Speke/Garston Coastal Reserve

If anyone hasn't heard of this reserve before it is well worth a visit; sandwiched between Garston docks and Speke airport it contains a variety of habitats, including: extensive saltmarsh, tidal mudflats, open grassland, coastal cliffs, dune-like habitat complete with slacks, reedbeds, farmland, and wildflower meadows. If that's not enough it has access to Speke Hall estate (National Trust land) which contains farmland, meadows, gardens, lakes, and some very good mature woodland!

I visited the Coastal Reserve this morning from 9 until 1 and I found many species including:-

Spotted Flycatcher

5 Grasshopper Warblers
Peregrine

Lesser Whitethroat

4 Reed Warblers

40+ Sedge Warblers

3 Tree Pipits

30+ Skylarks

3 Buzzards (one came over from the Wirral side of the Mersey and was joined by a local pair)

100+ Shelducks

40+ Reed Buntings

6 Chiff-Chaffs

4 Blackcaps

2 Pheasants

Broad-Bodied Chaser

Blue-Tailed Damselfly

Large-Red Damselfly

Common Darter

Green-Veined White

Large White

Peacock

300+ Common Blues

Stoat
Marsh Orchids

Common Frogs

Peregrine over Greenbank Park

Again this morning I briefly viewed a Peregrine heading low North over the park, appeared to be hunting.

White-Tailed Plover..........pinch me!

After hearing the news of a White Tailed Plover at Seaforth I uttered a number of unrepeatable words, hurriedly packed my gear together, and set off for Seaforth (which is in a notable purple patch at the moment- Wilsons Phalarope, Palid Harrier). As I arrived I was greeted by the bird on the pool to the right of the main hide: at about 30 ft away! A little better than the distant blob last year at Leighton Moss. The bird performed well for for 90 mins until I left at 5:30.

Mid-day in Greenbank Park

A male Peregrine flew low and fast at treetop level at mid-day, it appeared to be hunting. The family of Mute Swans seem to be faring well, fingers crossed (last year two died due to fishing wire). Also Blackcap, Grey Heron (see above next to a Mute Swan egg), and Lesser Black Backed Gull.

Sunbathing

Took these snaps of a pair of Collared Doves yesterday in Palmerston Road, Mossley Hill. On sunny evenings they regularily perch up on a telegraph pole and take up the last of the suns rays, nice life eh! Also of note this year is the amount of Jackdaws nesting in this area, they seem to be really increasing in the south end.

Hale headland and woods

A leisurely walk around the Hale area during the afternoon produced Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Common Buzzards, 250 Shelduck, 11 Little Egrets (in flight over the river looking towards the ICI factory), Great Spotted Woodpeckers (nesting), Whitethroat, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests, Treecreepers, at least 5 Singing male Reed Buntings in the Oil Seed Rape field near the lighthouse.
Insects included Large Red Damselflys, Common Blue Damselflys, Brimstone, Orange Tips, Green-Veined Whites, Small Whites, Large Whites, Common Blue, Holly Blue, and Hawthorn Shieldbug.

Greenbank Park

An early morning visit to Greenbank Park produced a Common Sandpiper, Grey Heron, Blackcap, Nuthatch with young, Mute Swans with four young, and a Common Buzzard mobbed by Crows:- not bad for a quick visit!