NORTH WEST

Highlights

Iberian

Chiffchaffs were singing at Red Rocks, and a possible at Parkgate Marshes/gayton Sands RSPB, both Cheshire, Crosby Marine Park, Lancashire. A male Subalpine Warbler was photographed at Loweswater, Cumbria on 30th.

CHESHIRE

HIGHLIGHTS: Possible Iberian Chiffchaffs were at Parkgate Marsh/gayton Sands RSPB (17th) and Leasowe (19th), and a male sang at the Royal Liverpool Golf Course at Red Rocks (29th). A Yellow Wagtail of the iberiae subspecies was at Leasowe (26th-29th). Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB had up to four Cattle Egrets, a female Long-tailed Duck and two Spotted Redshanks (1st-3rd), a Bearded Tit (3rd), three Great White Egrets (7th), four Water Pipits (13th), a ‘Channel’ Wagtail (16th), a Spoonbill (24th), and a Garganey (26th).

WOOLSTON EYES: Reserve-wide counts included 255 Tufted Ducks, 75 Gadwall, 52 Coots, 49 Blackcaps, 26 Black-necked Grebes and 750 Black-headed Gulls. Ringing on No1 bed gave Yellowhammer, Chiffchaff, Goldfinch, Lesser Redpoll, Willow Warbler and Greenfinch. Sightings included a Barn Owl, Snipe, Raven, Oystercatcher, three Water Rails, six Little Ringed Plovers, three Cetti’s Warblers, two Peregrines and a Cuckoo. No4 bed records included two Garganeys, four Goosanders, a Little Ringed Plover, Grasshopper Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat.

No3 bed ringing Team had Brambling, Meadow Pipit, Lesser Redpoll, Whitethroat and Reed Warbler. Records included three Willow Warblers, seven Bramblings, a Merlin, Peregrine, Raven, two Swallows, three Cetti’s Warblers, 20 Sand Martins, seven Black-tailed Godwits, five House Martins, a Common Sandpiper, Osprey, Dunlin, Marsh Harrier, Sedge Warbler, three Arctic Terns, five Mediterranean Gulls, two Garganeys, 15 Pochards, six Whimbrels, a Bar-tailed Godwit, Hobby, Little Ringed Plover, Yellow Wagtail and three Snipe.

Dave Steel

CUMBRIA

HIGHLIGHTS: The adult Black Brant remained

around Walney Island in the first week of the month. A Hoopoe was at Coulderton (18th) then flew south. A Cattle Egret was at Hodbarrow RSPB (27th). A Long-tailed Skua and two Little Gulls flew past Bowness-on-solway (30th). Ospreys were at Ennerdale Water (1st), Bassenthwaite Lake (3rd), Walney Island (6th), Cockermouth (7th) and Penrith (23rd). A Yellow-legged Gull was at Whitehaven (17th). Two Garganey were at Sandscale Haws (19th). A Dotterel was on Nethermost Pike, Helvellyn (20th), with one on Blencathra (21st). Seventeen Scaup (14 male) were off Bowness-on-solway (20th). A pale morph Pomarine Skua passed South Walney NR (20th), with 19 past Bowness-on-solway (27th) and six (29th), plus several Little Gulls. A Nightingale sang at Ambleside (28th). A Great White Egret was at Brigsteer (28th).

GREATER MANCHESTER

HIGHLIGHTS: A Great Grey Shrike was still on Chat Moss (1st). A Great White Egret was briefly at Pennington Flash (1st). Two Black Terns were near the sewage works at Dumplington (23rd) and one was at Pennington Flash (27th-28th). Two Avocets were at Audenshaw Reservoirs (10th), with one later (13th-20th). An Avocet was also at Hollingworth Lake (14th). One or two Wood Sandpipers were seen at Little Woolden Moss (19th-21st) and one was at Audenshaw Reservoirs (20th). Two Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers were at Dunham Golf Course.

ELTON RESERVOIR: Two Black-necked Grebes were seen (28th). A Little Gull dropped in (6th-8th), with up to five seen later (9th-10th). An Arctic Tern passed through (13th) with up to eight seen later (26th-27th). A Common Scoter was still present (4th).

PENNINGTON FLASH: A Black-necked Grebe dropped in (2nd). Two Garganey were seen (9th-16th) with another later (30th). A passage of 12 Whimbrel was noted (25th). A Common Scoter was seen (3rd). Several Arctic Terns dropped in (14th-30th).

MERSEY VALLEY: An Osprey flew over Sale (3rd). A Little Egret (19th) and six Bramblings (20th) flew over Rye Bank Fields, Chorlton. A Ringed Plover was on Carrington Moss (15th-16th). A Hobby was over Sale WP (13th). A Yellow Wagtail was at Altrincham ETW (16th).

