2017 new year field trip

Today started cold and fresh on our first field trip of the year which, makes a change from last years rain. With the 2nd in January being a bank holiday it certainly gave lots of us a chance to get out and those that did really enjoyed the day.

This field trip has always been about enthusing and showing how many species can be found in Liverpool and we thought we would be on to break our record of 62.One of our first birds of the day was greenfinch in the trees by the car park followed by goldfinch, blackbird, wood pigeon and kestrel.

As we started to walk towards the estuary 2 mute swans flew out of the river towards town. As it was low tide the exposed mud banks were quite some distance out but telescopes we were able to show, redshanks, curlew, dunlin, oystercatcher, turnstone,mallard, teal, grey herons, cormorant, black headed, herring and lesser black backed gulls.

As we walked back from the shore 2 ravens conked their way into view and a solitary crow helped show off the size difference. We continued the walk checking the estuary as a great black backed gull flew past, but small birds kept flying about. Robins kept jumping about on the path in front of the main group, grey wagtail flew over the back of the group and in the vegetation dunnocks, wrens, reed bunting and a fly over meadow pipit. We stopped as the call of a fieldfare flew into a large shrub.  As we reached the sailing club a local dog walk told us how his dogs had flushed 3 short eared owls on the saltmarsh, we were very excited by this news. 

A single ringed plover and common gull was at the end of the slip way and 4 grey partridges flew off the marsh never an easy bird to see well.   

2 Skylarks flushed out of one of the meadows and a walk up towards the business park helped add more meadow pipits but even better some showy stonechats and 2 common snipe. A few blue tits were in this area with song thrush and mistle thrush but we had failed to see so many common species. The list stood at 40 species.

We walked back to the car to find 4 back windows had been smashed and it really spoilt a wonderful start to the year. Some went one to Sefton Park to try and add more species but the day had been ruined.

Chris Tynan

Leader

Footnote

Several members of the group have contacted various agencies including liverpool council, peel holdings and mps about  the  damage and we await further contact and hopefully progress in making this site  secure for visitors.

(I have to say its not a happy start to the year. I led a walk around the reserve yesterday with 31 other people. We started at 9am and returned to the cars in the car park just after midday.

We returned to find 4 of the groups cars had had their back windows smashed and their boots ransacked. Considering the car park was full of cars it could have been all of them! The car park had lots of glass from other windows which makes you wonder that whatever low life is responsible for this vandalism is there with some degree of regularity.

I really like showing off this reserve to members and the general public but it makes me feel that RSPB Liverpool wont be leading any more walks here until security improves.

All 4 incidents were reported to Merseyside Police. Some of the group have now contacted the local councillors and MP through emails and social media.

I feel I have to let you know of these incidents).

Anglesey again, Penmon and Puffins

Bobbing along - Puffins from Puffin island

Another sunny day saw Bill and I back on Anglesey. This time we decided to do a stretch of the coastal path from Beaumaris to Penmon point and back, a walk of nine miles. A walk with a twist, we decided to include a boat trip from Beaumaris pier to Puffin Island.

Beaumaris is a pleasant seaside town with its own medieval castle. Popular with day-trippers and today was no exception. On a clear sunny day the view along the menai straight is fabulous, a panoramic views over the waters to the Snowdonia Mountain Range, Abergwyngregn and Llanfairfechan.

View from Beaumaris

We climbed aboard our boat- the island princess http://www.starida.co.uk/ (Boat trips £9.00) the 11.30am boat was full including 5 well behaved dogs on board! The trip takes 75 mins and fortunately for all onboard the weather was great, sunny, light winds and not too much of a swell on the sea.

Puffin Island (Ynys Seiriol in Welsh) is uninhabited and is designated a Special Protection Area on account of its large cormorant population over 750 pairs, making it one of the largest colonies in the British Isles. A fabulous, beautiful sanctuary, free from humans disturbance, and land predators such as fox, stoat or rats. The rats were eradicated in 1998 - 2000 using tonnes of warfarin, brought to the island by boat and with the assistance of RAF Valley helicopter Squadron. The rats used to feast on eggs and chicks during the short breeding season, decimating the puffin, today the Scan team report 30 breeding pairs being a high estimate. http://www.puffinisland.org.uk/news/kittiwakesandatokenpuffin

Puffin Island is the ninth largest island off the coast of Wales. It is carboniferous limestone, and has steep cliffs on all sides. Its highest point is 190ft above sea level and it covers an area of 69 acres. 

Puffin Island

As we approached the island, the usual cacophonies of a seabird colony met you ears, but fortunately unlike Bempton and Farne not close enough to be nasally assaulted by guano and regurgitated fish paste.

Puffin Island is home to breeding populations of at least 12 species of seabird in their natural habitat – guillemot and black guillemot, cormorants, kittiwakes, fulmar, razorbill, shag, cormorant,  and of course the puffin. Herring, lesser black backed and gtr black backed gulls. If you’re fortunate you may also get to see gannets, chough, raven, peregrine falcons and storm petrels.

Nesting colony

Gulls

Kitiwakes

Cormorants

Guillemots

The east end of the island is home to a colony of grey seals which can be seen swimming in the sea or basking on the beach, as you can see rather chilled out.

Lifes' a beach- Grey Seals on Puffin island shore

Returning to Beaumaris the attentive skipper pointed out puffins bobbing about on the sea and a harbour porpoise off the bow of the boat. Note: those wanting a longer stay can join the Extended Wildlife & Sightseeing Cruise or 2hr photographers cruise.

Razorbill & Guillemot

                            

Back on terra firma we set out on our walk following the coastal path, we have maps but, the way is marled by blue discs and generally well marked.

