30th April

Weather: E/SE-4, warm, overcast partially sunny.
 

An exciting start to the day saw an overnight arrival of a number of grounded migrants. The first circuit of the Lighthouse produced at least 30 Wheatear and 10 Whinchat including some stunning males. A good number of warblers were also to be found in the coastal sallows. Some 50 Willow Warbler, 20 Blackcap, 12 Chiffchaff, Reed and Sedge Warbler had arived over night. Two Yellow Wagtails dropped into the coastal paddocks briefly before heading off north. Two Redstart were along Park Lane near their usual place near Parkfield House

In Lingham Lane, a further male Redstart was located in Wood Warbler Wood where a male Lesser Whitethroat was also singing mid morning.

Offshore 14 Great crested Grebe were found off the Lighthouse car park along with a summer plumaged Red throated Diver and 10 Sandwich Tern. Despite big numbers of Black Tern in Liverpool Bay, none could be located from the Lighthouse.

A summer plumaged Great Northern Diver was offshore from Hoylake where there were also 3500 Dunlin, 1000 Sanderling, 2 Knot and a Grey Plover.

With continued easterlies we are looking forward to continued migration.

Whimbrel - with one Redshank Leg !! (Les Hall)

 

YellowWagtail (Tim Kinch)

Weather: wind, slight south westerly force 2, overcast and cool. 

Much needed southerly winds brought a few migrant to the lighthouse area, A female Ring Ouzel was on the disused golf course on Lingham lane and stayed for most of the morning a totally different female to the bird in the paddocks yesterday morning 

Female Ring Ouzel  GC

Friday 28th April 2017

Cloudy with sunny spells. Wind S F2 to NW F3

A much less blustery day today with a few migrants appearing again in the Lighthouse area following days of strong winds from the wrong direction (N), which had appeared to block many migrants.

There was a noticeable overhead passage of mainly hirundines including over 60 Swallows, 30 Sand Martins and 15 House Martins. With them were the first two Swifts of the spring. A single Siskin also flew over.

The first Swift of the spring over the paddocks.     AMC

A female Ring Ouzel was in the paddocks this morning before flying into the inland fields. A female Whinchat was also in the paddocks. Other migrants present included 6 Wheatears, 6 Whitethroats, 5 Reed Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 4 Blackcaps and 7 Willow Warblers. A Grasshopper Warbler was singing at the top of Lingham Lane near the railway bridge.

Ring Ouzel in the paddocks.       EW

 

Wednesday 19th April 2017

Weather; Overcast but clear with light Southerly winds F2

There was some decent passage through the Leasowe area today with a greater variety of species involved as spring advances. The light southerly wind and calm conditions  were undoubtably an asset.

There was a good overhead passage, mainly of hirundines with over 50 Swallows, 30 Sand Martins and 10 House Martins being logged. Also noted overhead were singles of Yellow Wagtail (first spring sighting here) and Siskin. There was also a steady movement of around 60 Meadow Pipits with many stopping off in the paddocks. Also in the paddocks this morning was a Ring Ouzel which unfortunately was another short-stayer.

Other migrants of interest included 4 Whinchats, (2 in the paddocks and singles in Kerr's field and off Park Lane) a Redstart, (inland fields) 4 Whitethroats, 4 Reed Warblers, 14 White Wagtails and 2 Grasshopper Warblers.

There was a good count of over 30 Wheatears and 22 Willow Warblers. Blackcap totals were only around 5 (mainly local birds on territory) until another 8 arrived mid afternoon which were concentrated in a very small area near the duck pond.

Overnight Easterlies

Weather: E/NE-2, Clear & sunny with some high cloud,

Overnight easterlies resulted in a small fall of migrants at the lighthouse today. A first circuit of the Lighthouse immediately produced results. A fine male Whinchat was found in the field next to the Lighthouse before continuing its migration North. Another Whinchat , a female was found mid afternoon and remained until early evening. Further west 2 male Redstart were located along Park Lane near Parkfield House.  Up to 10 Wheatear, 5 White Wagtails, 25 Willow Warbler, 10 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap and 30 Meadow Pipit were recorded in around the coastal paddocks. Our first Reed Warblers have also arrived with one in Lingham Lane and one in the nature trail. Overhead movement included 6 Carrion Crows, 4 Woodpigeon, 2 Stock Dove and 3 Siskin. A fine drake Mandarin was recorded on the 15th April.

