Mr 10 Percent

After demolishing more spare ribs last night than I thought humanly possible in one sitting, I thought it best to stretch my pegs a little this morning, so I had a walk along the River Dee between the Higher Ferry and Queensferry bridges.

Pancake flat – presumably reclaimed – arable fields flank the east side of the river here, whilst the west side of the channel plays host to several industrial complexes. All this combined with the arrow straight canalised river creates a fairly austere environment that I have to say I will be in no hurry to revisit!

Nevertheless, the farmland in particular at least provided me with the opportunity to bag some birds for my Flintshire list that favour this type of environment – notably species such as Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow, Grey Partridge and Stock Dove. I had also been given some fairly specific instructions as to the location of Little Owl too.

As it turned out, the agricultural practices of the farms didn’t exactly look like they were sympathetic to wildlife, but aside from the usual corvids there were a few modest flock of Lapwing and eventually a quartet of Stock Doves too.

The Afon Dyfrdwy (well it is technically in Wales here!) however was a little more productive than I had anticipated playing host to Grey Wagtail, Little Grebe, good numbers of Redshank, and last but by no means least – a Kingfisher near the Airbus dock.

After Becks had become a little irritated at having to keep dodging members of a rather sprawling geriatric dominated pelaton we decided to about face and go and search for the Little Owl.

I had been warned he was a little on the shy side and that my chances of seeing him were no more than one in ten. Hardly great odds, but given that I think I may struggle for Little Owl in Flintshire, worth a shot.

The tree that is his regular haunt I found with little difficulty, but all too predictably Mr 10 Percent was nowhere to be seen…

River Dee 19.01.10

Kingfisher 1
Little Grebe 1
Wigeon 3
Redshank 30
Cormorant c15
Grey Heron 2
Buzzard 4
Kestrel 1
Stock Dove 4

Until later.

A Local Dip

Just before dusk, I took Becks for her daily constitutional to the Gowy Woodland Park behind the Nags Head at Mickle Trafford. After checking the gull roost behind the landfill site, I was strolling back along the riverbank when I caught a glimpse of a small bird flying away from me just above the water.

It landed thirty yards or so further up the bank on some dead reed stems and when I put my bins on it I could hardly believe what I was looking at – a Dipper! I thought the sight of one casually strolling along the tide line at Abergwyngregyn was weird enough, but this takes the biscuit!

I tried to creep closer to the bird to check that I wasn’t hallucinating, but it soon clocked me and flew further up the river and out of view, so I decided to leave it in peace.

Obviously Dipper are generally restricted to the more typical surroundings of boulder-strewn, upland, wooded streams, but I assume during harsh weather they are inclined to move to lowland areas.

Interested to see if there have been any other records in lowland Cheshire I had a look through the Coward & Oldham’s Birds of Cheshire (1900) for any evidence. Intriguingly, it contained this reference “There is a specimen in the Warrington Museum which was killed at Tarporley in the spring of 1893, and we have seen another which was shot at Romiley in winter”.

Not unheard of then, but still fairly unusual. If anybody out there as anymore information on the occurrence of Dippers in lowland Cheshire, I would be delighted to hear from you!

Until later.

Bickerton Hill

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.

Gowy Meadows

With the rain clearing up and the wind easing I nipped down to Gowy Meadows CWT at dusk today. It is a reserve – like Nikolai Valuev - that consistently punches below its weight.

It looks absolutely perfect for owls; lots of lovely rough grassland, voles galore and even lots of pukka posts to perch on. If you are a Short-eared Owl then surely this is the over-wintering des res.

There is one tiny problem though in that the owls seem to disagree. Numerous evening visits over the past few winters have produced nada – not even a Barn Owl that I know for certain breed at the nearby village of Stoak.

This evening was no different – the Kestrels having the run of the place yet again – although there was a surprise in the form of a Kingfisher perched at the foot of the Shell Road bridge.

Hopefully the bird will stay in area, although it is more than likely just taking advantage of a temporarily swollen section of the River Gowy.

