Dave Riley and John Blundell were on No.1 bed on the Sunday morning, catching 21 birds with 13 new, including another five Brambling, the first new Robins of the year on the bed, one new Chiffchaff along with a returning bird that had been ringed on 31st July 2010, retrapped in spring of 2011, but not caught since. A visiting Brambling from No.3 bed was also caught.

Kieran Foster, Mike Miles, Margaret Rawlins and Mike Baron were on No.3 bed on the Saturday, catching ten birds with five new including their first Long-tailed Tit of the year and three Bramblings, amongst the retraps was another Brambling visiting from No.1 bed.

Sightings include a Green Woodpecker on No.1 bed, the long staying Long-tailed Duck at Bollin Point where a Raven flew over while No.3 bed held two Black-necked Grebes, two Pintail, six Siskins and twelve Lesser Redpolls. Chiffchaffs were also heard by the footbridge, copse and Butchersfield.

A very cold week ending with bitter east winds and a couple of inches of snow. Dave Riley was ringing on No1 bed on the Tuesday catching 23 birds with five new including 2 each of Great and Blue Tit along with a Chaffinch. Highlight amongst the retraps was a Greenfinch, originally caught on 9th April 2010. Sightings on that day included 1 Snipe, 1 Woodcock, 2 displaying Lapwings, 2 Shelduck and a pair of Shoveler.

Kieran Foster and Mike Baron opened a couple of nets in their sheltered feeding station today (Sunday), catching four new birds including 3 Bramblings and a Bullfinch.

Other sightings in the week, all from No3 bed included the Long-tailed Duck, 50+ Bramblings and 80 Redwings.

Dave Riley was ringing on No1 on the Tuesday when he caught 23 birds, the 10 new included the first Long-tailed Tits and Goldfinch of the year along with another two Brambling. Sightings included 4 Snipe, 1 Green Woodpecker and a Collared Dove. On the Saturday, he was joined by Steve Menzie and they caught 41 birds with 25 new, including an excellent 16 Bramblings, possibly the highest single day catch at Woolston, the first new Bullfinch of the year and three Goldfinches. Sightings included displaying Lapwing, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Siskins, 2 Stock Doves, 2 Greylag Geese and a Grey Wagtail.

The No3 bed team were out on the Saturday morning and after a coppicing session caught 42 birds. The 18 new included 8 Brambling and their first new Willow Tit of the year. Sightings included small numbers of Fieldfares and Redwings along with a Small Tortoiseshell seen along the south bank. A Long-tailed Duck was seen on the bed on the Monday.

Dave Riley enjoyed three brief sessions on No1 during the week, on Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday morning and Saturday morning, when Sam Bailey from West Sussex joined him. A total of 49 birds were caught over the three sessions with the 14 new including another five Bramblings and the first Treecreeper of the year for the bed. Amongst the retraps was a returning Goldcrest, originally ringed in October last year, and a Willow Tit, originally ringed as a 3j on 28/07/2006. Sightings on the bed included 1 Woodcock, 4 Snipe, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Water Rail, 1 Green Woodpecker and 2 Redwings (all 4th), 18 Pochard, 2 Teal, 1 Yellowhammer, 2 Siskin, 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Meadow Pipit (all 5th), 1 Water Rail, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Siskin, 2 Greylag Geese and 1 Kingfisher (all 9th).

On No3 bed, ringing took place on Wednesday and today. On Wednesday Mike Miles caught 17 birds (8 new and 9 retraps), new birds included their first Goldcrest of the year and another Brambling. Amongst the retraps was BHJ321, a Long-tailed Tit ringed as a 3J on 26th May 2007, approaching 6 years old, this bird is still 3 years short of the BTO longevity record. On the Saturday, Mike was joined by, Kieran Foster, Jason Atkinson and Mike Baron catching 25 birds (12 new and 13 retraps. The 7 Bramblings included a bird ringed on No1 bed on 2nd March. Sightings on the bed included small groups of Fieldfares and Redwings, 30 Chaffinches in the remains of the sacrificial crop, and up to 30 Bramblings under the Morgan Hide feeders. Other sightings included a Redshank and a male Stonechat on No3 bed while the Long-tailed Duck was seen at the eastern end of No1 bed.