A lot of the walk to Penmon point is done over the beach or should I say pebbles/shingle, so a warning is required as this can be hard going and will extend your walking time; make sure you have the right footwear. 

Ringed plover pair

On the plus side, shingle can lead to some welcome bird sightings, all along the way we observed piping oystercatchers, bathing gulls and a couple of scurrying ringed plover.  At sea along the shore a red breasted merganser and 3 eider ducks.

Whoooo... Eider ducks

Some of the cliffs along the way are striking with caves, and interesting strata and most importantly a home for sand martins.

Sand martin nesting bank

Caves

Approaching Penmon priory

Before reaching Penmon point and it's lighthouse you reach Penmon Priory, thought founded by St Seiriol’s in the sixth century.  A peaceful place surrounded by woodland with its own Holy Well, the spring emerges from a cliff behind the church.  It has a dovecot built to house domestic pigeons for their eggs and meat.  Inside were 1000 nesting boxes to accommodate the birds.

There had been reports the week before that someone had heard a corncrake in the priory grounds, no such luck! But lots of more common birds were heard and seen linnets, chiffchaff, willow warbler, blackbird, goldcrest, song thrush, goldfinch, great ,blue and long tailed tit, wren etc

Penmonpoint and a local artist Antony Garratt
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-32164147

 

Penmon Point 

At the end of the road is Penmon point. A picturesque area with lots of rock pools to explore. A fast flowing current flows through the sound that separates Puffin Island from the point (Trwyn Du). In 1837 a lighthouse was built to warn ships of the treacherous waters, in 1832 a lifeboat station was established and served the area between 1832- 1915, saving 116 lives.

Reverse the map and back for tea. So there you go a wee blog on somewhere very nice to go for the day.

 Laura

RSPB Liverpool Rocking at the Red Rocks

On the Red Rocks, looking towards Hilbre Island - L Bimson

Another sunny Saturday saw an expanded Leasowe light brigade (16 of us today) rocking at the Red Rocks, well maybe a slow fox trot, as the weather  was a just a bit too chilly with the wind blowing in off the Irish sea, it sucked away any warmth provided by the bright sunshine.  Alas it would also be detrimental to our bird watching, as the mudflats were devoid of bird life; a few distant birds could be seen flying about Hilbre Island. 

Hilbre Island - N Prendergast

We didn’t tarry, just long enough for Chris to point out the buildings and the ringers heligan traps on Hilbre, and  the importance of  this dropping off point for migrants and feeding birds waiting for the tide to  turn. We took the path along the coast towards West Kirby, checking the scrub, marsh and reed beds, backed by the Royal golf course.

Despite the recent weather being poor and spring slow to burst the buds. Our migrants were back, chiff chaff and whitethroat sang. Swallows skimmed the marsh, swooping over the head of a single Wheatear braving the blow. An elusive sedge warbler was in fine voice in the reed bed but despite straining every eyeball, he evaded our gaze. More familiar birds were about, always a joy to behold  a skylark high in the sky, fluttering then parachuting down, all the time singing his territorial warbling song. Another melodious attractive finch is the linnet, another opportunity for Chris to point out identifying marking on its chest and tail. (Skylarks and Linnets are both on the conservation red list along with our House Sparrows)

Reed bed & Dunes - L Bimson

Other more common a garden birds, wrens, house sparrows, goldfinches and blackbirds, flitted between the neighbouring gardens and the gorse/ shrubs.

Our only birds of prey for the day were a buzzard and later a sparrowhawk smoothly gliding through from the gardens and out over the golf course.

The reed beds only other obvious occupants were reed buntings, a few snoozing Mallards and a hidden Moorhen prrp!

Exploring the nearby natterjack slacks, we came across some tadpoles but these would be the offspring of frogs, the natterjack breeding a little later in the year.

Looking out over the shore from the sand dunes, 2 shelduck were accompanied by a party of 4 white wagtails,   a little further out a mixed flock of dunlin and ringed plover busily probed the mud. Gregarious, skittish, and fast of foot, a pleasure to watch,  suddenly taking flight on mass spooked by an unseen foe,  twisting and turning  in unison until landing  on the sandstone safety of  little eye.

Busy...Ringed Plover & Dunlin - L Bimson

Returning to the rocks, waiting for the tide to race in, we took timeout to admire various early flowers, garden escapees or deliberately scattered?  Narcissi and grape hyacinths, free seeding Honesty and cranesbills. Nettles flourished along the path, Chris determined to show us white/red dead nettles don’t sting!

Sea scurvy - L Bimson

Pretty clumps of White Sea scurvy shone out, one of the first plants to flower on the marsh. The only butterflies to brave the blow were small tortoiseshells, seen sunning themselves in sheltered areas. 

Tortoiseshell - N Prendergast

We hoped the distant waders on the shoreline near Hoylake life boat station would be flushed our way by the incoming tide, however once again the wind was against us and the only birds to come our way was a solitary cormorant, a  group of 4 curlews and a large party of mixed gulls. The only bird of note, a distant Gannet further out on the horizon, past the wind turbines, travelling out to sea.

Time for home.  Not a great haul for the day, only 28 species seen, but another informative amble in the fresh sea air and a home baked lemon curd cake from Tomo to finish the day - Yummy.

Bimo   

Our Red Rocks Day list: 28 species

Shelduck, mallard, buzzard, ringed plover, dunlin, cormorant, curlew, gannet, black headed gull, lesser black backed gull , herring gull, wood pigeon, skylark,  swallow, meadow pipit, white wagtail, wren, wheatear, blackbird, house sparrow, whitethroat, chiff chaff, magpie,  carrion crow, chaffinch, goldfinch, linnet, reed bunting.