In other news it was good to hear that the government is planning to plant an extra 4% of woodland – native deciduous too, not dreadful conifer plantations. Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8377827.stm

Henry David Throreau would have approved I think.

Until later.

Blakemere Moss

“Britain braces itself for bout of mild weather” was the rather oxymoronic headline when I logged on to yahoo mail this morning - I do wonder sometimes.

Despite being in the middle of one the most well trodden sections of Delamere Forest, Blakemere Moss can provide a home for some interesting birds. Its thick, ebony, acidic and peaty water is not the first choice for a lot of wildlife, but in winter particularly it may hold things of interest – last year I found a Whooper Swan, a Woodcock and two Jack Snipe and a friend recently had great views of Firecrest.

A lap around the lake takes approximately an hour and there are plenty of access points leading to the water’s edge where you can scan round and take a break from dodging the mountain bikes.

There wasn’t much on the mere today; it was a little disappointing, although there were plenty of interesting passerines in the surrounding woodland.

Highlights included a lovely flock of circa twenty Siskin, a pair of Bullfinches (that I could hear but remained well hidden), and best of all four Crossbill flying over the ‘Go Ape’ adventure section.

I must confess that I do struggle to retain many bird calls – passerines specifically – but the ‘jip-jipping’ of Crossbills seems to be one of minority that has fortunately lodged in my brain – Bullfinch too, it’s just so feeble!

Until later.

(Major Parus) Hilton

Great Tits - real ones at that and probably in possession of a greater vocabulary too! They were everywhere this afternoon and I wasn’t even reading Nuts magazine or scanning one of those dodgy websites I’ve heard so much about.

It all started when I bumped into a large winter flock of passerines when out walking my dog at the Gowy Meadows CWT reserve this afternoon. I decided to search through the group to see if it contained anything interesting, but I soon discovered bar the odd Blue Tit or Goldfinch it was Great Tits all the way – about fifty in total.

Quite interesting as Stephen Fry might say, but hardly earth-shattering. I continued my walk towards the river Gowy, but I had to turn back when I noticed the cows had been moved to graze the pasture I needed to cross. I decided to drive to the woodland park at Mickle Trafford instead.

When I entered the park I encountered another large winter flock in the birch and willow scrub, and after scanning this gathering I found that it too was dominated by Great Tits – probably seventy of a flock of eighty or so.

It was then that I remembered that the level in my peanut feeder had been dropping quicker than the pants of a certain vacuous hotel heiress recently – a food source favoured by Great Tits.

I wonder if there has been a large influx of Great Tits this autumn. I have had a look on the interweb and cannot find much on the irruptions of this species, just one article alluding to increased breeding success following a good crop of beech nuts.

Has anybody else noticed similar numbers of Great Tits? Drop a comment if you have.

Until later.

It's All Mandarin to Me

A walk around Farndon this morning in the mizzle produced some interesting birds.

Gunshot from a nearby farm flushed a Cuckoo that I picked up flying over a wheat field. It attempted to settle in a dead tree, but a Magpie soon mobbed the bird and off it moved.

On another dead tree a new family of Kestrels roosted and all looked rather damp and fed-up.

When I reached the River Dee at the end of Townfield Lane, I searched a little while for any sign of Kingfishers having seen them here a few times before. It is easy to see why they like this section of water; plenty of overhanging willows and other protruding tree branches to hunt from.

No Kingfishers today, but skulking under some vegetation was another family – of Mandarin Ducks! Apart from a lone eclipse male at Inner Marsh Farm a couple of years ago, these are the only birds I have seen in Cheshire. Apparently they are spreading with this introduced species having taken to Britain like, well, a duck to water. Sorry.


Until later.

Primrose Wood

One of the last areas in Cheshire to hold breeding Turtle Dove, Primrose Wood is still worth a visit anytime of the year. It is essentially a conifer plantation, but large areas of clear-fell have been allowed to re-grow with a more mixed range of trees.

