Lapland Bunting at Leosowe 13 Nov 2025
The highlight of the month, and perhaps the year, was a visit to Leosowe Lighthouse on the 13th November 2025. We got a life tick and two year ticks on a dry, windless sunny day at the Leosowe horse paddocks and on the promenade there.
As soon as we arrived at the car park we saw the resident Kestrel perched up on its usual spot on the Lighthouse. There were other birders coming and going and it didn’t take us long to get into a little group of birders. Coming out of the car park, we turned right but, instead of taking the Wirral Circular trail for a short spell then turning left past the fish pond, we found a more direct route to the paddocks we wanted by taking the left turn onto Lingham Lane. Within a few feet there is a rough path leading off to the right that takes you to the kissing gate where, after entering, you are at the paddocks.
We kept our eye open for the bunting as we walked up the path that borders the paddocks but the massed birders were all at the very far end where the horses were and that is also often referred to as the paddock “with the tyres in”. After a bit of a frustrating start, as the bird was very mobile, it eventually settled on the fence posts and gave us some stunning views (see below for some photos from the Deeside Birding web site)
There were Meadow Pipits and a flock of Linnets dancing around; the Linnets were also a late year tick. When the Lapland Bunting had gone back into hiding for a bit, we decided that had probably seen enough considering that there were Snow Buntings yet to be found out on the promenade.
We retraced our steps past the paddock and back down the little lane where there were still birders looking for a Firecrest, the Yellow-browed Warbler having apparently not been seen for a few days.
Back at the car park I got my breath back and got rid of my jacket – it was really that warm – in mid November! Then it was off down the left on the promenade towards the groyne. About a third of the way there we met more birders and a pair of Snow Buntings were feeding just behind the concrete breakwaters. On the edge of the water some Turnstones were also feeding. The Snow Buntings in particular were perfectly happy with lots of people and traffic and went about their feeding oblivious to all. On the way back, we got a Greenshank in one of the pools and a number of Redshanks.
It being lunchtime we dropped down to Parkgate where we had a spot of lunch catching Marsh Harrier, Kestrel and Jackdaw and then we went down to Burton Mere Wetlands for a loo stop before driving home, staying long enough to add Buzzard, a Nuthatch and various ducks to our list for the day; 35 species, 2 year ticks and a life tick!!
Bird Sightings : Leosowe, Pakgate and Burton 13 Nov 2025
| Species | No |
|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Tit |
| 2 | Buzzard |
| 3 | Chaffinch |
| 4 | Great Tit |
| 5 | Mallard |
| 6 | Nuthatch |
| 7 | Shoveler |
| 8 | Teal |
| 9 | Great White Egret |
| 10 | Jackdaw |
| 11 | Kestrel |
| 12 | Marsh Harrier |
| 13 | Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon |
| 14 | Starling |
| 15 | Black-headed Gull |
| 16 | Carrion Crow |
| 17 | Cetti's Warbler |
| 18 | Cormorant |
| 19 | Curlew |
| 20 | Great Black-backed Gull |
| 21 | Greenshank |
| 22 | Grey Heron |
| 23 | Herring Gull |
| 24 | Lapland Bunting |
| 25 | Lapwing |
| 26 | Lesser Black-backed Gull |
| 27 | Linnet |
| 28 | Little Egret |
| 29 | Magpie |
| 30 | Meadow Pipit |
| 31 | Oystercatcher |
| 32 | Pied Wagtail |
| 33 | Redshank |
| 34 | Snow Bunting |
| 35 | Turnstone |
Location
Photos from Deeside Birding Web Site
