*** Posting to this blog - Please read ***

*** Posting to this blog – Please read ***

Welcome to the St Helens Birds and Wildlife blog. We welcome your reports from across the borough regarding all forms of wildlife. Please click on the "Report a sighting" tab if you would like to contribute to this blog.

We ask that you refrain from posting exact breeding locations of any species which may be considered scarce or vulnerable, and in particular schedule 1 species. In the context of St Helens, schedule 1 species usually means kingfisher and little ringed plover. Little ringed plover should not be reported at all on this blog between 1st May and 1st August.

Scarce or vulnerable species include but are not restricted to any species of wader, ducks other than mallard, all owls, any birds of prey, grey or yellow wagtails, grey heron, all grebes, Cetti’s warbler, water rail, willow tit, corn bunting etc. If in doubt, please ask.

We reserve the right to edit or delete posts which contravene this rule.


Wheatear

Spotted two male Wheatears in the farmers fields  along Cooper lane footpath at 7am this morning, along with one Buzzard.

Heard my first Chiffchaff of the year this morning walking the dog.  Just hadn't expected to hear it in Rainhill village.  Sounded like it was in the clump of trees, by the railway line, in the far corner of the playing field of the old Youth Club on Old Lane/Warrington Road junction.  I heard one round there last year for few days.

Carr Mill Dam

11.45 Today at Dam

5 Sand Martin

1 Swallow

1 House Martin

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

Havannah flash

Plenty of frogspawn in the newly established ponds on the flash this morning (job well done).
Buzzard 4
Lapwings 7
SteB.

7 Singing Chiffchaffs

A count of 7 singing Chiffchaffs from Sankey Valley Visitors Centre along canal to Vulcan Village.

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

Havannah flash

Birds present this morning.
Tufted duck 2, 1 m/1 f.
Teal 15
Nuthatch 1
Cormorant 3 over.
Reed bunting 1
Buzzard 1
Lapwing.
SteB.

Newton Lake

2 Green Sandpipers feeding at the far end of the lake at 4pm today.

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

Moss Lane

I've not been out for ages due to one thing or another, so it was nice to get out in the sunshine this afternoon. I met another birder who had just seen a merlin down there, but I didn't see it. There wasn't much around at first but the later I stayed out, the more things started to appear. I've never seen so many hare at once before, they were just chilling out in the evening sun.

Redwing 40+
Fieldfare 8+
Corn bunting 2 (kindly pointed out by another birder)
Meadow pipit 3
Goldcrest 1
Skylark 5+
Lapwing 15+
Starling 40+
Buzzard 1
Yellowhammer 10+


Two of the many hare around, the others were more distant.


Corn bunting


Fieldfare flock + lapwing.


A single redwing in the trees which I embarrassingly thought was a corn bunting on the back of the camera! 


This was as close as the flock of redwing got.


Brown Hare 10+

Damian P


Bluetit behaviour My Garden Eccleston

I've had a nestbox camera for a few years on the back of the house and the other day my wife heared noises from it in the middle of the day while she was hanging out the washing. When we checked on the telly, we saw a bluetit pecking away at the bottom right corner of the box and dropping the 'sawdust' bits out of the box. It's been doing this for a few days now. I can't imagine why it's doing this but hope that it is preparing the box for nesting. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know...



Damian P

Havannah flash

All the ditches that were excavated  last year along Havannah flash are now alive with frogs , but as of yet no sign of frogspawn.

SteB.

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

Spring has kind of Sprung on Billinge Hill

A quick blast up to Billinge Hill and surround this early am in the hope of a spring migrant was fruitless, no chiffchaffs, no wheatears, no hirundines ..... winter birds dominated the preceedings tho there were certainly some signs of spring including one I have not witnessed before!

The song of skylark and yellowhammer filled the air on the walk up with at least 7 yellowhammer and a couple of linnet territories occupied.

A small flock of lesser redpoll has been present for a number of weeks in the landfill site and on this occasion I counted 8 "buzzing" over.  A few calling overhead siskin added to the winter feel.

I pushed on to the pine copse and sheep fields (favourite haunts for wheatear and ring ouzel in past years) where a couple of goldcrest were singing in the canopy tho a distant noise was attracting my attention, as I moved closer I could distinguish that there was a large number of starling in the next copse over.  And then the sight and sound of 100+ redwing feeding in the field and standing alert in the treetops bowled me over.

As I less than stealthily snuck around the corner the redwing flew to the tree tops but I was able to get into the copse and wait ..... the sound of redwing pre-migration is amazing a mixture of song and call akin to an orchestra warming up!

In addition a male brambling was present.

