A few More Grebe Shots

Here's a few more shots of the Great Crested Grebe at Sefton Park yesterday......just cant resist adding some more to the blog!

male Blackcaps singing in Greenbank Park and Penny Lane railway bridge this morning. 5 Swifts over Dovedale Road yesterday; they are really late this year.

An Old Favourite

I paid a visit to Ainsdale Local Nature Reserve yesterday evening with North Merseyside Amphibian and Reptile Group members Mike Brown and Dave Hardacre to hear the Natterjack Toads unique chorus that echoes around stretches of the Sefton coast during the right conditions every spring. This year’s breeding season has been very successful so far, as the water table is so high the dune slacks are completely full and are in no danger of drying out before the toadlets emerge….fingers crossed!

Natterjack Toad - Ainsdale LNR

As darkness fell large numbers of male Toads could be heard croaking away as they attempted to lure mates into the pools; what a fantastic sound, these little beauties have a knack of ‘throwing’ their voices as they can appear to be calling right under your feet until you realise they are about thirty feet away! The optimum period to view this local natural highlight is around the third week of April, yet they are still going strong and well worth a visit. We must have seen at least twenty animals but heard many more, as we left the reserve they could be heard from the car park! Also on the reserve we found both male and female Smooth Newt, a female Great Crested Newt, Common Toad, and a singing Grasshopper Warbler.

 

Natterjack Toad - Ainsdale LNR

Great Cresties at Sefton Park

Great Crested Grebe - Sefton Park

Fantastic views of the most recent addition to the avian list at Sefton Park today ……The Great Crested Grebe (thanks to the comment Neil), five in total including a very obliging adult female on the East shore of the lake. It is wonderful to see these birds back at the park as they departed when the lake was being dredged five years or so ago, and I wondered if they would ever recolonize the park, let’s hope they are here to stay. On the downside the Little Grebes nest and eggs have again been attacked and destroyed by territorial Coots; I think Great Crested Grebes may provide a more difficult adversary for them! The Mute Swan family has had great success with seven cygnets (at times hitching a ride on mums back) up on the first raised lake. A family of Canada Geese on the main lake was an unusual sight and another pair has young on the lake behind the café as was the case last year. Other birds included two pairs of nesting Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Chiff Chaff, five Swifts, and at least five calling Redpoll calling from tree tops in between the fountain on the second lake and the palm house; this is an unusual sighting for this time of year, it is not too late for them to be potentially migrants or hopefully they may be here to breed.

 

juv Canada Geese - Sefton Park

juv Mute Swans - Sefton Park

A pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers are nesting in Greenbank Park, as are a pair of Treecreepers, Pied Wagtails, and two pairs of Nuthatch. The three Mute Swans still show no signs of breeding, and two Herons fish the park regularly as does the odd Cormorant during the early mornings. Willow Warblers and Chiff Chaff still sing from the wooded edges, up to 40 Swallows, small numbers of Swifts and House Martins can be seen higher in the sky, and and Red Eared Terrapins sun themselves on the rafts. For anyone interested in botany the Honey Garlic clump (a very rare and attractive plant) in the wooded section near Gorsebank Road has multiple flower heads and is about to flower any time soon.

Little Grebe - Sefton Park

May Day at the Hall

I visited Speke Hall today with the family today for the May Day festival (not the best day for birding on the site as it attracts thousands of visitors!), despite the numbers of people I managed to find a few interesting species. Best of all was a singing Lesser Whitethroat in the scrub area before the estate entrance, and a Garden Warbler in Stocktons Wood; other goodies included a pair of Buzzards over Stocktons Wood, Peregrine over the Hall, and a Little Egret on the shore.

• Peregrine - 1 flew low East over the Hall
• Common Buzzard - 2 over Stocktons Wood
• Sparrowhawk - female over the Hall
• Pheasant - 2 males on the Airfield
• Shelduck - 30+ on the shore
• Little Egret - 1 on the shore under the landing light jetty
• Garden Warbler - 1 Stocktons Wood
• Blackcap - 12+
• Whitethroat - 5
• Lesser Whitethroat - 1 near the estate gates
• Willow warbler - 3
• Chiff Chaff - 15
• Sedge Warbler - moat
• Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2
• Nuthatch - 3
• Treecreeper - 2
• House Martin - 15+
• Swallow - 35+
• Orange Tip - 1
• Small Tortershell - 5
• Peacock - 7
• Brimstone - 1
• Speckled Wood - 20+

Odds and Sods

Burton Mere Wetlands  - 29th April

Little Egret - Burton Mere Wetlands

I spent a couple of hours during the afternoon at this fantastic RSPB reserve, it is amazing how this area has been developed; a truly outstanding wetland reserve for the future is in the making - well worth a visit. There was nothing incredibly rare but the reserve was full of summer migrants, many my first for the year.

