Pres res

White wagtail male

white wagtail 1st summer female

50 sand martins today with 2 swifts 1 house martin and a handfull of swallows

2 little ring plovers today

2 common sands today

Richmond bank,
The large 3rd cal year iceland gull was on the bank this morning with about a 1000 gulls in the roost, which were mainly lesser black backs. A female marsh harrier was seen distantly over the Mersey and the local crows gave it a good mobbing before it then drifted off south towards Moore. Lots of swallows today hawking insects over the canal and pond. A grasshopper warbler was seen briefly and a blackcap was singing with willow warbler, chiffchaff and a single whitethroat.
A whimbrel flew over calling.

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

Burrows Lane, Prescot.

A very nice male ring ousel was in a field near the cricket club today. A great find by chris D this afternoon and just rewards for the effort he puts in locally. The resident blackbirds didn't seem too impressed but this big male wasn't going to be intimidated. It was only just over the fence from Prescot reservoirs and there seems to have been a good fall of ousels across the country today.

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

Prescot res,

5 singing willow warblers in the warm sunshine gave today a real summery feel .The 13 goldeneye were displaying and getting excited. The tufted duck are now down to just 9 and 3 great crested grebes were looking spendid in their plumes.

Richmond bank,

A reeling gropper was in a tangle of brambles and was accompanied by singing chiffchaff and willow warbler. A pair of great crested grebes were displaying on the Mersey and 3 gadwalls were nearby. 4 buzzards kept the gulls on their toes and the juv glaucous gull was present again.

Lots of peacock butterflies out today and a lovely yellow brimstone fluttered past.

A few pics from recent weeks

4th cal year herring gull

3rd cal year herring gull

3rd cal year herring gull

2nd cal year herring gull

Richmond bank,

3000 gulls present on the bank today with about 90% of them being lesser black backs. A juv glaucous gull was present this morning and an adult yellow legged gull was in amongst the lbb gulls.

A couple of swallows and 5 sand martins shot through.

At hale marsh 5 white wagtails with 30 meadow pipits. A swallow and 3 sand martins also.

Richmond bank

A 2nd summer

Richmond bank,

Not your average iceland gull. Its bill is actually longer than the 2 young herring gulls behind it although the bill is slightly slimmer. It does not seem to have the gentle face of an iceland gull either but its probably just a big iceland gull with a long bill looking a bit grumpy.

Richmond Bank,
My first chiffchaff of the spring was in the alders on the path to the bank today.A sunny start but it soon became overcast which is ideal. No big numbers of gulls today and they were very flighty with the local buzzards harassing them. A beautiful 2nd winter glaucous gull was seen briefly on the sandbank. A frosty looking bird with some grey feathers on the mantle and coverts. There has previously been a couple of reports this winter of a 2nd winter glaucous gull so it was nice to finally see it.
A 1st w 'caspian like' gull was sat on the sand most of the time I watched it and when it did get up it had an injury to its leg and was limping badly.I initially thought this was a caspian gull but now I think this is a herring gull. Lots of pale 1stw herring gulls about at the moment doing a good job imitating caspian gulls.
A 1stw,2ndw, 3rdw and 2 adult yellow legged gulls today.

adult yellow legged gull

A very strange bill on this young gull.