I, Claudius. MMIX

Braving the strong westerly wind I took a trip to Moore NR near Warrington today, an excellent site of varied habitats that seems to get better year on year.

First port of call was Birchwood Pool. There were plenty of roosting gulls taking a break from scavenging the tip, although none of the Mediterranean, Iceland or Glaucous ilk. Infact, the pool seemeed to be dominated by a junta of juvenile Great Black-backed Gulls strutting around the small island, surrounded by a praetorian guard of Grey Herons, that were in turn circled by a legion of Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Or maybe it was just my imagination.

A scattering of wildfowl completed the rest of the cast - aside from one or five special visitors that is. Wheeooo.

Feeling energetic I decided to press-on around Upper Moss Side. I could hear the faint call of a Cuckoo but failed to locate it; the call being gradually drown out in the gusty wind. The only other bird of note was a male Stonechat desperately tringing to cling to the top of a Bullrush.

Next I opted to walk along the ship canal up the point where it reaches the Mersey. Signs of life were few on the canal apart from a pair of Canada Goose with three chicks - their luminous yellow down giving them the appearance of bath toys.

On the subject of geese, I was listening to Test Match Special on Wednesday. During the tea interval Johnathan Agnew was interviewing the Chief Executive of the MCC, a chap called Keith Bradshaw. Pushed by Aggers on whether there was too much international cricket being played he responded "...we don't want to over-egg the golden goose...".

Numerous warblers en route to the river and also a male Greenland Wheatear on the opposite side of the bank. When I arrived at the Mersey it was fairly quiet. A few gulls loafing on the sandbanks and a handful of geese on the shoreline.

Before heading for home I decided to check Birchwood Pool once more. Very little change in birds - or indeed in administration - with the autocrats still ruling the roost.

Until later.