Vanishing Point

An exceptionally high tide at the Point of Ayr this morning produced an excellent crop of birds, with the pick being an incredible count of ninety five Brent Geese that arrived in two equal sized skeins about twenty minutes apart.

The water practically covered the spit today – the first time I have seen this happen. A tide of 10.1m had been predicted – lower than yesterday – but the combination of falling atmospheric pressure and a strengthening wind conspired to produce a big ‘un.

I had started out the morning with a seawatch - hoping to locate a small flock of Long-tailed Ducks that had been reported over the last couple of days. No joy, but plenty of Red-throated Divers past and a couple of Guillemots too.

I needed little encouragement to pack the seawatching in as he birds were not flying very close to the shore and when I spotted a Short-eared Owl cruising along the beach I sensed things must have started to get interesting on the marsh, so I headed over to near the café.

To my astonishment the water was already up to the embankment with an hour still to go. Pintail, Teal, Shelduck, Redshank and Curlew comprised the lion’s share of the birds, but a few goodies were present too in the form of a Red-breasted Merganser and a Spotted Redshank, whilst the first flock of Brent Geese soon touched down.

Closer scrutiny of the waders revealed a lone Bar-tailed Godwit – a nice addition to my Flintshire list – but the arrival of more Brent Geese had me trying to get an accurate count of their numbers. Ninety five in total – including at least two Dark-bellied Birds - and perhaps a record count for this site?

Point of Ayr 02.02.10

1 Short-eared Owl
95 Brent Goose (inc 2 Dark-bellied)
15+ Red-throated Diver
2 Guillemot
1 Spotted Redshank
3+ Rock Pipit
3 RB Merganser
2 GC Grebe

Until later.

Huffing and Puffin'

Glorious unblemished sunshine greeted me at the Point of Ayr this morning, where I was joined by John Cureton for a spot of wardening.

I was nearly late starting, courtesy of the surly and curmudgeonly security guard at the BHP station who inexplicably sat on his fat arse and ignored me pressing the buzzer for a good ten minutes before resentfully getting to his feet.

I have been wardening here for a few winters now and I have never enjoyed it more; after all it is really just an excuse to do even more birding whilst providing an important helping hand to the very things that bring us so much pleasure.

The seawatching at the POA can be superb in all seasons - and it didn’t disappoint today: the star bird was unquestionably a Puffin flying out of the estuary mouth about half an hour after high tide.

Two Great Northern Divers were notable too, as were a pair of Common Scoters that were drifting unusually close to the shore.

The spit was quiet, holding far fewer waders and wildfowl than is typical with only Curlew present in decent numbers, although a hunting female Peregrine revealed a few hundred Oystercatchers hiding from view.

Not many people on the beach today despite the barbeque winter, just a couple of families and a pair of fisherman ‘practising their casting’, so John and I were reduced to entertaining ourselves by childishly planting sticks in the sand to measure how fast the tide was receding.

The only fly in the ointment of a cracking day was my little faux pas when returning to the car park. Taking a short cut across the top of the marsh I failed to see some birders scrutinising the vegetation. Unfortunately, I then flushed the very birds they were watching to their obvious displeasure. So, if you are reading this – sorry guys. Four hours trying to prevent disturbance and I commit the very same sin myself!

Point of Ayr 30.01.10

1 Puffin
2 Great Northern Diver
6+ Red-throated Diver
5 Common Scoter
6 Red-breasted Merganser
7 Brent Goose
1 Peregrine (female)

Until later.

Crouching Shorelark, Hidden Woodcock

An absolutely stonking few hours birding at the Point of Ayr this morning, with a Shorelark feeding along the strandline behind Presthaven Sands the undoubted highlight. (SJ104848)

It had been pretty quiet along the beach, with the only birds of note a handful of barely visible divers flying through the fug way offshore. Then I noticed a small passerine crouched over some washed-up seaweed and as I inched a little closer I realised it was a Shorelark!

I watched the bird for about a minute, until a Redshank clocked me and flew off calling hysterically. This disturbed the Shorelark that took off too, tailing the wader as it flew off into the dunes – I could have happily strangled that Redshank!

Before today, I was probably the only birder to have not seen a Woodcock this year, but as Becks and I walked through the small wood behind the horse paddocks at Warren Farm at least four birds – possibly up to six – were flushed along with a couple of Snipe for good measure.

