4 Turtle Doves - one watched from NT car-park on telegraph-wires above the old mill [exactly the same place as last September] flew off west at 0530hrs with 3 others that had been feeding unseen on the ground. Felt like I'd gone back in time 20yrs, when small flocks would be expected over any headland in late May
2 Spotted Flycatchers in the plantation above Porth yr Ebol in the usual flycatcher trees
1 Wheatear [m] - Porth Tywodog
11 Manx Shearwaters east past West Mouse
2 Kittiwakes
1 Guillemot with a Razorbill below Trwyn Cerrigyreryr, several pairs of Razorbills on the cliffs at Porth yr Hwch-fach and a large raft of Razorbills close inshore at Porth yr Hwch
2-3 Peregrine Falcons - Porth Tywodog, Porth yr Hwch-fach [2]
10 Choughs
3 Red-breasted Mergansers - Trwyn y Gader [pr], Hen Borth [m]
1 Wood Warbler heard from the car. Looks like a good area to explore on foot some time soon
The weather over the Carneddau / Glyder / Snowdon ranges looked decidedly changeable [all best avoided at weekends anyway] so decided to head south and climb the higher of the twin Arenig peaks. At over 2800ft the Arenig is a mighty beast and its isolated position ensures magnificent panoramic views from the summit
1 Red-breasted Merganser [m] on the Dee between Corwen and Carrog
1 Reed Warbler singing in hawthorns at south end of causeway. The only other Reed Warbler this spring was in exactly the same place on April 23
At least 2 of the 3 Oystercatcher eggs are hatching. Good views on the Oyc-cam in CCTV control room
1 Little Ringed Plover
Harrison + Crooks report that the Sanderling was still on the causeway at 1700hrs yesterday and a Little Gull was high over no.4
1 Sanderling on causeway at close range all morning, still present at mid-day
1 Sedge Warbler singing at south end of causeway
1 Yellowhammer singing from its favourite beech tree north of no.4
1 Sedge Warbler singing at south end of causeway
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Common Tern [probably Common]
5 Whimbrels - Porth Tywodog [2], Porth Newydd, Trwyn y Gader [2]
1 Golden Plover Penbrynyreglwys
3 Wheatears - Porth Padrig, Porth y Dyfn [2]
5 Choughs
1-2 Peregrine Falcons - Porth yr Hwch-fach
2 Red-breasted Mergansers [pr] - Hen Borth
1 Orange Tip [m] - Hen Felin NT car-park
Wall Browns still seem to be common here
Large Red damselflies around the duckpond
2 Harbour Porpoises
The cliffs are covered with Primroses and Bluebells at the moment along with Thrift, Squill and Sea Campion
Never climbed this one before, also known as the Welsh Matterhorn. Highly recommended!
1 Wood Warbler - Croesor
1 Pied Flycatcher [m] - Croesor
2 Spotted Flycatchers - Croesor
Wheatears and Cuckoos galore
1 Small Heath
1 Whinchat [m] - Ranch, was being followed by a Whitethroat hoping for crumbs from the table. I have seen Stonechats and Wrens interacting in the same way
1 Yellowhammer singing from top of tall beech at edge of Trap Wood
2 Sedge Warblers singing around telegraph station
2 Bullfinch [pr] in beeches at south end of no.3
1 Lesser Whitethroat still singing at start of footpath opposite Kwik Save entrance
1 Cuckoo [m] - Ranch Pond
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
1 Blue-tailed Damselfly - Ranch Pond
2 Sedge Warblers singing around telegraph station
1 Little Ringed Plover
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Lesser Whitethroat still singing along footpath opposite entrance to Kwik Save
1 Sedge Warbler singing on south side of no.4
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Lesser Whitethroat still singing around Kwik Save car-park
1 Hobby - 1st-summer low west over Singleton's Hill
1 Yellowhammer singing from Trap Wood
8 Shelduck - Section 1
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
1 Wheatear on Singleton's Hill
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
1 Sedge Warbler singing on south side of no.4
1 Cuckoo
2 Common Sandpipers
W Harrison reported 2 Dunlin present earlier
2 Common Blues on no.3 embankment
1 Small Copper on no.3 embankment
1 Sedge Warbler singing on south side of no.4
1 Little Ringed Plover
3 Common Sandpipers
2 Sedge Warblers singing on south side of no.4 and north side of no.3
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Orange Tip [m]
1 Brimstone [m] south-west over both reservoirs. Seems to be a good year for these and Holly Blues
1 Lesser Whitethroat still singing around Kwik Save car-park
