House hunting blue tit,

An adult common crane. Acrylic on paper14" x 11"

The bullfinch is a real beauty and always a pleasure to see. A shy species but they usually give themselves away with their distinctive calls.
Acrylic on paper

Seaforth NR,
A pair of bearded tits were in the small reed bed on the reserve today. Found by Tony C these were the first record of this species at seaforth. They were extremely elusive but occasionally gave themselves up as they moved between reed beds.

Common gulls copied from a painting by Lars Jonsson

A watercolour of the collared pratincole at Swillington ings, Yorkshire.

A watercolour of some black necked grebes seen recently

Prescot res,

A female whinchat and a grasshopper warbler were welcome birds after a very quiet period. Lots of swifts, martins and swallows and a couple of little ringed plovers also. A report of a red footed falcon in St Helens today had everyone wondering who had seen it and when and where exacty and male or female???

Edit: Seen by Dave Owen over the town Hall area but only very distant and mainly going on jizz and ruling out other species. Only a possible but at least birders are aware and can keep eyes to the skies.

Here's six of the cygnets

Seaforth nr,

The swans have hatched 7 cygnets and all are doing well ! A peregrine over and a couple of little owls this morning. A reed warbler was chattering away in the reedbed with a pair of reed buntings for company. 2 little gulls still and 5 wheatears hopping about the mounds. Shortly after I left the pallid swift made another come back over the long bank.

A watercolour of a lesser spotted woodpecker seen earlier this year at Moore nr.

This moorhen was at Carr lane pond in Prescot. It had 3 chicks but was just taking a break from its parental responsibilities under some overhanging trees on the edge of the pond.

This tiny green orb spider was in the garden today. It has some sort of parasite attached to its abdomen.

Seaforth nr and Plex moss,

Called in early at seaforth and the Pallid swift was still present. Its tenth day now. A couple of 1st summer little gulls ,an artic tern and a few sandwich terns were with the common tern on the causeway . A good flock of 209 dunlin were on the saltwater pool. Still lots of whitewags and wheatears about.

Late afternoon and a trip of 13 dotterel were reported on Plex moss but by the time I arrived only one was present on Station road. Very soon after I arrived a kestrel came low over the field and flushed the dotterel and after a couple of circuits it flew off north east. A little frustrating it going so soon but still the brief views of this delightful wader were a pleasure. Seeing this bird fly confirmed the 15 waders I seen flying off at 9.15am on Wednesday were definitely dotterel. I had never seen dotterel in flight before and the pale underwing and longish pointed wings were distinctive. It was nice to hear it call as it flew off.

Moreton, Wirral.

It was a very grey evening with heavy drizzle but no problem as this was probably the reason why the red-rumped swallow was still present around the brickworks on Carr Lane.It was hawking insects with house martin and barn swallows for company. Present since yesterday it was fairly distant but still a lovely bird. This bird follows on from last years superb red rumped swallow that I managed to see last May that was found less than half a mile away and only stayed a few hours.

An unfortunate tawny owl.

This owl was found dead outside Prescot reservoirs on the grass verge. It had been hit by a vehicle on the bypass during the night. I collected it in a carrier bag and took it home to make these studies. Its not very often you get the chance to look at a tawny owl so closely but I would have preferred not to have been given the opportunity. No doubt one of a breeding pair at the reservoirs or nearby woodlands.

Prescot reservoirs,

A juv iceland gull has been present for the previous 2 days but failed to show today. A couple of adult little gulls this afternoon was more than enough compensation for missing the Iceland gull. These birds being my first little gulls at the Prescot reservoirs. They came in about 12.15 and stayed to at least 14.30 when I left. They seemed to be feeding well picking insects off the surface of the reservoir and even the black headed gulls were feeding the same way but they lacked the agility and ease of the little gulls.

A male wheatear was in wheatear corner, a swallow and 3 sand martins north, singing willow warbler,blackcap and chiffchaff, little ringed plover but no sign of yesterdays common sandpiper were the other spring migrants.

24 goldeneye, 60 tufted duck, 4 gadwall, 1 shoveller,3 shellduck, 8 great crested grebe,and 1 little grebe also.

Seaforth nr,

An adult ring billed gull has been visiting here for several days and it showed today around 15.00 for 10 minutes before flying to Crosby beach. A chiffchaff , little ringed plover and white wag also today.

North wales,

When we arrived at Worlds End the sun had been up for an hour and we were not sure if the Blackcock would be still lekking on this bright frosty morning. Fortunately we were not disappointed as the upland was filled with the sound of the grouse. A delightful bubbling chorus accompanied the lekking males as they strutted about trying to win the females attention . We counted 17 blackcock displaying on the short turf and a couple of greyhen sitting in a small tree eyeing up their suitors. Their 'black' plumage showing hues of blue, green and purple in the morning sun set off by the lyre shaped tail . As the sun rose a little higher the cocks gradually began to disperse into the surroundings some flying a short distance into the nearby heather revealing their white wingbar and underwing. A pair of wheatears were on a stone wall nearby.

A walk along the Dee near llangollen gave good views of dipper and lots of wild flowers along the bank including swathes of wood anemone,lesser celandine and dog's mercury.

We called in to take a look at the long staying cattle egret near Frodsham on the way home.

Golden Eagle,
Copied from a painting by the Canadian artist Robert Bateman.

Hoopoe in the morning sun

Mute swan at Crosby

A watercolour of a treecreeper nest building.

Spring Watercolour Sketches of some recent encounters. A male toad has a vice like grip on his mate, a pair of rooks in the stuble foraging for food and a covey of red legs sorting out some differences.