NEARLY SPRING

Since my last post its been tough trying to add new species to the #PWC list. As we leave March and head into April all I've managed to grip is a calling Pheasant and a nearly miss Wheatear.
Take this Saturday, I spent a good two hours thrashing the flashes and did a full 360' of both Neumann's and Ashton's in doing so I missed out on walking the bund...fatal!!
The local grapevine alerted me to 4 Ruff...an LRP...and a Wheatear all seen from the Bund whilst I was trudging the perimeter..doh!
I got one of the three namely the Wheatear as the Ruff it seemed had flown straight through and the LRP was not on show. Could this be a lesson for the future? Bund birdings better...we shall see.

Spring migrants have sort of started to come through with the most obvious being Chiff Chaff heard calling from all corners of the flashes...

Not much else though but with what is probably one of the most exciting months to come on the patch (April) I could reach the dizzy heights of the 100 club before May...bring it on!

Lesser Pecker was always going to be a big ask away from Marbury CP but with one heard again drumming in the Forge Brook Wood area you just never know. I did hear a rather weird woody drumming on what seemed to be a metal pipe...ding..ding..ding!! and yes there he was drumming out his territory signature on the metal cross beam of a nearby power line (that's got to hurt some)...bizarre stuff.

One day to go till the 1st of April, I'd be a fool not to thrash the patch one more time...roll on Spring.

#PWC   83 species    89 points

TTFN

#PWC FEBRUARY SCORES

Looks like I've got my work cut out to reach the Champions League places this season.

Since the 1st of March mega Parrotbills it's been tough going.

Single pointers added have been Little Grebe, Coal Tit, Redshank and fresh in summer migrants Chiffy and Sand Martin.

#PWC  81species   87points

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PLINK...PLINK...FIZZ!!!

Mega BOOM!! this afternoon when I heard the distinctive jingle of calling Bearded Tits from the north end reedbed at Neumann's flash.

I'd just connected with the new in pair of Pintail that were the latest arrivals to the flashes and was taking in the sunshine when I heard them first call. Not believing what I'd heard I listened hard and a minute later they called again. Now in full panic mode the adrenalin was pumping I scanned the nearby reeds for any sign of the Fu Manchus...

What seemed like ages past, probably 4-5 minutes when I got a glimpse of something moving through the reedbed. Boom!!, two Bearded Parrotbills skulking deep among the reeds. Instantly they called a third time then flew...and kept on flying...and gaining height!!! (what was going on)...they flew over the nearby wood and higher and higher!!...till I lost them to view, heading in a Haydn's Pool type direction. Their wings buzzing almost like Bees. Surely they were migrating northwards, possibly to the Wizzal or maybe Leighton Moss we'll never know...amazing stuff.

A first patch record and our second new patch lifer after the January Green-winged Teal...what a start to the patch birding year. Spring to come...

#PWC  76 species  82 points  (only 2 for the Parrotbills there's no justice)

TTFN

EVENING EXOCETS EXIT EARLY

A walk up to the flashes from Marbury CP to catch the Starling murmuration was rewarded with our earliest ever patch record of Avocet (2).
The Avocets on the water covered spit on Neumann's Flash didn't stay long and were gone by day break much to the chagrin of the local patchers. It seems they might of made their way to Burton Mere Wetlands as two turned up there the very next day. I attempted to get some mobile phone/binocular photos but due to the distance, the light and being constantly bombarded by Starling poo I legged it to shelter in the hide. Unfortunately it was just too dark by the time I reached the Old Hide.
Avocets are becoming almost regular on passage but it's not until late April early May when they pass through. Last years duo arrived in May and spent most of the time asleep...

The May Avocets of 2013

The Starling murmuration was again awesome to watch and I managed to get some video below....

Just far too many to count, an incredible spectacle and only me and the dog watching it...!

This evening (Wed) the first for me anyway Oystercatcher was back on Neumann's Flash with a pair at Budworth Mere as well. So once the waters recede on the flashes hopefully they'll breed again like last year...fingers crossed. Springs not far away now...yipeeee!!


