Dave Craven

Murky #patchbirding 200+ Avocet, 10 Grey Plover, 90 Golden Plover, Ringo’s back on nest sites, Jack Snipe, 70+ Snipe (my highest count in ages!), Com Sand, 3 GWE, 5 Chiffchaff, 8+ Cetti’s, 2 Stonechat, Tree Sparrow, 2 Rock Pipit, 4 Siskin.

Dawn #patchbirding White fronted Goose, Water Rail, 150+ Avocet, 220 Golden Plover, Green Sand, 2 GWE, 4 Chiffchaff, 6+ Cetti’s, 6 Stonechat, 4 Tree Sparrow and finally caught up with a/the Water Pipit. Slightly disappointed not to find any early migrants yet….soon 🤞

Afternoon #patchbirding 2.5k Pinkies, 2 Pintail, 4 Avocet, Golden Plover stood out in the Lapwing Line-Up, Turnstone, 9 GWE, Marsh Harrier, 4 Cetti’s, Nuthatch, 3 Stonechat, 2 Tree Sparrow, 3 Rock Pipit (a few starting to get a bit more colour), 2 Siskin.

Dawn #patchbirding 20 Avocet, Com Sand, 2w Med Gull, 2 GWE, 2 Cetti’s, 3 Stonechat, 2 Tree Sparrow, 3 Bullfinch, 2 Redpoll….distinct lack of gulls around the Mersey and WSR early on 🤔

Afternoon #patchbirding 2.5k Pinkies, Water Rail, 30+ Avocet, Com Sand, Green Sand, 4 Turnstone, 1w Caspian Gull, a dainty very streaky LBBG, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, 2 Cetti’s, 14 Stonechat, 2 Rock Pipit, 4 Siskin…but sad to find the WFGoose didn’t survive ☹️

Dawn #patchbirding 50 Grey Plover, Green Sand, 10 Knot, Med Gull, GWE, Marsh Harrier, 2 Cetti’s, 5 Stonechat, 2 Tree Sparrow, 6 Rock Pipit….and surprisingly mild and sunny 😁

Dry but a cold biting wind for #patchbirding Green Sand, 3 GWE, Marsh Harrier, Rook, Cetti’s, 7 Stonechat, 3 Tree Sparrow, 3 Rock Pipit, Brambling, 4 Siskin but bittersweet to find a Russian White-Front, not in good way but couldn’t get close to help ☹️

Wildfowl are a nightmare…will associate with anything 😂 But an unringed bird hanging with a load of feral geese is never a good look 😬

…..and stunning views of the ‘wild’ Snow Goose on the Marine Lake at Southport. Really let itself down after its early credentials 😂

Quick whistle stop tour of Marshside whilst visiting the folks was pretty good! 2 Russian White Fronts, Smew, Scaup, Ringtail Hen, Merlin, Peregrine, 5 Ruff and stacks of Pinkies, Ducks and waders….bit of #patchbirding envy!!

Afternoon #patchbirding Water Rail, 20 Avocet, 60 Grey, 50 Golden Plover, 2 Turnstone, Knot, 10k Dunlin, 9 Cattle Egret, 6 GWE, Marsh Harrier, 2 Cetti’s, 4 Stonechat, 2 Tree Sparrow, 2 Rock Pipit. Amazingly saw some blue sky AND dodged some stormy bursts 💪

Lots of Pinkies moving about this morning on #patchbirding and finally found a few more Russian White Fronts. 2 N over Carr Lane, single S over Within Way and finally a single looking a little lost drifting in on the tide of the Lighthouse 😁 #goosing

Phew! Thought it may have been an asteroid coming to put me out of my misery 😂😂

Afternoon #patchbirding 4 Barnacle Geese, Tufted Duck, Water Rail, 200 Golden Plover, 19 Knot, GWE, Marsh Harrier, Rook, 3 Cetti’s, 7 Stonechat, 3 Tree Sparrow, 3 Rock Pipit, 2 Siskin and something bright in the sky which I could do with some ID help 😁

They were clearly keeping to time more than the Grackle coming into roost last night 😂😂

Decent views of the Great tailed Grackle as it came into roost at Speke again. Wet feet and locked in wasn’t as much fun….thanks @birderjack.bsky.social for the escape route 😂😂

Tell me about it!! Been a really wet winter….roll on Spring! 💪

ANOTHER cold & grey dawn #patchbirding 2 Water Rail, 30 Grey Plover, Green Sand, 5 GWE, 2 RN Parakeet, 3 Cetti’s, Firecrest, 4 Stonechat, 5 Tree Sparrow, 7 Rock Pipit, Redpoll, 12 Siskin…..when does it get warmer again? 🥶

Grey (but dryer and calmer) afternoon #patchbirding Pochard, 8 Tufted Duck, Water Rail, 40 Grey Plover, 2 Turnstone, 8 Knot, 8 GWE, Marsh Harrier, 2 Cetti’s, Blackcap, 2 Stonechat, 4+ Tree Sparrow, 3 Rock Pipit.

Cold blustery dawn #patchbirding Water Rail, 4 GWE, 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Cetti’s, 4 Rock Pipit the best of not a lot….been a slow January all round.

A day off work for #patchbirding Water Rail, Com Sand, 1+ Green Sand, 2 Turnstone, 30+ Knot, 1+ Caspian Gull, YLG, 6 GWE, Merlin, Peregrine, Cetti’s, 4 Stonechat, 5 Rock Pipit, 2 Bullfinch, Yellowhammer….and a wannabe Iceland Gull.

Thanks Richard. Never knew that they excavated multiple holes each year. It was an occupied hole last year, so presumably would only have been used for roosting at the moment then 👍

Sadly so, not good news at all ☹️

Sadly this nest hole was being used by a pair of Great spotted Woodpecker only 3 days ago ☹️ Kicked out by the ever increasing population of Ring necked Parakeets in South Liverpool……not good news for our native breeding #bird species.

Late afternoon/dusk mooch around a mizzley and breezy Lunt. Pochard, 3 Goosander, Water Rail, 3 Marsh Harrier, Barn Owl, 2 RN Parakeet, 2 Cetti’s, 2 Stonechat the best. Nice change of scenery from #patchbirding - though the FOMO was kicking in 😂😂

At least you saw it, think there have been a lot of people over the weekend who have gone away empty handed 👍

Very much dependent on which side of the little copse that it decides to come into roost. Last night it flew in to E side of the copse that can be viewed from the drive though….👍

Hi Steph. It’s roosting roughly here: ///lease.enclosing.showed (by the drive down to Speke Hall and not in the grounds) but seems to go into the Industrial Estate and has been seen here: ///poses.rust.parsnip Goes missing for long periods during the day…..

Eventually after a bit of a wait the Great tailed Grackle showed quite well just pre roost. Cracking #patchbirding find by @birderjack.bsky.social 😁 Cheers

Finally getting in on the goose influx with a Russian White Front at BMF on #patchbirding Not an easy bird to see here 😁