Moel Siabod

I had a brilliant walk last Wednesday up Moel Siabod from Pont Cyfyng near Capel Curig, I haven't done this route for about fifteen years so it was a delight to get out onto this mountain again. I forgot how much fun it was, with loads of low grade scrambling I took my time and enjoyed myself. A relatively short walk, but with loads of hands on rock and stunning views it was well worth it. I wont leave it so long next time.

On the route I managed to see many Ravens including a family party on the summit which undoubtedly appreciated my chocolate swiss roll, with some birds sporting rings (check out the photo). A family of Ring Ouzels could be heard and occasionally glimpsed on the Heather and Rowan clad slopes high above the old slate quarry. 3 Redstarts, Grey Wagtails, 5 Buzzards, Kestrel, and a singing Yellowhammer where other bird highlights. Broad Bodied Chaser, 2 Large Heath, and a brief Fritillary which I think was Small Pearl Bordered.

Up towards the summit on an inaccessible ledge I found a couple of odd yellow flowered plants reminiscent of Ragwort but obviously shorter and with very different narrow straight leaves.........any ideas..........see the photo below (sorry about the quality but it was rather windy!). Other plants included Heath Spotted Orchids, and the mountain was full of flowering Heather,English Stonecrop, Navelwort, Tormentill, and Thyme; all together making for a magnificent sight.



Hope you enjoy some of the shots.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

I was delighted to find a Hummingbird Hawkmoth hovering around the front gardens in my road today, it has been a few years since I have seen one in the UK, a little overdue if you ask me; as everyone under the sun seems to be spotting these little critters in their gardens this summer. After I had ran into the house and returned with the camera, the little git had of course departed, oh well maybe next time. At 7.30pm today on Greenbank Drive I again heard a Ring-Necked Parakeet calling, coming from the vicinity of the Allotments/Greenbank Lane area. I have again heard a Little Owl calling during the night from my home, but no sign during the day, Pipistrelles have been up and down my road lately; coming from the wooded northern end of Greenbank Park. A Redshank flew over my mums house in Wavertree calling during the early hours of Sunday morning as well as distant calling Bullfinches which seemed to be coming from the vicinity of the railway sidings off Mill Lane (a great local breeding season record). Also a Redpoll over my home today heading South and a calling Nuthatch in Greenbank Park.

Foxing Around

An evening stroll yesterday produced three separate Foxes in the local area, with one in Greenbank Park being very approachable indeed, it is great seeing a decent local population in the area; but I always worry when they are so obvious that they will attract the scalies and their dogs!
I have just walked down Greenbank Lane outside of Greenbank College when a massive din in the canopy alerted me to a family of Ring-Necked Parakeets, they where there for at least five minutes and seemed to consist of two or three juveniles hounding a parent for food, surprisingly hard to locate in the canopy their calls certainly caught my attention. So they are breeding locally! My guess is in the University of Liverpool Rathbone Estate or the adjacent Commonwealth Cricket Ground area, to which they then flew towards. I hope these birds do well; they have only been in the area since the winter and already have bred.......not a bad start.
In Sefton Park yesterday the family of Mute Swans was now down to only two adults and one juvenile, not sure what has happened but its never usually natural causes...............yobs, dogs, anglers..........need I go on! Elsewhere in the park the two adult Little Grebes where around but no sign of any young, Goldcrests, Blackcaps, and Treecreepers in song, Painted Lady, Red Admirals, Green Veined Whites, Small and Large Whites in the park too.
A Buzzard moved low East over Penny Lane accompanied by mobbing Crows yesterday afternoon.
Pipistrelles over my home lately too.

Nice end to the day

I finished off the day with a trip to Marshside just in time for the hide to be locked up! Still the viewing slots are just as good in good wheather. I was treated to great views of the breeding pair of Avocets and their chick; which was actively feeding away without help from the parent birds. Who would have thought it a few years back! Apart from the Avocets a pair of eclipse Garganey appeared on the pool, but where very jittery and soon flew off towards the estuary, quite a nice suprise. Over a hundred Black Tailed Godwits, Teal with 2 young, and a Whitethroat singing away behind the hide also.