#PWC  74 species   79 points (2 for Avocet)


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MOGGY MAGIC

Funny how patching makes you react to certain birds. Cue Tuesday and I'm wandering round Neumann's when the proverbial boom! goes off...a Moorhen skulking in the shrubbery on the flooded north island.
A patch year tick and a punch the air moment...for a Moorhen.!! bird number 72 for the year, seems the deep water isn't to their liking as they're usually found along the non existent muddy edges of the flashes (hopefully we'll get these before the waders start to move through).
At the weekend just gone an early calling Green Woodpecker was back, this is a usual summer resident attracted by the hordes of ants that are on the bund.

Another attempt to get some photos of the Lesser Redpoll flock that's still about on Ashton's flash didn't happen so I got one of these fellows instead.

Saturday and a two hour circuit of both flashes doesn't add anything new to the year list but the suns out and there's lots of avian activity. 45 species which included 6+ singing Reed Buntings, a displaying pair of Buzzards, two (a pair)  Great Crested Grebes and 11+ Lesser Redpolls. Best of all though the dog flushed my 4th Woodcock of the year out from the small bamboo patch in the corner of Ashton's. I think it was a Eurasian one but 'out of the bamboo'...different what?

The #theflashes local pair of Buteos were up and over thermalling nicely.

Unfortunately as is the way these days the local riff raff have been at the hides again and The Old Hide has taken another hammering...more ventilation panels have appeared. The view though hasn't changed just a few flattened reeds from the huge Starling roost each night.

#PWC 72 species   76 points

TTFN

WHAT STORM?

The weather was glorious yesterday evening, no wind or rain and the birds were out singing. An after work wander round Neumann's (only time for one flash to be done) produced two more year ticks.
One each of Great Crested Grebe and a drake Pochard. Like I said earlier it pays to just be out and about.

At 5.00pm the sky started to turn black as 100's no 1000's of Starlings started a humongous murmuration over Neumann's flash, coming from all directions the spectacle was better than anything I've ever seen on Autumnwatch or the like. Upwards of 200,000+ whirled around before crashing into the reedbed by the Old Hide. A Sparrowhawk was having a great supper.
Seems to be a combination of temperature, light, cloud and lack of wind that brings them in for a murmur...who knows?
Talking of roosting birds the Linnet flock that comes in each night to the bramble patch increased to 32. 
Over on Ashton's a huge (for the flashes) flock of Meadow Pipits (27) flew in from the fields across from the lay-by to roost in the reedbed below the Witton Brook mound.

Next day in the breezy southerly wind there was not much on show. The Pochard had already done one but the Great Crest was still there, hopefully to stay and breed like last year.
Entering Scrapyard Hide I noticed the new poster advertising The Cheshire Bird report for 2012 and on the front cover one Water Rail was depicted...cue two calling Water Rails from the reedbed opposite...cool another year tick in the bag.

#PWC  70 species   74 points


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TREECREEPER

A rather poor weekend weather wise but to be expected I suppose at this time of the year. Saturday around the flashes didn't produce anything new for the year list #PatchBirding . I did meet a couple searching for the Green-winged Teal but they hadn't had any luck (long gone me thinks).
Over on Ashton's flash I did have a large flock of Lesser Redpolls (35+) move through, down in the south east corner. Seems to be a favored place as that's where the Mealy was last week. A few alders down in the sheltered corner enticing them in.
A huge flock of Lapwing over 550 were also on Ashton's and were regularly put up by the antics of the local male Peregrine.
Witton Brook was very high due to all the rainfall we've had over the past few days...

Looks good for Torrent Duck.....

44 species for the mornings effort was par for the course.

Sunday and the weather was as grim as a grim day in Grimsby..rain...wind...poor light so a quick circuit of Neumann's was all I did.

Whap! whilst sheltering in Scrapyard Hide I heard the unmistakable tones of a calling Treecreeper and yes there it was rummaging around the base of one of the many planted trees nearby. In with a flock of Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits and Bullfinch. This is only the second Treecreeper I've recorded at the flashes since I moved to Comberbach in 2001. Incredibly on checking my past records the first one I saw was also on the 26th January but way back in 2008. Just shows if you get out and about the birds continue to surprise.

#PWC  67 species   71 points

TTFN