Black Rook in 'Sunny' Weather...

Aldcliffe AM
An unusual pair of visitors to Aldcliffe, 2 Rooks, they were flying along the tidal bank.

Freeman’s Pool quiet, Coot, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Mallard.
Sparrowhawk in dead trees.
Chiffchaff in wood,
Jays 2.
Buzzard flying over.

Darter Pool saw Coot 1 and Moorhen 1

Wildfowler’ Pool
Usual Moorhen.
Grey Heron 1
Green Sandpiper 3
Teal 17
Kingfisher 1

Track
Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Greenfinch a good number in area 8+.
Goldfinch 20+
Long-tailed Tit 7/8
Blue and Great Tit
Dunnock
Wren
Blackbird

Marsh
Rook 2.
Raven 2
Snipe 12
Willow Warbler 1, Whitethroat 1, Greenfinch 3, Reed Bunting 2 in hedge’s.

Plenty of Swallows still in area. Also today quite a number of butterflies about, including 2 Red Admirals. Plus a number of Dragon Flies and Common Darters.
SteveW

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My post-work jaunt wasn't half as productive as Steve's, somewhat predictably.

Freeman's Pools was as could be expected until, that is, a tractor and mower turned up and started cutting some overgrown areas around the main pool. Most birds seemed alert but generally tolerant of the noisy site management, apart from the 5 snipe and teal which revealed themselves in panic.

A coot was with 2 moorhen on Darter Pool and 2 mute swan were on Frog Pond.

A kingfisher was at Wildfowlers' Pools - a pair of teal were the only other birds of interest present.

A little egret briefly popped its head out of a creek on the marsh but it was otherwise quiet there.

I bumped into Ray Hobbs who mentioned, amongst other things, that he'd seen the adult winter Med gull at Gull Bank a couple of days ago.

He also, like me, thinks that Bat For Lashes should really have won the Mercury.


JC


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High flyin' baby and other Groovies...

LATE BREAKING NEWS.....

A quick post-work dash meant just a check of Freeman's Pools.

An increase in the number of mallard was evident - presumably as a result of shooting on the other pools? These 'protected' waters may well prove the essential bolt-hole for fleeing wildfowl in coming weeks.
2 little grebe, usual coots & moorhens etc.
A kingfisher was on the upper pool again, using the new fenced-off areas as a convenient perch.
Two green sandpiper dropped in from the north.
There were hundreds of swallows moving through, feeding high.

JC



Early afternoon.
Started off well with a very exciting moment over the Marsh. All the Lapwing and Starling flushed by Peregrine and scanning above I noticed 2 Buzzards and just above them an Osprey climbing. Then all calmed down and the rest of the afternoon was fairly quiet.
Marsh
Osprey, circling ascending high.
Buzzard 2
Peregrine 1
Sparrowhawk 1
Raven 2
Little Egret 2
Curlew 150/160
Canada Geese

Track
Goldfinch 5
Reed Bunting 2
Blackcap 1
Plenty of Swallow

Wildfowler’, Flood and pools quiet.


SteveW

More of the same...

Sunday AM - Steve W
Marsh
Peregrine
Ravens 2
Little Egret 2
Curlew 150/160
Pied Wagtail 2

Track
Reed Bunting 4/5
Chaffinch 6/7
Goldfinch 8/9

Freeman’s Pool
Coot 13
Grey Heron 3
Mallard
Mute Swan
Little Grebe 2

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Had a walk with Jenny & our visiting friend Mark early afternoon.

A green sandpiper was in a wet field near the Fairfield Orchard and a little owl was showing well at the Admiralty Wood. Nuthatch and GS woodpecker here too.

4 little egret were on Aldcliffe Marsh but it was fairly routine stuff otherwise (lots of human activity).
Wildfowlers were building some new shooting blinds at Frog Pond... Looks like Aldcliffe may see an increase in shooting activity this season.

A later afternoon trawl around the patch was still quiet, though the adult winter Med gull was at Gull Bank.
2 egrets were still on the marsh and a single teal was on The Flood.

Jon C



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Kings & greens

Couple of hours trawling the patch this morning threw up the following:

Freeman's Pools
2 kingfisher
11 coot
2 little grebe
3 moorhen
1 heron
22 mallard
2 house martin & numerous swallows (plenty throughout the area)

Frog Pond
2 mute swan
6 mallard

Darter Pool
1 moorhen
2 reed bunting

Wildfowlers' Pools (very high water levels)
1 little grebe
2 teal
6 moorhen
16 mallard

The Flood (very flooded)
1 snipe

Aldcliffe Marsh
1 greenshank
2 green sandpiper (obviously 'flooded out' of the pools)
5 dunlin
1 raven
usual high numbers of lapwing, redshank, curlew etc.

No sign of any Meds amongst the commoner gulls on the river.

Wet-nesday

Managed a very quick & damp blast around the main sites on the patch after work this evening.

All as normal (coot, little grebe, heron, mute swan etc) at Freeman's Pools with the exception of a kingfisher, on the upper pools.

3 green sandpiper were visible from the cycle track at the Wildfowlers' Pools along with numerous mallard and 6 teal.

A redshank and curlew were the only birds on The Flood and a quick scan of the marsh revealed nothing of note.