Sunday, 3 April 2011
03 April 2011
Felt quite cold this morning despite the temp showing 7c, wind was light south, cloudy with sunny intervals, visit from 06.30 - 10.00. The pair of Mistle Thrushes remain by the bottom entrance with another pair on the sewage works and another pair near the top entrance to the park, on the boating lake the pair of Great Crested Grebe continue to feed 1 or more young, another 4 Grebes are on the main lake with 25 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard and 1 Goldeneye, while I was on the grass bank I heard Waxwings flying over and looked up to see 28 flying over high heading north east, later on Nick and myself had another 15 Waxwings heading west/northwest, this time flying much lower, back on the main lake 2 Mute Swans and a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a single Cormorant flew over north and later while on the sewage works another 2 flew over heading south, a couple of Collared Doves flew over quite high, in all 9 Chiffchaffs and 9 Blackcaps were seen around various parts of the park, in the nature reserve a single Willow Tit was singing, the pair of Teal were flushed from the top of the 2nd pool and a Jay flew over the top pool were a Reed Bunting was feeding in a tall tree by the reed bed, on the gas works a group of 8 Sand Martins went over with a single House Martin, in all over 30+ Sand Martins went through during the visit with another 2 House Martins and a single Swallow, back to the gas works 3 Stock Doves and a Redpoll were flying around, on the gas works a Sparrowhawk, Pheasant and Bullfinch plus 6 Jackdaws flying over, as we came out of the sewage works by the top park entrance 3 Bramblings were calling from the top of the tall trees briefly before flying off, the 1st of 3 Willow Warblers was heard near here and a Buzzard flew low south over the main lake. While at Westport Nick received a phone call from Jeff Jones saying a Cuckoo was calling from the top of the gas works we rushed over to meet up with him but sadly it wasn't heard again. Received a call from Phil Jones this afternoon telling me a Redshank was along the spit off the boating lake, I jumped on my bike with no bins and my slippers on!! Met up with Phil exhausted but happy as he pointed the Redshank out too me, a nice finish to the day with 4 Westport year ticks and 1 Westport life tick, cheers Phil. The photo below was taken with my cameraphone using Phil's bins, not the best but at least it's a record shot. 
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
29 March 2011
Jeff Jones had a adult Yellow Legged Gull sat on the main lake for 5 minutes at 09.35 today.
Monday, 28 March 2011
28 March 2011
News this morning firstly comes from Nick Smith with just a Little Ringed Plover on the grass verge although it was very foggy so viewing conditions were difficult. Later mid morning from Jeff Jones, singing Blackcap and Reed Bunting and the Green Woodpecker was heard near the bottom pool. I'm back in Stoke later today although with no Internet allowance until April will only update if a good bird or two are found at Westport or I'm able to get to the library to update from there.
Sunday, 27 March 2011
27 March 2011
Today's update comes from Nick Smith as I'm still 'up north', 40 Sand Martins through and a single Swallow, also 2 female Goosanders and 6 Mute Swans dropped in before being chased off by the resident pair.
Saturday, 26 March 2011
26 March 2011
The following is a update of the last three days at Westport, unfortunately I'm currently offline and as I've come up to St Helens visiting family I thought I would take this opportunity to update the blog, as you we see it's been a rather good 3 days!
24/03/2011
Temp 5c, misty over water, bright sunny skies, no cloud or wind.
A female Goosander on the canal by the bottom entrance was unusual, a pair were also on the main lake and another female on the boating lake, 3 Cormorants also flew over near the bottom entrance, 2 Mistle Thrushes just before the boating lake with another 1 near the top pool and another 2 near the top entrance, male Shoveler on the boating lake, 24 Tufted Duck on the main lake also 2 Mute Swans, 1 Pochard, 1 Goldeneye and 6 Great Crested Grebes with the usual pair also on the boating lake, a pair of Linnets were feeding by the side of the visitor centre (Westport year tick 74) and a Meadow Pipit flew over here, a Little Ringed Plover landed briefly on the grass verge before flying off north, flushed the pair of Teal near the 1st gate too the nature reserve, a male Reed Bunting was calling from the reed bed on the top pool and a Chiffchaff was singing near here with another 2 singing on the sewage works, 2 Chaffinches near the top entrance plus another pair by the canal side of the main lake and a pair by the sidings, a Collared Dove was near the sewage works and a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls went over here with another 16 flying south over the main lake later and 2 on the main lake, 2 Willow Tits were along the ‘Avenue’ and a single Bullfinch.
