Quick visit this morning on my way to work

34 Curlew Sandpipers
38+ Yellow Wagtails
101 Black-tailed Godwits

All feeding away happily until a juvenile Peregrine appeared and shifted them all. The falcon did target one Curlew Sand which had become separated from the rest of the flock and gave it a good chase - the wader escaped

A cracking couple of hours here this morning with John Barber for company. Lots of waders to see and also a few raptors about too.

28 Curlew Sandpiper
c10 Dunlin
1 Knot
c40 Black tailed Godwit
1 Bar tailed Godwit
1 Black Tern - juv
2 Peregrine
2 Pintail
1 Sparrowhawk - female
1 Shelduck
1 Swift - passing through
1 Buzzard
Loads of Teal, Gadwall, Shoveller, etc.

Most of the above birds were present when we arrived but after about 45 minutes the two Peregrines came through and scattered everything. All but three of the Curlew Sandpipers disappeared and the rest of the remaining birds packed in quite tightly.

One of the Peregrines (a juvenile by the looks of it) returned after a while and after several dummy runs it managed to single out one of the three Curlew Sandpiper. The bird, which was in the water at the time must have become disorientated and began to flap around in the water as it had become a little waterlogged. The Peregrine then made several swoops at it before finally picking it from the water. It wasn't the high speed pursuit type of kill that you nornmally associate with Peregrines but still very interesting to watch, especially as it happened only 100 yards or so in front of us.

The bird was then devoured on the mud in full view for all to see. John said he couldn't watch it but I found it very interesting. It is nature after all!!

Dropped in at no6 tank first light this morning on my way to Moore. Counted at least 50 Curlew sandpipers. could have been more but some were too far away for my scope. could have been knot. but if not.! then there could be 100 plus curlew sandpipers.! 1 group of 20 came within 100 yds of me giving me first view of these beauties. Gunfire sent them to the middle again.! Also ringed plovers near them and swallows+sandmartins overhead.

Twenty eight curlew sandpipers, 8-10 sanderling, three little stints, four greenshank, two avocets and a common sandpiper (on the far bank) were amongst the usual dunlin, ringed plover and black-tailed godwits on No. 6 at high tide this afternoon.

A probable Osprey was seen over the fields just before Frodsham from the motorway this evening, being mobbed by a crow.

First light this morning.
Male marsh harrier over no5 tank.
No6tank:
200 Dunlin
150 B.t.godwits.
Avocet
Tufted duck with v.cute chicks.
Cormorants waking up.
Mute swan.
Pochard
Shelduck.
Along path:
Grasshopper warbler
sedge warbler
reed warbler
willow warbler
young blackcaps+whitethroat
Plenty goldfinch
Reed bunting
meadow pipit
swift,swallow+sand martins over.
Also met Paul(didnt get your last name) who saw common sandpiper and a Hobby on the way along path.

RN Phalarope showing well last evening. As previously stated, it appears to be favouring the side of tank 6 near where they fly the model planes and so will appear distant from the usual viewing spot on the opposite side of the tank. Closer views can be obtained by going round the other side of the tank to the junction with the other tracks; jumping across the culvert, where the grass is already flattened and then climbing up the bank. Having never seen one before, I was surprised to see it actually swimming rather than 'wading'. It appeared to be quite dull, in terms of the 'redness' around the neck and so some people were suggesting it was a male. Can anyone confirm ? Many thanks to the two local gents who gave me a lift both to and from the motorway bridge, thus allowing me to avoid a potential sump-cracking scenario in my A5 (not built for off roading!) And, a warning to those who haven't been down these tracks before. It will feel like you are driving across the surface of the moon, and, if the potholes are full of water, like they were last night, you could get a nasty (and expensive) surprise, if you aren't careful!

Cheers

Pat

First light over no.6 tank.:
6 adult Avocets + 3 juveniles
1 Cuckoo giving decent view
Lots of swifts feeding on insects with the odd swallow
Reed + sedge warblers
numerous whitethroats
20 Ringed plovers
1 Little egret
plus usuals

Late report from yesterday.

Spent two and a half hours here attempting to see the Buff Breasted Sandpiper but unfortunately it didn't show. The company was good though with up to 10 other local birders present.

We had some other good birds to pass the time though while we waited for the star attraction. Two male Cuckoo gave good views for most of the time we were there with one on the fence right in front of the car as I drove off (damn camera was in the boot though).

Also, I picked up a Hobby going through with a food item (probably a small bird but too distant to tell) and also 7 Little Stint put in an appearance on the mud but departed just before I arrived.