Birkdale Slog

I had a good old search around the Birkdale area yesterday, from Birkdale Village, the Green Beach, Birkdale Dunes, and through to Ainsdale Sands Lake area.......... and I have got the sunburn to prove it! What a brilliant area this is; I don't get out enough around this area anymore. I used to be out here fairly regular when I was more involved in the Sand Lizard monitoring on the coast. For a all round naturalist this coast has everything..... rare Reptiles, Amphibians, Invertebrates, Mammals, Plants, and of course birds.

Plenty of highlights which include the pale form of Marsh Helleborine Epipactis Palustris Var. Ochroleuca in a slack near to the outflow pipes at the northern end to the reserve (a first for me), Plenty of 'normal' Marsh Helloborines in flower everywhere (spot the difference below), there where smaller numbers of Dune Helloborine throughout the reserve but the majority had been nibbled or shriveled due to the dry spring; the best place I find for these is the Pine woods in the Ainsdale NNR best looked for during mid July. Other Orchids included plenty of Pyramidal, Bee, Northern Marsh, Southern Marsh, Early Marsh (of both forms), and an array of hybrids. Other plants included a Broomrape Species (any ideas?) and Yellow Birds Nest near to Sands Lake.

2 female Sand Lizards in the Dunes along with plenty of Small Heaths, Meadow Browns, Small Skippers, Small Tortershells, and plenty of Common Toads and Frogs on the Green Beach. Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Grasshopper Warbler, Willow Warblers, Stonechat, and a family of Mute Swans on Sands Lake along with Common and Blue-Tailed Damselflies. No Dragonflies oddly enough though.

Childwall Woods and Fields

I visited Childwall Woods and Fields yesterday, during June the meadows behind the woods are teeming with Orchids; consisting of Southern Marsh and Common Spotted, but a wide variety of hybrids betwen the two species dominate; leading to an impresive show of colour. Well worth a visit for a bit of local botany! Other than the Orchids Ragged Robin, Meadowsweet, Meadow Cranesbill, Enchanters Nightshade could all be found.

In the meadows a male Lesser Whitethroat was in song, and a Whinchat (both realy good local birds) along with Kestrel, Whitethroats, Grey Partridge, and Large Skippers.

In the woods Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiff Chaffs, Blackcaps, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Goldcrest and Song Thrush where all in song.

I later had a check in Black Woods and again found Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

A great little area and well worth another visit.

Lets Catch Up

Sorry for the lack of posts recently as I have had real problems with the blog, hopefully everything is sorted now so off we go again!
A couple of weeks ago I visited Caldestones Park with the boy, no sign of the Ivy Broomrape this year (see last years posts) due to overly excessive gardening! The usual suspects in the park including Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Grey Squirrels, Buzzard, and nesting Stock Doves. Down on the lake 2 pairs of Canada Geese have bred (quite unusual in this area), 3 Tufted Ducks, Grey Heron, Cormorant, and 5 Red-Eared Terrapins. In the bog garden at least 1 Great Crested Newt could be seen coming up for air, as well as many Smooth Newts, its good to see the 'cresty' as I haven't been out with the torch for a couple of years checking for them.
Last week in Sefton Park I found 2 Black-Tailed Skimmers, one as last year on the main lake and one in the newly created wetland stretch leading up to Greenbank Lane. This is the second year running I have had this species in the park. This species has been rapidly moving north and can now frequently be found on the Sefton Coast at sites such as Sands Lake, so could it now be breeding in Sefton Park? The breeding Little Grebes are still in residence and the Mute Swans now have young in tow. Jackdaws breeding near to the Cafe, Grey Wagtails again breeding in the dell, and a Buzzard over.
In Greenbank Park as Tony's comment highlighted, the Mute Swans have failed to raise young with 5 eggs failing; probably as Tony points out due to a lack of vegetation for the swans to build the nest with resulting in the eggs becoming chilled, last years nest was actually created by the council gardeners, notably John Warren and placed on the southern raft! I was rather surprised that the Swans took to it to be honest! BTCV have now created fenced off areas and planted reeds, a good start but more is needed! Other birds in Greenbank Park have included 2 male Tufted Ducks, regular Grey Heron, 5 Red-Eared Terrapins, Grey Wagtails, Chiff Chaff, Blackcap, again another (or the same) Ring-Necked Parakeet briefly around a week ago, the regular Farm Goose, 3 pairs of Coot have bred, a Nuthatch family have been feeding around the park lately with a second group along Greenbank Lane.