25/03/2011
Weather very similar to yesterday with the temp slightly up at 7c, also a bit of cloud after 2 days of clear skies, again no wind of note.
Again as I entered the park a female Goosander was on the canal and 2 Mistle Thrushes just after the entrance with another 2 near the top entrance later, a couple of Pied Wagtails also flew over the bottom entrance, on the boating lake 2 Great Crested Grebes with another 6 on the main lake which also held 27 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard, 1 Goldeneye and 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying in followed by another 3 later on, highlight of the day and a Westport life tick (112 life & 75 year) was a flock of 20 Waxwings flying towards us calling over the boating lake and then heading west towards Bradwell, in the nature reserve a Treecreeper was by the bend at the bottom end with a Coal Tit calling a bit further up and we flushed the pair of Teal from the 2nd pool, by the top pool a single Willow Tit and the 1st of 4 Chiffchaffs that were seen the rest being around the sewage works, a male Reed Bunting was calling from the reed bed and the pair of Mute Swans have moved into here for the start of there breeding, the male Shoveler was at the top of the main lake and a Jackdaw flew over the sewage works, back on the main lake a single Sand Martin was flying around, a Sparrowhawk was flying over Bradwell Wood and a Grey Heron flew over the main lake.
26/03/2011
A very cloudy morning with a slight mist as well, temp was 7c but felt colder with a slight south easterly breeze which built up over the visit, visit from 06.10 - 08.50.
By the bottom entrance the pair Mistle Thrushes were nest building, another was seen near the top entrance and another near the visitor centre, 2 Pied Wagtails flew over and another on the grass bank, on the boating lake 2 Great Crested Grebes and another 5 on the main lake, a Grey Heron flew off the main lake, also on here 21 Tufted Ducks, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls went over, 1 Pochard & 1 Goldeneye, by the visitor centre the pair of Linnets were still present and 4 Jackdaws flew over, the male Shoveler flew into the main lake and later the boating lake, 2 separate Meadow Pipits flew over the main lake, the Green Woodpecker could be heard calling distantly, 3 Sand Martin came in over the main lake and were present for the entire visit eventually increasing to 8, Chiffchaffs increased to 8 all around the park area, 5 Chaffinches were present, a single Willow Tit was calling from the nature reserve and the pair of Teal were at the top of the 2nd pool, the pair of Mute Swans were on the top pool, a Kestrel (Westport year tick 76) flew over the gas works to the sewage works and a single Stock Dove flew up the railway, 2 Lesser Redpolls (Westport year tick 77) flew over the sewage works calling followed by 11 Waxwings heading northwest, a Collared Doves was along the canal and a male Blackcap (Westport year tick 78) was singing briefly from the trees between the sewage works entrance and main lake, back down by the grass verge and 2 Little Ringed Plovers flew in for a few minutes before heading off north, a Little Grebe flew into the main lake and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over.
Not long after I'd left Westport, Phil Jones had a Swallow go through, this is the 1st of the year for Westport, also of note today was the complete lack of Goosanders for the 1st time in ages.
24/03/2011
Temp 5c, misty over water, bright sunny skies, no cloud or wind.
A female Goosander on the canal by the bottom entrance was unusual, a pair were also on the main lake and another female on the boating lake, 3 Cormorants also flew over near the bottom entrance, 2 Mistle Thrushes just before the boating lake with another 1 near the top pool and another 2 near the top entrance, male Shoveler on the boating lake, 24 Tufted Duck on the main lake also 2 Mute Swans, 1 Pochard, 1 Goldeneye and 6 Great Crested Grebes with the usual pair also on the boating lake, a pair of Linnets were feeding by the side of the visitor centre (Westport year tick 74) and a Meadow Pipit flew over here, a Little Ringed Plover landed briefly on the grass verge before flying off north, flushed the pair of Teal near the 1st gate too the nature reserve, a male Reed Bunting was calling from the reed bed on the top pool and a Chiffchaff was singing near here with another 2 singing on the sewage works, 2 Chaffinches near the top entrance plus another pair by the canal side of the main lake and a pair by the sidings, a Collared Dove was near the sewage works and a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls went over here with another 16 flying south over the main lake later and 2 on the main lake, 2 Willow Tits were along the ‘Avenue’ and a single Bullfinch.