Some cracking birds on the marsh at high tide too, with a Kingfisher in its usual winter billet – the small pool next to the hide path – and a few Brambling in a flock of around sixty Chaffinch.

Raptors were well represented too with stunning views of a hunting female Merlin; probably the largest one I have seen too, approaching the size a small male Peregrine.

It didn’t have the manor to itself though: an adult female Hen Harrier seemed to appear from nowhere and after a brief scuffle it eerily vanished as quickly as it had arrived.

Quite a morning and some highly prized ticks for my Flintshire quest too!

Point of Ayr 14.01.10

1 Shorelark
4+ Woodcock
1 Kingfisher
1 Hen Harrier
1 Merlin (female)
5+ Rock Pipit
3+ Brambling
90 Sanderling
35 Grey Plover

Until later

P.S - Going for the Woodlarks again tomorrow, so inshallah, it could be a lark hat-trick this week!

Beachcombing

What is Etemophila alpestris’ common name? Is it Shorelark, Shore Lark or even Horned Lark – somebody make a decision!

No matter, it was great to see two of them at the Point of Ayr this afternoon -accompanied too by a handful of lovely Snow Bunting. For a family of birds not exactly renowned for producing the most dazzling of species, the Shore Lark is the exception that proves the rule.

It has been a few years I believe since they last graced the Dee Estuary and being a new bird for me, I think it was well worth the wait – the colouration around the head is exquisite making for a very handsome little passerine.

Finally getting to see the birds feeding on the spit was a quite a relief as I had already spent two frustratingly wet hours trying to locate them. I had initially searched the section of beech west of the red flag towards and including Gronant and seen absolutely bugger all.

When I had practically given up the ghost, I noticed a few birders assembled on the spit just east of the car park – an area I had avoided when I arrived as birds were roosting – and headed over to explore.

Both the Snow Buntings and the Shore Larks were extremely confiding, although predictably not confiding enough for one photographer (minus binoculars) who decided to indulge in a game of ‘grandma’s footsteps’ with the birds. Fortunately they didn’t seem to mind too much and I watched them fastidiously probing around the strand line for around an hour.

The Snow Buntings probably appreciated their presence even more. Usually very much the focus of attention, I imagine they would probably be enjoying their time out of the spotlight for a change…

Until later.

P.S - I have just received an e-mail from Keith Duckers detailing a day's birding around the Wirral side of the Dee Estuary on Sunday, including the Parkgate Raptor Watch. I have added it into the comments section below - apparently there were 200 people at Parkgate in the evening! Thanks Keith.

Loonacy

No white whales today or indeed any sign of the Pequod, but enough action for a decent seawatch from the dunes at the Point of Ayr.

A steady stream of auks allowed me to get my eye in and before too long I was treated to spanking views of a winter-plumaged Great Northern Diver flying along the shoreline. A probable second followed a few minutes later, although it was miles out to sea and kept low in the troughs.

Duck was next on the menu; six Red-breasted Mergansers flew powerfully out of the estuary tailed a couple of minutes later by a drake Eider – uncommon birds in Liverpool bay.

As expected there was a good count of Common Scoter. Well over a hundred birds in total and as per usual they were flying in all directions of the compass.

Next it was the turn of Great Crested Grebes with three birds moving west along the coast accompanied by another distant loon that looked like a Red-throated.

Point of Ayr Seawatch: 02.11.09, 08:30 to 10:30.

1+ Great Northern Diver
1 Red-throated Diver
3 Great Crested Grebe
6 Red-breasted Merganser
1 Eider (drake)
100+ Common Scoter
10+ Razorbill
2 Guillemot
1 Gannet
1 Kittiwake

Today I received an unconfirmed report that a Catbird has been present near the small pool next to the path that leads to the razed hide at the Point of Ayr. For those familiar with the area it is where a Kingfisher normally resides in the winter.

The gentleman I spoke to claimed the bird has been present for two weeks; he says that he has heard it calling and seen the bird on one occasion during a total of 30 hours looking for the bird.

The chap in question is a well-known local birder, but after recent conversations with him concerning other birds he claims to have seen this autumn, caution is advised. Pass the salt.

Until later.

