Kite and Clarkes Gardens

I was amazed yesterday (Saturday 5th) as I was decorating the in-laws flat in Grassendale and looking out West towards the cricket club I saw a Red Kite flying low at treetop level not that much higher than the rooftops! The bird wasn't heading in a certain direction but rather, seemed to be rather laboured and not on a migratory path. Eventually it headed out of sight towards Aigburth/Sefton Park areas, still at a low height; keep your eyes peeled. Also flowering Three Cornered Leek on South Sudley Road.



Cowslip - Clarkes Gardens

On Wednesday evening I was in Clarkes Gardens, Springwood crem, and Eric Hardy Nature Reserve with the family;  a Common Buzzard was disturbed in the crematorium as it was apparently eating worms or other insects of some sort....a surprising yet common feature of this large raptor species. I was surprised to find an area of Bugle in the wilder margins of the crem (my first 'wild' Bugle in this area), loads of Rabbits in the crem; generally in South Liverpool Rabbits are mainly nocturnal and rarely seen. In clarkes Gardens and the adjacent Eric Hardy Nature Reserve 2 Bullfinches, 3 Chiff Chaffs, Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcaps, 5 Swallows, Nuthatch, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker could be found, plenty of Ramsons were in flower as were Cowslips; two iconic spring flowers.

In Greenbank Park the Swans are still sitting on eggs, on the precariously balanced nest! 2 Red Eared Terrapins, nesting Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Treecreeper. Willow Warblers are still regularly passing through and Swallows are now ever present, Ring Necked Parakeets have been around lately usually early morning.

Allium Ursinum (Ramsons) - Clarkes Gardens



Adjuga reptans (Bugle) - Springwood Crematorium

On Penny Lane on Tuesday a singing Willow Warbler and Holly Blue Butterfly's could be seen along the holly trees at Greenbank Road Junction, the gangs of photo happy tourists looked a bit bemused as I was trying to get photos of the butterfly's whilst ignoring the world famous road sign! Just a little way up Penny Lane I have found Solomons Seal growing from the Sandstone wall; a very unusual sight, elsewhere Solomons Seal can be found in the University grounds (just inside the fence line) opposite the cricket pitch on Greenbank Road.

In Sefton Park a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a pair of Nuthatches are nesting in the same tree in the dell, with another Nuthatch nesting near to the cafe. The Little Grebes are having a hard time of it with another failed attempt at breeding (eggs gone and nest half destroyed) maybe Terrapins or more likely territorial Coots. A Sparrowhawk was over the dell and is probably one of a local pair. In Greenbank Drive woods plenty of flowering Ramsons and flowering Primroses added a touch of Spring as did singing Chiff Chaffs, Blackcaps, and Willow Warblers.

In Wavertree Mystery on Friday I found my first Swift of the year, with a Chiff Chaff and flowering Primroses on the railway banks too. 



Ajuga reptans (Bugle) - Springwood Crematorium

Sorry about the lack of photos lately, but I have been getting driven crazy by the blog refusing to upload photos! I will try and add a few to previous posts.

Berwyn Mountains

I took a walk in the wild and very wet Berwyn Mountains during the week; you could have been forgiven for thinking it was January rather than heading towards May, what with heavy rain turning into hail then snow and a whiteout on the tops..... a bit testing it has to be said! Apart from the inclement weather conditions we had a great walk on hard open ground at times and the sun did appear on a number of occasions which in turn helped me find a good few decent sightings.

male Hen Harrier - Berwyn Mountains

Raptors were an obvious feature with a male Hen Harrier being the highlight; but 3 Red Kites, 2 Peregrines, 2 Common Buzzards were spotted too. I found a number of passerine migrants during the walk including a singing male Redstart, 2 Wheatears, 5 Rock Pipits, Tree Pipit, 5 Swallows, 7 Willow Warblers, 11 Chiff Chaffs, and the best of all a Ring Ouzel which flew past me during a hail/snow storm up on the tops.

Red Kite - Berwyn Mountains

Peregrine - Berwyn Mountains

The mountains and moors were alive with the sounds of the spring; with Curlews singing and displaying, calling Redshanks, Meadow Pipits with their parachuting song flights, a calling pair of Red Grouse, and Skylarks doing what they do best. Other highlights included a Dipper and at least 300 Palmate Newts in flooded hollows (by far the largest numbers of this species I have ever seen), and uncountable numbers of Toad tadpoles (in the 1000s)! With amphibian numbers like this it would be expected to find Grass Snakes and more likely Adders (due to the habitat) but alas no joy; probably because of the lashing rain!

female Palmate Newt - Berwyn Mountains

A number of interesting archaeological sites could be found on the walk including neolithic stone circles and burial mounds.

