12/03/2023 My Garden, Abram, Wigan

Willow Warbler: Before the winds picked up and the sun packed up and I was logging on to the work laptop I heard a melancholy, descending song of falling notes, the sound of summer coming from the willows on the otherwise of my garden fence.

This was the familiar song of the willow warbler, a first for my garden list and a welcome visitor possibly all the way from Africa. 

My garden has taken a bask seat to spending time with Autumn and work, as a Senior Ornithologist Im more busy now than I have ever been with work. But good busy, not like the other places I've worked. 

The bird was forging and singing along my fence line and my neighbours before alighting and flying over the house and out of view. 

03/09/2022 Spurn, East Riding of Yorkshire

Citrine Wagtail: I booked a night in the Spurn Bird Observatory with Gary, Kris and Tobie as the winds were looking promising and there had been a trickle of scares migrant warblers mid-week, so we were hopeful.

Red-necked Phalarope: After a late one in the Crown and Ancor we headed out first thing were Kris relocated the cit wag in the ditch along Chalky Point. 

It eventually made an appearance on the grass lawn behind the Riverside Hotel. 

Whinchat: Citrine wags breed on the windsweapst tundra and meadows in parts of northern and eastern Europe and north-central Asia, they winter in south Asia there aren't many annual records so when one turns up and shows well it tends to be a bit of a draw.

Pied Flycatcher: Spurn was littered in common migrant birds we found at least six pied flies, countess whinchat, a handful of common restart and willow warblers. 

Willow Warbler: We scanned almost every hawthorn, peered in ever hedge and looked at miles of buckthorn and still no scarce migrant warblers. 

Fox: We even walked the long walk to the point after a late report of a wryneck came out, the walk defiantly helped out step count but not our legs. 

No scares birds but we did have an unusual encounter with this fox, as it came out from behind the lighthouse and walked right up to us. It stoped and started at us, within touching distance then walked off. 

It didn't look too well and I suspect that some visitors who walk down there may be feeding it as it appeared really tame.

Pied Flycatcher: The buckthorn and wind burned tree stumps  held several pied flies but not much else. 

Fox: Spbesquently since I came back from Spurn I have learned that this 'Lighthouse Fox' is a bit of a regular and is often seen taking food from folk who venture down. It has also been reported by the BBC that the fox has befriended the crew at an East Yorkshire lifeboat station who gave it the original name Basil. 

Common Redstart: Bacon ponds was particularly

productive especially as high tide rolled in and the wader numbers built up.

Wood Sandpiper: Hundreds of dunlin, redshank, ringed plover and black-tailed godwits filled the pools along with five curlew sandpiper and a single wood sandpiper. Two red-neck pals were also here feeding on the flies skimming across the shallow water. 

Curlew Sandpiper: Curlew sands are slim, pale buff waders compared to dunlin which they can be confused with. Curlew sands breed on the Siberian tundra, a quarter-span of the globe to the east of Britain. In autumn, they head south, west and east, to spend the winter as far apart as west Africa and New Zealand.

Sparrowhawk: I always enjoy my visits to Spurn but combined with a night away in its observatory accommodation this trip was particularly good. Very enjoyable birding, company and evening drinks in the Crown. Brilliant. 

07/05/2022 Cadishead and Little Woolden Moss, Salford

Yellow Wagtail: I've recently discovered this gem of a reserve and have tried to put in some time birding here. 

On a day like today with lots of bright sunshine and fluffy clouds, the black peat peppered with white cotton grass makes the whole place look even more spectacular.

Grasshopper Warbler: The first thing you notice about Little Woolden Moss is the sheer enormity of the place. 

In the distance, you can see Winter Hill and Rivington but the vista is flat in between so the 114 hectares is all that your eye can take in. Then, there is the sky.

The mosses between Salford, Liverpool, Wigan and Warrington, are known locally as Big Sky Country. 

Willow Warbler: Lancashire Wildlife trust, local groups and the Lancashire Peatlands Initiative intends have done a fantastic job bringing this place back to life by covering ditches, planting vegetation, and creating bog pools.

In recent days ring ouzel, whinchat, hobby and marsh harrier have all been observed. Today I had a gropper which gave me the runaround, never fully showed itself and five yellow wags in the fields to the west of the site.  

17/04/2022 Venus pools, Shrewsbury

Slow Worm: I've spent a few days here carrying out breeding bird surveys in Shrewsbury and spent some of my free time dipping the green-winged teal at Venus Pools. 

Lovely little reserve if a bit restrictive in places with club members only hides.  

Willow Warbler:  The teal gave me a bit of a runaround not seen on either of my four visits, but seen once over the weekend. Typical. 

Robin: highlights included a brambling from the feedings station hide, a huge slow worm close to the car park and my fisrt little ringed plovers of the year. 

