Thursday 7th August 2014

Weather;  Heavy showers early a.m. clearing to fine and sunny. Winds light N.W.

Waders offshore at Leasowe this morning included around 40 Ringed Plovers, 60 Dunlin and 50 Turnstones, many of the latter still in fine breeding plumage. A Mediterranian Gull was at the cafe.
The heavy morning rain showers may have helped ground 3 Garden Warblers, at least 2 being in the Lingham bridge area with another near the pond. A Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Willow Warblers were also in the pond area together with the usual Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. Another Willow Warbler was on Lingham Lane. A single Sand Martin flew west along Meols embankment.

There was no sign of the juvenile Cuckoo today.
This evening 29 Manx Shearwaters and a single Arctic Skua were offshore at Leasowe on the incoming tide. Observers DH,  EW.

Summer plumaged Turnstone.  EW

Monday 4th August 2014

Weather; Sunny and warm. Wind light W to NW later.


Although it was low tide during the period of observations waders are becoming more obvious at Leasowe. 47 Turnstone and around 20 Ringed Plover were in the area of the groyne. Overhead 6 Swifts and 2 Sand Martins passed quickly through.
The juvenile Cuckoo was in the horse paddocks all day, using the fence lines as vantage points to capture caterpillars.

A general increase in birds was evident in the area of the duck ponds with more Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Reed Buntings present than of late. 3 Willow Warblers were also present here with further singles at Lingham bridge and on Park Lane. A Lesser Whitethroat was also at the duck pond.

Juv Cuckoo AMC

  Observers; AMC, DH, KD, KAD, EW.    

3rd August 2014

Weather: SW-5, warm and overcast.

Wader numbers have continued to increase on North Wirral over the last few days. At the Lighthouse Groyne s 19 Redshank. 1 Greenshank and 1 Whimbrel  were present mid morning.

As to be expected at this time of year the lemon yellow juvenile Willow Warblers continue to move through with 4 recorded in Lingham Lane.

At Hoylake beach a family of Peregrines appear to have taken up temporary residents with the adult birds partially disabling a prey item and allowing the chicks to finish the job. Fascinating to watch, if a little gruesome!

DH

Tuesday 29th July 2014

Weather; Cloudy with some drizzle, wind light westerly.

Offshore at Leasowe lighthouse over the high tide period were 32 Gannets, 11 Sandwich Terns, 10 Common Tern and 26 Common Scoter.
Waders present included over 150 Curlews, 27 Turnstones and 65 Sanderling.
Several Willow Warblers were in the area of the bridge on Lingham Lane thought by the observer to be a family group which indicates successful breeding nearby. This species is usually seen here as a migrant but one or two pairs occasionally breed.
A juvenile Cuckoo was by the western kissing gate. While this is more likely to be a migrant it is possible that this too is the result of local breeding.   Observer D.H.

Juvenile Cuckoo;  Dave Haigh.

Monday 28th July 2014

Weather; Light westerly wind, cloudy at first sunny later. Warm.

Offshore today at Leasowe were 33 Gannets, 3 Great-crested Grebes, 43 Common Scoter, 15 Common, 14 Sandwich Terns and an adult Mediterranian Gull.
Wader numbers and variety continue to grow. 50 Sanderling were present, all adults, together with 35 Dunlin, a Bar-tailed Godwit, over 100 Redshanks, 50 Turnstones and the usual Greenshank. Autumn passerine migration is starting to pick up with Willow Warblers, as usual, in the vanguard. 5 individuals were present in coastal scrub including 3 juveniles resplendent in their canary-yellow garb.
A juvenile Yellow Wagtail was in the paddocks yesterday.

Juvenile Reed Warbler  EW.

The local Reed Warblers appear to have had a good breeding season. Chestnut-washed juveniles well outnumber the paler looking adults, many of the latter still being in song and carrying food.

Adult Reed Warbler.  EW

Observers DH, EW.

     

26th July 2014

Wind: light Southerly
Hot and sunny

There was a report of a Black Scoter off Meols today on the incoming tide.  There was a Scoter with lot of yellow on its bill but it is clear from the attached photograph that it was only a Common Scoter. Whether or not this was the same bird reported by the observer is not known although bird forums seem to subsequently indicate it had been re-identified as a Common Scoter.  The bird in the photograph appeared to be ill, being observed as having difficulty swallowing.  Perhaps this is why it was so unusually close to land.

Other than the excitement caused by this bird very little was around at Leasowe.  The Greenshank was feeding in the gully close to the groyne and a mixed flock of about 40+ Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Chaffinch were present in the horse paddocks.  The anglers at Lingmere Fisheries report a Kingfisher being seen early morning.  

JB

Common Scoter (Jeremy Bradshaw)

                                         

19th July 2014

Weather: E/NE becoming variable. Overcast and rain.

An adult 'Med' Gull remains on the foreshore off the Lighthouse car park. Other birds offshore included 14 Sandwich and 11 Common Terns, 23 Common Scoter and a stunning summer plumaged Bar tailed Godwit fed on the tide line.

Nearby the Green Sandpiper remains at Gilroy were there were an impressive 780 Black tailed Godwits.

DH