Nice to meet David Wilson on my way in.

-- Edited by Nick Isherwood on Friday 20th of May 2011 07:33:03 PM

Late post for Tues 17th 12:00 to 14:00 on a showery afternoon.

No sign of Buff-breasted Sandpiper but did manage 2 firsts for the year with:-
Avocet and Dunlin.

Also:-
Marsh Harrier
Buzzard
Sedge Warblers
Ringed Plovers
Whitethroats
1 Whimbrel
1 Reed Warbler (near site of old bird log)

Nice to have met with Sid Ashton

Rick.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper present at western end of number 6 tank at 1pm, seen around the pool with the island.

Thank you very much Nick . Much appreciated .

Having never been to Frodsham Marsh before , could someone please give me the best directions on wehere this bird is currently being seen.It would be much appreciated . Thanks brian

Still present when we left at 4.15 p.m., having moved to the small pool further west.

Also seen

1 Whimbrel (fly thought)
1 Rob Adderley
1 Mike Baron (nice to meet you, Mike)

Good but distant views of the Buff-Breasted Sandpiper on Tank 6 at 12.30pm with Jason Atkinson.

The bird was still present when we left, feeding on the mud in the company of Ringed Plovers and Dunlin.

Nice to see one or two faces off the Forum again.

Called in at Frodsham on the way back from Leasowe - found some nice birds including a female Whinchat, 3 Wheatear, 12 colourful Linnets and a close up male Marsh Harrier near the farm. On the scrapes at the northern end of number 6 tank: 2 Avocet, 4 Ringed Plover and 1 Redshank and towards the end of No.6 in what appeared to be a big rainwater puddle a Wood Sandpiper.

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To confirm what I saw, Birdguides now reports a Sacred Ibis at Delamere!

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Better still, there are now two!

Whilst sat in traffic on the M56 this morning due to an over turned lorry, I am pretty certain I saw a Sacred Ibis flying over the River Weaver bewtween the motorway bridge and the railway bridge.

I presume its the one from Carsington via Woodford. And I assume an escape, or possibly from the French ferel population? Who knows!

Went to look for the Wood Sand late am but no sign. Got a bonus of a Little Stint, along with 2 Avocets, LRP, Ringed Plover, Snipe & Redshank.

Cheers
Paul

There was a pair of black-necked grebes on the Weaver late afternoon. One of Sid's short-eared owls was hunting the sheep pasture to the north of No. 6 tank. Usual warblers, including four grasshopper warbs, an overflying whimbrel and seven beautiful, summered-up golden plover on the sheep pasture.

David Wilson wrote:

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Afternoon stroll round no.6 tank.:
i love the place. it must have been mega 10 years ago.!

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Hi David, When I first went to Frodsham about 10 years ago I was told then it was realy good in the past!

Yesterday I was at Leasowe with a friend where we got Black Redstart and Whinchat and we bumped in to another birder who had just come from Frodsham where he had seen a Wood sandpiper. So My friend and I headed off to Frodsham to look for it. When we arrived about 4pm we met one of the regulars who said the bird was mobile and had flown and not been relocated. I was surprised how much No 6 bed had changed and there were hardly any Duck there and the only waders I could see where a few Lapwing. There was a lot more reed and the sandy area of the bed had a lot more vegetation on it. I did however manage to pick up the Wood Sandpiper in the small newly formed scrape.

David Wilson wrote:

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i love the place. it must have been mega 10 years ago.!

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In the 80s/early 90s Frodsham was indeed "mega" with rarities turning up regularly, one of the best birds I remember seeing there was Stilt Sandpiper and one winter high numbers of Little Stints overwintered. I remember turning up one morning when a Broad Billed Sandpiper had been found and another time when a Lesser Yellowlegs had just been found. Not to mention fantastic migration when Wood Sand, Garganey in numbers, and all sorts of other stuff could be found usually in good numbers. Oh yes great days indeed! It was always heaving with birders too.

We didn't see the short eared owls but a marsh harrier was reported by some people who had been watching since 8.00 am. In addition to Sid's sighting we saw several sedge warblers and heard reed warblers. There was a huge number of small tortoiseshell and peacock butterflies, mostly a bit ragged after the winter, and orange tips. Was surprised by the small number of hirundines - 2 swallows!

5 buzzards 2 mating. Pair of ravens. moorhen. Male pheasant on hard shoulder.! all along M56. birding at 60 mph is not advisable.!