Parkgate - Raptor show!

A reasonably high tide was predicted for Parkgate and with hopes of Short-eared Owls plus other raptors putting in an appearance, it was farewell to Shropshire with Yvonne up for the action, provided we could complete a rather dodgy journey through snow covered Cheshire!

We made it and joined a small crowd gathering at Parkgate baths. Wind was blowing up the estuary, a good omen and raptors were soon showing reasonably well but distant!

First up was a female Marsh Harrier plus a couple of Kestrel and distant Merlin in hot pursuit of lunch! The Marsh Harrier had a very distant spat with one of the local foxes, the fox leaping up and trying to take the Harrier down (missed that moment!)









Flocks of Pink footed Geese flying high in the distance. A ringtail Hen Harrier was the first raptor to come reasonably close, the tide was now rising fast.....






The next pass revealed a vole snatched from the marsh!






Waders were now being displaced rapidly and flocks of Knot, Black-tailed Godwit were on the move in the distance. This small group of Common Snipe came in nearby!






Herons are masters of opportunity and this unlucky Water Rail ended up (afer a few minutes of swallowing) down the hatch!






The main target bird eventually put in an appearance, we saw at least four Short-eared Owls and this one.....








....eventually came quite close!










Before pouncing on yet another unlucky Vole - we saw it eat at least two!






The ancient art of grass canoeing is still practiced on the Wirral!!






A final dash for safety for one of the foxes!






Eventually, with rain setting in, we opted to check out Inner Marsh Farm. A pretty poor show there however - a single Blackwit was the only wader!. A Hen Harrier flying through was just about the only highlight!








And would you believe it - my first Stonechat of the year!! Plus a few more......








We had missed out on the Spoonbill earlier and checked out the Marsh at the opposite end of Parkgate from the baths - with an instant result!!






The final bonus birds were a large mixed flock of Bewick's and Whooper Swans at Shotwick fields on the way home. It was virtually dark but I still managed a record shot or two!








A nice comparison shot.....






What a day - must get back for one of the 10 metre plus spectaculars - watch this space in March!!

Stubbers Green - cold enough for Iceland

January is now coming to an end and chances of a local 'white winger' are diminishing. Filled with little enthusiasm, I decided on an impromptu mid morning check of Priorslee lake. Weekend Gull assemblies are notoriously small though and with news of the 2nd Winter Iceland Gull showing at Stubber's Green, temptation came my way! After 30 mins of inactivity (less than 100 Gulls), I was driving down the M54!!

I settled for the grassy bank end (big mistake) with hopes of close views and waited... There were certainly plenty of Gulls, including the distant 'regular' 3rd Winter Caspian Gull.

90 mins had elapsed and a local birder announced he had seen a Glaucous Gull at Kingswood pool, Cannock! After another 10mins I decided to thaw my feet and fingertips out, then head over that way - a good idea but I never actually got there.....

Driving up the road to turn the car around, I noticed there were a few gulls at the sailing club end - I thought it best to check them out, (an even better idea) so parked up again and .... yes, you've guessed it - amongst them was the Iceland Gull!!

Sadly by this time, I was shooting into the light but some record shots of this classy Gull....






Drifting and preening....






Before flying off even further across the pool.....










Main mission accomplished, I set off for Cannock (hmm, but as you know, I never actaully got there!) Half a mile down the road, I saw out of the corner of my eye the familiar sight of the 'Chasewater team' GE, PJ, RC et al - scoping through some netting! A quick U turn and I joined them - for my first look at what turned out to be Highfield South Landfill site - I bring you news from some exotic locations eh!!

First good bird was a 1st Winter Caspian Gull - in fact the first time I've encountered one of this age.









Then, record shots of a couple of 2nd Winter Caspian Gulls also present. The distance and flighty nature of the flock made refinding birds quite difficult!










A throat distending / stomach gagging moment as it swallowed what looked like half a chicken (whole!) Glad I wasn't that close now!






Finally, the real bonus bird - a 1st Winter Glaucous Gull dropped in!!












Job done and with four Caspian Gulls, Iceland and Glaucous in the notebook, a Gull feast to remember! I never did get to Cannock or Chasewater (and neither did the lads?). It was absolooooooootely freezing, so back in the car, heater on and homeward bound.......

The weekend continued with some Parkgate (Wirral) action and a decent Winter high tide of 9.9 metres - enough to part flood the saltmarsh? Find out, with images to follow when I get chance.......

Shropshire - North and South

A very busy time of year for me coming up and the only highlight of midweek was a strictly record shot of the adult Caspian Gull seen at Priorslee by others on an almost daily basis (the best I could manage!)...






Hopes were high of Whixall Moss performing with Great Grey Shrike and Hen Harrier seen during the week - I should know better.....

A long flog on Saturday, covering the Shropshire side was memorable for just a couple of Willow Tit on the walk in from Furbers bridge, then not a lot else of note. Walking off via the canal, a flock of c30 Redpoll in the Canalside Alders and then from the canal bridge - on the floods, good numbers of Teal, Shoveler, Pintail (10) plus a few Wigeon and Snipe.

I suppose you've got to do it once in a while.....

On the drive over to Telford, between Isombridge and Longdon on Tern - flock of 25 Curlew in an adjacent field and 13 Goosander on the small pool.

Didn't expect anything at Priorslee late afternoon and didn't get anything of note!

But you never know, unless you look.....

A quickfire Sunday morning session and taking by other reports into account, this is a really good year for Crossbills! Spent a couple of hours on the hillfort at Bury Ditches. Crossbills were soon heard and then seen - initially in two's and three's flying over calling, then one large group of 15. Very mobile though, only two males stopped very briefly within view.






A male Peregrine was the first of the year for me!






Bigger surprise on the way home with a Woodcock flying along the roadside on the A49 from Craven Arms, just after the 'Travellers Rest'. This area is Dave Pearce's patch and following a phone call, apparently not that unusual, a few have been feeding out in the open following the hard weather!

Let's hope for a decent image or two (not to mention birds) in the next week or so.....

Gigrin - Red white and BLACK Kites....

A late morning diversion for one of my bogey birds - Bean Goose, turned out to be another Runner Bean! Or even a 'has bean' with not even a Canada in sight - just a flock of Mute Swans on the fields by Baskerville Hall near Hay on Wye....

Onwards to Gigrin farm then and surely the Black Kite wouldn't disappoint?

Following the cold snap, Red Kites are present here in the 100's and the biggest problem for photography would be isolating individual birds out from the crowd?

The feeding frenzy began - even as the meat was unloaded!!








Whilst the Black Kite was my ultimate aim, you just couldn't ignore the impressive sight of 100's of Red Kites diving and feeding some 50m away!










Always nice to see the upperwing seen here to contrast with one particular Gigrin bird.....






A very pale 'White' Red Kite - a partly leucistic bird - not as pale as some clones but by far the easiest bird to pick out.....










Then at last, it all came good - a one and only chance to nail the Black Kite - a quick burst as it collected some food before disappearing over the back of the hides....










It did return later but by now the light had gone and very difficult to capture against the milky white sky....






A bonus shot in one of the trees adjacent to the feeding station to end the day!!