 

• Avocet - 30+ with at least seven pairs nesting
• Spotted Redshank - 9
• Common Buzzard - 2
• Common Swift - 1
• Water Rail - 1
• Sedge Warbler - 12+
• Reed Warbler - 1
• Grasshopper Warbler - 1
• Chiff Chaff - 7
• Willow Warbler - 10+
• Whitethroat - 1
• House Martin - 2
• Sand Martin - 20+
• Little Egret 20+
• Siskin -10+
• Little Grebe - 2

Avocets - Burton Mere Wetlands

Pennington Flash - 2nd May

• Arctic Tern - 4
• Common Tern - 3
• Great Crested Grebe - 8
• Sedge Warbler - 1
• Blackcap - 3
• Willow Warbler - 7
• Chiff Chaff - 5
• Kestrel - 1

2 Bullfinches - Springwood Crematorium, 3rd May

Carr Mill Dam - 4th May

• Great Crested Grebe - 4
• Kingfisher -1
• Common Tern - 1
• Chiff Chaff - 3
• Blackcap - 2

2 Whitethroats - Cressington Heath, 5th May

Greenbank Park - Over the last week a steady passage of Willow Warblers, Chiff Chaffs, and Blackcaps has been evident, Swallows have been building up with around 20 birds around the park. The 3 Mute Swans are still present as is a male Grey Heron, and two Red Eared Terrapins have been sunning themselves on the rafts. Two nesting pairs of Nuthatch and one each of Treecreeper and Great Spotted Woodpecker are present, and Pipistrelles are hunting the park at dusk.

Avocets - Burton Mere Wetlands

And a bit More

A few more sightings from today :-




Little Grebe - Sefton Park

Sefton Park

Little Grebe - nesting pair
Mute Swan - nesting pair
Ring Necked Parakeet - 2
Nuthatch - 3
Chifchaff - 3
Willow Warbler - 1
Swallow - 1
Sparrowhawk - 1
Canada Goose - pair around the bamboo island where they were last year
Great Spotted Woodpecker




Wavertree Mystery

Chifchaff - 7
Willow Warbler - 1
Swallow - 1

Swallow over Dovedale Road too

Greenbank Park

Plenty around in the park this morning including:-

Godcrests - Singing in the pines at the top of Greenbank Lane
Willow Warbler - 7
Blackcap - male
Swallow - 5
Redwing - 2
Siskin - 1 flew East
Cormorant - 3 (each eventually departed separately)
Coot - 3 nesting pairs
Canada Goose - the nesting attempt on the raft has ended when a flock of Lesser Black Backed       Gulls took the eggs this morning
Nuthatch - pairs (one pair nesting in the same hole as last year)
Chaffinch - 1 nesting pair
Great Spotted Woodpecker

Itching to get out!

From the 2nd floor office window I was working next to this morning in Liverpool University, I was only a few feet from a line of Sycamore Trees, at about 10am I noticed a warbler only literally five feet in front of me feeding on the branches - a Wood Warbler; unmistakable with its bright green and yellow tones and prominent supercillium.... a stonker, which later could be heard singing (via an opened window). As well as this bird at least 9 Willow Warblers, 1 Chifchaff, and a male Blackcap in the same line of trees throughout the day. With this amount of migrants in one tiny area who knows what's been passing through today, I will always remember from now on ..... less work more staring out of the window!

Here we go again!

Spring migration is finally underway, it's about time, I thought it would never happen! As it stands we seem to be two or three weeks behind the arrival dates from last spring, but with the southern winds blowing migrants steadily through the country it wont be long before summer migrants fill the place with song. here is a roundup of the last weeks birding:-

 

Speke Hall - 7th April

Not many migrants around, but a Cuckoo which flew over the orchard and front lawn towards the business park was the highlight, closely followed by a pair of Common Buzzards over Stocktons Wood, and a Peregrine flew rapidly West hunting. A new feeding station and viewing screen has been constructed adjacent to the orchard which offers a great chance of seeing birds such as Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker. A roundup follows -

 

Cuckoo

Peregrine

Common Buzzard -2

Redwing - 15+

Nuthatch - 4

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 4

Stock Dove - 2

Redpoll - 1 (flew North)

Cowslips - 20+

 

Speke/Garston Coastal Reserve (viewed from the moat at Speke Hall) - 9th April

 

