Foiled Again

I hit the road early this morning as I had decided to pay my first visit to the RSPB’s Leighton Moss reserve near Carnforth.

After an hour and a half of the M6 during morning rush hour I was in serious need of some valium, but I soon began to unwind after I had plonked myself down in the Griesdale hide and clocked a male Marsh Harrier gracefully quartering over the reed bed. It was soon joined by a larger adult female and the duo seemed to delight in spooking the over-summering Black-tailed Godwits.

Bearded Tit is a bird I am yet to see and is a specialty of this reserve. They are, however, notoriously difficult to observe and today was no exception, although I did see every Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting at Leighton Moss in the process of trying to find one!

Early in the afternoon I headed over to the Eric Morecambe and Allen pools where the previous day both Pectoral Sandpiper and Temminck’s Stint has been logged. The Allen pool was very quiet with an Avocet and a few of the commoner waders.

There was a little more activity at the EM pool. A couple of birders pointed me in the direction of the Pectoral Sandpiper, but the bird in question was suspiciously similar to a Knot, in that it was actually, a Knot. No sign of the Temminck’s Stint either, although three Little Gulls were decent compensation.

What was required was a raptor to stir things up a little and right on cue an immature male Marsh Harrier appeared on the scene. The resultant pandemonium sent all the waders into the air in panic, including two belligerent Avocets that mobbed the bird remorselessly. Once they had all settled, a few more Redshanks has been flushed out, but if there were any Sandpipers and Stints around, then they remained hidden.

Until later.

Duck And Cover

I was out this morning doing my WeBS count at the White Sands area of the Dee Estuary. It is nearly a year since I first started helping out with this task and one that I increasingly enjoy.

June is a quiet month with most of the wildfowl and waders having migrated to their breeding grounds; today only 9 species of water birds were recorded.

Shelduck were the most numerous birds with thousands currently gathering on the estuary prior to their annual moult. A very handsome bird they are too and amongst the 250 on my patch today was a Ruddy Shelduck/Shelduck hybrid that has been in the area for a few years now. The only true wild Ruddy Shelducks I have seen where at Rishikesh in India - a pair powering down the River Ganges.

Also moving into eclipse plumage were forty or so Mallard and a pair of Shoveler. I only managed to pick out the Shoveler when the biting easterly wind forced me to retreat inside a gorse bush in order to steady my telescope!

Not surprisingly there were few waders; 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Curlew and a pair of Redshank the sum total and added to 7 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron and the above wildfowl, this represented my entire count.

Worryingly I saw just one Common Tern today when I would normally expect to see hundreds commuting to the large breeding colony at Shotton Steelworks. They seem to have completely abandoned the site this year and one can only speculate as to the reason why. I remember a few weeks ago watching 300 to 400 Common Terns plucking food from the exposed sand and mud flats at Connah’s Quay. At the time I assumed the terns were taking advantage of an unexpected food source. Now I suspect it may have been out of desperation due to a lack of their normal food – Whitebait fished from the river.

Until later.

For Whom The Cuckoo Clock Tolls

Today I was treated to an increasingly rare sight: two Cuckoos – presumably a pair – flying across Frodsham Marsh.

It seems this area is a bit of a hotspot for Cuckoo, no wonder considering the legions of Reed Warblers nesting in the phragmites. It is sad to note the decline of this once relatively common migrant, but perhaps it will take a major event like the extinction of the Cuckoo as a British breeding bird to awaken the general public to the lamentable condition of our countryside.

I wouldn’t bet on it though; as long as there is a clutch of nasty and vindictive television programmes to watch and a retail park within driving distance of home, then why does it matter? Springwatch deserves lots of credit for highlighting this worrying fall in numbers, although I do feel they are preaching to the converted.

Plenty of parent passerines this afternoon busy carrying food for young, including Whitethroat, Reed Bunting and Meadow Pipit. Lots and lots of Swifts about too, brought down no doubt by the increasingly heavy rain.

Walking around number 6 tank, I noticed some ‘landscaping’ had taken place in the sandy, sparsely vegetated north-west section. Three entrances measuring about ten feet across had been bulldozed into the bank, and then tonnes of sand had been dumped along the edge, forming a strip about 5 metres wide and 150 metres in length.

All this had occurred at the exactly the location numbers of Lapwing, Skylark and Ringed Plovers would have been nesting – how crass! Congratulations Peel Holdings.

Until later.

Red Kite

Nothing too much out of the ordinary at Connah’s Quay this morning: building numbers of Shelduck and a few hundred Black-tailed Godwits being the pick.

I decided to re-focus my attentions towards the marsh and instantaneously picked up a large bird flying a hundred feet or so above the ground. My initial impression was of a male Marsh Harrier, but as the bird banked on to its side it revealed itself to be a Red Kite – my first for the estuary. It was in no mood to hang around and after no more than two minutes the raptor had drifted towards Hilbre and out of sight – perhaps to investigate the reported Paddyfield Warbler!

