Omissions;  Thursday 25.8.16;   3 Stonechats noted in Kerr's field this afternoon, 2 Whitethroats in Sandy Lane and a Spotted Flycatcher at Lingham bridge. TK, EW

Thursday 25th August 2016

Weather;  Warm with cloud and some haze early, brightening in the afternoon. W variable F2

There was a small arrival of Reed Warblers in the Leasowe area today with birds seen well away from their usual reed bed habitat at the pond. 2 birds were seen in hawthorne hedges on Park Lane while another was in sub-song from the privet hedge along Lingham Lane. A fourth was in the car park bushes while 3 more, possibly local birds, remained in the reed bed near the pond.

There was some Wagtail passage with 4 Grey and 1 Yellow Wagtail passing overhead east. A flock of 36 Pied Wagtails, mostly juvenile birds, were in the paddocks.

Other grounded migrants in the area included 6 Wheatears, 1 Whinchat, 3 Willow Warblers, 8 Chiffchaffs, 8 Blackcaps, 2 Garden Warblers and 2 Sedge Warblers.

Kestrel mantling it's prey, a vole, on Meols common.       EW

Wednesday 24th August 2016

Weather;  Warm and sunny. Wind W F3

Only a single Willow Warbler could be found in the Leasowe area today following yesterday's large arrival, the clear overnight skies presumably prompting a large departure. Other migrants had also declined in numbers today with only singles of Wheatear, Whinchat and Whitethroat and only 2 Reed Warblers in the pond area.

There was an slight increase in Chiffchaff numbers, however, with around 20 being noted today. 5 Blackcaps and 2 Garden Warblers appeared to be new-in in the Lingham Lane area, feeding non stop in the elderberry bushes here which always attract them.

Blackcap;  Lingham Lane.       EW

Garden Warbler;  Lingham Lane.          EW

Other birds noted include a family of Stonechats off Park Lane, a Raven over the paddocks and an adult winter Mediterranean Gull offshore. Observers TK, EW

Garden Warbler;   Lingham Lane.        EW

Tuesday 23rd August 2016

Weather; Sunny and warm. Wind SW F3

The days highlight in the Leasowe area was a large arrival of returning Willow Warblers with a minimum of 45 logged through the day. None were noticed before around 10 a.m. after which time the main arrival took place with many birds dispersing inland as yet more arrived. This arrival appeared to take place on a broad front across the North Wirral shore, and further afield, with 70 being logged at Hilbre, again arriving mainly mid-morning onwards. 600 arrived today on Bardsey island.

Other migrant species were not present in obviously larger than usual numbers though. 8 Reed Warblers was a good count in the Duck pond area, however, although some of these may have been lingering local birds. 

Spotted Flycatcher in Lingham Lane.     Tim Kinch

Other migrants present today in the Leasowe area included 12 Wheatears, 3 Whinchats, 2 Blackcap, 15 Chiffchaffs and a Sedge Warbler. 2 Spotted Flycatchers arrived in Lingham Lane this afternoon.

Willow Warbler. Part of a large local arrival of this species today.

200 Redshank, 40 Dunlin, 10 Turnstones, 15 Ringed Plover and a  Curlew Sandpiper were noted along the shoreline. 40 Curlew were present in fields inland from the paddocks. Observers; DH, TK, CT, EW

Reed Warbler       EW

Waders galore!!

Weather: W-3/5, overcast and squally.

Perfect tide times saw a busy North Wirral shore particularly as the Hoylake roost was holding some impressive numbers of birds. 

As the tide flooded around 12.30 so the roost increased. By high tide, Hoylake foreshore held an impressive number of birds including, 1000 Dunlin, 22 Knot, 28 Sanderling, 45 Ringed Plover and 5 Curlew Sandpiper. Gulls included 2000 Herring and 1000 Common Gulls, 200 Sandwich Terns, 4 Common  Tern. Offshore & Manx Shearwater moved West whilst 7 Snipe came in off the sea. 

The only passerine highlight came in the form of a Whinchat in one of the Lighthouse paddocks.