25/03/2011
Weather very similar to yesterday with the temp slightly up at 7c, also a bit of cloud after 2 days of clear skies, again no wind of note.
Again as I entered the park a female Goosander was on the canal and 2 Mistle Thrushes just after the entrance with another 2 near the top entrance later, a couple of Pied Wagtails also flew over the bottom entrance, on the boating lake 2 Great Crested Grebes with another 6 on the main lake which also held 27 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard, 1 Goldeneye and 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying in followed by another 3 later on, highlight of the day and a Westport life tick (112 life & 75 year) was a flock of 20 Waxwings flying towards us calling over the boating lake and then heading west towards Bradwell, in the nature reserve a Treecreeper was by the bend at the bottom end with a Coal Tit calling a bit further up and we flushed the pair of Teal from the 2nd pool, by the top pool a single Willow Tit and the 1st of 4 Chiffchaffs that were seen the rest being around the sewage works, a male Reed Bunting was calling from the reed bed and the pair of Mute Swans have moved into here for the start of there breeding, the male Shoveler was at the top of the main lake and a Jackdaw flew over the sewage works, back on the main lake a single Sand Martin was flying around, a Sparrowhawk was flying over Bradwell Wood and a Grey Heron flew over the main lake.
26/03/2011
A very cloudy morning with a slight mist as well, temp was 7c but felt colder with a slight south easterly breeze which built up over the visit, visit from 06.10 - 08.50.
By the bottom entrance the pair Mistle Thrushes were nest building, another was seen near the top entrance and another near the visitor centre, 2 Pied Wagtails flew over and another on the grass bank, on the boating lake 2 Great Crested Grebes and another 5 on the main lake, a Grey Heron flew off the main lake, also on here 21 Tufted Ducks, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls went over, 1 Pochard & 1 Goldeneye, by the visitor centre the pair of Linnets were still present and 4 Jackdaws flew over, the male Shoveler flew into the main lake and later the boating lake, 2 separate Meadow Pipits flew over the main lake, the Green Woodpecker could be heard calling distantly, 3 Sand Martin came in over the main lake and were present for the entire visit eventually increasing to 8, Chiffchaffs increased to 8 all around the park area, 5 Chaffinches were present, a single Willow Tit was calling from the nature reserve and the pair of Teal were at the top of the 2nd pool, the pair of Mute Swans were on the top pool, a Kestrel (Westport year tick 76) flew over the gas works to the sewage works and a single Stock Dove flew up the railway, 2 Lesser Redpolls (Westport year tick 77) flew over the sewage works calling followed by 11 Waxwings heading northwest, a Collared Doves was along the canal and a male Blackcap (Westport year tick 78) was singing briefly from the trees between the sewage works entrance and main lake, back down by the grass verge and 2 Little Ringed Plovers flew in for a few minutes before heading off north, a Little Grebe flew into the main lake and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over.
Not long after I'd left Westport, Phil Jones had a Swallow go through, this is the 1st of the year for Westport, also of note today was the complete lack of Goosanders for the 1st time in ages.
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
22 March 2011
A cool bright sunny morning with slight cloud cover, very slight southerly breeze, temp 6c, visit from 06.20 til 08.10.
A very quiet morning around Westport with just a couple of decent birds to make it worth while, as I came into the bottom entrance a male Goosander flew over towards the main lake, there was also a female on there and another on the boating lake, also on the boating lake 2 male Tufted Ducks and the 2 Great Crested Grebes, with another 4 on the main lake, just 19 Tufted Duck remain on the main lake with 2 Mute Swans, 1 Pochard and the male Shoveler, along the grass bank a couple of Mistle Thrushes with another near the top entrance to the park, a single Meadow Pipit flew over calling and 2 Pied Wagtails flew low over, 3 Chiffchaffs were heard singing this morning, 1 near the bottom of the nature reserve, 1 on the sewage works and 1 along the 'Avenue', we flushed the usual pair of Teal from the small brook by the 1st gate, a pair of Bullfinches were by the top pool and a Jay flew across the gas works, on the sewage works and the female Pheasant which has been missing for a while was back in it's usual place, I think the last time I saw it was mid January! Back on the main lake and the long awaited arrival of the first Sand Martin, it flew around for a few minutes around the top edge before flying off, another Westport year tick, also on here the immature male Goldeneye and 4 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew in.