On a number of occasions I have heard a Little Owl from home calling from the direction of Greenbank Lane allotments, I have heard this now for three consecutive Springs; but have yet to track one down in the flesh! The Sparrowhawks are again breeding on private land in the Greenbank area, but as usual are very secretive during this time of year. During warm evenings (just before dusk) large numbers of Swifts have been gathering over Greenbank Park; with at least 200 birds at some times, along with local Swallows and House Martins.
2 pairs of Blackcap, 1 pair of Chiff Chaff, Nuthach, Song Thrush, and Treecreeper all on territory in Greenbank Drive woods.
I have noticed many Foxes around recently with Toxteth Cemetery being a good site for them. A walk around my local area early morning last week produced 3 separate Foxes and 5 active dens! Along with an active den in Wavertree Mystery Park and 3 pairs of Blackcap, 1 pair of Chiff Chaff, a family of Pied Wagtails, and one pair of Stock Dove in the park too.
Perregrine over Sefton Park on Saturday.
Thanks to Colin Conroy for submitting my Honey Garlic record for Greenbank Park, according to David Earl it is the only record for South Lancs and it is still in flower if anyone wants to see it.

Cricket, Garlic, Ravens; and not much else!

I recently found this clump of Honey Garlic at Greenbank Park in the wooded area, this was a first for me and quite an unusual find; I am led to believe. A striking plant standing about 3ft high and with multiple flower heads. Jackdaws, Grey Wagtail, Mistle and Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Chiff Chaff, Blackcap, are all either nesting or on territory in the park, along with the Mute Swans still sitting on eggs and 3 pairs of Coots nesting. A pair of Grey Wagtails nesting on the front of the Brookhouse Pub, Smithdown Road at the moment regularly come into Greenbank Park to feed also.

I visited Liverpool Cricket Club to watch Lancashire vs Yorkshire on Wednesday (Lancs eventually won on Saturday) and apart from the cricket I saw 2 Buzzards (with one bird mewing), Kestrel (not a common bird anymore in the area), Sparrowhawk, Swift, Swallows, and a Chiff Chaff on territory.

Goldcrests singing and Three-Cornered Garlic flowering off Mill Lane Wavertree on Thursday as was Wood Anemone until recently.
Yesterday over the house I had a Raven heading west and a pair of Swifts (they are really thin on the ground this spring), and a Peregrine over the City Centre.
3 pairs of Blackcap and a nesting pair of Pied Wagtails in Wavertree Mystery.



A pair of Raven on Stanley Road Bootle today as was one last Sunday.

Time realy hasnt been on my side of late...................two more weeks of hectic schedule and then some free time at last! I am sick of missing things..................Broad Billed Sandpiper, Citrine Wagtail, Black Headed Wagtail, Red Rumped Swallow; just to name a few!

Conwy Valley

Me and a mate went for a great long walk (17 miles) on Thursday in the Conwy Valley. It has become quite a skill of mine to spot wildlife whilst trying to keep up with an 'OUT AND OUT' walker, and involves a lot of running to keep up! You really do realise that many walkers don't take in any of their natural surroundings! But I am slowly trying to convert Trev! Do any birders actualy go on decent walks too? We started off from Trefriw village and climbed up the 'steepest road in Wales' past the cemetery and up onto the tops, past Llyn Cowlyd resevoir, over the Pen Llithrig Y-Wrach ridge and down the into Ogwen Valley and on to Capel Curig, then past Llyn Crafnant and Llyn Geirionydd and back to Trefriw village.
I managed to connect with some decent species, including; a male Honey Buzzard , female Merlin, 5 Pied Flycatchers, 20+ Wood Warblers, 10+ Redstarts, Garden Warbler, 50+ Siskins, male Ring Ouzel (singing), Lesser Whitethroat, Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Red Breasted Mergansers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 12+ Common Buzzards, 5 Little Egrets, Pearl-Bordered Fritilary, Orange Tips, Butterwort, and woodlands full of bluebells.