Whincht (Tim Kinch)

Curlew Sandpiper (AMC)

 

Friday 19th August 2016

Weather; Heavy showers throughout the day. Wind SE F3-4

3 Black Terns were in the Tern roost at Meols over the high tide along with larger numbers of Sandwich, Common and Little Terns.

Late Swifts continue to trickle through with 3 logged over the lighthouse area by observers keen enough to brave the elements.

The bad early morning weather coupled with easterly winds did encourage other new migrant arrivals to

Whinchat at Leasowe.         Tim Kinch

the lighthouse area. These included 2 Whinchats, one opposite Kerr's field and another along the bund inland from the paddocks. 2 Spotted Flycatchers were also new birds near the eastern kissing gate leading to the paddocks. 2 Wheatears were also noted. Willow Warbler numbers were down, however, with only around 5 being recorded. Observers AMC, DH and TK

Wednesday 17th August 2016

Weather; Warm and sunny but breezy. Wind SE F3-4

There was a good arrival of Willow Warblers early this morning, mainly in the Park Lane area, with over 25 birds being logged, together with the first Spotted Flycatcher of the autumn. They seemed restricted to the area of small fields just to the west of the private Parkfield House access track.

By 10.30, however, most of these birds had moved away with very few migrants elsewhere.

Kestrel hunting near Lingham Lane.           EW

By lunchtime, however, either new birds had arrived or some of this mornings birds had returned to the same area of fields off Park Lane. 15 Willow Warblers, 6 Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, a Reed Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Redstart were all noted here during 30 minutes observation. Oddly there were very few

Spotted Flycatcher.        EW

other migrants elsewhere in the Leasowe area today.

3 Kestrels, possibly a family group, were hunting together over the old golf course at Lingham Lane. A family group of Whitethroats is still near the railway bridge with recently fledged young. Observers CT, EW

Tuesday 16th August 2016

Weather; Warm and sunny. Wind SE F3

Late Swifts continue to trickle in overhead at the lighthouse with a total of 5 being recorded today. A Peregrine and a Raven were also overhead here.

Migrants continue to arrive in the Leasowe area on the back of the South-East wind although we could do with some cloud or showers in the early morning to send us more. Around 10 each of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were on Park Lane this morning together with a Redstart. A single Wheatear was on the western groyne.

3 Tree Pipits landed briefly in trees along Lingham Lane this morning before continuing their journey south. Grounded Tree Pipits are not frequent here, most records being of wheezing specks passing high overhead. Also on Lingham Lane were 2 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Bullfinch and 5 Willow Warblers.

Young male Redstart, Park Lane. It appears to be moulting from juvenile to 1st winter plumage. There is still traces of it's gape wattle evident.       Tim Kinch

Observer TK 

Tree Pipit on Lingham Lane. One of a party of three.       Tim Kinch

Monday 15th August 2016

Weather; Warm and sunny. Wind SE F2

A pair of Ravens spent most of the morning in the Lingham Lane area today. A family of Bullfinches, an adult male and 3 juveniles, were also observed in Lingham Lane today, the juveniles appearing very young, indicating local breeding.

Overhead passage was a bit slower than yesterday with occasional small parties of swallows moving east along the embankment. 5 Sand Martins were also noted.

A Wheatear was on Meols common this morning and 2 further birds noted in Kerr's field this evening, along with an overhead Peregrine.

Other grounded migrants were thin on the ground this morning with only 4 Willow Warblers and 2 Blackcap in the area. There was a small arrival of around 10 Willow Warblers in the Park Lane area in the early afternoon but these moved quickly through. 5 Chiffchaffs and 2 Redstarts were also in Park Lane.

A Blackcap and a Garden Warbler were at Lingham bridge this evening. 

Sunday 14th August 2016

Weather; Sunny and warm. Winds light NW F2

Wader numbers are slowly building up on Leasowe shore with 40 Turnstone, 20 Ringed Plovers and 200 Redshanks here this morning. 3 Black-tailed Godwits flew north-east.

The more settled conditions has spurred an obvious increase in passage, both of overhead and grounded birds, in the lighthouse area.

