My garden Eccleston

Male siskin still visiting the sunflower heart feeder daily.

Damian P

Eccleston Mere

Lots of migrants around this morning, including:

 

Swift (one)

Swallow

Sand Martin

House Martin

Whitethroat

Willow Warbler

Blackcap

Sedge Warbler

Chiffchaff

Common Sandpiper

Chris McEntee

Pied Flycatcher, Taylor Park

 

Chris McEntee

Cuckoo

This morning on Havannah flash I was rewarded by hearing the sound of a Cuckoo, I was really delighted with this as the last time I heard a Cuckoo on the flash was in 2002.
Other birds.
Common tern 2
Oystercatcher 1 over.
SteB.

Eccleston Mere

Another quick look on my way home...

Common sandpiper 1 on East Bank again opposite the timing hut
Mandarin duck 1m
Goldeneye 1f near the island
Sandmartin 15+
Swallow 30+
Housemartin 5+
Grey wagtail 1

Damian P

Today

Tuesday 26th April: 8 Common Tern and 1 Common Sandpiper at Carr Mill Dam; 1 Whitethroat at Stanley Bank; 1 Sedge Warbler at Sankey Valley next to the Visitor Centre.

Derek Evans

My garden Eccleston

A pair of siskin on my feeders again this morning, they've been pretty much every day for the past few weeks.

Damian P

Havannah flash

7am. Short walk with the dogs, birds present this morning.
Buzzard 3.
Blackcap 1.
Tree creeper 1.
Lapwing 6.
Canada goose 2 over.
Reed bunting 3.
Swallow 1 over.
SteB.

Old Coach Road

On a bike ride with the kids....
Shelduck 2 - I think these are following me around!
Blackcap 1 singing
Willow warbler 2 singing

and 1 baby lapwing!

Damian P

Eccleston mere

Another quick look after work...

Mandarin duck 1f
House Martin 1
Swallow 20+
Blackcap 1 singing
Mute swan 12

Damian P

Today

Thursday 21st April at Sandy Lane Rainford: pair Grey Partridge; pair Oystercatcher; one Raven; one Whitethroat seen and in song.
At Berrington's Lane, Rainford: one Fieldfare.
Derek Evans.

Havannah flash

Tufted duck 2 /1 male / 1 female.
Grey Heron 1.
Reed bunting.
Buzzard 2
Lapwing.
Jay.

Orange tip 1
Small tortoiseshell 3
SteB.

Eccleston mere

A quick look on my way home...

Common sandpiper 1
Swallow 1
Reed bunting 2 male
Song thrush 1
Mute swan 7
Tufted duck 9+

Damian P

Carr Mill Dam

Tuesday 19th April: 2 Greylag Goose, pair Tufted Duck, 2 Common Tern, 1 Common Sandpiper.

Derek Evans

Carr Mill Dam

Monday 18th April: Pair Teal (main Dam at 0850), 3 Common Tern, 100+ Sand Martin and 1 Tree Sparrow. Derek Evans

Wildlife, the Law & Respect

Hi all,

Its at this time of the year when we suddenly need to think a little more carefully about posting sightings and photos of breeding birds.

By all means feel free to share information privately (especially with me!) but always be wary of putting the info out for all and sundry to see ..... there are still some unscrupulous people out there who trawl the internet for breeding bird info, only last week some peregrine eggs were stolen from a nest in the north west.

In regards to photography please respect the wildlife and remember that patience, understanding and good field craft will always trump unrestrained encroaching on a subject.  Wildlife is sensitive and disturbing nesting birds is an offence.

Cheers

Paul B

This week

Monday 11th April: Burgy Banks North - 1 Blackcap in song.

Tuesday 12th April: Laffak Pond (Chain Lane) - 1 drake Pochard; 6 Sand Martin.

Friday 15th April: Grasmere Avenue - 1 Raven was first site record. Berrington's Lane - pair Oystercatcher; 1 Red-legged Partridge; 2 Siskin; 4 Redpoll. Sandy Lane - 20 Fieldfare.  

Green Woodpecker

Having been for a short walk this afternoon in Billinge Plants and watching a Nuthatch at its nesthole but frustratingly not being able to get in position for a photograph, I went back this evening (7.40pm) to see if there was any more activity, but this time without my camera. After being there for a couple of minutes and deciding it was too late in the day, a larger bird flew in and landed on the same tree trunk just yards above my head. Because it was starting to get dusk it was slightly silhouetted . I thought it was a woodpecker but it didn't look like a great-spotted. And it couldn't be a green woodpecker because ive never seen one .. and what are the odds of seeing one just yards above my head? Then it started yaffling! It stayed for about 30 seconds flew to another tree about 20 yards away , yaffled some more.... and then flew directly in the direction of the border between Abbots farm- Bispham wood. After tapping on the tree trunk with a stone for a further 30 seconds the Nuthatch didn't show itself so I went home!

Bits and pieces at Eccleston Mere

Fairly quiet round the mere this afternoon, with the most notable birds being 2 males and 1 female Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler all being the first I've seen in St Helens this year, also m&f Pochard, 6+ Tufted Duck and 4+ Great-creasted Grebes

Ray Banks

Sent from my iPad

Havannah flash

Sightings from Havannah flash this afternoon.
Brimstone 1
Orange tip 1
Swallow 1
Buzzard 2
Reed bunting 1

SteB.

Moss Lane

Shelduck 2 (1m,1f)
Oystercatcher 4
Corn bunting 1
Stock dove 4
Grey Partridge 2
Yellowhammer 2
Lesser black backed gull 20+
Grey Heron 2
Lapwing 10+
Buzzard 1

Brown Hare 2

Damian P

Burgy Banks North

Saturday 9th April: 4 male Blackcap chasing of which one in song at Burgy Banks North (above Hinckley Road) at 0845.

Derek Evans

Carr Mill area

Thursday 7th April: 4 Wheatear (3 male, one female) at 1145 on ploughed land near Otter's Swift Farm. 

Derek Evans

Carr Mill Dam

Wed 6th April: 90 Sand Martin, 3 Swallow and one House Martin at 0900.

Derek Evans

Bats

First Bats of the year spotted tonight  flying around my back garden,8-20pm. Pipistrelle.
SteB.

Towards the town centre

Monday 4th April: female Mallard with 7 ducklings on St Helens Canal near New Double Locks; one Willow Warbler in song near Lower Hall Street at 0830.

Derek Evans

Havannah flash

Birds this morning.

Buzzard 2

Kingfisher 2

Lapwings 4

SteB.

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

Bird box camera

I've streamed my bird box camera to YouTube and will try to keep the stream live a much as possible. We've got bluetits which are just starting to nest. They're normally most active in the mornings and then one bird roosts from about 7.30 onwards. I've added a new tab above that links straight to the feed. It's not working from my phone though for some reason, will try and get that sorted next.

Damian P

Sankey Valley and Carr Mill Dam

Thurs 31st March: 2 (pair) Teal near Visitor Centre.

Fri 1st April: 2 Fieldfare near Stanley Bank; 20 Sand Martin and 3 Swallow at Carr Mill Dam.

Derek Evans