Photo of a Chiffchaff

Cheers David Bowman

Photo of a Common Buzzard

Cheers David

Getting up at 5.00 am to walk the public footpath through the Reseve to the Weir Basin and beyond paid dividends today. I could hear the Black-headed Gulls going mad on No.3 bed and picked out a soaring Marsh Harrier which they were mobbing. While I was watching this a second Marsh Harrier flew off No.2 bed, passing close by and joined the other bird. I a was fortunate to be able to grab a couple of photos as it went by. Later on a Blackcap was singing from the west bank of No.2 bed and two Swallows and five Sand Martins flew west along the Mersey. Photo of one of the Marsh Harriers Cheers David

Two Black-tailed Godwits that flew around the bed on today. The Black-necked Grebe count is now up to 10 birds.

It was a sunny morning today, with a cool south-easterly wind blowing, so we were hopeful of finding the odd migrant moving through. After covering the whole of No.1 bed and diligently scanning from the Morgan Hide, our highlights were: 6 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 drake Goosander, 2 Sand Martins, 6 Siskins, 34 Meadow Pipits, dozens of Chiffchaffs, Peregrine, Water Rail and Kingfisher. Cheers David (with David Spencer, Dave Steel, Helen Wynn, Dan Owen and Kelly Ainsworth)

Here’s a link to a short video of some of the birds from Thursday’s visit to No.3 bed. It shows a Lapwing making a nest scrape, some of the drake Pochards (presumably from our important breeding population), a passing Mediterranean Gul, a distant male Stonechat, a glimpse of a male Peregrine (probably from the resident breeding pair), a displaying pair of Great Crested Grebes, a Little Grebe with a fish and finally some activity from the nine Black-necked Grebes which were present.

To view David’s video Click here… or cut and paste the link https://youtu.be/1T5kQc7jHUY into your browser. Cheers David

Just a few extras to add to David Bowman’s report; 2 adult and one juvenile Great Black-backed Gulls at the Locks. A reserve-wide count of 54 singing Chiffchaffs. 5 Peacocks and 1 Small Tortoiseshell butterflies. Photo; Elf cups on No.3 bed

Another brilliant spring morning on No.3 bed, with hazy sunshine and a light NNW breeze. An early start in the Morgan Hide produced the pleasing sight of nine Black-necked Grebes interacting and displaying after an overnight arrival. A male Stonechat from the Linley Hide, plus four Oystercatchers, a Goosander, 7 Meadow Pipits, 2 Lesser Redpolls and a Sand Martin were other signs of passage. We then completed a breeding bird survey of the bed, with counts including: 10 Cetti’s Warblers, 9 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Tit, 27 Wrens, 22 Robins, 14 Dunnocks, 16 Great Tits, 16 Blackbirds, 3 Song Thrushes and 10 Reed Buntings. Other odds and ends included 2 Kingfishers, a marauding Peregrine, Water Rail, Snipe, Buzzards, Kestrels, Sparrowhawks, 17 Pochard, 400 Black-headed Gulls and mating Common Toads (see photo) Cheers David Bowman (with David Spencer, Dave Steel, Brian Martin, Daniel Owen and Danny Gornall)

Bright sunshine and light, freshening south-westerlies in March are always good for a sprinkling of spring passage on No.3 bed at. The morning started well, with three Ringed Plovers and two Sand Martins passing through soon after dawn. Five Black-necked Grebes were then joined by a 2nd-summer Mediterranean Gull, the fourth individual (possibly fifth) noted so far this spring. Six Cetti’s Warblers were in song around the bed, but just one Chiffchaff was heard, compared with yesterday’s arrival of 16. The male Lapwing which has set up a territory on the Morgan Hide scrape was busy either displaying or starting to make a nest-scrape, pulling down two females, neither of which was impressed enough to stay. Over on No.4 bed, a male Stonechat was another nice find, before a third Sand Martin flew through in early afternoon. Photo of a displaying Lapwing Cheers David Bowman (with David Spencer, Daniel Owen and Danny Gornall)

Curlew that circled No3 late morning

Belated pic of the 2nd-winter Mediterranean Gull that graced the scrape on Saturday (14th)

An excellent early spring day to be out and about on the reserve, with the following highlights:

Minimum of 4 Black-necked Grebes - including a pair, a bird in transitional plumage and another very vocal bird seemly touring the bed (even seen in flight at one point), Bearded Tits calling from the reedbed along east bank - offering some hope of potentially staying to breed (although they remain elusive), a total of 16 singing Chiffchaff around No.3, a single Curlew circled the bed, 2 Redshank were on the scrape first thing, 5 pairs of Pochard, 2 Oystercatcher, a light passage of Meadow Pipit throughout the morning produced 32 birds mainly heading NE, along with a Siskin and 2 Redpoll. Late afternoon Dan Owen picked up 5 Sand Martins moving through, our first of the year, and a Polish ringed Black-headed Gull wad amongst the roosting birds on the scrape.

The link is to a brief video clip of the three Black-necked Grebes and Mediterranean Gull which arrived on No.3 bed yesterday.

To view David’s video Click here…. or cut and paste the link https://youtu.be/4ljic6G3_0ge into your browser

Cheers David

Late entry for 7th March WeBS

Little Grebe 16, Great crested Grebe 15, Cormorant 15, Grey Heron 1, Mute Swan 28, Shelduck 11, Greylag Goose 5, Canada Goose 64, Gadwall 69, Teal 148, Mallard 63, Shoveler 33, Pochard 31, Tufted Duck 278, Water Rail 3, Moorhen 32, Coot 71, Oystercatcher 1, Lapwing 2 , Woodcock 6, Black headed Gull 320, Lesser Black backed Gull 1

Well, that felt like the first real day of spring with hazy sunshine and a light southerly wind. An early start on No.3 bed soon produced results, with three newly arrived Black-necked Grebes actively feeding out from the Morgan Hide. Then a second-winter plumage Mediterranean Gull appeared, following on from the adult which had been around for most of the week. Other sightings of note included a passing Raven, 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 singing Cetti’s Warblers (though 10 were in song on the bed earlier in the week), 2 Kingfishers on the Weir Basin and the first Peacock butterfly of the year. Photo of a Lapwing

A dry if somewhat blustery day began with a pair of Grey Wagtails at Latchford Locks where they often breed. One of the resident Peregrines was on the viaduct whilst a pair of Goldeneye was on the river near to Bollin Point. Two Oystercatchers flew west along the canal and a Raven drifted south over the canal calling loudly. A group of Pochard in the Weir Pool totalled 31 and with another 30 on the river and two on No.3 bed a Reserve-wide count of 63 was my highest for some time. Also at the Weir were 20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Cetti’s Warbler. Along the river a flock of 28 Lapwings was in the fields to the north. On No.3 bed a pair of Lapwing was on Vikki’s Island and one was on a recently excavated nest scrape. A single Oystercatcher was also present. The new wetland on No.4 bed is progressing well and had attracted 2 adult and 1 juvenile Great Black-backed Gulls. A single Lapwing was on one of the Loop islands. Reserve-wide totals included 79 singing Robins and six Chiffchaffs were heard. 49 Mute Swans and 281 Tufted Duck were other counts of note. Many spring flowers have now appeared and Dan Owen found a Small Tortoiseshell on 6th March. Photo; Winter Aconites