Summary : April 2016
Summary April 2016
Species this month = 88
New Species added to 2016 Year List in April = 15
Sand Martins and House Martins at Moore on the 5th, Brent Goose, Common Eider and Wheatear at Riverbank Road on the 8th and Black-necked Grebe at Woolston Eyes also on the 8th. Our first Swallow at Ellesmere on the 10th April, Cetti’s Warbler and Water Pipit (Life Tick) and Little Ringed Plover at Burton Mere Wetlands on the 12th April, Willow Warbler and Blackcap at Wigan Flashes on 18th April, Sedge Warbler at Burton Mere Wetlands on 22nd April. Reed Warbler (heard) and Marsh Tit (seen) at Leighton Moss on the 26th April
New UK Life List Birds In April = 1
Water Pipit at Burton Mere Wetlands on 12th
Running Total for the 2016 UK So Far = 124
Garden Birding
The garden has erupted in bird song with Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock and Wren all joining the usual background of Great Tit and Blue Tit. On the 4th and 5th April we observed a Wren carring nesting material into a small cavity under the gutter of our back door. Previously a Robin tried to nest here but abandoned it; hopefully we will be luckier with the Wren. Our pair of Mistle Thrushes continue to come for meal worms and nearly come up to the back door.
Towards the end of the month, the blue skies disappeared and heavy rain and some sltte and hail stones replaced the sunshine. The Woodpigeons have become so onerous in the garden that I have stopped putting out food on the ground in the garden and only put a few mealworms near the back door where they are too nervous to approach – for now !
Birding Group
The first birding groupday of the spring term was at Moore Nature Reserve where we got a couple of “year ticks” in the shape of Sand and House Martins. Next up was day at Burton Mere Wetlands that started of quiet but ended up with two “year ticks” in the shape of Cetti’s Warbler and Little Ringed Plver but the highlight was the “life tick” Water Pipit that showed amazingly well ! The following week we actually managed to get to Wigan Flashes at last having beed rained off for a couple of years. Here we had a beautiful, hot, Spring day with good sightings of my first Willow Warbers and Blackcaps of the year. Apart from this we heard several, and saw two, Cetti’s Warblers. A wonderful morning in the sun !
The last birding Tueday of the month was on the 26th when we went to RSPB Leighton Moss which was pretty quiet but we did get our first Marsh Tit of the year and heard our first Reed Warbler. We also got to go up the new towers for the first time which is a great addition to the site.
Solo Days Out
On the 8th April there was a high tide on the Wirral so we spent the first half of the day there gaining three “year ticks” Riverbank Road in Heswall in the shape of Common Eider, Brent Goose and Northern Wheatear. This was just a part of the enjoyment with Short-eared Owls and Merlin also seen. After lunch we headed off to Woolston Eyes where we got our first Back-necked Grebes of the year. On a day out to visit friends in Ellesmere we saw our first Swallow of the Year. On the 22nd we were back up on the Wirral doing a multi-site tour of Red Rocks, Neston Old Quay and Burton Mere Wetlands. Our visit to Red Rocks was a first and it was really interesting to see how close Hilbre Island is from there. Of course, the public are always warned that this is a dangerous place to make a crossing and the recommended route is from West Kirby via Little Eye and Middle Eye. At Neston Old Quay we got the best ever views of a Short-earted Owl which justified the assertion, by another birder that I met recently, that this is the very best place to see Short-eared Owls at any tide. We watched this bird for around fifteen minutes and, even better, but we did it whilst having a pint sitting outside the Harp Inn ! At Burton Mere Wetlands we heard our first Sedge Warbler of the year and possibly also a Grasshopper Warbler and generally had a fantastic, sunny, day on the Wirral