Danger From Below

A visit to Greenbank Park late afternoon yesterday produced the 2 Red Eared Terrapins I found at the park last week; although I am laid back to a certain degree about introductions, this particular introduction to the park can only cause havoc with the breeding wildfowl. In a better habitat this species can co-exist pretty well with our native wildlife, as on the continent with the similar European Pond Turtle, but in this park, with its obvious lack of cover, young wildfowl stand no chance against these preditors. But alas they are here and I guess here to stay. Did I mention that there favourite sunning spot is the raft which also hosts the Mute Swans nest...........young Swans, now that would make a tasty treat for a Terrapin or two! Other birds in the park included a Swift heading east, Blackcap, Chiff Chaff, Grey Wagtail, and 3 Buzzards circling

Purple Haze

I took a wander down to the Speke/Garson coastal reserve yesterday late morning with the family. I have said it before but I will say it again; this really is a great site and well worth a visit. There was a good number of passerines on the reserve including 2 reeling Grasshopper Warblers, 7 Sedge Warblers, Blackcap, 2 Chiff Chaffs, 22+ Whitethroats, Swallow, complete with loads of singing Linnets, Skylarks, and Reed Buntings. Other highlights included a Buzzard, 3 Grey Partridges, 3 Pheasants, and a Raven which flew in from across the river and was mobbed by another local Raven. The shore was pretty quiet due to an incredibly low tide, yet small flock of Dunlins, Ringed Plovers, Curlews, and Sheldrakes aggressively pursuing the females with impressive aerial maneuvering! Holly Blue, Small Tortershells, and Peacocks also on the reserve. The best sighting was of a Little Ringed Plover that flew in low over the reserve from the shore, gained height and flew north over the city.

In Speke Hall the main attraction was the superb display of Bluebells in the woodlands behind the moat, it really is amazing to see something as spectacular as this in an urban area..........a real purple haze. 2 Buzzards, Raven, Garden Warbler, Chiff Chaffs, Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Treecreper, Goldrcrests, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, House Martin, Swallows, Holly Blue, Brimstone, and Cowslips all put in a display around the hall, gardens or moat areas. But the best of all was a calling Green Woodpecker briefly heard from the gardens coming from the vicinity of the moat area woodland. See recent posts as this bird or another was recently sighted on the coastal reserve

Ring Necked Parakeet

Last week Mike Brown informed me that he had been lucky enough to find a Ring Necked Parakeet at the Old English Garden, Caldestones Park; if this wasn't enough he told me that John Warren a local parks gardener and birder had seen a pair in Greenbank park/Sefton Park throughout the winter. If it wasn't for the report coming from John I would never have believed it as Greenbank Park is literally 100 yards from home and as my posts show I am forever in there with the boy! You can usually hear these critters screeching from half a mile away! But sure enough as I was riding through on Friday I stopped to listen to an unusual call (like a toy trumpet!), not at all like the loud calls Ive heard from this species in the past.........see January posts, the bird was in the trees above the west side of the lake and was soon disturbed and flew towards Greenbank Lane. I wonder if there are still 2 around, and weather they are a breeding pair? I will keep my ears and eyes peeled.

2 Redpolls flew NW over my house and a male Orange Tip through my back yard was a nice surprise. Mute Swans are still sitting tight on eggs at Greenbank Park and the male Grey Heron has returned after only 8 weeks away (that must have been its breeding season!).

National Wildflower Centre

We took Dylan to the National Wildflower Centre, Bowring Park, Roby, on Friday. What a place this is and a real hidden gem. If you are looking to brush up on your wildflower ID or just looking for an easy way to photograph British species; a number of visits during the year will undoubtedly be rewarding, and if you have a young one in tow like myself it is also a great place for them to learn and play. Although the site cannot boast a huge bird list, it can boast a great wealth of invertebrates including breeding Hummingbird Hawk Moths.