A single Spoonbill was the pick at Inner Marsh Farm today, although as per usual the bird was in the land of nod. Most of my time was spent watching a pair of Lesser-black Backed Gulls attempting to feast on an eel. Their bills did not seem sharp enough to pierce the skin of the fish and an attempt by one individual to swallow the meal was aborted when the gull realised asphyxiation was the most likely outcome! They must have been British birds mind you; French Gulls would probably have braised the eel in cider, added a little cream and then served it with a freshly baked baguette!

It is still strange to see the reserve so bereft of breeding birds, although the Oystercatchers are still brooding eggs on one of the islands. Bon chance!

Parliamentary Affairs

My sister and I headed up to Nercwys forest last night to look – or should that be to hear – for Nightjars. Several other midge-hardy souls had had the same idea too - perhaps it was the Springwatch effect!

First bird of the evening was a fleeting glimpse of a Woodcock rising into the murk from the forest floor.

We tried an area of clear-fell first but by 10:15 we had failed to hear, let alone see, any Nightjars, just a lone Tawny Owl hooting in the distance.

A change of tactic was needed and we returned to an area of low trees near the south car park. This area has always been productive for me in the past, although it does appear to be coming too overgrown for our Nighthawks.

They certainly would not be short for food. The night air was thick with insects, particularly moths, and a few local bats were taking full advantage.

It was now nearing 10:45 and there was still no joy with the Nightjars. My sister then heard an ‘Oh-Ohing’ from some close by conifers – a Long-eared Owl! A few minutes later and yet another species of Owl joined the night chorus – a loud screeching sound from a farmyard revealing the presence of a Little Owl.

At 11:00 we decided to call it a night and return next week for another go. On the way back home more local wildlife was active in the shape of a fox cub dashing across the road. All in all, a relatively successful evening!

Until later.

Mad Dogs And Englishmen, But Not Owls

Good old Flaming June. The sun had brought out my first Common Blue Damselflies of the year – flying over Birchwood Pool at Moore Nature Reserve. One male had already succeeded in ‘hooking-up’ with a female – no longer in distress!

Three species of Grebe on the water too: a single Great Crested, numerous Little and four, possibly five rather secretive and discreet Black-necked. The Gull count is still considerable, although mostly immature birds remain now and the majority of those were Lesser-black Backed.

A quick look at the Pumphouse Pool produced another two Great Crested Grebes and little else, so I decided to stroll over to Upper Moss Side.

The rough grassland on the left of Lapwing Lane was the focus of two hunting local raptors – a hovering Kestrel and a more cumbersome Common Buzzard attempting to perform the same feat. Hungry mouths to feed?

Nearing the hide overlooking Norton Marsh I noticed a large white blob standing at the entrance to one of the nest boxes. Through my bins I could just make out one, probably two Barn Owls! They must have been desperate to get outside into the breeze as conditions inside the box must have resembled the Black Hole of Calcutta!

The fields surrounding the box were looking absolutely glorious too – teeming with wild flowers including the magnificent Northern Marsh Orchid (I think?).

I had a really good look around the reserve for Spotted Flycatcher today, but I failed to turn up any birds despite the habitat looking suitable. I have also noticed that the sightings page contains no historical records for this species either. I wonder when/if they were recorded?

Until later.

Blue Monday

Every spring hundreds of visitors migrate to Gronant beach near Prestatyn in order to mate. These noisy, sometimes quarrelsome visitors then proceed to spend the summer in purpose built fenced-off areas, dashing to and fro in order to tend their demanding offspring, before returning to their winter territory come the end of summer. But, the hordes of scousers that annually congregate at Presthaven Sands are not the only visitors to this part of the world.

Gronant beach is also host to Wales' only Little Tern Colony. Wardened and cordoned the birds generally - weather permitting - do well and the number of breeding pairs has increased gradually since the scheme began in the 1970s.

As I approached the viewing platform a sign indicated that around 100 pairs of Little Terns were present. It was a glorious morning: the clear blue skies and shimmering air were more reminiscent of Goa than North Wales!

Little Terns are extremely hyperactive and today they were busy bringing back fish and settling personal disputes. Not much evidence of any nesting yet, although an Oystercatcher and a Ringed Plover seem to have taken advantage of the security arrangements and nested in the midst of the colony.

Returning through the dunes I saw my first Common Blue butterflies of the year, but the highlight of the morning was watching a Painted Lady feeding from a beautiful Marsh Orchid – the contrast between the subtle singular colouration of the flower and the more intricate patterning of the insect was wonderful to observe.

I also stopped at Garth Wood on my way to Gronant. Highlights were a singing Garden Warbler, a Treecreeper, a Dipper and 3 Yellowhammer.

Until later.