A multi-contributor blog covering all aspects of wildlife in St Helens. Please see the "Report a Sighting" tab or use the contact form if you would like to contribute.
*** 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. |
Eccleston Mere
Swift 1
Sandmartin 30
Housemartin 50
Swallow 90
Damian P
Billinge Hill early morning
Raven 2
Swallow 8
Common Whitethroat 1
Tree Sparrow 6
Reed bunting 2
Goldcrest 1
Blackcap, chiffchaff, willow warbler all heard.
Hare 2
Weasel 2
Eccleston Mere
Common sandpiper 2
Common tern 2
Common Whitethroat 1
House martin 20
Swallow 10
Sand Martin 1
Damian P
Dairy Farm Road then Coach Road toward Mossborough
Jay and Greenfinch as well.
Plenty of butterflies including Brimstone, Small White, Orange Tip, Peacock
Also one huge moth that whizzed by, bigger than the brimstone but no idea what it was. Hawk Moth of some kind??
Dukes Clough, Rainhill
Coach Road, Rainford
Coach Road, Rainford
Havannah flash
Grey heron 1
Tufted duck 2
Buzzard 2
sparrowhawk 1
Lapwing 3
SB
Billinge Hill to Mountain's Farm
There were lots of linnet and meadow pipit near the summit which kept being disturbed by a hunting kestrel. The two oystercatcher were near to Mountain's farm and the chiffchaff was heard near to Pimbo Bushes.
Meadow pipit 20
Linnet 15
Pied Wagtail 7
Oystercatcher 2
Chiffchaff 1 heard
Kestrel 1
Buzzard 1
Eccleston Mere
Mandarin pair
Swallow 2 (and a third perched on the wires along Burrows Lane)
Willow warbler heard
Chiffchaff heard
Mute Swan 4
Pochard 1f
Gadwall 3
Damian P
New Arrivals
Garswood
Regards
D Broome
Bats
8-15pm
SB
Pennington Flash
Firstly, the brambling was showing really well in the Bunting Hide along with a very showy water rail and all the usual bullfinch, reed bunting, and a willow tit. With my optimism boosted a bit we set off to the Tom Edmundson hide and it wasn't long before I heard the distinctive call of a Cetti's warbler. I alerted a few other birders just to get confirmation of what I'd heard and soon enough it called again. I thought I'd managed to get photos of the Cetti's deep in the undergrowth, but on closer inspection at home, it turned out to be a wren! At least I heard it though.
Eccleston Mere
Newton Lake
regards
D Broome