Another exceptionally mild day for late October with a temperature of 17 degrees! One of today’s highlights was a male Mandarin at Bollin Point, almost certainly one of the pair reported by Les Jones and others a few weeks ago in the same location. Reserve-wide counts included 104 Robins, 46 Moorhen, 105 Mallard, 26 Long-tailed Tits, 49 Shoveler, 80 Lapwing and 5 Little Grebes. 5 Black-tailed Godwits were on No.3 bed and a Wigeon on the Loop of No.4 bed. My day ended with a Kingfisher on the Sandpit Pond. 2 Red Admirals were seen in spite of the cloudy conditions. About 50 Ladybirds were in the Frank Linley Hide - see photo.

A very productive morning creating channels and pools in front of the “Tower Hide” on No.3 bed. Grateful thanks to all those who turned up to help and made an arduous job a whole lot easier. Should be good for waders, rails (even crakes) now. Birds noted during the morning included: 19 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Redshank, 1 Pintail, 2 Wigeons, 1 Snipe, 37 Redwings, 12 Skylarks, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 3 Sparrowhawks and 6 Buzzards.

Cheers David

Another photo of todays work.

Not exactly a wild life sighting but here are photos of the beginning of our reed cutting programme. Following the capital works on reed bed management we have funding from DEFRA to cut the reed bed twice over the next ten years. Today we made a start with staff from our contractor Environmental Land Management and a good turnout of volunteers. Reeds were cut and burnt with the objective of preventing build up of the ground level by dead reeds.

Ringing Update W/E 26/10/2014 Dave Riley was on No.1 bed on the Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday mornings. The initial session was mainly to get the nets up in preparation for the following day, he caught 6 birds with the three new including 2 Redwings, the Thursday morning was quiet with 18 birds caught including 12 new, with a Blackcap which had a fat score of 5, a Chiffchaff and six Reed Buntings. Mike Baron joined Dave for the Saturday morning and between them, they caught 37 birds with Long-tailed Tit (7) and Goldcrest (6) providing the main numbers, also ringed were a Chiffchaff and a Lesser Redpoll. Sightings during the visits included Pink-footed Geese (150+ on 23rd and 75 on 25th), 20 Greylag Geese, 50+ Redwings and 4 Water Rails (all 23rd), 2 Fiedfares, 250 Woodpigeons, 1 Yellowhammer, 69 Jackdaws, 35 Skylarks, 18 Lapwing and 3 Redwing (all 24th), also seen on the same day was a completely black Pheasant. Saturdays sightings included 1 Tawny Owl, 20 Lapwings, 140 Woodpigeons, 20 Jackdaws and 17 Skylarks.

Mike, Miles, Kieran Foster, Margaret Rawlins and Chris Piner were on No3 bed on the Saturday morning when they caught 48 birds with the 37 new including their seventh Cetti’s Warbler of the year, 9 Redwings and 12 Chaffinches, 2 Teal and 2 Moorhens were caught in the duck trap. Sightings during the session included a light passage of Redwings, 3 Mistle Thrushes, 3 Siskins, 1 Grey Wagtail and 100 Pink-footed Geese.

Ringing Update W/E 19/10/2014 Dave Riley managed to have two sessions on No 1 bed during the week, on the Wednesday and Friday. The first of these resulted in 27 birds being caught, the 25 new included the first 3 Redwings of the Autumn along with 4 Goldcrests and 1 Chiffchaff. The Friday session produced 61 birds and the 52 new included 29 Redwing, an amazing total, as only 31 had been ringed on the bed since 2001! Another surprise was the first House Sparrow to be caught on the bed in over 25 years, one or two have been heard on the bed this year but there have been no sight records. This bird was even carrying fat (a fat score of four), so was probably moving through. Other highlights included 1 Coal Tit, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffcaffs and 3 Goldcrests. Mike Baron had his first ringing session alone since getting his C permit, spending Sunday morning on the bed and catching 14 birds, 11 new, including a Redwing and 8 Long-tailed Tits. Sightings during the session included 3 Water Rails, 59 Greylag Geese, 250 Canada Geese, 100+ Pink-footed Geese, 391 Redwings, 30+ Reed Buntings, 6 Wigeon, 40 Goldfinch, 48 Skylarks, 20 Lesser Redpolls, 12 Meadow Pipits (all 15th), 38 Jackdaws, 40 Skylarks and 500+ Redwings.

The No3 bed team were out on the Saturday morning, catching 53 birds with 38 new, including 13 Redwings, 6 Goldcrests and a Moorhen. Sightings included a Black-tailed Godwit and a Long-eared Bat.

Ringing for a couple of hours on No1 bed this afternoon, sightings included 150 P F Geese, 1 Chiffchaff and 4 Water Rails

A largely dull but mild day with no rain for my weekly walk round the reserve. A Peregrine was on the viaduct and Teal have returned to No.2 bed where about 80 were present. On No.3 bed a Raven was being harassed by Magpies for several minutes before flying off. Also on No.3 bed were 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 20 Lapwing, 4 Snipe and a Water Rail heard calling. A Grey and a Pied Wagtail were in front of the John Morgan Hide with a further grey Wagtail at the locks. Robins totalled 76, slightly down on last week’s count but still a good record for Woolston. Photo; Fly Algaric on No.1 bed

Had a contractor’s meeting this morning, looking at work to be done on Nos.1 and 4 beds over the autumn/winter. Some nice sightings during the meetings and finished with a nice hour in the Morgan Hide. On No.4 bed, 16 Snipe and 30 Teal and a couple of Redwings flushed as we walked onto the Loop. No.1 bed was mainly notable for c.200 Fly Agaric toadstools spread across the area of birch scrub. No.3 bed had 200 Teal, 2 Shelducks, 70 Goldfinches, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Snipe and an unusual 25 Skylarks which flewlow, staight over the hide heading west.

