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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.

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Red Admiral

Nice to see a few butterflies out and about on Havannah flash.
This one was seen this morning while out walking.
SteB.

Moss Lane

Monday 25th July My first Common Gull (first summer plumage?) of the autumn.
Derek Evans.

Moss Lane

Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd July
Over two morning visits: 2 Buzzard, 1 Oystercatcher, 4 Lapwing, 100+ Woodpigeon on stubble, 40 Swallow, 22 Pied Wagtail in the sheep field, 100 Starling, 20 Tree Sparrow.
Derek Evans

Little grebe

Regarding the little grebe on Lyme and wood country park, Paul, this is the first time that I have seen them,also five young in total with the mother. Interesting to know if anyone else has seen little grebes in this area as the ponds are still a little bare of vegetation etc.
SteB.

Lyme and wood country park

Think this is a little Grebe,look very closely and you may be able to spot the young one on her back.
SteB.

Dragonfly

Picture of Larval skin,cast skin of a Dragonfly. (old skin after moulting).

Carr Mill Dam

Thursday 14th July 1 Sedge Warbler in bulrushes at the Goyt inlet at 0635.
Derek Evans

This week

Monday 4th July  At Moss Lane: 3 Oystercatcher; 2 Lapwing chicks with 5 adults.
Tuesday 5th July  At Carr Mill Dam: 2 eclipse drake Tufted Duck plus a female with one tiny duckling; 1 Common Sandpiper.
Wednesday 6th July  At Hard Lane playing fields: my first juvenile Black-headed Gull of the autumn. At St Helens Crematorium: confirmed breeding of Coal Tit with at least one recently fledged juvenile in a flock of 5.
Derek Evans

Today

Buzzard 2, Mucky mountains N L Willows.
Kingfisher 1,  Havannah flash.
Swifts 20,  plus Havannah flash.
Rabbit 7, near common road.
Grey heron 2,  near common road.
Brown hawker 1.
SteB.

Old Coach Road

I did a lap of the Old Coach Road this afternoon with a detour to Moss Farm...

8 Curlew (these flew up from a field near to Moss Farm)
6+ Oystercatcher
Yellowhammer 2
Tree Sparrow 1
Chiffchaff 3
Blackcap 4 (3m, 1f)
Whitethroat 2
Linnet 1
Kestrel 3
Buzzard 1
Stock Dove 2
Skylark 5
Hundreds of swift

I've not seen any yellow wagtail there yet this year, the first year in the past five that I've not seen them there easily.

Also, two buzzard and two raven flew over my house this afternoon in Eccleston.

Damian P

This week

Tuesday 28th June 1 Redpoll songflight display north end of Carr Mill Dam.
Wednesday 29th June At Merton Bank Open Space confirmed breeding Reed Warbler (adult carrying food for young) - perhaps 2 pairs; also 1 pair Sedge Warbler.
Saturday 2nd July At Carr Mill Dam pair Stock Dove and post-breeding flock 10 Mistle Thrush.
Derek Evans