16/04/2021 Cutacre Country Park, Bolton

Stonechat: Lovely walk in the spring sunshine, a little cold perhaps but a pleasant walk with not many folk about.  I was hoping for a few owls, but didn't strike lucky this time.

But had plenty of the more common stuff including plenty of stonechat, meadow pips and skylarks. 

Meadow Pipit: I will return and hopefully see some owls next time or an early spring migrants like a whinchat. 

Fingers crossed.

09/04/2012 Frodsham Marsh, Cheshire

Chiffchaff: Once again after spending the day working from home in front of the laptop I was keen to enjoy some of this sproing sunshine and I headed down out in the search of water pipit,  this time at Frodsham Marsh. 

Again, no water pipit, but plenty of other nice birds including three black necked grebes on tank no.6, a single wheatear near the pipes near tank no.4 and a very nice male yellow wagtail briefly in the flooded area off Lordship lane. 

I wouldn't describe the flooded field as a flood anymore, it's drying out fast and is more like a muddy muddle. A few more days of dry weather and I fear it will no longer be wet at all.

In a patch of reed near tank no.3 there was  male chiffy belting out its song, the sound of springtime. I watched it as it foraged amongst the reeds and a hawthorn which was now in leaf. 

A lovely little bird to while away the late afternoon with.  

Meadow Pipit: I spent much of my time watching the flooded field as this is the area the water pipit has been favouring.

Birds were still visiting the flood, including pied wags, reed bunts and mipits, some of which came pretty close as the foraged wider across the muddy field.

I really like frodders, a place I learned by birding skills when I was a child. Although now its seems like a place I rarely visit, perhaps something that needs to change. 

18/05/2017 Hilbre Island, Wirral

Shore Lark: Very scarce bird of the West coast, this local mega was found by Hilbre legend Steve Williams on the 15th of May.

Since then every man and his dog has gone across and seen it, I've had too much on, either newt surveys or Birthday celebrations.

I don't often spend much time on Hilbre but when I get the chance to go over I always enjoy myself, especially when the sun is out and the rain holds off.

The Shore Lark was busily feeding at the back of the island on the open grassy paths opposite Buoymaster's house.

Meadow Pipit: Plenty of activity around the island with mipits feeding young, Swallows doing the same and a single Wheatear foraging in the same area as the Shore Lark.

Whimbrel: After spending around 40 minutes with the Shore Lark I was joined by Colin Davies who was good company. We ended up down on the rocks scanning through the Dunlin and Oystercatchers looking for Whimbrel.

There has been four Whimbrel around Hilbre for a while and we could hear them calling from up on top of the island.

Great to catch up with Steve Williams, Colin Davies, travelling Dave Haigh and Graham Connolly who was sporting a brillinat LFC tshirt.

09/04/2017 Marshide RSPB, Southport

Meadow Pipit: Another nice day out with some stunning blue skies and warm weather - I could get use to this!

I was hoping to see Shropshire's Night Heron and spend the day at Venus Pools, however it seemed like the bird did a bunk and disappeared in the night.

Wheatear: So hoping to see my first Wheatear of the years and wasn't disappointed as I counted four individuals foraging around the sand works area. This seemed a popular spot, as there were birders all over the place.

The sand works area is directly Sandgrounders Hide on the opposite side of the road, this is a nice area for mipits, Skylark, Linnet and the odd Ringed Plover.

Avocet: After wandering around the sand works area I ventured over to Sandgrounders Hide where I was confronted by a frenzy of Black-headed gulls with hundreds of them squawking away.

Mediterranean Gull: But take your time and look through the mass of black heads and you will see med gulls. I counted four two very distant and two petty close in that were displaying to each other.

Overall It was a nice day out and I was very pleased that I left the house early as the traffic through Ormskirk towards Southport in the afternoon was horrendous, I was glad I was travelling in the opposite direction.

06/09/2014 Great Orme

Wheatear: There are days as a birder I loath, those grey windy days when you see nothing, but there are days when the sun is shining and you find yourself on a stunning part of Wales and despite not seeing your target bird it still turns out to be a great day.

I headed up the very Great Orme hoping to bag another Dotterel but ended up dipping it due to some dog walker spooking the bird before my arrival.

Cheers!




However as I searched for the Dotterel I spotted plenty of Wheatear zigzagging across the heather and perching on the limestone outcrops.

But alas there was no sign of the Dotterel.

Meadow Pipit: It was relatively quiet up there, I searched the grave yard, looked over the Gauze bushes and picked up very little. No migrants no flycatchers or redstarts.

Chough: I did however encounter a pair of Chough honking away as they flew over head.

Nice to bump in to Karen and Dave too.

25/01/2013 Kinmel Bay

Snow Bunting: I treated myself to another brilliant trip to North Wales, and ended up at Kinmel bay where I saw the most stunning bunting, the Snow Bunting.

 I am always amazed when I think Rhyl as it has some great birds, this time last year I was watching Great Northern Divers in the marina lake and you can never fail to see Snow Bunting too.

Meadow Pipit: There was a flock of around 12 fluttering around the beach and dunes, Snow Bunting are very trusting birds they were happily feeding just a few feet away from me.

On the beach there were also Oystercatcher  Ringed Plovers, Great Blacked Backed Gull and this very nice Meadow Pipit which was hanging around with the bunting.

06/06/2012 The Great Orme - Continued

Meadow Pipit: This guy was very active along the rock wall on the road up towars the visitor centre, it kept hopping from one wall to another giving some great views.

Jackdaw: Theses guys are everywhere on the Orme, and not shy at all. A great bird to photograh.

02/02/2012 Kinmel Bay, Rhyl

Snow Buntimgs & Greenfinch: The Snow Bunting where not alone. There was a single fat Greenfinch in tow.











Meadow Pipit: And a Meadow Pipit which flew in with the small flock and hung around for about 5mins before flying away over the dunes.