Photo of a Goldfinch from in front of the Morgan Hide.

Cheers David (with David Spencer and Brian Ankers)

Went on to No.3 bed yesterday during the height of the storm, hoping for a wind-blown seabird. We’ve had petrels and skuas in similar conditions in past years but no luck this time. Despite the howling wind, rain and sleet there was plenty to see from the shelter of the Morgan Hide. Most notable were 10 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Water Rails, 8 Wigeon and a few Snipe, feeding happily alongside the hundreds of other wildfowl.

Cheers David

Ringing took place on No1 bed for the first week only, when 100 new birds were ringed over two sessions, the highlights included the first Kestrel to be ringed on the bed since 2011 (and only the fifth since 2001), a late Sedge Warbler, 14 Goldcrests and 24 Chiffchaffs.

Ringing took place on No3 bed on both Saturdays with 166 new birds ringed, highlights over the two sessions included 1 Snipe, 1 Lapwing, 2 Cetti’s Warblers (taking to six for the year!), 5 Moorhens and a Treecreeper.

Went down early onto No.3 bed and had a great morning, with clear blue skies. 803 Redwings, 90 Pink-footed Geese and 780 Woodpigeons went south in two hours, with a few Meadow Pipits and Skylarks, too. Of the local birds, 51 Snipe, 2 Water Rails, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Willow Tits, 3 different Sparrowhawks and 220 Teal were the pick.

The link is to a video clip of one of the two Water Rails which are showing well most mornings from the Morgan Hide.

Water Rail video…

Cheers David

Comma on no.3 bed

A count of Robins produced a total of 82 across the reserve. Magpies totalled 20 of which 15 were on or near No.4 bed. 23 Moorhen included 8 on No.3 bed which also held large numbers of Canada (207) and Greylag (52) Geese. Many of these were seen flying in from the east low over No.2 bed. 4 Wigeon were on No.3 bed and, more unusually, 2 were on the canal at the eastern end of the reserve. About 1000 Wood Pigeon were in the Butchersfield area, most on fields to the north. A Peregrine on the viaduct gave good views. In spite of the cloudy weather a Comma was on a Buddleia on the south bank of No.3 bed; see photo.

c400 Redwings moved south over no.2 this morning. Also 2 Kingfishers, 2 Grey Wagtails, 11 Snipe and 4 Black-tailed Godwits

Photo of the moon rising over Butchersfield Tip on Saturday.

Cheers David

Photo of a Sparrowhawk at the Morgan Hide feeders, taken by Rob Beynon.

Cheers David

Wandered over to ringing area at 9am to get a ring code checked out by Kieren (TV10101) Records showed it was from a Greenfinch which was ringed on 16th September, 2014. Whilst there I was lucky enough to see a beautiful Goldcrest (photo) and a Willow Tit. My grateful thanks to Kieren, Margaret and Chris.

7am - 9am J.Morgan hide; 1 Godwit, several Snipe, 4 Grey Heron, 3 Mute Swan, 1 Grey Wagtail & 1 Pied Wagtail on scrape, usual Robins, Great Tit, Greenfinches, Wrens, Long Tailed Tits and male Pheasant and 1 Tufted Duck (photo) around scrape area.

With mainly blue skies, this morning was ideal for the monthy session of Visible Migration watching from the heights of Butchersfield Tip. A pair of Manadarins on the river was an excellent local record, while the migrant highlights included: 3 Swallows, 895 Pink-footed Geese, 233 Meadow Pipits, 175 Skylarks, 26 Pied Wagtails, 1209 Woodpigeons, 122 Linnets, 27 Blackbirds and 47 Song Thrushes. More local movements included: 2 Yellowhammers, 5 Goldcrests, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 4 Reed Buntings and 388 Lapwings. A lunchtime session on No.3 bed then produced 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Water Rails, 30 Snipe and 2 Wigeon.

Photo of a Migrant Hawker from this morning

Cheers David (with Dave Steel, Al Warford, Paul Hazlehurst, Les Jones, Ste Dodd, Helen Allan, Kelly Ainsworth and George Dodd)

This link is to a slow-motion video, taken this morning, of the Hobby which provided such excellent entertainment on No.3 bed this morning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BbpiFXzThE

Cheers David

Photo of an immature Mute Swan from this morning.

Cheers David

Despite the persistent rain and windy conditions, we had a very rewarding morning on No.3 bed. A juvenile Hobby was present for an extended period, mobbing Buzzard and Sparrowhawk, flushing Lapwings and perching to give good ‘scope views. One Green Sandpiper, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, 11 Snipe, 2 Water Rails, 9 Wigeon and a Kingfisher were other good sightings from the Morgan Hide.

Photo of a Common Snipe.

Cheers David (with Dave Steel, David Spencer, Al Warford, Paul Hazlehurst, Brian Baird, Helen Allan and George Dunbar)

A great few hours on the reserve the birds we saw include teal lapwings pochard shoveler gadwall moorhens coots snipe and seven herons to name a few.On the way out comma butterflies and lots of dragon flies.Roger and Gill

Juvenile female Tufted Duck

Taken on the banks of the River Mersey surrounding Bed 3. of the reserve