1 Whinchat [f] still in north-west corner for its 3rd day, presumably stalled by adverse winds
1 Wheatear [f] still with Whinchat
4 Common Sandpipers
1 Red-tailed Hawk complete with jesses and bells [unfortunately] but still a good opportunity to observe a potential vagrant species in the field
1 Grasshopper Warbler - Ranch, on the ground, not singing so presumably a female or grounded migrant
1 Whinchat [f] - Ranch, still on reservoir-fence
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
1 Whinchat [f] in north-west corner
1 Wheatear [f] in north-west corner
2+ Common Sandpipers
A falcon being pursued by Swallows over pines at east end of No.3 may well have been a Hobby
2 Common Sandpipers
2 Wheatears
100s of Swifts
1 Ring Ouzel [f] courtesy of Ouzelfinder-General, Bill Crooks.
1 Wheatear also on the cricket-field
1 Raven on pylon above cricket-field
1 Little Ringed Plover at north end of causeway, 1st of the year
1 Wheatear at north end of causeway
3 Whitethroats - Ranch
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
1 White Wagtail
2 Wheatears
1 Brimstone [m]
1 Orange Tip [m]
1 Green-veined White
2 Whitethroats - Ranch
4+ Swifts over Ranch
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
A male Redstart flew into a window [with fatal consequences] of the offices at the start of the safari-drive at 1000hrs
1 Pied Flycatcher - poor views of a black and white flycatcher, presumably this species, in sycamores at south end of causeway
1 Reed Warbler singing in hawthorns at south end of causeway
1 Sedge Warbler singing in hawthorns at south end of causeway
3 Wheatears in north-west corner
1 Whooper Swan on no.4
1 Speckled Wood
1 Whitethroat - Ranch
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
1 Woodcock roding over Colliery Cottage at 2109hrs
8 Wheatears - Section 7 [7], car-park [1]
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
3+ Common Sandpipers
1 White Wagtail
1 Whitethroat
1 Iberian Chiffchaff
The rattle at the end of the chiff-chaff part of the song was only given 50% of the time and it looked like an ordinary Chiffchaff so could be an intergrade.
Only 7 birders present.
1 Jack Snipe - Ranch
1 Wheatear [m] - car-park
1 Red-breasted Goose Section 1 Pit
Remembered why I stopped going to places like this years ago. More like Crufts than a so-called nature reserve. The Ring Ouzel that has been present for the last 3 days now seems to have gone.
1 Grasshopper Warbler - Ranch Pond
2[ff] Blackcaps in a bare sycamore - Ranch
1 Fieldfare - Picnic Area
1 Dunlin over Ranch
1 Rook over car-park
1 Wheatear on car-park
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Ring-necked Parakeet
Got a call from W.Crooks at Clock Face Colliery Country Park to say that the Ring Ouzel he found on 14th was still present...
We could see that Bill was still watching the Ring Ouzel as we pulled into Gorsey Lane car-park but by the time we had walked up to him 2 dog-walkers had marched straight through its feeding area and scared it away. COMPLETE AND UTTER BASTARDS. Spent the next 3hrs looking for it, to no avail. Will try again tomorrow morning until 0800hrs when the safari-park opens.
1 Wheatear
1 Wheatear [m] in north-west corner of No.4
3 Wigeon [mmm]
3 Peacock butterflies
6 Wheatears including 5 together in north-west corner of No.4
1 Curlew
1 Jack Snipe - Ranch Pond
1 Stonechat [f] - Ranch
3 Wheatears - 1[f] with the Stonechat, 2[m] Section 1 Pit
1 Redwing north-east over Singleton's Hill
1 Rook south-west over Singleton's
1 Ring-necked Parakeet west over office compound
featuring article by yours truly available free [the magazine, not me] at local libraries or from Knowsley Safari Park
1 Little Gull very briefly on No.4 at 1145
1 Ring-necked Parakeet east over No.3
1 House Martin with Swallows and Sand Martins
2 Blackcaps
1 Skylark singing over causeway
1 Jack Snipe - Ranch Pond
1 Blackcap - Ranch
1 Red-breasted Goose still with Barnacle Geese at Section 1 Pit
1 Red-breasted Goose still with 50 Barnacle Geese at Section 1 Pit
5 Common Buzzards over Singleton's Hill
1 Little Gull - adult winter over No.4 from at least 0945 to 1150 but W.Crooks failed to connect at 1300
at Liverpool University: still the best band on the planet
2 Willow Warblers - Ranch
5 Common Buzzards
1 Red-breasted Goose with Barnacle Geese from Elephant Viewing Platform
1 Willow Warbler at south end of No.3
2 Blackcaps singing at south end of No.3
3 Shoveler [m/m/f]
3-4 Willow Warblers - Ranch
2 Ravens around the tip
1 Red-breasted Goose still with 41 Barnacle Geese at Section 1 Pit
1-2 Tree Pipits calling over Thatto Heath Dam after heavy shower this afternoon
1 Chiffchaff [Thatto Heath Dam]