Common Sense

After shivering under my duvet for a good half an hour, I finally managed to summon the mental strength to get up, dressed and make it down to Moore NR for nine thirty.

I began my 2010 year list assault at Upper Moss Side and quickly got into my stride bagging Tree Sparrow and surprisingly Willow Tit - alongside some of the commoner species - before setting up camp at Norton Marsh. No sign of any Yellowhammers this morning though – there were fifteen plus over-wintering here last year.

On the Mersey there was very little apart from legions of gulls roosting on the sandbank, but I did manage to add Kestrel, Buzzard, Shelduck, Redshank, and a small herd of flyover Curlew to the list as the tide came up the river.

Apart from a pair of Reed Buntings, there was very little evidence of any passerines feeding on the marsh. No Stonechat, Linnet, Skylark, Meadow Pipit or even any Starling – I assume the hard frost has forced most ground feeders closer to the milder coastal areas.

After thirty bone-chilling minutes I decided to head over to Birchwood Pool cutting through the woods, where I intercepted a small flock of Lesser Redpoll and Siskin on the alders near the feeders.

The Tawny Owl was next on the hit list, but I was left staring at a blank space – I guess since they are meant to be so wise it had decided to mover to warmer climes! Nevertheless, Nuthatch and Coal Tit were ticked as I searched to see if the owl had moved to a nearby tree.

Birchwood Pool was nearly completely frozen over when I arrived – not encouraging news for my list that was already showing some glaring omissions. A female Pochard and a Grey Wagtail was the best I could manage, until one last scan of the water’s edge revealed a Common Sandpiper feeding on the water’s edge?

Surely some mistake I thought – must be a Green, so I cleaned my lens and shouted back a couple of chaps who had just left the hide. After the two blokes and I had fruitlessly trying to relocate it for ten minutes, I eventually found it feeding in a corner and in a few ticks it flew onto the small island giving cracking views.

Quite an odd record for Moore I would have thought – especially at this time of the year when any wintering Common Sandpipers would surely favour unfrozen rivers?

With the sun sinking down there was just time to visit the Bittern Enclosure - a dangerous task it was too with the metalled track resembling the cresta run! It was worth the trip though, with superb views of one of THREE Bitterns seen during the day.

And it didn’t stop there with cracking views of a hunting Barn Owl, plus a flyover Peregrine making it just about worth leaving the warm confines of my comfortable bed this morning!

Moore NR/Upper Moss Side 01.01.10

Bittern 1
Pochard 1
Shoveler 20+
Peregrine 1
Barn Owl 1
Common Sandpiper 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Willow Tit 1
Tree Sparrow 10+
Redwing 40+
Lesser Redpoll/Siskin flock 30+
Bullfinch c10

Total Species: 64