Odds and Sods

Thursday 12th

• Tawny Owl in the Holly trees outside the Greenbank Sports Academy.
• Chiff Chaff - Greenbank Park

Friday 13th - Speke Hall and Stocktons Wood 

• Garden Warbler, 5 Willow Warbler, 20+ Chiff Chaff, 11 Blackcaps, 3 Nuthatch, 3 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel, 3 Grey Herons, 7 Oystercatchers, 3 Curlews, Brimstone, 3 Peacoks, and Small Tortershell Butterflies, Cowslips, Snakes-Head Fritilary, flowering Ramsons, flowering Garlic Mustard, and the Bluebells in the woodland putting on a stunning display.

Saturday 14th 

• Willow Warbler - Greenbank Drive Woodland

Monday 16th

• Willow Warbler, Grey Wagtail, and nesting Mute Swans - Greenbank Park

Thursday 19th 

• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (1st of the Spring) in the canopy calling in the wooded     gardens behind the wooded section of Greenbank Park, 2 Pied Wagtails, 2 Willow Warblers, Chiff Chaff, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, and the Mute Swans nest is in a bad way due to the nesting platform sarting to sink!  

• Brimstone and a Chiff Chaff - off Wellington Road
• 2 Swallows - Penny Lane

Friday 20th 

• Willow Warbler, Chiff Chaff, Blackcap, and the clump of Honey Garlic - Greenbank Park

• Peregrine perched on Ullet Road flats.
• Raven (flew North), 2 Swallows, Nuthatch, Willow Warbler, Chiff Chaff, Blackcap, Treecreeper, Great Sotted Woodpecker - Sefton Park and Greenbank Drive Woods
• 2 Chiff Chaff and a Nuthatch - Princes Park
• Willow Warbler - University of Liverpool

Saturday 21st 

• 2 Raven - over the Pier Head/James Street area.

Sefton Park and Greenbank Park

In Sefton Park today the pair of Mute Swans were sitting on the nest on the island, with only two of the Little Grebes viewable but I couldnt see any nest as yet. Two Chiff Chaffs and a Blackcap in the park where the only incoming migrants and a Redwing an obvious outgoing migrant, two Nuthatches, two Pied Wagtails, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Grey Heron perched in the dead Birch on the Island. Along Greenbank Lane a Ring Necked Parakeet was in Plane trees opposite Greenbank College, this is the area where I suspected them of breeding last year. In Greenbank Park the Mute Swan nest was minus yesterdays eggs and they could be seen mating; cant explain that one. Bluebells are emerging everywhere heralding spring, and Sefton Parks Daffodil displays are at their best.

A Peregrine was perched on the top of Garston gas works today at 3:00pm, and eight Farm Geese and a Grey Heron on the University playing fields on Mather Avenue.

Odds and Sods

Sunday 25th March

• 2 Foxes - Greenbank Park

Monday 26th March 

• Chiff Chaff and Song Thrush and Wavertree Mystery Park
• 20+ Pipistrelle Bats  - Greenbank Lane

Tuesday 27th March

• Chiff Chaff, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 drumming), Buzzard, Small White

Wednesday 28th March

• Ring Necked Parakeet, Honey Garlic (the clump from last year has re-emerged)

Friday 30th March

• Chiff Chaff, Redwing, Ring Necked Parakeet, 3 Nuthatch, Grey Wagtail - Sefton Park (the dell area)
• Chiff Chaff - Garston (near to the Office World)
• Chiff Chaff - Wavertree Mystery Park

Sunday 1st April

•  Chiff Chaff, Sparrowhawk, Colts Foot, plus many common Tit species nesting and nest building - Sudley House
• Chiff Chaff - Cressington  Park          
• Chiff Chaff, and Mute Swans have laid 2 eggs - Greenbank Park                      

Kite Country

The Sandstone Trail - Peckforton

Red Kite, Peckforton, Cheshire - 25th March 2012



Wood Anenome, Beeston, Cheshire - 25th March 2012

The great recent weather lured me out for a decent walk yesterday; I decided to head for the sandstone trail around Beeston, Peckforton, and Bulkeley in North Cheshire for a eleven mile circular route around the Peckforton estate. The walk was a real pleasure with Spring certainly in full swing, the woodlands surrounding Peckforton and Beeston Castles were swarming with Wood Anemones (in fact I have never seen such a display of this species), other woodland plants included Lesser Celladine, Aquilega, flowering Cow Parsley, and fern fronds starting to emerge, Butterflies included 5 Small Copper, Brimstone, 13 Small Tortershell, 7 Peacocks, and 1 Comma, also the biggest Badger set I have ever seen!

