forget to add an hour as all times are GMT. A scope is essential and allow plenty of time to wander around the area.

CB
 

sid ashton

Well-known member
News for today - 3 Ring Ousels at Danebower; Tree Pipit at Gilroy Park, West Kirby;

Also Green and Common Sandpipers at Acre Nook SQ yesterday.

CB

I was at Danebower between 0730 and 0900 and at one stage had three Rouzels on the chimney (1 m & 2 F) and then a further pair simultaneously feeding on the ground down from the layby.
 

RayE

Well-known member
It is a site that offers so much potential but has failed to deliver on my previous visits. The range of habitats on the reserve is good and will improve with age and management. As Zoot says the tide will dictate what is on the estuary. Try this site - http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide/EasyTide/SelectPort.aspx and click on either Widnes or Fiddler's Ferry to get the high tide time. Don't forget to add an hour as all times are GMT. A scope is essential and allow plenty of time to wander around the area.

CB

Hello CB. We used to Wigg Island regular, last time about 2yrs ago. Last time we went the feeding station looked abandoned and the portable toilets had gone. Whats it like now. Ray
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top