RSPB Mersey Mud Matters

An invitation to a special evening

Date: 09th September 2010
Time: 7.30pm
Cost: Free
Venue: Liverpool University Rendall Building

The Mersey Estuary is an amazing place. It's been vital for the economic prosperity for the area, an iconic part of our history and always stunning for wildlife.
One of Europe's top wildlife sites, the RSPB has worked with residents for decades to keep its natural heritage at the heart of local decision making. Development pressures still exist though, and current discussions about options for energy production, including barrages, could spell an uncertain future for this wonderful wildlife site.
We want you to be involved in shaping its future – to make sure the Mersey remains a real asset for future generations.
We would like to invite you to a special RSPB evening to hear about the Mersey's natural heritage, the challenges it faces and what role you can play.
Dr Tim Melling, a Senior Conservation Officer for the RSPB, whose involvement with the estuary goes back 21 years, will give you a behind-the-scenes insight into the conservation history and wildlife of this very special place, illustrated by stunning photographs gathered over lifetimes of patient study.
Dr Peter Robertson, RSPB's Regional Director, will then take you on an inside track discussion about the issues that need to be addressed to ensure that Mersey's wildlife is protected for our children and grandchildren to enjoy. In particular he will outline the latest position with the ongoing debate around the Mersey Energy project and discuss ways you may like to be involved in the future.
So I do hope you can join us for a fascinating evening about our Mersey heritage. The event will start at 7.30 pm and is in Liverpool University's Rendall Building. Parking is available in University Car Parks off Myrtle/Chatham Road.
This web site takes you to a map. http://www.liv.ac.uk/maps/liverpool-university-campus-map.pdf

We will be providing tea and coffee so could you please let me know if you will be able to attend? I'd also be delighted to answer any questions you may have about this evening's event.

I look forward to seeing you on the evening.
Yours
Andy Bunten
Mersey Project
andy.bunten@rspb.org.uk
0191 233 4316

Coastal Birds

Sorry we havent been posting this year but I hope to improve this now.

Today, the group's outdoor walk is a beginneers guide to estuary birds. We met at Crosby Coastguard station at 9.30am. These beginneers walks are very popular with new and old members. Lots of waders as you would expect and even better in various plummages!

We started with a summer plumaged bar-tailed godwit, what a cracking bird. It was in the wet pools at the front of the picture with the black headed and the herring gulls. Quickly a redshank was added with oystercatchers in the same pools. Other waders species were further out such as curlew, knot, sanderling and dunlin.

We walked north towards the Alt and added linnets, meadow pipits, swallows and starlings.

Chris Arnold spotted a grey plover which is my favourite wader on the coast and then 2 black-tailed godwits flew down the coast. Lapwings, golden plover and turnstone's were on the rocks. 3 wigeon's flew down the coast as did 2 teal, shelducks and mallards. The birds were quite flighty today due to the numerous microlites flying but then we were graced by a young peregrine which flew around terrorising the beach. After failed attempts the young bird sat on the beach.

White and pied wagtails moved down the coast and a a family of stonechats showed off with the odd wheatear. We carried checking the gulls and added greater andlesser black backed adn common gull. The grey heron in the river Alt was catching fish and doing better than the men on the coast disturbing the waders.

A good day to be out. Next walk is Saturday 11th September meet at Tesco's Formby for a walk with Dave Hardy around Altcar.

Chris

Bittern sighting

Coming back from a couple of nights away in Keswick we stopped off at Leighton Moss. The reserve was totally frozen except for one small stream near the members hide and after waiting for some 30 mins or so we got the most fantastic sighting of a bittern which walked down the stream and past us at about 8 foot distance. Managed to get the attached photo.

Phil & Bren Antrobus

Looking for birds in the snow!

Welcome to 2010 and better bird watching!

Well the group walk around the Black Woods and the adjoining Childwall Woods and Fields in the snow looking for for woodlands birds was very quiet. Most of the birds must of moved out of the woods and into peoples gardens cos it was very quiet. Small flocks of blue, great, coal and long tailed tits tried to find insects in the trees.

Treecreeper did its usual and went around the tree once you found it. The grey squirrels were much in evidence. The Black Woods is a small area of woodland which is left to do its own thing and that is great cos too much cutting down doesnt always benefit wildlife.