Around 150 Swallows, 60 House Martins, 2 Sand Martins and 3 Swifts moved mainly east in small groups. The vast majority of Swifts have now left to the south.

The was a large increase in Chiffchaff numbers today, with 35 being logged, indicating an arrival of migrants to add to the many local birds still in the area. The 22 Willow Warblers counted today were certainly all migrants, most having moved on by the afternoon. Other migrant Warblers noted included 4 Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat in the Lingham Lane area and a Grasshopper Warbler on the paddocks path.

1st winter male Redstart,  Park Lane.        Tim Kinch         

3 Redstarts were in the small fields just to the west of the private Parkfield House access road on Park Lane. All were showing well until at least mid afternoon, one being the long-staying individual. DH, TK, EW

Redstart (fem) Park Lane.        Tim Kinch

Friday 12th August 2016

Warm with sunny spells. Breezy. Wind W F4



6 Little Egrets, 150 Redshanks, a Greenshank, 30 Dunlins and 11 Turnstones were on the western groyne at low tide. A Stonechat was on nearby Meols Common.
The long-staying Redstart remains in Park Lane and is now losing it's spotty juvenile garb and acquiring 1st winter plumage. 2 Willow Warblers were also in Park Lane.

Willow Warbler; Lingham Lane      EW

Most migrants were to be found in the more sheltered Lingham Lane area. These included 3 Blackcaps, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler and 4 Willow Warblers. Hopefully more settled conditions in the week ahead will increase migrant numbers. 2 Bullfinches were at Lingham bridge.

Garden Warbler at Lingham bridge.      EW

Sunday 7th August 2016

Weather; sunny but blustery. Wind W F4-5

3 Manx Shearwaters passed Leasowe in the windy conditions today. Also off Leasowe was a 2nd summer Mediterranean Gull, a Greenshank and 12 Turnstones. 300 Dunlin were off Hoylake.

Wheatear at Meols.      Tim Kinch

2 Swifts passed overhead and 2 Wheatears were in Meols common. Willow Warbler numbers were down today with only 3 birds recorded. The juvenile Redstart remains in the Park Lane area.

Willow Warbler (juv) at Leasowe          Tim Kinch

Saturday 6th August 2016

Weather; Warm and sunny wind W F2

2 Greenshanks were at the western groyne today together with small numbers of Dunlins and Ringed Plovers.

A Hobby was discovered hunting between the lighthouse and the top end of Lingham lane this morning by Tim Kinch although it had moved on by the afternoon.

Wheatear on Meols Common.     EW

3 Lesser Whitethroats were also at the top of Lingham Lane near the kissing gate. It is thought they have bred in the area this year as sightings have been regular through the summer. 2 juvenile Stonechats were just to the east of

Hobby over Lingham Lane    Tim Kinch.

Meols common.

Migrants in the area included a small south-east passage of 28 Swifts, mainly in the afternoon, and a single Wheatear on Meols common . Willow Warbler numbers are building up with 11 being recorded in the lighthouse area today, most being pristine yellow juveniles.

Tuesday 2nd August 2016

Weather; Cloudy with some light drizzle showers. Wind SE F3

Record shot of the juvenile Redstart in Park Lane.  Tim Kinch

Interesting sightings in the lighthouse area over the past week include a juvenile Redstart in Park Lane found by Tim Kinch on 26th July and a Willow Tit found at Lingham bridge by Dave Haigh on Saturday 30th July and seen well that morning. The Willow Tit record is especially notable for a species declining rapidly. The last lighthouse sighting is well over 20 years ago.

Dunlins flying in to roost on the embankment.

Today there were around 2,000 Dunlin roosting on the western groyne and adjacent embankment and 5 Gannets were offshore.

2 migrant Willow Warblers were along the nature trail and the juvenile Redstart remains in Park Lane having been here a week. It is usually to be found in the top left corner of the small field immediately to the left of the private Parkfield House entrance drive.

There was a small passage of around 30 Swifts today, most travelling in a south-easterly direction. Over 60 House Martins and a single Sand Martin were also overhead.