Anger Management

 I took a wander around Sefton and Greenbank Park, well I thought it would be best as if we believe some of the weather forecasts, we are in for a bit of a baltic period! Down on the lake I found 13 Little Grebes (I think that's a record for me), Grey Heron, female Mandarin (in the first smaller lake), and 24 Mute Swans; with one male bird (I presume the resident male) puffing himself up and aggressively pursuing the other birds, in the process driving them all down towards the small cafe, pretty good going - 1 vs 23! During this chaos I was startled to hear the honking of three Whooper Swans which flew in low from the north and circled the lake a few times before flying out of sight

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A Common Buzzard spooked the local birdlife as it lazily flew from the bowling club into the wooded area behind the lakeside cave, and 15+ Siskin in the Alders behind the small cafe where more unusual; also in that area at least 50 Goldfinch, 3 Pied Wagtails, and singing Goldcrests in the lakeside Yews. Walking back through Greenbank Park I found another Grey Heron, 2 Ring Necked Parakeets where squawking away and Nuthatch and Treecreeper in song, best of all the three Whooper Swans then came flying over the lake calling and headed off towards Smithdown......I wonder if they dropped down onto Sefton Park lake for a small time, or if they headed back there. Maybe they are still there! wishful thinking!

 

On Wednesday I was in Calderstones Park, not much around - Nuthatch, plenty of singing Goldcrest, 20 Redwings, 3 Stock Doves, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 13 Tufted Duck, and a very strange small duck on the lake - obviously a leuscistic plumage variant but of what species? My guess is Teal, bill colour and body and head shape, and size all look right.....but a bit confusing to say the least!

65+ Pink Footed Geese south-east over Penny Lane last Tuesday too.