Lesser Celladine, Peckforton, Cheshire - 25th March 2012

Migrants included at least 35 singing male Chiff Chaffs, and 2 Blackcaps, other birdlife included 50+ Lesser Redpolls, 1 Crossbill, 7 Nuthatch, 6 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 20+ Siskins, 2 Bullfinches, 1 Yellowhammer, 12+ Common Buzzards, 3 Raven, 2 Peregrine.

Last but not least a RED KITE which appeared over the Peckforton Hills being mobbed by a flock of Crows and Jackdaws and a pair of Peregrines! The bird was viewable for a couple of minutes and enough time for a couple of passers by to get on it before it drifted North.

Bulkeley Hill, Cheshire - 25th March 2012

I managed a few dodgy looking into the sun snaps of the bird which obviously drew most of my attention, but later when back at home looking at the photos of the Kite being mobbed by the Crows there appears to be two birds present one definitely a Red Kite but the other I am not so sure about, does anyone have an opinion? The two birds can be seen in the flock below (you may have to zoom in) and the mystery bird with a lone crow, I know the photos are not the best!

And They're Off

Spring has certainly sprung in the local area with a Chiff Chaff singing in Greenbank park on Tuesday starting it off, also on Tuesday I found my first reptile of the year in the form Red Eared Terrapin, 2 pairs of nesting Coot, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Nuthatch, 2 Pied and 2 Grey Wagtails, Ring Necked Parakeet, and a Treecreeper, the pair of Mute Swans nest building,and the odd sight of the resident Farm Goose mating with a Canada Goose! In Sefton Park 3 Nuthatch, Ring Necked Parakeet, 3 Peacock butterflies, flowering wild Primroses.

On Wednesday a Chiff Chaff was singing again in Greenbank Park and a great record of a very early fly-over Yellow Wagtail

On Thursday my first Swallow of the year heralded spring calling over my house.

On Friday 7 White Wagtails were among over 30 Pied Wagtails in Wavertree Mystery and an escaped Budgerigar was an odd sight. In the afternoon a Peregrine flew low over Smithdown Road, and I disturbed a Peregrine with its Woodpigeon prey in the University of Liverpool. A Grey Heron and a Ring Necked Parakeet in Greenbank Park.

Around the area Lesser Cellandine, Colts-Foot, Bluebells, Primroses, are all in flower at many sites.

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

Odds and Sods

Apologies for the recent lack of posts but I have been under the weather with a bout of chicken pocks (very embarrassing at thirty years of age!), anyway see a summary of recent sightings below.

Saturday 3rd - Sefton Park - a Buzzard appeared above the island on the main lake, it slowly gained height and drifted off towards the east; being aggressively 'helped along' by a Peregrine. A flock of 50 Pink-Footed Geese headed high west; probably towards the Dee marshes where growing numbers now winter. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming in the wooded area behind the lakeside main cave together with a singing male Nuthatch. On the lake ten Little Grebes could be seen, ten Mute Swans plus the resident pair in the higher lake. A Raven flew south over the main lake. Around the Palm House a Ring Necked Parakeet and large numbers of common Finch species, the dell held a further three Ring Necked Parakeets and singing Goldcrests and Coal Tits.

Sunday 4th - Hoylake/West Kirby - Starting the walk at Hoylake station we crossed the Golf Course where a Little Egret was on one of the pools and Common Frogs could be seen spawning in a ditch next to the footpath. At Gilroy Nature Reserve 19 Black Tailed Godwits, 3 Redshanks, 2 Lapwings, 11 Teals, 25 Greylag Geese, 50+ Goldfinches could be seen,  and a male Kestrel was hunting up at the top of Grange Hill. Down on the shore a distant flock of 160+ Pale Bellied Brent Geese could be seen, together with 200+ Shelduck and a fine adult Yellow Legged Gull and 3 Goldeneye on the Marine Lake. 

Monday 5th - Greenbank Drive Woodland - Had a walk through the woodland that is sandwiched between Greenbank Drive and the allotments, spring was certainly in the air with many species including Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Song Thrush all in song. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming away on its chosen tree and a Buzzard drifted over heading south-east. Primroses where in flower, as was Scilla and the leaves of Ramsons now carpet the floor ready and waiting to flower as the days lengthen. A vixen Fox rounded it off nicely.