So spring migrants yet to arrive but plenty to keep one interested

Paul B

Laffak Pond, Chain Lane

Thursday 10th March: 1 Siskin; pair of Willow Tit.
Friday 11th March: 3 Siskin.

Derek Evans

Laffak Pond, Chain Lane

Sat 5th and Mon 7th; Siskin 5 feeding in alders.
Mon 7th; Raven one south at 0840.

Derek Evans

FW: Havannah flash


From: Ste
Sent: ‎08/‎03/‎2016 13:52
To: yicker7@gmail.com
Subject: FW: Havannah flash


From: Ste
Sent: ‎08/‎03/‎2016 13:27
To: sightings@outlook.com
Subject: Havannah flash

Just for interest, can anyone identify the tracks in the attached photos? I think the tracks are possibly Mink tracks. They were found this morning along the banks of Sankey brook.
SteB.

Wildlife crime

Please be aware, that Wild life crime is happening in our area, if you see anything suspicious, do not approach the people involved for your own safety, but take notes etc and report it immediately to your local Police.
This is the only way to stop it.

Make the most of your 24 hours with Windows 10

Learn about productivity, the Mail and Calendar apps, and more.
Windows 10 Getting Started Series
Email 1 2
This email has been designed to work with Windows 10 devices.
Make the most of your 24 hours
Make the most of your 24 hours
In this second email in the series, you'll learn how Windows 10 can help you be more productive.
If you've opted out of receiving email, this is the last one you'll get.
Get all your notifications in Action Centre
Action Centre
With Action Centre, your notifications – emails, reminders, updates and key settings – are all in one place, for quick action with no need to open a separate app.
Learn how to use Action Centre
Task view
See everything open in task view
See your open apps, documents and files in a single view to easily manage and switch between tasks.
Learn more
Snap multiple apps
Snap multiple apps
Snap up to four apps into place on the screen at the same time and work across documents. Or check out multiple websites without having to switch between them.
Learn more
Stay organised
Create virtual desktops to stay organised
To get more space and keep things separated, you can create multiple desktops. For example, you can have one desktop for files and documents when it's time to work – and another desktop for music, photos and games when it's time to play.
Learn more
Create virtual desktops to stay organised
Get more done with the new Mail and Calendar
With the new built-in Mail and Calendar apps, you can manage your inbox better and keep your day more organised. Microsoft Word capability is built into the Mail app, so that you can insert tables, add photos and format text in familiar ways. And the new navigation bar lets you move easily between your email and calendar.
Learn more
Mail
Mail
Open the Mail app
Calendar
Calendar
Open the Calendar app
More built-in apps that work across your devices
Windows 10 comes with great built-in apps like Photos, Maps, Groove Music and Films & TV1 to help you have more fun and get more done.
 Open the app
Photos
Open the app
 Open the app
Maps
Open the app
 Open the app
Films & TV
Open the app
Cortana helps you get more done
Meet Cortana, your own personal assistant
Get Cortana2, your personal digital assistant, to send an email, set a reminder or appointment, play music and more – all without leaving what you're currently doing.
Learn more
The new Office is available on Windows 10
The best way to experience this powerful combo is with an Office 365 subscription – so you have the power of all-new Office 2016 applications wherever you are and across all your devices.
Get Office 365
Learn more
Help is waiting in the Get Started app
We've designed the Get Started app to help you get the most out of Windows 10. It can help you get on the web, navigate your device, move files, set up printers and hardware and more. Any time that we add new features to Windows 10, the app will automatically update3 to help you with those, too.
Open the Get Started app
Join the conversation about Windows 10.
Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter See us on Pinterest Watch us on YouTube
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
See us on Pinterest
Watch us on YouTube
1 Feature and app availability and experience may vary by market and device.
2 Cortana available in selected markets at launch; Cortana experience may vary by region and device.
3 Additional software and/or hardware requirements may apply over time for updates.
Microsoft respects your privacy. To learn more, please read our Privacy Statement.
Microsoft Corporation
‍One Microsoft Wa‍y
‍Redmond, WA 980‍52
 
 
 
Microsoft






Parr stocks road

Kestrel spotted on wall as I was driving along Parr stocks road 2-45pm this afternoon.
SteB.

Ravens at Hollin Hey

A pair of Ravens this afternoon opposite Hollin Hey Farm.

Also a flock of 36 Pied Wagtails feeding in a field close by.






Sent from Samsung tablet

Havannah flash

Lapwings displaying well in fields off Havannah flash.
Feeding station.
Jay 4
Nuthatch 1
Great tit
Robin
Chaffinch
Blackbird.
SteB.