OTHER SITES: A Hobby flew over Bickershaw Rucks (2nd) and an Osprey flew over (22nd), with another Osprey over Failsworth (9th). Two Black-necked Grebes were on Heaton Park Reservoir (27th-28th). At least one Mealy Redpoll was at Watergrove Reservoir (3rd-8th). Up to two Little Gulls were at Audenshaw Reservoirs (7th-18th, three on 9th, one on 25th) and two were at Reddish Vale CP (8th). An Arctic Tern (17th) and single Whimbrels on and off (19th-26th) were at Audenshaw Reservoirs, as were five Bar-tailed Godwits (23rd-28th) and a Sanderling (28th). An Iceland Gull was reported over Manchester city centre (2nd), where a Black Redstart was still present. An Iceland Gull was still at Cutacre CP. An Arctic Tern was at Jumbles CP (24th) and five flew through Hollingworth CP (25th-27th). Three Ring Ouzels were at Stalybridge, up to three were at Holcombe Moor and one was at Chelburn Reservoirs. A Wood Warbler was at Dunham Massey (25th-29th). Two Whinchats were on Ludworth Moor (20th) and one was at Lowton (21st). A Scaup was on High Rid Reservoir (5th-28th), where an Iceland Gull dropped in (9th) and there were up to three Little Gulls and two Arctic Terns (all 27th-28th). Horwich Moors sightings included an Osprey (10th), a total of 49 Ring Ouzels through and a Little Gull over (28th), A Kittiwake was at Over Hulton (28th).

Dr Paul Brewster (01606 590491)

NORTH LANCASHIRE

HIGHLIGHTS: Leighton Moss records included a Spoonbill (from 6th), up to three Great White Egrets, a surprise appearance of a drake American Wigeon, possibly that from the early winter period (from 16th) and a typical spring passage drake Green-winged Teal (from 9th). At Heysham, the long-staying Shag finally appeared to depart (13th) and other sightings there included a singing 2CY male Black Redstart (6th) and a Purple Sandpiper (9th). Rock Pipits (two pairs) bred again in the Heysham area and a single pair of Bittern appeared to be successfully nesting at Leighton Moss.

LEIGHTON MOSS AND AREA: The month started with Willow Warbler (1st) in song, joined by other typical spring migrants throughout. First dates for warblers were Reed Warbler (10th), Sedge Warbler (16th), Lesser Whitethroat and Grasshopper Warbler (23rd), Garden Warbler (25th) and Whitethroat (29th). Other spring migrants passing through included Whinchat (23rd), a female Redstart in the barn field (28th) and a rather out of place Wheatear at Grisedale hide (15th).

As the month progressed numbers of Sand Martins increased, joined by the first House Martin (3rd), Swallow (5th) and typically latterly, Swift (28th). Down on the Eric Morecambe complex, a lingering Barnacle Goose (5th) remained with Pink-footed Geese. A single Greenshank (5th) was joined by increasing numbers of Black-tailed Godwits throughout. A Red Kite was a brief appearance (10th) but a lot more reliable and consistent were Osprey sightings almost daily from (2nd). The arrival of three Garganey (14th) was nice alongside lingering Goldeneye (to 18th) and the female Scaup exited Pine Lake and gave fantastic photographic opportunities (from 2nd).

HEYSHAM BIRD OBSERVATORY: Good coverage was not particularly well-rewarded on the sea which, apart from two early Pomarine Skuas, was fairly unremarkable. Totals included c15 Arctic Skua, a Great Skua, 318 Arctic Terns, 386 bird/days of Sandwich Terns, a Little Tern, a Common Tern, a Black Tern, 44 Red-throated Divers, a Fulmar, one day of c35 Razorbill/ guillemot and four Little Gulls. Highlights amongst the land birds comprised female Ring Ouzel (18th), Nuthatch (24th), Pied Flycatcher (18th), Short-eared Owl (8th), two Yellow Wagtails (22nd), Osprey (18th), Marsh Harrier (25th), two Twite (1st), five Redstart, 12 Tree Pipits, a decent Lesser Redpoll passage (19th-21st) and a Green Woodpecker lingering throughout. Waders included up to 4,500 Knot on the heliport (to 12th) joined by a very unexpected 36 Sanderlings (3rd).

LUNE ESTUARY/VALLEY: A Whooper Swan lingered at the Snab throughout and nearby there were two records of Yellow Wagtail in pre-roost gatherings at Wenning Foot. A pair of Yellow Wagtails graced Aldcliffe (19th) and there was a drake Garganey there (23rd) along with Marsh Harrier (26th) and a late Brambling (27th).

Pete Marsh