08/04/2017 Wiagn Flashes

Reed Warbler: I rarely  come to Wigan Flashes, I'm not sure why as on a day like to day the place is buzzing wit wildlife. Brimstone Butterflies, Redpoll, Sand Martins, Cetti's, Blackcaps, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler, the place was full of things to see!

I came to see the 1st Winter LTD that was found this morning by Ken Dunning, but got distracted on the way by my first Reed Warbler of the year who was singing away in the reed bed next to Pearson's Flash.

Willow Warbler: Then by a Willow Warbler who put a supurb show singing and flycatching. 

Long-tailed Duck: Eventually I made it to the LDT who sat far out on Pearson's Flash and was busily bathing and splashing around. 

I watched it for about an hour, hoping it might come closer before finally giving up and to enjoy the sunny walk back to the car. 

06/04/2015 Spurn, East Yorkshire

Willow Warbler: Great day at one of my favourite places, although it wasn't a typical Spurn day out as it was not fully loaded with freshly blown-in rarities, but one new tick to add to the list.

Sedge Warbler: I believe that Black Stork is genuinely one of those hard to pin down birds and its a bird that is missing from a lot of the twitchers and big listers tally sheets.

So I am glad to secure one on my list.

Black Stork: Almost as soon as I arrived around 8am I got on to the bird, however it was very comfortably roosting on the edge of the reeds in the middle of a big field.  Eventually the bird plucked up the energy to get up and walk straight out

It was then I was joined by two top blokes from Cheshire; Vernon and Dave Huston, who kept me company until the bird reappeared.

When it did reappear the bird was still in the middle of the big field and didn't take flight or move away from the reeds it was skulking in. Still it gave me some cracking scope views and a big smile on my face!

Unfortunately I didn't have time to explore the area and pretty much confined myself to the canal bank, but I still picked up a nesting Sedgie and got some great views of Common and Sandwich Tern, dozens of Dunlin and Knot, a Whimbrel and a Willow Warbler.

18/04/2014 Wigan Flashes

Red-crested Pochard: Good weather for good Friday and I was hoping for some good birds!

First stop Wigan Flashes, its only up the road however it's a place I rarely visit.

The flash was stunning first thing, before the dog walkers and scally's on their bikes. Willow Warbler were in full song, buzzing bees and butterfly's surrounded me as they charged up in the morning sun.

Willow Warbler: The pair of RC Pochard were right out in the middle of Pearson's Flash continually diving and feeding on the vegetation they brought up from the depths.








I then decided to head back to Dovestone with hope that I will finally bag myself the Two Barred Crossbill - however I missed the mid morning sighting and after another long wait I had to call it a day and head back home.

15/04/2014 Binn Green, Dove Stone RSPB

Brambling: After seeing Tanmay's crippling pictures of the male Two Barred Crossbill from yesterday  I decided to use my day off and go try my luck.

After arriving at around 10am and joining a small group of birders waiting - we waited, and waited!


I kept myself occupied taking some pictures of the wide variety of finches Binn Green has to offer, the place was full of bird song and some really nice birds such as this cracking male Brambling.

Siskin: As the morning slowly turned to afternoon I was really pleased to have Martyn Jones and co. join the group watching the larches, Paul Brewster and co then added to our numbers.

Lesser Redpoll: I knew the bird was showing well in the afternoons but as time went by I decided to say my goodbyes and head off home to do a spot of gardening. This proved to be a bloody awful decision as the Two Barred made an appearance not long after I left, gutted!

Ring Ouzel:  One consolation was spotting this male rouzel high up in the trees across from the viewing platform - a year tick!

Willow Warbler: Great weather, great company and good birds to be had, oh and thanks to Mr Jones for sharing his superb pictures of the two barred with me, I would like to say I am well and truly green!

You can't win them all I guess!

19/04/2013 Conwy RSPB

Willow Warbler: On my way home I popped in at Conwy RSPB Nature Reserve and got my first Willows of the year! And they were everywhere along with plenty of Chiffchaff.







The highlight though had to be the single Arctic Tern right in front of the coffee shop, although I did miss the Redstart which would of ended the day just nicely!

24/04/2012 Chester Meadow

Willow Warbler: This little gem was found among the Hawthorn bushes, Linnet, Chaffinch and Greenfinch around in good number too.

Blackcap: My first one of the year seen alive! As I did see one early in migration on the bank of the River Dee but sadly it was dead.  I heard a few within the bushes of the Wirral, this shot is poor I know but the first one I have snapped do I thought I would put It up for prosperity.





The Moorhen Chicks (below) in the pond at The Grosvenor Park  are now down from Seven to one! Sad times, Unless some where under cover.

13/04/2012 Frodsham Marsh

Willow Warbler: My first Willow Warbler of the summer bagged at one of my favourite birding sites, this migrant bird was singing high up in a Hawthorn bush along Brook Furlong (the lane with the bid sighting box) I thought it was chiffchaff at first until it started singing.

I love April it is my most productive month of the year in the number of species seen and here is another summer visitor bagged, bring on the ret of the Warblers.