1 Wheatear [m] on north side of no.4
1 Sedge Warbler singing on south side of no.4
1 Cuckoo flew across no.3 towards no.2 tank
1 Little Ringed Plover
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Dunlin feeding on newly exposed mud on east side of causeway, extremely tame and appeared to be different races, one long-billed with pale upperparts , the other short-billed with brighter upperparts. Harrison + Hayes had earlier seen 3 Dunlin on other side of causeway
1 Lesser Whitethroat still singing around Kwik Save car-park and along footpath parallel to Knowsley Rd [home of Pie-eater Beaters, St Helens RLFC]
1 Holly Blue
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
The Red-tailed Hawk has been recaptured after 6 weeks of freedom
2 Sedge Warblers singing on south side of no.4
4 Common Sandpipers
1 Redshank
No.3 is being drained temporarily. More fresh mud is being exposed each day at a time when many species of wader are bound for their arctic breeding grounds
1 Lesser Whitethroat still singing around Rhodes Printing car-park
4 Wheatears [mfff] - Singleton's Hill
1 Cuckoo - Hag Brow, called once
1 Turnstone [m] on causeway, exceptionally tame
1 Little Ringed Plover on causeway
1 Dunlin
3 Common Sandpipers
2 Sedge Warblers singing on south side of no.4
1 Lesser Whitethroat still singing at start of footpath to Dunriding Lane
2 Yellowhammers - Ranch
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
3 Common Sandpipers including pair displaying. Looks promising
1 Sedge Warbler singing on south side of no.4
2 Sedge Warblers both singing on south side of no.4
1 Dunlin
1 Common Sandpiper displaying
1 Lesser Whitethroat still singing around Kwik Save and Rhodes Printing car-parks either side of Boundary Rd
2 Sedge Warblers singing on south side of no.4
1 Yellowhammer [m] on north side of no.4
1 Lesser Whitethroat present for its 3rd day singing around Kwik Save car-park
1 Red-tailed Hawk around car-park, on souvenir-shop roof and in tall alder opposite amusement arcade
2 Arctic Terns taking insects over a small area out in the middle of no.4 as Arctics always do at the reservoir, wheras Commons plunge-dive and cover a greater area, regularly crossing the causeway between reservoirs. They arrived at about 1020hrs and were still present at 1120hrs but had gone by 1530hrs
1 Common Sandpiper displaying, although there do not appear to be any females present
1 Sedge Warbler - south end of causeway
1 Lesser Whitethroat singing around Kwik Save car-park and loading bay at 1330hrs during persistent drizzle
1 Wood Warbler singing briefly at 0845hrs in the long wood between Trapwood Lodge and the reservoir
1 Red-breasted Goose Section 1 Pit
1 Sedge Warbler still at south end of causeway
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Sedge Warbler still at south end of causeway
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Iberian Chiffchaff apparently accepted by the LERC [Lee Evans Rarities Committee] who visited the site just before we arrived, although it did "imitate" a nearby Chiffchaff for quite a prolonged spell before reverting to its proper song
1 Mandarin Duck [m]
1 Holly Blue
1 Grasshopper Warbler - Ranch, a loco flushed from long grass was presumably this species
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
1 Sedge Warbler singing at south end of causeway
2 Common Sandpipers
2 Oystercatchers nesting on gravel at north end of causeway
1 Grasshopper Warbler - Ranch Pond
1 Common Tern [probably Common] over Singleton's Hill from the direction of White Man's Dam towards reservoir
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
1 Sedge Warbler singing at south end of causeway
9 Dunlin - 2 low east over no.3, 1 in winter-plumage on causeway, 6 in breeding-plumage low south over no.3
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Common Tern [probably Common]
3 Wheatears [fff] - Ranch
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
15-20 Dunlin low west over no.4
1 Ringed Plover on causeway
2 Wheatears - Ranch + car-park
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit
3 Common Sandpipers
Local falconers were unsuccessful in their attempts to capture the Red-tailed Hawk yesterday evening and an escaped Red-tailed Hawk was found at Spurn at mid-day today. Spurn is 135 miles east [downwind] of Prescot.
3 Wheatears - Ranch [ff], Singleton's Hill [f]
1 Red-breasted Goose - Section 1 Pit