During our visit we found massive numbers of the nationally declined Cowslips, Primroses, Snakes-Head Fritilaries, Water Avens, Marsh Marigolds, and my first ever Oxslip; with just one clump of this rarity at the site I was lucky to find it, yet unlucky as it had already finished flowering........one for next year maybe.

Singing Blackcaps, Chiff Chaff, Treecreeper in the park too, with a Grey Heron over Heathfield Road Allerton.

On Saturday I found Ramsons Wild Garlic, Primrose, and Chiff Chaff on Ullet Road. Brimstone, Green Veined White, Small White, Comma, Small Tortershell, Willow Warbler, and 2 Blackcap in Sefton Park.

A Common Sandpiper flew over the house in the afternoon and headed in the direction of Greenbank Park lake, along with a Grey Wagtail also.

On Sunday I had my first Holly Blue of the year on Trinity Road, Bootle, singing Blackcap and Great Spotted Woodpecker too.

Morning in Greenbank

I had a good old mooch around the local area on Thursday (accompanied by Dylan), with lovely weather and plenty of migrants moving through it proved to be a decent morning. We started by watching the displaying pair of Sparrowhawks over Greenbank Drive, as they prepare to nest in the area again. We moved on to the woodland sandwiched between the two allotments; this held at least 15 Chiff Chaffs, 6 Blackcaps, Willow Warbler, Treecreeper, Nuthathatch, Green Veined Whites, Tonnes of Ramsons Wild Garlic and flowering Bluebells, and a Fox den (which delighted Dylan).

In the woodland adjacent to Sefton Park Cricket Club we found Primrose, 2 Blackcaps, Chiff Chaff, Marsh Marrigold, and the loud din of a flock of Lesser Black Backs mobbing a large raptor over the wood sent the pulse racing.......however I only managed a brief glimpse through the trees (and I mean brief) as it dissapeared behind the Cricket Club, cant win them all! Greenbank Park also held Chiff Chaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Nuthatch, Swallow over, the nesting pair of Mute Swans, and 2 Red Eared Terrapins (one large and one small); I have no idea where these have came from as they where not here last summer! I fear for the newly hatched Coot Chicks.

Later in the day we had Buzzard, Brimstone, 4 Chiff Chaffs, 4 Blackcaps, Willow Warbler, Primrose, Snowflake, and Ramsons in Croxteth Country Park (with a friend of mine who works at the site recently seeing a Roe Deer in the park).

Great Day

The day started well yesterday with an Osprey circling high over Greenbank Park at 9:40am before drifting East, I wonder if it was thinking of having a fish in the lake.....that would have been something! Nuthatch, Willow Warbler, Chiff Chaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, nesting Mute Swans, 2 Grey Wagtails, Small Tortershell, male and female Sparrowhawks in the park also.

Later on at around 2:00pm a Wood Warbler was singing in woodland area between the two allotments on Greenbank Drive, with Willow Warbler, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, and Chiff Chaff there too. This is the first Wood Warbler I have had in the area so it was a great find for me. Later on I had both Peregrine and Sparrowhawk over Sefton Park lake, Cormorant, 2 Little Grebes, Swallow, nesting Mute Swans, 67 Lesser Black Backed Gulls around the lake too.

Elsewhere in the park I found a Orange Tip Butterfly, 2 Willow Warblers, Chiff Chaff, 3 Nuthatches, Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Ramsoms Wild Garlic, Colts Foot, Grey Wagtail, and five pairs of nesting Coots.

On Monday I had great views of a male Fox in Wavertree Mystery (as always I had no camera on me..........I must purchase an emergency pocket camera!). They have a number of dens in the relative safety of the railway embankment in the park. regular Chiff Chaffs, Blackcaps, and Willow Warblers have been moving through this site over the last week coupled with a constant passage of Mipits.

Willow Warblers and Chiff Chaffs have also been regular at Greenbank Park and still very small numbers of Redwings have been seen there.