Wednesday 7th - Golden Plover on the cricket pitch off Penny Lane, 3 Redwing, Buff Tailed Bumblebee, Mistletoe, and flowering Blackthorn on Penny Lane too.

Thursday  8th - Small Tortershell - Elmbank Road

Monday 12th - 2 Ring Necked Parakeets, 2 singing Nuthatches and a nesting pair of Coot - Greenbank Park, and a Buzzard perched in trees next to the gaelic football pitch.

Tuesday 13th - 4 Siskin north-east over the house

Wednesday 14th - 30+ Siskin and 10+ Meadow Pipits over Penny Lane. Calling Great Spotted Woodpecker in Greenbank Park where the pair of Mute Swans are rapidly driving the Canada Geese off for the summer.

Thursday 15th - 13 Redwing - Cricket Pitch off Penny Lane, drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers at Penny Lane railway bridge and Greenbank Park, 5 Meadow Pipits north east over Greenbank Road

White Winging It

Mediterranean Gull, Otterspool, 18th February 2012

Mediterranean Gull, Otterspool, 18th February 2012

Ring Necked Parakeet, Sefton Park, 18th February 2012

I took a look look around Otterspool on Saturday afternoon, after arriving I quickly found three adult Mediterranean Gulls on the field opposite the pub; one of the birds, as the photograph shows, was close to summer plumage; another couple of weeks and this bird will be a real stonker.....worth looking for again. This site is definitely the best site for this species in this area, it regularly holds birds during most winters and are best looked for on the front fields or the football pitches behind the pub along Jericho Lane. It was high tide on the river so nothing to see on the shore, but Common Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch in the park.    



Mandarin Duck, Sefton Park, 18th February 2012

On Sefton Park lake the female Mandarin was still in residence around the island together with a record count of nine Little Grebes (with the males in full song.....if you would call it that!), the resident pair of Mute Swans are now nest building on the island; with the female appearing to be sitting on eggs......but surely it is far to early? Elsewhere on the lake a Greylag Goose was an unusual visitor to the area and still eight Mute Swans, three Pied Wagtails and a Grey Wagtail could be seen on the lake edges.

Greylag Goose, Sefton Park, 18th February 2012

Little Grebe, Sefton Park, 18th February 2012

Two Ring Necked Parakeets, Great Spotted Woodpecker, and a Stock Dove at the feeding station behind the Palm House. Goldcrests and Coal Tits singing in the Scots Pines near to the Palm House.

Male Sparrowhawk over Greenbank Lane and a female Mute Swan bizarrely feeding on the Gaelic Football Pitch was an odd sighting. Ring Necked Parakeets calling in Greenbank Park too.

Pied Wagtail, Sefton Park, 18th February 2012

Thanks to Niel for the comment, it seems like we were around the park at exactly the same time!  The record of the male Peregrine from Tony, around the flats is indeed very intriguing, and I will try to keep my eye on it. Yet maybe it could be a bird from the town centre or the Cathedral? Fingers crossed we might have another pair. thanks for the comment.

A Fox was in Greenbank Park yesterday evening and a Peregrine over the University of Liverpool today.



Skylarks where in full song yesterday on Crosby Dunes and 30+ Sanderling on the shore.

Mute Swan, Greenbank Gaelic Football Pitch, 18th February, 2012



Up North

Mediterranean Gull - Fazakerley - 7th February 2012

Mediterranean Gull - Fazakerley - 7th February 2012

Visited an old friend up in Fazakerley today, and had a good search through the local area to see what it had to offer. In Bluebell Woods 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Kestrel, and a Goldcrest could be seen, but alas no Red Squirrels; these have now well gone......and replaced by Greys. Over on Lower Lane playing fields this adult moulting Mediterranean Gull could be seen in the presence of larger numbers of Black-Headed and Common Gulls. This site has always been a good bet for this species, and if looking for them early morning is preferable. We then ventured in to Fazakerley Sewage Works (private reserve - Key holders), here we found 3 Common Snipe, 6 Teal, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Woodcock, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 2 Water Rails, 1 Bullfinch, 6 Reed Bunting, 20+ Pied Wagtails, and a Skylark....... also Roe Deer have been regularly seen here. A great mornings birding in the city if you ask me!

Mediterranean Gull - Fazakerley - 7th February 2012