Signs Of Spring

The first hints of spring added some interest to an otherwise fairly quiet WeBS count at White Sands this morning, which also included the added bonus of watching three different foxes out on the prowl.

Indications that the sap is starting to rise included a pair of Ravens busy displaying over the power station, the first singing Skylarks of the year and the tentative appearance of the first flowers on the gorse bushes.

Flintshire seems to be the Brambling capital of the UK at present and there were even more today with around ten in a larger flock of Chaffinch that were busy bouncing around from tree to marsh to tree.

It was noticeable today how the recent cold weather has affected the Little Egret and Grey Heron numbers. Typically I record at least a score of both these species, but today I was restricted to a distant view of one Egret.

I hope that most of the birds have simply moved to more favourable feeding areas, but the freezing temperatures must have claimed a fair few victims too – and talking of victims, the Peregrines have obviously been enjoying some success with the local Woodpigeon population in recent days as the path was littered with their remains.

White Sands WeBS count 17.01.10

Wigeon 119
Teal 61
Shelduck 56
Mallard 5
Greylag Goose 8
Canada Goose 137
Mute Swan 47
Whooper Swan 8 (All adults)
Cormorant 1
Little Egret 1
Redshank 75
Black-tailed Godwit 25
Curlew 15
Lapwing 5

Plus, 10+ Brambling, 2 Raven and 1 adult female Hen Harrier


Shotwick Fields 17.01.10

Bewick’s Swan 5
Whooper Swan 5 (2 adults, 3 juveniles)


Until later.

Richards & Bewicks

On a cracking crisp winter morning, I decided to defy the 'elf and safety mafia and undertake one of those non-essential journeys the Highways Agency is always banging on about and head down to Denhall Old Quay to check out the Richard’s Pipit.

There was no sign early doors, but the stunning light aided me in picking out a couple of Peregrines, two different ringtail Hen Harriers and a Merlin out on the marsh.

Neston Old Quay was also pipitless – not heard of any sightings of Water Pipit near the stream here for ages, but apparently there is a poorly-marked possible candidate near the Caldy Sailing Club.

Returning to the quay at Denhall an hour later I caught up with John Boswell & another birder who had managed to peg-down (not in a literal sense!) the Richard’s Pipit to an area at the end of the sandstone wall.

After playing hide and seek for ten minutes near the sewage outfall, it eventually popped out for fifteen minutes to share the stage with a couple of Starlings, before disappearing again.

The bird could have obviously been here for a little while, but yesterday at White Sands when doing my WeBS count it was noticeable how many small passerines were feeding on the marsh – Skylarks in particular, perhaps birds forced from frozen fields further away to warmer coastal climes?

Other interesting birds on White Sands included a decent count of nineteen Bewick’s Swans, a now resident Black Swan and conspicuous by their absence – no Whooper Swans.

Until later.

Out For The Count

It was out to White Sands this afternoon for the WeBS count. Heeding the warnings of the BBC weather forecast (whose presenters must be the shortest workforce in the world), I kitted myself up like Ray Mears in the arctic and prepared for a battering.

I had hoped for three species of swan today, but I was not expecting four – the first group of Mute Swans held a surprise in the form of a Black Swan. I hear a whisper that this introduced species from Australia may be added to the BOURC list given that it appears to have established a feral population.

Let’s hope not; if anything the Black Swan seems even more aloof and ill-tempered than the Mute Swan and if it shares any characteristics of its fellow countrymen then you can add loud, uncouth and mildly racist too!

Swans generally give me a bit of a problem when it comes to counting them. Last year their collective tactic was to feed in one large multi-species group and to keep their best identifying feature – their bills – hidden by constantly grazing.

This year the plan seems to be to gather in small groups scattered all over the marsh and to also move about as much as possible, making an accurate estimation of numbers and species a tad tricky - but I think I got there in the end!

Duck numbers continue to be low this winter with only very small numbers of Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal and Mallard recorded today – Wigeon in particular appear to be well down on last year.

White Sands WeBS Count 22.11.09

Great Crested Grebe 1
Black Swan 1
Mute Swan 42
Whooper Swan 5
Bewick’s Swan 5
Little Egret 8
Grey Heron 1
Cormorant 5
Canada Goose 11
Shelduck 71
Wigeon 37
Mallard 14
Teal 15
Lapwing 370
Curlew 12
Oystercatcher 3
Black-tailed Godwit 7
Redshank 142

Also, an adult female Hen Harrier, plus a wonderful flock of c4,000 Starlings.

Until later.

Second Toughest In the Infants

It was one of those days today when it paid to be layered-up. Sun out equalled summer, yet when it dipped behind the clouds, the cold claw of autumn was firming tapping you on the shoulder.

Today being WeBS day, I was back out on the White Sands area of the Dee Estuary on my first anniversary of taking up this area. I’ve had some great birds over the last twelve months, my personal highlight being a count of twenty seven Short-eared Owls last winter.

The tide was very high this afternoon, although not as high as during the night when the only 10 plus metre tide of the autumn was scheduled. Evidence of this was present in the form of numerous small pools that has formed at the base of the marsh, many of which played host to hundreds of Redshanks.

It was when counting the birds in one of the flashes that I caught sight of a hunting juvenile female Peregrine trying to nail a Teal. Although not managing to grab the hapless duck in its talons, it had succeeded in striking the bird several times rendering it severely injured. When it finally issued the coup de grace and had returned to enjoy its quarry, an opportunistic Great-black Backed Gull swiftly moved in and claimed the meal for itself. The law of the jungle, I guess.

I doubt the falcon had been going without though. Whilst I was walking along the breakwater I happened across remains of two Woodpigeons and one Feral Pigeon. Each had had the head torn off and the torso completely had been completely consumed. The female of the species is indeed more deadly than the male.

I suspect that the falcon was one of the two juvenile Peregrines I had seen during my last visit. The birds were hunting then, albeit more clumsily. Clearly over the last month at least one of them had made significant progress in the journey from apprentice to master. Soon it may well be ready to take up its position as matriarch of the estuary – ruler of all it surveys.

Quite simply, a misty winter’s morning on the Dee Estuary would not be complete without the sight of a Peregrine perched on a lookout post. Ever alert, tense, twitchy, these falcons are always poised, ready to dispense death on the wing that is both thrilling and essential. And don’t we just love it.

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.