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

The Big Freeze

I had a stroll around Greenbank and Sefton Parks today, the local waterfowl could be found very easily due to most of the open water being frozen over; in Sefton Park the female Mandarin is still in residence around the island, together with six Little Grebes (with the breeding plumaged males singing - or should that be trilling), ten Tufted Ducks, and 12 Mute Swans. Large numbers of Gulls could be seen circling the lake but rarely settling, one of these was an adult argentatus Herring Gull (or Scandinavian Herring Gull - not that unusual, but a nice bird). Plenty of Redwings around mostly in small numbers but over twenty towards Aigburth Peoples Hall and a calling Nuthatch in that area too. The regular pair of Parakeets were behind the Palm House and a calling Great Spotted Woodpecker too.

Three Tufted Ducks, Redwings, Nuthatch at Greenbank Park. With Ring Necked Parakeets calling on the university Rathbone Estate.

Short Eared Owls at Speke

I ventured down to the Speke/Garston Coastal Reserve this afternoon with the intention of playing with my new scope (boys and their toys!), there was plenty of waders to see on the shore; with over 2000 Dunlin dominating, with smaller numbers of Curlew (45), Redshank (175), Ringed Plover (2), Lapwing (67), and single Grey Plover and Oystercatcher, apart from waders 65 Teal, 5 Cormorant, and a Peregrine filled the bill. This amount of bird life on the shore was pretty impressive considering the presence of two tractors on the shore working on the sailing club slipway! On the reserve itself there was not a great deal showing (it was getting close to dusk by then) but Reed Bunting, 2 Skylark, 2 Bullfinch, 2 Grey Partridge, 2 Pheasant, and 2 Kestrels (quite rare now in the south of the city) where still out and about.

As I prepared to leave I was surprised to notice a Short Eared Owl hunting the East side of the reserve and the Speke Hall land, I watched it for around five minutes as it quartered the area and worked the many ditches looking for rodents, it then drifted further into the international business park, I followed and found a second bird in the area; together with another Kestrel and a calling Tawny Owl it rounded the afternoon off nicely.

I visited Childwall Woods with Dylan on Saturday for the Wildlife Explorers Big Garden Birdwatch event, he managed to see 5 Nuthatches, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Treecreeper, and a Fox.

On Thursday 2 Cormorants were fishing Greenbank Park lake at 8:40 am but when I returned half-hour later they had departed, but 2 Ring Necked Parakeets there.

Turning up the Heat

It felt a little bit Tropical in Sefton Park today, what with Macaws, Parots, Kookabura, Coatis, Meercat, Snakes, Tarantulas, and Scorpions; but before you think im totaly barmy it was the RSPB organised event at the Palm House for the Big Garden Birdwatch. It has to be said that this event was a great success and a great way to introduce youngsters to birdwatching and wildlife watching in general. All credit to those involved in the organisation today.

At the Palm House good numbers of Coal Tits could be seen on the feeders along with Nuthatch, Redwings and a Rook.

On the main lake the female Mandarin was back from last winter, coupled with a female Pochard (very good local record), 6 Little Grebes could be seen around the island and are doing well in the park now, 14 Mute Swans, and an incredibly early nesting Coot. Later in the afternoon an imm Grey Heron under the big bridge and 3 Ring-Necked Parakeets could be seen on the feeders behind the Palm House and a sparrowhawk circling overhead.

Dylan getting to grips with a Meercat in the Palm House.

Odds and Sods

Friday - 3 Whooper Swans flew NW over Greenbank Drive.

Sunday - Common Buzzard, Treecreeper, 5 Bullfinches, and flowering Snowdrops - Eric Hardy Nature Reserve, and a male Sparrowhawk caught a caling male Nuthatch at Clarkes Gardens, with Crocus and Snowdrop in flower in Springwood Crem.

Monday - female Perregrine, singing Grey Wagtail, 35+ Goldfinches, and a Starling singing during the evening under streetlights! - University of Liverpool.

Tuesday - Sparrowhawk - Catherine Street

Wednesday - Peregrine hunting Feral Pigeons over Wavertree Mystery Park, 2 Rooks low East over Penny Lane, Gorse, Crocus, and Daffodils all in flower - Woolton Road (approaching Woolton Village), Snowdrops and a Sparrowhawk (with prey) - Mill Lane, Wavertree.

Thursday - Sparrowhawk hunting Long Tailed Tits, 10+ Redwing, Treecreeper, Grey Heron, hybrid Goose, and the pair of Mute Swans - Greenbank Park.
6 Ring Necked Parakeets went to roost in the dell (behind Sefton Park Palm House) and a female Brambling on the feeders their.