The wood occasionally holds some interesting birds. A Green Woodpecker has been resident in the area around the Sandstone Trail for a couple of years now, and last spring I found both Pied and Spotted Flycatchers.

The young trees are excellent for Warblers. This morning the first bird I heard was a Garden Warbler and it was soon joined by Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff. Lesser Redpoll must be breeding in the area too; the air was full of the bird’s “chi-chi-chi-chi” call.

Yellowhammers also have a strong presence here. I counted up to six at various points, even though the habitat doesn’t seem ideal. Bird of the day though, had to be an extremely handsome male Bullfinch that I watched perching on a young birch tree.

Nightjar is a bird that is believed to be extinct as a breeder in Cheshire, although I must confess that I find this surprising. Cheshire does not have much heath remaining, but it does have plenty of areas of cleared woodland on areas of sandy soil, including two such habitats at Primrose Wood. Surely, they are just waiting to be found again by an intrepid birder!

Until later.

Holt, Who Goes There?

I've had my eye on a square near the River Dee at Farndon and Holt: SJ4055. Recent reports of Whinchat and Spotted Flycatcher from Townfield Lane have moistened the taste buds somewhat, so after being discharged from lawn mowing duties I set off to investigate.

After struggling to find a parking space I opt to reverse into a spot at the entrance to a farm gate, risking the wrath of the local agrarian despot.

The square is largely fields planted with crops, although a couple are grazed by cattle and there is also a large paddock full of horses.

I begin by heading west along Townfield Lane, an unadopted metalled track flanked by excellent mature hedgerows. There is plenty of Chaffinch singing, the odd Chiffchaff, but little else.

Reaching the River Dee I enter a plantation area. Generally poor for birds I concentrate instead on the willows overhanging the water, but the wished for Kingfisher is nowhere to be seen. The opposite side of the bank is lined with mobile homes, the majority sporting the predictable over-ornamented gardens.

Still in the plantation area, I veer east along another footpath called Knowl Lane. The trees become a little more varied here and there are several Orange-tipped Butterflies flitting in the spring sunshine. Emerging from the coppice, the track squeezes in between two hawthorn hedges that cut through more arable land. Perfect territory for a Yellowhammer, but none are seen or heard.

The next stretch - heading south - is a walk of 2 kilometres through more crops and copses. I dare to dream of seeing a Turtle Dove - the habitat is ideal, surely they must have bred here in the past?

I am soon back at my car and thankfully there is no irate farmer waiting to berate me for blocking the entrance to his field. As I am about to turn the ignition key, two birds drop down atop of the hedge in front of me. Two Tree Sparrows - excellent! These are the first birds I have seen near Chester and the first individuals I have encountered not on a nature reserve.

Still, a fairly poor return really, but definitely merits another visit.

Until later.

Futureshock

Gowy Meadows is an area of marshland opposite the massive Stanlow Oil Refinery complex. Although Shell UK owns the site, it is managed by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

Despite holding plenty of promise the reserve is generally disappointing for birds, although recent spring migration has produced good falls of Wheatear and the odd Whinchat.

Frequently encountered residents include Kestrel, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Reed Bunting and at least two pairs of Stonechat. Winter is slightly more productive with Snipe, Jack Snipe and Water Rail joining the permanent population.

Encouraged by the potential of the area, I have been visiting on a regular basis for over two years but my patience is starting to run out. Reading the CWT action plan on their website perhaps indicates why there has been no real improvement: four out of the eight ‘planned works’ are related to visitor welfare with two of those predictably pertaining to ‘elf and safety – how depressing!

Enabling the fields to flood more often – especially during winter – would be a start, but the banks of the Gowges are presently far too high for this to be a regular occurrence. This would surely attract more wildfowl and augment the rather modest numbers of Teal and Mallard. On the odd time the waters have broken through the defences, the flow has been over a farmer’s field on the opposite side of the river.

