Bickerton Hill is an area of heath and ancient deciduous woodland near Beeston Castle. It is ‘managed’ by the Natural Trust who deserve a doffing of the hat for all the hard yakka they have put in over recent years - notably to restore the original segments of heathland.The result is that the open and sandy soil areas of the hill look absolutely plum for Nightjars and come next summer I shall be up there looking for them – especially as they appear to be all but extinct as a Cheshire breeder? (I would be quite happy to be corrected!).
I find birding woods in the winter similar to my old career as a goalkeeper – large periods of inactivity interspersed with brief periods of frenetic action!
With most woodland passerines choosing to join mixed feeding flocks in winter there are often long periods of nothing, but within seconds you can find yourself having to work quickly in order to identify many birds – often at distance and in poor light – before they move on.
It was not too long before I found the first group this morning, no more then fifty yards from the car park. Incredibly the second bird I looked at was a Marsh Tit – only the fourth time I have found one and my first in Cheshire!
The flock was actually remarkably diverse: in addition to the usual suspects it held a couple of Treecreepers, a Nuthatch, a few Goldcrest and a small group of Siskin and Lesser Redpoll.
I always enjoy hearing the call of the Lesser Redpoll as it sounds to me like they are constantly firing a miniature machine gun!
Also worth mentioning was the large numbers of Redwing I saw today – the first time this winter I have seen good numbers. A Green Woodpecker was a welcome sighting too, yaffling its heart out in the middle of a pasture.
Until later.
7 comments:
Paul.
The area is well known for Marsh Tits as is nearby Peckforton. A few pairs of Pied Flys and Redstarts also cling on!
Hello Phil,
Interesting to hear about the Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers - I had a PF at Primrosehill Wood in May this year, but it was a one day wonder unfortunately...
The older deciduous parts of Delamere look like they have potential too?
Cheers, Paul.
Paul
I have a friend who lives in Delamere and he had a Marsh Tit o nhis feeders earlier this year. A couple of singing male Pied Flycatchers were present in the Fox Howells(?) area.
Hi Paul
Amazing picture of the tide at Connahs Quay NR, I've been a member there for two years but have never seen the water cover the Marsh like that.
Cheers Denzil
Hi Paul
I've just read your post on Bickerton Hill with great interest.I was up at the Pheasant Inn on Sunday with my Fiancée and our little boy,and whilst enjoying the views across the Cheshire Plain it suddenly dawned on me that during all the years that I've been birding I've never given any real time to this particular area.
There have been many occasions when other Birders have mentioned the variety of species to be seen in the vicinity, particularly during Spring and Summer,but very little seems to be known about Autumn and Winter populations,so I thought I would try and visit the area over the coming months to see 'What's About'.
I'm constantly looking for sites relatively near to Chester that offer good Birding all the year round and this may be one of them.
Cheers Denzil
Hello Denzil,
Bickerton is definitely worth a few hours every now and again - I was certainly surprised to see so many passerines in a UK winter woodland.
I'm sure LS 'pecker must be around too and perhaps the odd Firecrest if the hours are put in!
There are certainly s dirth of good areas in and around Chester though...
Regards, Paul.
Had walk through bickerton heath this morning, heard bird chat, then spotted a large bird a little smaller than a pigeon , checked when I got home looks like a green woodpecker , but didn't have a red head .
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