Mid morning, Dave Kelsall recorded the following, Little Ringed Plover, Curlew, Raven, Peregrine, Skylark all flying over, also present Grey Wagtail and 2 Sand Martin.
The Westport year list currently stands on 87 with my personal list on 73.
A very quiet morning around Westport with just a couple of decent birds to make it worth while, as I came into the bottom entrance a male Goosander flew over towards the main lake, there was also a female on there and another on the boating lake, also on the boating lake 2 male Tufted Ducks and the 2 Great Crested Grebes, with another 4 on the main lake, just 19 Tufted Duck remain on the main lake with 2 Mute Swans, 1 Pochard and the male Shoveler, along the grass bank a couple of Mistle Thrushes with another near the top entrance to the park, a single Meadow Pipit flew over calling and 2 Pied Wagtails flew low over, 3 Chiffchaffs were heard singing this morning, 1 near the bottom of the nature reserve, 1 on the sewage works and 1 along the 'Avenue', we flushed the usual pair of Teal from the small brook by the 1st gate, a pair of Bullfinches were by the top pool and a Jay flew across the gas works, on the sewage works and the female Pheasant which has been missing for a while was back in it's usual place, I think the last time I saw it was mid January! Back on the main lake and the long awaited arrival of the first Sand Martin, it flew around for a few minutes around the top edge before flying off, another Westport year tick, also on here the immature male Goldeneye and 4 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew in.
Mid morning, Dave Kelsall recorded the following, Little Ringed Plover, Curlew, Raven, Peregrine, Skylark all flying over, also present Grey Wagtail and 2 Sand Martin.
The Westport year list currently stands on 87 with my personal list on 73.
Monday, 21 March 2011
21 March 2011
Nick Smith started off with a good morning, flushing a Woodcock from the ridge on the sewage works, another Westport year tick, also present 3 Goosanders.
Later Pete Lunt was down mid morning and recorded, a pair of Goosander, Shoveler, Goldeneye, Pochard, 10 Great Crested Grebes and a skein of Geese flying north, I was in Hanley at the time and had a small skein of Geese flying over but was unable to say what species.
Later in the late afternoon I nipped down to Westport for a quick walk around the main lake, hoping to see Sand Martin, I called into the top pool area of the nature reserve and could hear a Nuthatch calling away after a few minutes I managed to locate it in the top of the tall trees in between the top pool and railway, also here at least 2 Chiffchaffs were singing and a female Reed Bunting was in the reed bed, I could also hear a Green Woodpecker 'laughing' from the gas/sewage works area, back on the main lake nothing new too what has already been mentioned by Pete Lunt.
Nuthatch is another Westport year tick for me, putting me on 73 for the year, and Nick's Woodcock puts the total for everyone at 85 for the year.
Later Pete Lunt was down mid morning and recorded, a pair of Goosander, Shoveler, Goldeneye, Pochard, 10 Great Crested Grebes and a skein of Geese flying north, I was in Hanley at the time and had a small skein of Geese flying over but was unable to say what species.
Later in the late afternoon I nipped down to Westport for a quick walk around the main lake, hoping to see Sand Martin, I called into the top pool area of the nature reserve and could hear a Nuthatch calling away after a few minutes I managed to locate it in the top of the tall trees in between the top pool and railway, also here at least 2 Chiffchaffs were singing and a female Reed Bunting was in the reed bed, I could also hear a Green Woodpecker 'laughing' from the gas/sewage works area, back on the main lake nothing new too what has already been mentioned by Pete Lunt.
Nuthatch is another Westport year tick for me, putting me on 73 for the year, and Nick's Woodcock puts the total for everyone at 85 for the year.
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