We crossed over Woolton rd and checked out the other side which recieves lots of management. It was still quiet but then if your a bird and the trees look like this then wouldnt you move on to garden feeding.

The next walk is Saturday 16th Jan along the Sefton Coast meeting at Hightown Station for 10.45.

Ferry cross the Mersey!

Another successful cruise! Yesterday saw 350 passengers board the World-famous Mersey Ferry for a trip out into Liverpool Bay to view the fantastic wildlife the area has to offer.


Sadly, the birds weren't playing ball, though all on board were treated to good views of a variety of gulls and Common Terns, attracted in by the rather smelly fish - bravely chucked off the back by Chris!



The next cruises will be on 14th & 26th September - tickets are still available so why not come along for the ride?!

Meet the Owlets

Last year Phil Antrobus gave us a news piece on his work with the RSPB’S Volunteer & Farmer Alliance section , carrying out bird surveys on two local farms in the Merseyside area.
On one of these farms a Barn Owl nestbox is on site and has been for many years. In 2008 four owlets were ringed, thanks to Chris and his ‘ringer’ associate. This year it was Chris’s turn to climb in the cage! Along with Stephen Menzie, and watched over by our fully fledged expert ringing friend John Gramauskas, three owlets were recovered from the box.

All fluff and talons, watch those hands boys - as John was quick to point out if it’s got it’s claws into you, you don’t want to pull your hand away, else lots of ripped flesh.... in time it will release you - honestly John?

One of the birds is fitted with a light-weight metal ring that will allow us to track its movements should it be seen again. Find out more about ringing >HERE<.




These beauties were estimated to be about 5 weeks old - half-grown, 2 females and a male, all roughly the same size although it usual for there to be 2 days between siblings - the age difference between the oldest and youngest nestlings can be as much as three weeks. The average brood size is 3.6.
In another week they should be hopping about in and around the box entrance…as long as mum and dad bring in the grub that is.. who can forget the Springwatch owl consuming his younger brothers and sisters, gulp!....Sadly no sign of the parents during the ringing session, hopefully out hunting a rodent dinner on yet another wet July evening.
By nine weeks old most young have already made their first flights and by ten weeks they are able to fly quite well. By week 14 week almost all owlets have left their parents' home range.






A quick family portrait, before the birds are returned to their nestbox.

Liverpool RPSB -Join us

http://www.rspbliverpool.org.uk/Liverpool%20Members%20page.htm

Fancy being an RSPB volunteer? Click here http://www.rspb.org.uk/volunteering/about/about.asp
Volunteer for the Volunteer & Farmer Alliance http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/farming/vandfa/index.asp

Sunny at the Flash

Phew what a scorcher, the sun certainly came out for us on Sunday, as did half of the population of Leigh who joined our birdwatching party of 15 for a Sunday stroll round the Flash.
The bunting hide never fails to please, and we got some great close up sightings of some wonderful finches, namely Bullfinches including some hungry youngsters.
On the lagoons we observed the diminutive Little Ringed Plovers and Lapwings with their dainty chicks and to our surprise something totally different a pike meandering it’s way down the ditch right in front of the hide.
Painted ladies danced round the grasslands (no doubt part of the mass migration recently noted in the newspapers), and they were joined by Whites, Common blues and Speckled wood butterflies. As for the dragons we had 4 spotted chaser, blue tailed & red damselfly’s.

Total bird count for the day was a 'not to be crowed at' 49: Greenfinch, Dunnock, Canada goose, Mallard, Mute swan, Coot, Tufted duck, Magpie, Goldfinch, Widgeon, Bullfinch, Great tit, Robin, Moorhen, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Great spotted woodpecker, Black headed gull, Blue tit, Reed bunting, Little ringed plover, Grey heron, Gadwall, Woodpigeon, Lapwing, Little grebe, Swift, House martin, Whitethroat, Carrion crow, Feral pigeon, Sedge warbler, Pochard, Great crested grebe, Ruddy duck, Shoveler, Kestrel, Blackcap, Buzzard, Common tern, Oystercatcher, Lesser black backed gull, Mistle thrush, Pied wagtail, Long tailed tit, Wren, Chiffchaff, Reed warbler, Collared dove.