Dave Riley was on No1 bed on the Saturday and caught 18 birds with five new including; 1 Brambling, 2 Greenfinches and 2 Lesser Redpolls, two further Bramblings were retrapped from two weeks earlier and another returning Goldcrest was also caught, having been ringed on 26/10/2012. Sightings on the bed included 2 displaying Lapwings, 21 Pochard, 11 Tufted Duck, 2 Greylag Geese and 2 Siskin.

Kieran Foster, Mike Miles and Jason Atkinson were also out on the Saturday, on No3 bed, catching 23 birds of which 13 were new, including 8 Greenfinches. Sightings included an overflying Curlew and 6 Lesser Redpolls.

Other sightings included the Long-tailed Duck on the River Mersey, east of No1 bed, 1 Dunlin, 2 Curlew, 250 Golden Plover, 20 Siskin, 5 Lesser Redpolls, 2 Willow Tits, 1 Water Rails, 2 Peregrine, 6 Goldeneye, 17 Shelduck, 3 Redwing, 16 Buzzards, 10 Greylag Geese and 3 Stock Doves.

Photo of Canada and Greylag Geese on the alert today.

Cheers David

No sign of the Mandarins today but a Stonechat, seen in front of the Morgan Hide by Dave Spencer was a good bird for the day. Otherwise we were mainly occupied doing the BTO Winter Thrush Survey on Nos.3 and 4 beds. Totals were : 177 Redwings, 66 Fieldfares, 19 Blackbirds and 3 Song Thrushes. Additional sightings included: 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Snipe and the odd Redpoll and Siskin.

Cheers David (with Dave Spencer, Brian Martin, Roger Benbow, Paul Hazlehurst and Ste Dodd)

A rewarding morning with 1 female Long-tailed Duck (to the north of Butchersfield Tip - see previous entry for the best place to view from), 1 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Water Rails, 1 Snipe, 2 Pintail, 12 redpolls, 6 Siskins and 15 Bramblings (all on No.3 bed) and 1 Raven and 2 Peregrines at the eastern end of the Reserve. Plenty of more common stuff,too.

Cheers David (with Les Jones, Brian Baird and Al Warford)

Magpie at the feeders to the right of the centre hide No3 Bed.

Great Spotted Woodpecker on feeders to the left of the centre hide

One of the many Shelducks currently to be seen on no3 3 bed.

Went to No 3 bed this morning and there were 2 summer plummage Black Neck Grebes straight out from the Morgan Hide. One bird was slghtly smaller and a bit paler than the other.There were plenty of duck to be seen including 88 Pochard and 50 Gadwall. There were 4 Blambling and 4 Bullfinch at the feeding station.

family of Whooper Swans

Picture 2 of 3

The family of Whoope swans that arrived on Sunday

5 Whooper Swans arrived on No.3 bed at approx. 11.45 this morning. Also on the water were about 40 Lesser Black-backed and 12 Herring Gulls.

38 Waxwings this morning in Richmond Avenue, Grappenhall, again.

Not on the Eyes, but close by - a group of over 20 Waxwings in a tree feeding off berries in a bush below in Richmond Avenue, Grappenhall, off Thelwall New Road 22-March-2013. Not the first sighting here.

It was blowing a blizzard this morning but I decided to walk to the Eyes, it was very bleak on No3 bed when I got there and there were very few birds to be seen on the water. However it was a differant story at the Morgan Hide as the feeders were heaving with birds most activity on the Right hand Side feeders. The finches were fighting to get onto the feeders and there were over 15 birds on each of the 2 feeders. However the highlight was the carpet of Brambbling feeding in a frenzy under the feeders. At one point I was able to count up to 46 before they flew up to a bush to return again shortly. They were constantly on the move and there were many stunning male birds.

