Cheshire and Wirral Bird Report 2000

There is a comprehensive report on bird ringing with the most traveled bird being a Swallow ringed at Hoylake recovered in South Africa. As pointed out in the article the emphasis on ringing has now shifted from investigating movements/ migration to population dynamics.

Other articles include a description of the capture, ringing and identification of a Blyth's Reed Warbler, a first for Cheshire and Wirral, and a report on the huge countrywide Honey Buzzard influx during September, although we only got ten over here. But to put this in perspective - from 1967 to 1999 there were only 16 accepted records in Cheshire and Wirral. A fascinating piece about the movements of a colour ringed Spoonbill particularly caught my eye. This was one of the birds which attempted to breed at Frodsham in 1996 and was recorded 50 times during its life between 1992 and 1999.       

Cost of the report is £5.70 (incl p&p) from:
Dr Paul Brewster, 23 Verdon Close, Moulton, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 8RL, Tel: 01606 590491, make cheques out to CAWOS.

Bird Counts

Maximum Wader counts for January at West Kirby High tide roost (date in brackets), counted by the Dee Estuary Voluntary Wardens.
600 Oystercatcher (2nd), 50 Ringed Plover (2nd), 53 Grey Plover (12th), 3,000 Knot (5th), 6,000 Dunlin (5th), 150 Curlew (18th) and 496 Redshank (12th).

Large numbers of waders were present during January. Maximum numbers included 29,000 Knot (Hoylake), 24,500 Dunlin (Hoylake), 1,500 Black-tailed Godwit (Inner Marsh Farm) and 8,000 Bar-tailed Godwit (Hilbre). Those Godwit counts could both be record high counts for their respective locations (although the IMF count was even higher on the 1st of Feb.). 

A good place to get really close to roosting waders at high tide is West Kirby Marine Lake were the old swimming pool used to be, now filled with large boulders. If you stay on the road side of the railings the birds remain undisturbed, in January we had over 100 Turnstone and 10 Purple Sandpiper here, as well as a few hundred Redshank and Dunlin. See photo below of some of the Turnstone, Redshank and Dunlin. 

Twelve Spotted Redshank have been at Inner Marsh Farm with several Ruff. When I was there one Spotted Redshank was standing close to the hide in the middle of about forty Redshanks so its longer bill and legs together with the paler belly and breast were obvious and made identification easy, a bird which I've had difficulty with previously.

Brent geese numbers took a dip during January to 15, but increased again to 23 by the end of the month. One of these was of the dark-bellied race which has taken to spend high tide on the marsh at West Kirby eating the grass just a few yards from the dog walkers! Pink-footed Geese have only been seen in small numbers this year, just restricted to one flock of thirty and another of forty, both flying over.

A drake Green-winged Teal spent several days at Inner Marsh Farm at the end of the month. This American duck is now regarded as a separate species to our own Eurasian Teal, which can be seen by the hundreds at Heswall and Inner Marsh Farm.

As for most of this winter Short-eared Owls have been much in evidence with two seen both at Leasowe Lighthouse and Point of Ayr, but the best sighting was undoubtedly at Parkgate at a big high tide on the 30th when twelve were seen.

Just two more bits of news. First the latest Hilbre Bird Observatory Report is about to be published, click on the link for details. Secondly - those wanting to visit the hide overlooking Talacre fields (Warren Farm) where there can be large numbers of waders present at high tide can get the keys at any time from the visitor centre at BHPBilliton during office hours and at the BHPBilliton  security office all other times. The hide is on Station Road (on the way to the Point of Ayr) just next to the railway bridge.

There are some big spring high tides due at the end of February and early March which should bring some great birdwatching, including Parkgate where there is an organised Birdwatch.

1. Neil Friswell and Colin Wells, Dee Estuary WeBS Annual Report 2000/2001.

Many thanks go to Dave Harrington, Neil Friswell, Adam King, Dave Wilde, Dave Cavanagh, S Menzie, Alan Jupp, Wendy Allen,  Chris Tynan, Dorothy Jebb, David Steer, John Graham, John Cambell, Chris Williams, Mark Feltham, Thomas Giles, Geoff Harrop,  Mike Hart, Paul Hurley, Michael Clarkson, Brian Grey, John Kirkland, Jeff Clarke, Chris Butterworth, Bill Owens,  Cathy McGrath, Eoin Jennings, Gerry Lucas, David Esther, Iain Douglas, Martyn Jaimeson, Carl Clee, Jane Turner, Brian Roberts and the Dee Estuary Voluntary Wardens for their sightings during January. I rely on the goodwill of people like this, unlike some commercial sites I cannot offer financial inducements!

Note: Many of these forthcoming events are extracted from 'Birdwatchers Diary 2002', which covers both the Dee and Mersey regions. Copies available from the visitor centre at Thurstaston, Wirral Country Park 0151 648 4371 or by from myself.