Whinchat (Eddie Williams)

Redstart (Les Hall)

Mandarin (Liz Pitchford)

Weather, showers, dry late AM early PM heavy rain later strong westerly gusts 

A wet start At the Lighthouse  didn't dampen the excitement of an early morning report of a Pied Flycatcher by the eastern kissing gate, unfortunately after a good search it couldn't be relocated, its the first of the year for Wirral and the first one at Leasowe since 28/04/2015 quite a rarity for the area  ,

Spring migrants in the area included 7 Blackcap, 7 Willow Warbler, 10+ Chiffchaff, all in good voice 11 Wheatear , 1 Sedge Warbler at the railway end of Lingham Lane, 8 Swallow, and 6 Sand Martin over the paddocks.

Poor record shot of a Merlin , GC

A Merlin in the paddocks just south of the western kissing gate was a good find, it was disturbed and headed off in land,

Raven GC

A Raven was in the sheep field on Park Lane it was being dive bombed in spectacular fashion by a Carrion Crow it was interesting to see the size comparison between the two.

One of 2 Jays at Lingham bridge

Thursday 13th April 2017

Weather; Cold with sunny spells. Wind W-NW F3-4

The continuing cold and breezy conditions with the wind in a constant westerly direction has not helped migrant arrival conditions in the Leasowe area today and for the past few days. Overhead movement was sparse today with just a handful of Swallows and Meadow Pipits, 2 Siskins, a Redpoll and 4 Lapwings.

Best of the grounded birds was a male Ring Ouzel in Kerr's field late morning which was later seen to fly north over the embankment.

Willow Warbler. Lingham Lane.        EW

Most migrants were concentrated in the more sheltered Lingham Lane area where 12 Blackcaps, 14 Willow Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs and a single Whitethroat were logged. The Little Owl continues to call near the bridge.

Chiffchaff;             EW

Weather: warm sunny light breeze clouding over pm .

A dawn trip to the lighthouse rewarded us with a perfect Spring sunrise and filled us with hope for some great birds we weren't disappointed

Lighthouse sunrise GC

Lingham lane was a hive of activity bird wise with 10 Blackcap 8 males and 2 females the males were singing the length of the lane joining the chorus were Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff both species easily reached double figures

A stunning male Ring Ouzel  GC 

Bird of the day was an eagerly anticipated Ring Ouzel 

At the entrance to the old brick works it may have been the same one that was seen at parkfield within the same hour.

Ring Ouzel GC 

Weather: SW-2 heavy rain , clear and sunny later.

 Heavy rain throughout the morning did little to encourage birders to venture out. However a couple of determined souls pushed through and completed a couple of early morning circuits of the Lighthouse paddocks. Up to 6 Wheatear, 12 Chiffchaff and a Blackcap had arrived over night. The rain stopped about mid day, the sun forced through and so the quality of birding picked up. A splendid male Ring Ouzel was located by a visiting Bird Group from Liverpool around mid day. A typical arrival date for this species at the Lighthouse, this handsome male strutted his stuff in one of the eastern paddocks for around an hour before being spooked and flying off high. This will no doubt be the Ring Ouzel of the spring, we expect a good number during the course of the spring.

At 2pm one lucky observer saw our first Osprey of the year flying over the coastal paddocks and continuing North over the sea towards the Lancashire coast.

Other migrants today included, 250 Meadow Pipit, 1 Siskin, 20 Goldfinch, 6 Pied Wagtail, 4 Stonechat and a further 8 Wheatear. 98 Curlew were recorded roosting in the flooded inland fields where 4 Teal were also present.

A fantastic early spring day with lots of migration. With a high pressure system positioning itself over the near continent next week we are hopeful of further days of exciting migration.

 

Ring Ouzel (Allan Conlin)

Ring Ouzel (Allan Conlin)

Wheatear, (Tim Kinch)