Sunday 19th did a full loop of the Mersey from Warrington to the old Runcorn Bridge, outwards via Lower Walton, Arpley, Gatewarth, down the Sankey Canal to Spike Island, over the old Runcorn Bridge, down the Bridgewater, cut back onto Wigg Island, down the north bank of the Manchester Ship Canal to Halfway House and just after Round Cherval cutting through to Norton Marsh, then back into Moore NR via the feeding station, past Birchwood Pool, down to the Mersey at Unilever and back to the MSC at The Stag in Upper Walton.

Nothing of note whatsoever! 18 miles and two blisters for at best 8 Teal on the ship canal and one Kingfisher at Gateworth. Few gulls about but all ordinary. Nothing on the pools at Moore. Though I forgot how long 18 miles takes to walk and how early dark comes in the winter, it was almost pitch black after Birchwood Pool at 4:50pm. But also very quiet. Got home to South Warrington to hear Tawny' calling. But none on Moore NR?

Edited to add: There appears a very distinct sandbank / Island building up in the landward side of the Mersey from the central pier of the new bridge. It is covered in green vegetation which suggests and looks from the height it isn't being covered by most tides. I did have a friend many years ago via work [lost touch, their company was something like Euntec or Anauser can't remember now, think Euntec were taken over anyway] in the "planning preconditioning / future environmental monitoring" which stated that there was going to be 30 years monitoring of the change of the ecology of the river.

Looks at the mo like a nice potential breeding island might be building up there? Or could that sandbank change the flow for other waders / curlew / gulls which sit around the Wigg area. There certainly seems much less flow now on the South side at low tide at Wigg compared to that at Spike Island (random anecdotal conjuncture from 20 - 30 visits to both this year). Moore was very poor for waders this year on the pools (high water, diversion of underground springs from capping Arpley being mentioned by one of the Farmers that works both the Moss Side fields and maintenance on the Landfill).

 

 

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Tuesday 21st of December 2021 09:23:01 PM

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Tuesday 21st of December 2021 09:24:12 PM

Taking advantage of a friends a offer of canoeing (technically we were in a two man kayak) on the Mersey as some of this weeks high tides had a slight potential for a Mersey bore (no where near as spectacular as the Severn bore, but can be strong enough to push you without having to paddle).

We portaged in at Pickerings Pasture at 13:00 two and a bit hours before high tide at Warrington end of the Mersey and thirty minutes later we were drifting past Spike Island, which got a bit choppy past Runcorn Rocks. Shelduck watched us (no Ruddy ones), Little Egrets took flight. Plenty of Canada and greylag geese to the West of the new Mersey crossing. We had wanted to try and take the channel on the Wigg Island side but the wind direction meant for passive travelling (sitting as still as possible, no paddling, just using the foot rudders to stay in the flow) we had to stay in the lee on the Northern channel.

We nearly grounded going under the new Mersey bridge, there seems to be a sand bar building on the North side of the river there. 

Five buzzards circulated over Fiddlers Ferry PS. 

Drifting on at 14:20 we passed Penketh Bar where a small gull roost (mainly Black-headed Gulls, but a few Lesser Black Backs) was still present. 30 curlew were on the Bar plus a few small waders, Redshank I'm guessing, but with googles on (don't want to flip over into the Mersey and get that water in your eyes, even if just from the sand disturbed by the tide) and bins in drypac bags id not fully possible apart from the redshank jizz the birds displayed. At this point the flow was strong enough and direct enough only minor rudder corrections were needed, still no paddling so we were able to stay still and not make movements that might disturb birds. Ten minutes later past Penketh Bank a few further minutes later and Richmond Bank, which had only a last half football field of dry sand present; devoid of avians except a last few Comorants and Corvids.

Lots of Corvids on the north side of the Arpley Landfill (000s). A grey wagtail was on the humpback bridge over the river.

Into the rush as the river narrows and enters a concrete channel (~4mph is rushing when not paddling in a kayak). It is quite surreal to be sat motionless yet watch the world go by. A peregrine swooped from the Unilever factory silo over the river. We drifted on towards the railway bridge at Morely Common where our exit awaited. Four mallards (2m, 2f) gave us looks like they weren't happy with us being there. 

A finch flock contained mostly Chaffinch but also two or three Brambling as we were exiting the canal (note unless the tide is high, the mud here is very hard to get any grip on, it is more like Angel Delight texture than solid mud).

Next time, we're going to come down from Warrington portaging in at Chester Road and morr (sp?) with an anchor in a channel we saw south of Richmond Bank so we can let the water drop and have helmets and goggles off, cameras / bins / scopes out of the drypac bags one we are beached and attach to bank / mud anchor until the tide returns, which we guess is a 5-7 hr duration.

Going to need a lot of Bovril for that!

-- Edited by Andy Slee on Friday 10th of December 2021 06:57:04 PM

Fiddlers Ferry Marina
Small numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare feeding with Blackbirds on berries.
1 Kestrel

Sankey Bridges
1 f Grey Wagtail on weir
3 of this year's young Mute Swans still sticking close to an adult bird. The Juvs very white plumage now.

