the Mediterranean During the Big Chill

I have checked the Cotoneaster trees on Aigburth Road both today and yesterday but both times they have been Waxwing free (but they did hold 12 Redwings and a Nuthatch, and a Grey Wagtail near Sudley school), but I noticed today that the large Cotoneaster tree that overhangs Greenbank Lane from the walled gardens has been steadily stripped of berries, have I missed a flock of Waxwings? Maybe, or maybe just a flock of Redwings........I will keep my eyes peeled!

 

I walked through Sefton Park yesterday morning and found a good deal of decent sightings; I entered the park opposite Aigburth peoples hall where 30+ Redwings and a singing Nuthatch could be seen (and heard), down at the South end of the lake near the small cafe 24 Mute Swans could be seen, together with 60+ Coot, 200+ Black Headed Gulls, 5 Little Grebes. 4 Ring Necked Parakeets where showing well eating new buds on the Ash trees above the south end of the upper path that skirts the west side of the lake (near the car park), on the same path 30+ Siskin (with some brilliantly bright males) where feeding in Alder Trees (behind the Gorse clump that has been cut back on the lakeside banks). Two of the Parakeets flew along the lakeside and began to create a massive din towards the north end of the lake, they then began to be joined by Jays; they where obviously attacking something, by the time I caught up with them they had been replaced by about 50 Carrion Crows that where repeatedly mobbing a Common Buzzard in the woodland behind the cave (see previous posts), their attention was obviously doing the trick as they continued to make the raptor fly away from (try to spot it in the photo!) them until it saught refuse in nearby gardens surrounding the park! Other highlights included 17 Pink-Footed Geese south-west, 6 more Little Grebes, 15 Stock Doves, 10+ Goldcrests, 2 Coal Tits, Treecreeper, and 4 more Ring Necked Parakeets (behind the cafe).

 

In Greenbank Park I was surprised to see an adult Mediterranean Gull with the Black Headed Gull flock, the bird was present for around twenty minutes before flying off towards Wavertree Mystery Park at 11:15, a fantastic bird starting to moult into summer plumage and sporting rings on each leg, probably the bird Liverpool RSPB found on Sefton Park lake last week. Also in the park Redwings where in song in the Beech Trees that skirt the park along Greenbank Park, male and female Tufted Duck, 2 Nuthach, Treecreeper. Hopefully I will see the Med Gull again as it has obviously been around for a while.