Friday - pair of Bullfinches, 2 Ring Necked Parakeets, and a female Tufted Duck - Greenbank Park.

Liverpool 'country' walk

I was going to go for a walk on the Wirral with the family yesterday but decided against it as it was blowing a gale out there.... fair weather birder! We eventually decided to take a walk around South Liverpool; from our area at Greenbank we walked through Calderstones park and followed the footpath to the East that crosses Allerton Golf Course and into Allerton Towers, then across Woolton Road into the Eric Hardy Nature Reserve, then into Clarks Gardens (including a quick pint in the pub in the park), through Springwood Crem and then followed the footpath alongside the cemetery towards Camp Hill, from Camp Hill we followed the path through the Woolton Woods and finished in Woolton Village; a great walk which I have never done in one go before, for the majority of the walk you could easily have been mistaken for thinking you were in the heart of the countryside!

As for the wildlife I managed to catch up with some half decent birds including a Red Legged Partridge, 2 Bullfinches, Goldcrests, Raven, and a Sparrowhawk at Eric Hardy Nature Reserve. Nuthatch and male Blackcap at Clarks Gardens, Buzzard at Springwood Crem, Red Campion in flower in the Golf Course, and in Calderstones Park I found what appears to be a small race Canada Goose; probably parvipes or Lesser Canada Goose; the bird was at least a third smaller than the others and with a slightly darker breast.... although not to spoil the birds credentials it did show clear signs of its primary feathers having been pinioned in the past and thus relegating it to the 'fence jumping' category, yet still an interesting find and I have no idea where it must have come from. Also in the park a strange hybrid Goose which is also new to the area, 9 Tufted Duck, Grey Heron, 20+ Coal Tits, 10+ Goldcrests, Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker, and last but not least a calling Green Woodpecker in the line of Beech Trees on the Harthill side of the park adjacent to the walled gardens.

Love is in the air

Many thanks to Sean for the tip off of a male Goldeneye at Greenbank Park, my first for the area and it has been present all week now, apart from this a female Tufted Duck is still present also. The pair of Mute Swans have returned very early this year and are already in courtship display and have been seen attempting to initially start nest building, the male bird has started to pursue the Canada Geese around the lake and will eventually in the Spring drive them all off the lake. The Ring Necked Parakeets are still present with two birds regular this week in the poplars above the east side of west side of the lake; with more regularly heard calling in the direction of the allotments. Other birds in the park include Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, 40+ Goldfinches, Grey Heron, Farm Goose, and Redwings. The Daffodils are in full bloom now and on sunny days you could mistake it for April.
Elsewhere on monday 12 Siskins and 26 Pied Wagtails in Wavertree Mystery, Fox and Pink-Feet heard over Sefton Park on New Years Eve.
Today over Dovedale Road a pair of Sparrowhawks where in courtship display and a Peregrine flew East at 9:15.

Foxing Around

Ive spent a fair bit of time lately trying to get decent snaps of the local Foxes in the area, and was rewarded on a few occasions with this individual which took to sleeping in the same area of fallen leaves for a couple of hours; at always the same time each night. After a few visits it became very very approachable and I managed to get decent (amateur) shots on three occasions, if it was a dry night it would always be reliably in the same area, until Glendale decided to blow all of the fallen leaves away and collect them in.....hence, since this happened I haven't seen it again! Why on earth the parks department deems it important to remove leaves from wooded sections of parkland is anyones guess! But I did feel rather privileged to have had the opportunity to get so close to a wild animal without disturbing it.

Firecrest

After visiting Sudley House today I was walking down North Mossley Hill road today around 3:30pm and heard a small mixed flock calling away at the entrance to the Halls of Residence just before Rose Lane, I was delighted to find a (female?) Firecrest accompanied by at least 3 Goldcrests, Treecreeper, and plenty of mixed Tit species. The sighting was brief but 100% and my first in the area for about ten years (Calderstones Park), the flock could be easily located by the amount of calling birds including the Firecrest, I viewed the flock for around five minutes before leaving them in the same area (and of course their was no trespassing on the university grounds......heaven forbid).
Apart from this sighting Redwings, Nuthatch, and Sparrowhawk in Sudley House along with a clump of flowering escaped Japanese Anenome near to Mossley Hill church. In Greenbank Park the Parakeets are still in attendance, coupled with a pair of Tufted Ducks, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, and a Tawny Owl on Greenbank Lane yesterday evening and two Foxes, also in the park a couple of flowering Daffodils and a clump of flowering Snowdrop on Gorsebank Road....... am I missing something?!!!