Fiddlers Ferry

Walk from Marina down towards Widnes
Few Redwing in Hawthorn bushes.
Little Grebe on canal.
Huge Buzzard (seemed much bigger than usual size) on a lampost near Power Station.

Gatewarth
AM
Paths to River still closed , construction work getting ever bigger, what look like permanent access road now in.

1 f Grey Wagtail on middens in horse paddocks.
1 Cetti's Warbler in reeds on canal.

Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM

Took a walk along canal to see what 's happening with big construction project that is occurring alongside the River Treatment Plant compound. This is well underway and has added roads, removed trees and thrown up an earth bank already. In the last couple of years, Lesser Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers, Grasshopper Warblers and Great Spotted Woodpeckers have bred close by , amongst many other species.

Depressing.

Two Swallows still over Horse Paddocks where a single Meadow Pipit flitted.

Sankey Bridges
2 Grey Wagtails on canal (literally on canal which was clogged up with thick green surface algae)

Late post for 31.08.2021 Midday

Walk from Lapwing Lane to Moss Side and Halfway House to view the Mersey at Norton Marsh/Fiddlers Ferry.

Moss Side : 1 Yellowhammer and a charm of 30 Goldfinches.

Norton Marsh : 1 Little Egret, 3 Grey Herons, 1 Buzzard and 60 Lapwings.

A quick scan through the big gull roost on mud banks did not reveal anything unusual, around 80% of them were

adult Lesser Black Backs.

Manchester Ship Canal : 3 adult + 1 juvenile (Full grown) Great Crested Grebes, 35 Tufted Ducks and 2 Lapwings.

2 Kestrels and a Buzzard were perched on the roof of the Stobart warehouse at Halton Moss.

A few Swallows were seen patrolling the just above the surface canal.

Sankey Bridges
1 Grey Wagtail

Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
1 Little Egret on River
1 Lesser Whitethroat brief burst of song

Sankey Bridges - Gatewarth
AM
A very vocal recently fledged Kestrel was inexpertly flapping in and around a willow tree constantly calling plaintively.
Eventully it flew over the River and united with a second bird. Prob an adult f.

A late morning walk around the old Gatewarth tip produced a stunning adult Hobby, also singing Lesser Whitethroat and Cetti's Warbler with a great Black-backed Gull on the Mersey

Sankey Bridges
Mute Swans have successfully reared 3 young which were out of the nest with both adults today.
Gatewarth
The Mute Swan nest here was abandoned with no breeding success. The adults did sit on nest for several weeks. No eggs actually seen.

Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
High tide. Many of the islands of detritus floating up river had a Magpie perched on board as they sailed, like ship captains.

Fledglings seen, mostly with adults in attendance, included Reed Warblers, Whitethroat, Dunnocks, Robins and Coot.

Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
930 - 1030 am

A Cuckoo was calling as I arrived on site. Seemed distant, possibly on far side of River.

Lesser Whitethroats still singing energetically. I am pretty definite 2 birds have set up territories.

Great Spotted Woodpeckers have drilled a new nest hole for this year. Male seen entering / leaving.

Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
PM
Common Sandpiper on River, flying up and down looking for places to alight in very high tide.

Lesser Whitethroat still present, but (Today at least) relocated to a very inaccessible spot

Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
1 Lesser Whitethroat and 3 Grasshopper Warblers singing.
Whitethroat, Willow Warblers, Chifchaff, Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Cettis Warblers and Blackcap completed the chorus.

M Bullfinch in trees near wind pump.

Fiddlers Ferry- Gatewarth
Beautiful sunny morning

Lesser Whitethroat 1 poss 2 very vocal birds. Relatively good views as one moved rounnd in cover.
Grasshopper Warbler incessently reeling from reedy scrub on Old Tip area. Eventually crept out onto a hawthorn bush and gave excellent close views.
Cettis Warbler completed a rare trio of skulkers seen when one flew briefly into view from canal reeds.

Kestrel with prey (shrew?) in talons which in took a bite out of Hobby style as it flew.
Sparrowhawk and Buzzard also seen , all 3 simultaneously, a nesting pair of Crows ignored the smaller raptors but harrassed the Buzzard mercilessly.

Mute Swan pair on nest.
First Coot fledglings of year on canal.

Garganey pair still present at 8.15 this morning as described by Paul - great directions by the way, many thanks.

Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
Warblers heard /seen : 1 Reed Warbler in canal side reeds, 3 Blackcap, 10plus Chiffchaff including one to and fro from nest with food, 5 Willow Warbler, 6 Cettis Warbler.

A big f Sparrowhawk cruised high over Old Tip area, putting up flocks of finches.

Gatewarth
am
Bright sunshine.
An influx of Chiffchaff obvious with easily double numbers singing all over the site.
Great Crested Grebe on River.
4 Mute Swans on canal paired up.

Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
At least 4 Chiffchaffs heard
5 Cettis Warblers heard or seen
1 Peregrine drifted over Old Tip area attended by a vigilant but distant Carrion Crow
2 Buzzards
Skylarks singing over fields

Fiddlers Ferry - Gatewarth
AM
3 Stonechat
1 Buzzard
2 Oystercatchers in horse fields