SEAWATCHING

Weather; SW – 6, rain early morning moving to West 7 gusting 8 later

With the wind only starting up early morning we were not expecting big things however  a Long tailed Skua on Hilbre gave us some inspiration. Sea watching highlights from Wirral included:

Arctic Skua (3)

Fulmar (4)

Manx Shearwater (8)

Sandwich Tern (28)

Gannet (50)

Guillemot (1)

Great crested Grebe (1)

Red throated Diver (2)

The Pressure chart above shows the weather for 07.00 on Monday 16^th September. With the Low moving slowing East, Force 7 to 8 West to North Westerly winds are forecast. If the forecasters have got it right, we are hopeful of some exciting Wirral Sea watching over the next few days.

Wind NW-3, clear, sunny and warm

38 Jackdaw moved south over the Lighthouse late morning whilst only 3 Meadow pipit were recorded also moving south. Resident raptors included Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk. The latter flushing a Snipe from a drainage ditch near the Westerly kissing gate. A Golden Plover was heard but not seen over the horse paddocks where 3 Wheatear and 1 Whinchat were also present mid morning. 

Warblers were very much in evidence taking advantage of the warm autumn sunshine. The large Elder bush west of Lingham Bridge held 4 Blackcap and 1 Whitehroat.  A dozen Chiffchaff remained in Lingham Lane whilst at ‘Raddes Ridge’ an Acrocephalus  warbler was glimpsed briefly and thought most likely to be a Reed Warbler 

(AMC)

A patient wait at Linham Bridge revealed 5 warblers in a seemingly empty Elder bush. (AMC)


(AMC EW)

13th September 2013

Autumn was very much in the air today. The season’s first roaming tit flock was found at Lingham Bridge.  It included up to 30 birds made up of Blue, Great and long tailed Tit.

Numbers were up on yesterday with a reasonable fall of migrants considering the unfavourable conditions. A couple of circuits of the Lighthouse produced good numbers of warblers including 6 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler and 15 Chiffchaff.  A number of Pied Wagtails were found in the horse paddocks along with 4 Wheatear which totalled 11 by the end of the day.  A Spotted Flycatcher dropped in at the westerly kissing gate but quickly relocated to Sandy Lane where it settled and ‘flycatched’ along with 2 more Chiffchaff.

All photo's AMC

 

The Mediterranean Gull remains on the pontoon at West Kirby marine lake. The black in the primary tips suggesting this is a second summer bird moulting into a (third) adult winter. 
                                                                              (AMC, EW)

12th September 2013

A few migrants were at the Lighthouse this morning including 4 Chiffchaffs and 1 Whitethroat whilst the Swallow flock at Lingham Lane has increased to 17.

At ‘Greenshank Groyne’, the Turnstone flock is steadily increasing as autumn progresses and a Heron dropped in to feed in the gutter formed by the groyne. 

At Hoylake, a  massive 1500 Common Scoter were recorded offshore along with 4 Guillemots, 6 Great crested Grebe, 2 Red throated Diver and 2 Manx Shearwater.

A small group of  18 Sandwich Tern remain off Red Rocks and a Mediterranean Gull remains at West Kirby Marine lake.

(SRW)

One last yawn before the 'off'

Turnstone Flock

10th September

Weather: Northwest fore 6, gusting 7. Squally showers.

The overnight storm from the North produced little over the sea over the tide from Hoylake shore. This was as expected given the blow was less than 24 hours old, however as the tide ebbed a few birds started to move west including 20+ Gannet, 20 Sandwhich Tern, 1 Fulmar, 1 Great crested Grebe, and the first Red throated Diver of the autumn. 

Curlew Sandpiper and 2 Yellow legged gulls remain on the shore whilst a Wheatear was the highlight in the garden.

Adult Mediterranean Gull,  1st winter Kittiwake and 1st winter Little Gull were in the Mersey mouth from New Brighton.

9th September 2013

Mid morning showers grounded a number of wagtails on the  Lifeboat green; 8 Pieds and at least 2 Yellow Wagtails were recorded. These quickly moved on as the rain abated.

With the high tide came the waders, with numbers similar to previous days, however yesterdays Little Stint had moved on.

A few late (ish) Sandwich Tern lingered amongst thee Gull flock which in itself provided some interest including 1 adult Yellow Legged Gull, 1 Argentatus and another that left us a little head scratching. One for gull watchers. Some think Yellow Legged, some Caspian, others haven't a clue. Interesting never the less.

At 'Greenshank Groyne' a lone Black tailed Godwit took up temporary residence. Not too common at this site.

Further west a single Black tern was on the tide edge just east of Hilbre

Yellow Wagtail (Ed Williams)

Black tailed Godwit (Ed Williams) 

Adult Yellow legged and Lesser Black backed in foreground (Ed Williams)

Above, adult Yellow legged Gull and Argentatus (Ed Williams)

4th year Yellow legged Gull  (AMC)

4th year Yellow legged gull (AMC)

Flock of Curlew Sandpiper (SRW)

Peregrine hunting the waders (AMC)





(AMC, KD, MS, EW and SRW)

8th September 2013

At Kings Gap, Hoylake, good numbers of waders again today with over 1000 Dunlin, 300 Sanderling, 9 Bar tailed Godwit, 29 Knot and the first Juvenile Little Stint of the autumn. Curlew Sandpipers have now increased to at least 18. 1 Gannet was seen flying east.

A small flock of 15 Sandwich Tern were at the high tide roost. As the opportunity of photographing Curlew Sands arrives but once a year below are a small selection including a ringed bird.

Below; a distant shot of the first juvenile Little Stint of the autumn

Below, one of several squalls moving in from the southwest

Oystercatcher, Curlew and Herring Gull in the Hoylake high tide roost (Lynne Greenstreet)