I foolishly ventured to go and see the reported hybrid/ redhead today at the dump they call Newton lake. Lots of mallards and coot and black headed gulls and families with loaves of bread and the ugliest duck you have ever seen. Some type of hybrid in eclipse plumage. Orange eye and a strange bill pattern . Anyway a few digiscoped pics of it above.

Just had a weeks family holiday in Cambrils, Spain. Didn't do much birding but the best birds were 20 Audouin's Gulls and 60 Flamingos over Cambrils harbour.

Ok Hands up who is sick of looking at my fanastic Whinchat watercolour every time they click on my site to see what superb birds that I may have seen. I see, thats everybody then.

Well a nice picture of a spotted flycatcher (31 may) and lesserwhite throat (19 may) both at prescot reservoirs just for you.

I managed to drag myself to see the white tailed thingy at Leighton Moss today. It was the dot about a mile away but it did show better when a marsh harrier put the shits up it and made it fly around for a while.

Anyway thats all for now.

Whinchat on the fence at the res.

One good tern deserves another

Prescot reservoirs,

Monday 30th April. 2 whinchats one female in the meadow and one male on the ranch fence. Green woodpecker seen well over meadow.

Tuesday 1st May Whimbrel on causeway and 3 wheatears.

Wednesday 2nd May.BH had a black tern briefly over no4 res before it flew off n.w. A gropper still reeling in the ranch and white wag on causeway.

Friday 4th May An artic tern over the reservoirs for an hour this morning .Female whinchat still in meadow, good views of cuckoo as it flew over meadow, 1 little ringed plover and 1 common sand. 1 female goldeneye still and 25 great crested grebes. A leutistic tufted duck joined the resident tufties. 6 swift 4 swallows and 2 house martins. The lapwings have a least 2 youngsters that have managed to avoid the marauding crows.

Kwik save carpark,
A lesser whitethroat was singing and showing well in St Helens. I think this is the 4th year that birds have returned each spring.

Prescot reservoirs,
4 red breasted mergansers 3m 1 f must have been a fine sight at the reservoirs today but only the finder BC was able to enjoy them because as always they did not stay long. A cuckoo calling, grasshopper warbler and whitethroat in the ranch, 3 common sands, lrp, 1 white wag, 1 grey wag, 3 buzzards, 1 goldeneye f, 6 oystercatchers displaying on the causeway, green woodpecker calling and a harris hawk all seen throughout the day.
A conservative estimate of 600 adela reaumurella longhorn moths swarming around birch trees beside yates wood was an impressive sight.

Garganey at Eccleston mere in April.

Prescot Reservoirs,
The first swift of the year today . 1 common sand, 1 green sand, LRP, 2 sand martin, 1 white wag, 1 shellduck,1 pair gadwall, 11 great crested grebes, 1 stock dove, and green woodpecker calling.
BH had a wheatear early morning . The goldeneye have all left for breeding grounds although BH said there were 2 females early morning.

In the morning sunshine there was a swarm of about 150 moths around the top of a birch tree. They were Adela reaumurella which belongs to a family called the longhorns due to the fact that thier antenna are about 3 times the lenght of thier body. Thier wings have a metalic sheen which can change colour depending on which angle you look at it

Prescot reservoirs,
A great day for waders at the reservoirs. The green sandpiper is still present, the 2 little ringed plovers don't want to leave, 4 common sandpipers, a summer plumaged dunlin and the first whimbrel of the year flew over no 4 res. Not a bad day at all.
Also today Peregrine over, 4 buzzards, kestrel f, green woodpecker calling, 5 goldeneye still, 30 tufted duck, 10 great crested grebes and grey heron .
3 white wagtails on the causeway.
The harris hawk still squawking away.

Everythings looking a bit blue today. Must check the camera settings.

Prescot reservoirs,
A green sandpiper was still present today and had 2 little ring plovers and 3 common sandpipers for company. The green sand which has been present on and off since monday prefers no 3 res. 6 sand martins 2 grey wagtails, and a white wagtail also.
The lapwings have thier first chicks toddling about and the adults are constantly chasing away the ever present crows. Lots of mallard ducklings on the reservoirs also.

Catchdale moss,
After being out of town for a couple of days I thought I would see if the ring ousel that was seen last evening was still about. Unfortunately it was not but a flock of 150 golden plover circleing to come in to roost on one of the ploughed fields was ample compensation. An excellent count for the area.

Rimmers farm,
Sitting between Huyton, the m62 and Netherley are a few fields that make up Rimmers farm. It is well used by dog walkers along the foot paths and a pond often has anglers around its edge. A lot of the fields have been ploughed recently so with wheatear and maybe a ring ousel in mind I ventured to this not so promising spot.
I did not find a ring ousel but did find a couple of wheatears. But it was not the migrants that suprised me but the numbers of birds that are apparently struggling nationwide. There were at least 5 pairs of grey partridge ( no reg legged were seen) and skylarks singing over every field. At least 10 pairs were noted. 6 pairs of stock doves, reed buntings, linnets and lapwings were nesting.I did not expect to find these fields stuck in the middle of suburbia to be so rich with bird life.

A large and brightly coloured bird

Eccleston Mere,
A fine pair of garganey were showing well on the mere in the glorious morning sunshine. They seemed a little on edge staying in the middle of the mere and eventually finding cover under the overhanging trees of the island. They seemed pretty settled when we left at 9.30am but I think on sundays the yatchs and pleasure boats are out in force later in the day.
Prescot reservoirs,
A couple of wheatears and a white wagtail were new today. Blackcaps, willow warblers and chiffchaffs singing everywhere. 1 Little grebe, 5 goldeneye,10 great crested grebe,

Phyllonorycter acerifoliella taken on field maple

phyllonorycter ulmifoliella taken on birch

phylllonorycter quinnata taken on hornbeam

New Arrivals
The first on the leaf mines that I collected last autumn have emerged. Six different species of phyllonorycters have emerged as adults today. The life cycle of these micro moths is interesting.The adults lay an egg on a leaf of a certain plant species( Some species will only use one type of host plant others are less specific). When the larva emerges from the egg it eats its way between the upper and lower epidermis of the leaf. When it is fully fed it pupates inside the leaf and then emerges as an adult to breed and start the cycle all over again.
These moths are only tiny being about 5 mm long but when viewed through a hand glass they are really beautiful little creatures.

http://www.leafmines.co.uk/

Also today a brimstone flew over the garden and a newly emerged angleshades moth was hanging its wings out to dry under the garage window sill.