When this happens the flood waters are used by bathing Gulls as they commute between the Mersey and the nearby Gowges Landfill site. Thousands of Gulls use the tip but close scrutiny of the scavengers is difficult as there is no suitable observation point and few gulls tend to roost nearby, preferring to return to the estuary.

This morning is a rather typical visit. One Buzzard perched on a fencepost watching a herd of Welsh Long-horned Cattle munching away is the only bird of note. I recognise the individual as an old hand, its extremely pale plumage making it easily identifiable. It looks bored.

The Meadow Pipits are in good voice though – walking to the metal bridge I pass three

singing males and there are plenty of ‘tsrpping’ Reed Buntings. In the distance thousands of Gulls are circling over the dump. I find this a rather apocalyptic sight and a signal of what the future may hold if we are not more intelligent in our relationship with the environment: a world of Corvids, Gulls and Feral Pigeons.

Gowy Meadows CWT: http://www.cheshirewildlifetrust.co.uk/res_gowymeadows.htm

Until later.

Dapper

Normally up with the larks, I was still festering in bed at 10:30am this morning suffering from a 'bad pint' I must have consumed the previous night in Warrington. Fortified by a spanish omelette and a good dose of caffiene I set out for a walk around a former regular haunt - Hockenhall Platts on the River Gowges.

From the depths of the poplar plantation three Chiffchaffs were singing rather half-heartedly, joined by two more enthusiastic sedge warblers from the scrub area behind.

The first birds I encountered in the pastures were three stunning male Greenland Wheatears perched on fenceposts. All were looking resplendent despite being in the middle of a punishing migration; surely there a few birds more handsome.

Across the river, perched atop of a tree, were two rather despondent looking Kestrels gradually becoming drenched in the increasingly heavy rain.

The remainder of the walk to Cotton Edmunds was pretty quiet aside from a handful of singing Common Whitethroat. Sadly, a pair of Curlew that had been resident in the area of the past month seem to have moved to pastures new. Given the availability of suitable habitat I was hoping they would stay around and attempt to breed.

Plenty of rape being grown in this area at the moment which may have contributed to my inability to locate a singing Yellowhammer, "A little bit of bread and cheese, a little bit of bread and cheese."

What a good idea, and perhaps a pickled onion too. Time for lunch.

Other birds of note: two Stonechat.

Until later.

Knowing me, Paul Shenton, knowing you Perdix Perdix

A little obvious I know.

After cosuming 56,284 calories during a gluttinous Sunday evening dinner, I decided to take myself and my corpulent dog out for a hike around Plemstall near the river Gowy.

Being a bank holiday the weather was obviously less than clement. Actually, this is not obvious at all. Why do the troop of BBC meteorologists, notwithstanding the fact that they are all of the scientific ilk, proceed to come out with this hackneyed line? And continuing theme of BBC weather presenters, why does Breakfast's Carol always dress like a cheap stripogram?

Anyway, I digress.

After passing through some stables adjacent to Plemstall church I was out into the wilds of sterile pasture. Then, unexpectedly, "Kronk, Kronk", a Raven drifted overhead being mobbed by two Carrion Crows. Not a bad start. Next on the menu was a dashing male Kestrel, hopefully in the business of satiating hungry mouths. The remainder of the walk to Barrow was a little quiet birdwise save a couple of singing Common Whitethroat and the usual mono-agricultue line up.

Their was little improvement when I walked along a footpath from Barrow to Mickle Trafford too. Also, rather irritatingly, I had to negotiate quite a number of electric fences kindly put across the footpath by the local farmer. Not being Colin Jackson these can be quite an obstacle.

Then just as I cleared the final hurdle and lunged for the finishing line of the A56, I startled two Grey Partridge that quickly took flight and dropped into some deep grass. Great to see that they are still hanging-on locally and only a couple of miles from my house!

I am particularly interested in the status of once common farmland birds and hopefully over the next year I shall encounter some other farmland species such as Tree Sparrow, Yellowhammer and maybe even a Barn Owl.

Other birds of note were 2 Common Buzzard and a good number of Swallows - very few House Martins about though...

Until later.