Yellow Wagtail (near to the airport fence line)

Meadow Pipits - 5

Skylark -2

Reed Bunting

Chifchaff

Shelduck 35+

Bar-Tailed Godwit - 20

Redshank - 120+

Curlew - 3

Oystercatcher - 25+

 

Wavertree Mystery - 12th April

 

Chiff Chaff

Meadow Pipits -5

 

Otterspool Park - 12th April

 

Nuthatch - 2

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Goldcrest

Comma

 

Greenbank Park - 14th April

 

Swallows - 2

Chiff Chaff

Redwing - 12+

Pied Wagtail - 2

Treecreeper

Nuthatch - nesting

Coot - two pairs nesting

Mute Swan - 3 (resident male is still trying to drive off the new pair)

Canada Goose - nesting on the southern platform

Grey Heron

Stock Dove - 2

 

Sefton Park (the dell area) - 14th April

 

Grey Wagtail

Stock Dove

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Nuthatch -2

Sparrowhawk (the cinder path between Liverpool College and the halls of residence)

Nuthatch

 

Spring has sprung.......only in the valleys!

Conwy Mountains - April 2013

Over the last week I visited the Cumbrian Fells and the North Wales uplands, and although in the lowlands spring is now starting to get a move on; at a higher altitude the landscape is still in the grip of winter.

Red Skrees - April 2013

I climbed the fells North of Ambleside last Wednesday; North up the ridge from the Kirkstone Road onto the Summit of Red Skrees, over to Little Hart Crag and Dove Crag, and South along the ridge over High Pike back to Ambleside (eventually finishing with the head torches on!). As could be expected little birdlife could be found except for the hardy Ravens which entertained us as they performed their somersaulting display flights, and Common Buzzard spiralling on thermals above the valleys, very little paserines could be found except for Siskins, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, and a Dipper near Low Sweeden Bridge. But still a fantastic day in some testing conditions.

Red Skrees - April 2013

On Thursday I headed for the Conwy Mountains; this is a favourite area of mine and I seem to visit around this time each year; this year however instead of summer migrants moving over the moorland and/or the odd Ring Ouzel dropping in, a couple of feet of snow and ice still had the area in its grip. It was a fantastic sight however, and it provided me with some great walking. Many of the areas Wild Ponies were well lower down the valleys than usual for the time of year, but seemed to be copping fine with the conditions; they are a hardy animal and I always enjoy seeing them up on the fells. On lower latitudes Common Buzzards displayed and a pair could be seen in courtship display resulting in mating, higher up in the hills the best sighting was a calling pair of Chough (fairly regular here as it so close to the North Wales coast) and the ever present Ravens.

Welsh Mountain Ponies - Conwy Mountains

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Conwy Moutains - April 2013

Conwy Mountains - April 2013

Conwy Mountains - April 2013

Conwy Mountains - April 2013

Signs of Spring

I took a walk last Friday over the moors from Llangollen to the Trevor Arms and up onto the tops to Worlds End and back along Offas Dyke and the canal to Llangollen, it was a great day and it felt like a warm spring day; especially with signs of spring such as flowering Lesser Celladine, Snowdrop, and Lily of the Valley, Lords and Ladies starting to emerge.

Peregrines were on their regular nesting site, and many Buzzards could be seen spiraling on thermals, Ravens could be seen paired up and may well be breeding by now. No Black Grouse could be found up on the moors but I disturbed a pair of Red Grouse. In the wooded valley at Worlds End a loose flock of around 20 Crossbills could be seen feeding away in the Fir Trees.

Waxwings,Waxwings, Waxwings....and more Waxwings!

Waxwings - Aigburth Road

Thanks to Sundays tip-off from Robin I managed to get down Aigburth Road this morning to check for for the Waxwings which have been feeding on the Cotoneaster roadside berry trees opposite Saint Margaret's School playing fields, on the way down I heard that familiar 'trill' overhead on Woodlands Road as a flock of 20+ Waxwings headed SE (whether these are from the Aigburth flock I will never know), when reaching the berry trees on Aigburth I was disheartened to find no birds feeding, but as knowing what pesky blighters Waxwings can be (they will feed up and fly off to perch up in the canopy of tall trees for what seems like hours) I walked along Aigburth Road checking for them, I was rewarded with a flock of 65 Waxwings perched up in the canopy on the central reservation between Aigburth Methodist Church and the entrance to Saint Margaret's School (poor photo I know but at least I caught up with them). When returning home near Greenbank Park a flock of at least 35 Waxwings flew calling low overhead towards Smithdown Road/Brookhouse Pub area; a great 'house tick'! What a morning!