Oui, J'taime

Good visible migration ‘early doors’ at Point of Ayr today with well over 500 finches flying over. They were mostly Chaffinches with the rest of the movers made up from Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Greenfinch and Bullfinch. I swore I heard a Crossbill too, but to use another Ron Atkinsonism, you’d need to be a member of the ‘wide awake club’ to be sure.

Other migrants included a handful of Stock Doves, a Sparrowhawk and heading up the rear around fifty Skylarks. The bushes were also full of Blackbirds, Robins and unusually high numbers of Dunnock – probably all coming to a garden near you!

Despite a good thorough search I could not find anything out of the ordinary. It has been a good few years since my last decent rarity here – a Golden Oriole near the old hide. Never mind, the search will continue.

On the way home I popped into Inner Marsh Farm. Due to the returning Dowitchers the hide was again full of dow-twitchers making for a rather unpleasant squeeze.

But, despite a Curlew Sandpiper and a lovely flock of Golden Plover, it was hard not to notice a young couple who had walked on to the edge of the reserve from Puddington and flushed all the birds from number one pool. Rather embarrassingly telescopes had to be averted when they started to smooch, blissfully unaware of the fact that twenty people with high powered optical equipment were sat no more than two hundred yards away!

Until later.

Pointless

My search for migrants at the Point of Ayr and Talacre this morning certainly came up trumps, although I did not expect them to be seven eastern European workers playing football on the beach!

Truth be told, it was hardly classic conditions for a fall, but considering the recent spell of light north-easterlies I had hoped for at least something. The best I could muster was two Snipe, a Bullfinch, a Kestrel and six Stonechats – hardly the stuff of legend.

I could have started a little earlier too. Quarter-past nine in the morning could hardly be called ‘getting up with the larks’ and it does pay in this game to be out and at ‘em at first light. This tactic also means that one tends to step on virgin territory and affords you the chance of covering the ground before Fido goes out on his morning constitutional.

I am going to persist at this location of the autumn though. The warren is full of bushes bursting with fuel-laden berries – a veritable service station for passerines on the move. It was like walking through a banqueting hall with all the tables brimming with food just before the guests are due to arrive.

With the high tides coming up over the weekend, I will probably have another crack of the whip on Friday morning - a little stroll across the dunes searching for migrants, followed by a few hours in the chair seawatching. Sounds just the ticket.

Until later.

A Taste of the Mediterranean

Another day, another seawatch. I was back on the dunes again this morning for another session in the saddle (well, fold-away seat). The wind had dropped today and switched a little to the south-west. Hardly ideal conditions, but it certainly brought home the bacon!

After a classic case of ‘you should have been here ten minutes ago, there was a Pomarine Skua past’ my spirits soon lifted after I latched onto a Leach’s Petrel – my first of the year. Despite the relatively calm conditions, the bird was hard to follow as it frequently dipped down into the shallow troughs.

There were plenty of terns around again today, making life relatively easy for the dozen or so Arctic Skuas present offshore. I watched numerous spectacular chases; these pirates of the oceans are truly the Peregrine Falcons of the sea – a perfect balance of size, strength and manoeuvrability.

A more cumbersome Bonxie was the next bird past, although it was at considerable distance. Much closer in, I picked up a shearwater flying like the clappers. When the bird finally flipped over it revealed the classic dark underside of a Balearic Shearwater! This was a first for me and confirmed by a fellow more experienced observer.

And then the birds completely dried-up: nothing. The wind was now more of a breeze and the sky was coloured every shade of grey imaginable from a deep charcoal to an off-white. Out on the water, the waves had flattened and an air of calm hung over the leaden water. It was time to pack-up the gear and await the next storm.

Until later.

Right People, Right Time, Just The Wrong Location

With the continuing strong winds I was back over to the Point Of Ayr this morning for the next course of seawatching. Today I decided to join a couple of chaps on top of the dunes – one of whom was in possession of the type of thick, long, white beard you only see on busts of greek philosophers. Superb.

If anything, the wind had abated a little today and shifted more to the north-west. Despite the favourable conditions, the fare was rather poor with only a brace of distant dark-phase Arctic Skuas keeping up the interest over the first ninety minutes.

After a couple of hours there was the first hint of excitement when a possible petrel was picked up on the horizon. I did not get a decent view of the bird as it was distant and keeping well down in the troughs – a little too far to claim a Leach’s I reckon!