The long-staying Long-tailed Duck has been reported back on No.3 bed this morning.

Cheers David

On a nice, early-Spring morning, the long-staying female Long-tailed Duck, 1 Dunlin, 2 Curlews and c.250 Golden Plover, were the highlights of a rewarding day. All bar the Curlews were viewed from near Bollin Point. The Long-tailed Duck is probably most easily viewed by parking in Hollybush Lane (off the A57 opposite Butchersfield Tip), then walking a couple of hundred yards back west along the A57 to the little wood, which has a footpath which leads down to the bank of the River Mersey. If you look eastwards along the river, it’s usually with the Tufted Duck flock.

Counts of interest, among the commoner stuff, were:

Long-tailed Duck 1 F Golden Plover 250 Dunlin 1 Curlew 2 Brambling 11 Siskin 20 Lesser Redpoll 5 Willow Tit 2 Water Rail 1 Peregrine 2 Pochard 65 Goldeneye 6 Song Thrush 10 in song Great Crested Grebe 18 inc. 7 displaying pairs Common Gull 4 Shelduck 17 Redwing 3 Lapwing 125 Coal Tit 1 (ringed by KF et al) Common Buzzard 16 Greylag Goose 10 Stock Dove 3

Cheers David (along with Les Jones, Brian Baird and Al Warford)

Photo of the female Long-tailed Duck, taken today.

Cheers David

Female Long-tailed Duck still present, at 3.00 pm today, relocated by Brian Baird and I. It’s on the River Mersey, still consorting with Tufted Ducks, north of Butchersfield Tip. Probably the easiest way to see it would be to ask permission at Swifts Farm, just off the A57, to walk down to their fishing pools on the north bank of the Mersey, then walk east along the river bank as far as the wood. From there it would be directly opposite, often skulking under the trees on the south bank.

Other sightings included a male Stonechat and a Redshank on No.3 bed and 3 Golden Plovers, with 220 Lapwings to the south of Bollin Point, also a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly on No.3 bed and a large Mink on No.1 bed!

Photo of a Redshank on No.1 bed

Cheers David

Moon setting over No.3 bed on Saturday morning

Snowdrops on No.3 bed

Female Long-tailed Duck reported today from the River Mersey to the north of No.1 bed, apparently viewable from the footpath along the north bank of the river. Otherwise, Dave Steel, Brian Baird, Al Warford and I concentrated on No.3 bed and Woolston Weir Pool. Counts included (all from No.3 bed unless otherwise indicated): 1 Kingfisher, 1 Peregrine, 1 Snipe, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 13 Redwings, 12 Fieldfares, 8 Bramblings, 17 Shelducks (5 on the Weir Pool), 1 Goldeneye female (Weir Pool), 3 Willow Tits, 5 Bullfinches, 7 Reed Buntings, 360 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Common Gull, 102 Pochard, 2 Little Grebes, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 50 Chaffinches, 40 Greenfinches, 3 Jackdaws, 5 Common Buzzards, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 3 Herring Gulls, 8 Carrion Crows, 3 Lapwings, 6 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 16 Cormorants.

Photos of moon rising, Snowdrops and Brambling - all from No.3 bed this morning

Cheers David

A good variety of wildfowl was present today. The highlight was undoubtedly the female Long-tailed Duck first seen on Monday. It has now relocated to the river to the north of No.1 bed where it was among a large flock of Tufted Duck. Unfortunately it is now in an area where there is no access for permit holders. It may move again however so it’s worth keeping an eye open! Also present was a Goosander at Bollin Point. Other reserve wide totals were 357 Tufted Duck, 94 Pochard, 22 Shelduck, 15 Great-crested Grebes, mostly paired up and some displaying, and 2 Goldeneye.