Coupled with these sightings I had a flock of 30+ Waxwings fly over Dovedale Road at 4:30 yesterday afternoon heading towards Allerton/Church Road area.....maybe they are back around the Penny Lane precinct too. It is hard to tell exactly how many birds are in the area but if you haven't caught up with any yet this winter now is your chance! (and let me know if you do find any!).

 

Little Grebes - Sefton Park

Apart from Waxwings in Sefton Park a Common Buzzard was briefly mobbed by crows over the West side of the lake, 5 Little Grebes and the resident pair of Mute Swans on the Lake. In the feeding stations behind the Palm House 2 Stock Dove, 2 Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, could be found amongst the commoner species

Blackbird - Sefton Park

Robin - Sefton Park

 

In Greenbank Park small numbers of Redwings could be seen along with a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, but best of all was two stunning breeding plumaged male Cormorants (possibly of the continental sub-species due to the amount of white head plumes - or possibly just old carbo males......one for another date that!), its unusual to see them in this plumage at so close quarters, usually in this area the birds in the parks are either winter plumaged or immature plumaged....well worth a look.

 

Over the last couple of weeks a flock of three Greylag Geese have appeared on Greenbank lake on a couple of occasions, as did a party of five Mute Swans which were quickly given the heave ho by the resident male, as did another lone bird that appeared last week. Last week I heard a calling Chiff-Chaff on the bridge on Penny Lane.....obviously a wintering bird not an early migrant. Yesterday I was passing Toxteth Cemetery on Smithdown Road and could hear masses of Redwings in song.....a great sound as they warm up before their spring migration home.

 

Cormorants - Greenbank Park

Down on the Anglican Cathedral I have checked for the Peregrines on a number of occasions over the last month and generally I have always seen at least one bird......fingers crossed for successful breeding this year.

Waxwings - Aigburth Road

Larks in Full Song

I visited Speke/Garston Coastal Reserve on Friday morning, the weather was a bit grim and the place seemed fairly Quiet, yet on the shore plenty of common wader species could be seen huddled together on the rising tide; Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Knot, Redshank, and Snipe could be seen together with Teal, Mallard, Shelduck, Grey Heron, Cormorant (including breeding plumaged male Cormorants with white head plumes and large white thigh patches), and a hunting male Sparrowhawk. Up on the reserve Kestrel, 5 Reed Buntings, 10 Meadow Pipits, 2 Redwings were all I could muster until a brief spell of sunshine seemed to lift a singing Skylark from every square foot of grass! At one point at least 20 birds must have been singing over the East-end of the reserve; wonderful to hear and see, and a vivid reminder that spring is ever encroaching. I checked the areas adjacent to the reserve on the business park for Short Eared Owl but sadly was unrewarded.

Speke/Garston Coastal Reserve, 8/2/13 -  9:30-11:30

450+ Dunlin
300+ Redshank
175+ Oystercatcher
45+ Curlew
17 knot
3 Bar-Tailed Godwit
3 Common Snipe
200+ Mallard
300+ Common Teal
50+ Shelduck
14 Grey Heron

The next day (Saturday) I managed to find a Short Eared Owl on the Business park adjacent to the reserve, perched up on railings on the waste ground at the shore end of Dakota Drive at around 4:00pm.

Today I was down in China Town for the Chinese New Year, a pair of Peregrines were very active around the area for most of the afternoon over China Town and around the adjacent Anglican cathedral, great to see such a magnificent bird over such an urban environment.

More Meds

Sefton Park - 3/2/13

6 Jays, 2 Coal Tits, 2 Ring Necked Parakeets, 2 Stock Doves, 15+ Chaffinch - Feeding station behind the Palm House

14 Little Grebes, Grey Heron, 14 Mute Swans, female Mandarin Duck, 2 Mediteranean Gulls (ad and 1stw) - Sefton Park Lake

Otterspool Park - 3/2/13

Common Buzzard, 25+ Redwings, Nuthatch, Great spotted Woodpecker, imm Grey Heron (fishing in the stream as it emerges from under Aigburth Vale).

Waxwings in Wavertree

22 WAXWINGS - today at 12:45 at the bottom of Binns Road/Rathbone Road opposite the entrance to Wavertree Technology Park perched up in the back garden trees - plenty of berries in the Technology Park for them so are probably sticking around the area.

At the top of Binns Road a Peregrine was hunting pigeons over the flats and the adjacent railway cutting, later on probably the same bird was hunting pigeons around Picton Clock area.