12/05/17

By Elliot Montieth -
A night south easterly winds combined with that of heavy rain can only mean one thing, migrants. In such conditions migrants are brought up to the north with the rains preventing them from pushing north any further with the end result being what we call in birding world as a "fall".

Kicking off at Gilroy NP, Hoylake Shore & Leasowe Lighthouse I finally worked myself round to the Back Pools were the first trickle of migrants were present: 1 Tufted Duck (drake), 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Eurasian Reed Warbler, 1 Little Grebe & 2 Common Chiffchaff along with 1 Spotted Flycatcher *First of Spring* fly-catching from the willow on the eastern pool.

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) - 1st of the Spring but also only the 2nd
record for the site! (Image - Elliot Montieth)
 The B&Q Reed Bed was however counter productive with just a single Eurasian Reed Warbler singing with 1 (2?) Great Spotted Woodpecker picked up on call & 3 Mallard over).

The final stop of the day was the Main Lake with a pair of Spotted Flycatcher's in the willow on the south side of the lake along with not 1...but 2 Common Sandpiper on the lakes east side which appear to have paired up. However breeding at the lake is extremely unlike due to the levels of disturbance which those who visit are aware of. The lake it's self produced a reasonable selection of birds with Tufted Duck (pair), 4 Common Shelduck (2 pairs/1st time I've ever seen them on the lake!), 2 Mute Swan (egg shells have been noted on the sides of the nest), 1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk,  2 Eurasian Reed Warbler, 1 European Blackcap & 3 Sedge Warbler, however not a single Great crested Grebe was present on the lake nor any of the Northern Wheatear on the Wasteland.

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) - The female remains on her nest but we've got no indication
to how many young she hides. (Image - Elliot Montieth)

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) - With one bird being present for over 3 weeks
now, perhaps the second could be the bird which was present at Birkenhead Docks just
100m away ? (Image - Elliot Montieth)

Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

Observer: Elliot Montieth 

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