Then, just as the morning was about to fall flat on its face, an unexpected bird turned up in the shape of a Black Guillemot – my first on the Dee Estuary. Like its auk cousins it was flying low and close to the shore, revealing itself to be an adult moulting into winter plumage.

After three hours of sustained protest from my numbed backside I decided to call it day and head back to the hutch. A day that had promised much had been a bit of an anti-climax really, especially when I logged on the internet and saw that New Brighton had recorded a Sabine’s Gull, Balearic Shearwater and Long-tailed Skua.

But, hey, that’s just the way it roles sometimes.

Until later.

Antipasto

A four hour session at the Point of Ayr offered a hint of hopefully what is to come tomorrow should the wind maintain its strength and veer more to the north-west: a main course of skua in a shearwater jus, with a side serving of petrels.

The hors d’oeuvre was not without merit though. The highlight was a cracking Bonxie mixing it with the Gannets – its distinctive white wing flash and bulk making it identifiable from a good distance.

Much closer in a steady stream of Sandwich Terns attracted the interest of numerous Arctic Skuas - two of which double-teamed a hapless tern into disgorging its meal.
One bird, a juvenile was blown onto the beach itself, flying practically over my head!

A continued passage of birds included a few Arctic and Little Terns and as high tide approached, a handful of Fulmar, Manx Shearwaters and Guillemots battled with the headwind.

Conspicuous by their absence were Kittiwakes and it was not until the heavens opened that I just managed to locate a juvenile that had seemingly given up fighting the wind and decided it wished to be blown back into the estuary instead.

When the heavens opened for the umpteenth time I decided to call it day. After all, it is going to take all evening to clean all the sand from my scope and bins in readiness for another battering by the elements tomorrow!

Until later.

Is There Anybody Out There?

Following a few days of modest north-westerly winds I headed for the Point of Ayr this morning for a spot of seawatching. And that’s exactly what I did – watch a mostly empty sea for two hours!

The sum total of the first half hour was a handful of Gannets – more far out than a catatonic hippy – fishing around the wind turbines.

A trickle of Sandwich Terns over the next hour or so was equally disappointing and things didn’t improve too much over the last 30 minutes – two sluggish Kittiwakes and a more dynamic Manxie the only birds of note.

The whole episode reminded me of a line from Blackadder 4: “It started badly, tailed-off a little in the middle and the less said about the end the better.”

A complete waste of time really, but that’s just the way it roles sometimes I suppose.

On a more positive note the wader numbers seem to be building up nicely with plenty of Curlew and Redshank roosting on the marsh over the high tide.

Until later.

West By South-West

Always partial to some seawatching, the combination of a high tide and a stiff north-westerly wind had me in the automobile and heading for a noon appointment with the sand dunes at the Point of Ayr.

Upon arrival at Talacre my spirits were soon sapped. I had neglected to remember that it was half term week and the car park was already rammed with dog walkers and the great unwashed. A further metaphorical kick to the teeth was received when I noticed the direction of the flag; not entirely agreeing with this morning's BBC weather graphic, it was shimmering west at best.

Faced with this double whammy, I enacted Plan B and headed to the Little Orme for what would be my inaugural visit. Initial impressions were good, a short walk from the road and I was perched on a section of elevated limestone overlooking the Irish Sea.

If anything the wind had acquired a south-westerly lilt now - hardly favourable conditions. Nevertheless, I was soon on to two Fulmars - one of which flew about six feet away from me! Kittiwake and Guillemot were both present in good numbers as were Cormorants, keeping themselves busy by commuting to and fro across the sea in small groups.

Four Manx Shearwaters were the next birds of note to pass through, banking nonchalantly into the head wind. Four seemed to be the magic number today as Gannets and Sandwich Terns appeared in the same digit. Two Shag were nice additions to my year list (now 177) and it occurred to me at this point that I had not seen any at Anglesey the previous week!?

Despite my many misgivings about RSPB Conwy, I decided it would be churlish not to pay it a visit given I was so close. Half an hour in the Benarth Hide revealed little of interest apart from a pair of Black Swans. Is it just me, or do these slimmer, ebony versions of the Mute Swan seem even more snooty and uppity? Time to get the boys from the Environment Agency in?

Until later.