Hesketh Park Southport, 19th February 2012

19/02/2012 by Barbara.

It was a brilliantly sunny day, but still cold at 6 degrees.

The park lake had the usual Mallards, Coots, Moorhens, Mute Swans and Canada Geese, but also some Greylag Geese and a solitary Tufted Duck. Hundreds of Black-headed Gulls wheeled overhead.

Snowdrops and Crocuses were all out, with one or two very early Daffodils, and the buds were swelling on many of the trees. On a hill was an old observatory, now apparently closed up, but a sign on a bench memorialised Herbert H H Watson (1924-2005) “who loved this observatory and restored the telescope in his youth”.

Near the garden for the blind and disabled there were Blue Tits, Great Tits and Long-tailed Tits,  a Robin, a Nuthatch calling and a Tree Creeper, who gave us an excellent close view.

By the floral clock a stone quoted some lines by the poet Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) from “The Garden”

How well the skillful gard’ner drew
Of flowers and herbs this dial new;
Where from above the milder sun
Does through a fragrant zodiac run;
And, as it works, th’industrious bee
Computes its time as well as we.
How could such sweet and wholesome hours
Be reckoned but with herbs and flowers!”

There is no set plan for our Sunday walks for the next few weeks. We will be meeting at 10am Queen Square on all Sundays in February and March (except March 18th which will be an MNA coach trip).
 
Anyone is welcome to join the Sunday Group. It is not part of the MNA, although it has several overlapping members. We go out by public transport to local parks, woods and nature reserves all over Merseyside, and occasionally further afield.  We are mostly pensioners, so the day is free on our bus passes, and we enjoy fresh air, a laugh and a joke, a slow amble in pleasant surroundings and sometimes we even look at the wildlife!
If you want to come out on a Sunday Group walk, pack lunch, a flask, waterproofs, binoculars if you have them, a waterproof pad to sit on if we have to have lunch on the grass, and wear stout shoes or walking boots. We are usually back in Liverpool City Centre by 4pm at the latest.

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West Kirby, 12th February 2012

15/02/2012 by Barbara.

It was warmer today (but only about 4 degrees) and with thick cloud cover. The tide was coming in as we walked all around the causeway of West Kirby Marine Lake.

A few of the Black-headed Gulls had nearly finished growing their dark brown caps, and there were Herring Gulls, Curlew, Redshank, Oystercatchers, a Heron, several hundred Knot, dozens of Dunlin and one Turnstone.

After lunch we went into Ashton Park and tried the Duck and Swan food again. The Coots, Mallards and Canada Geese all ate it happily. Further out on the lake were Tufted Ducks, who didn’t come to investigate the free handout.  There are several new wood sculptures in the park, and we liked this one of a Green Man.

In the park and along the Wirral Way we saw Carrion Crown, Magpies, Wood Pigeons, a Robin, Great and Blue Tits, and our first snowdrops. We cut through Sandlea Park to the waterfront again and spotted a “lifer” for me – a flock of Pale-bellied Brent Geese, about 200 of them, in the Spartina marsh between West Kirby and Red Rocks. As we watched they took off and headed towards Little Eye. Apparently they usually stay at Little Eye but the unusually high tide must have tempted them over to the marsh.

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Sefton Meadows 1st Feb 2012

14/02/2012 by Barbara.

Charles Russell has sent in this lovely shot of a Short-eared Owl, out hunting in the late afternoon.

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Costa Rica Jan 2012

07/02/2012 by Sabena Blackbird.

I’ve recently returned from a two-week jaunt around Costa Rica. A varied trip ranging from verdant tropical rainforest, volcanoes, sandy beaches and gentle waterways. Visited the famous National Parks of Tortuguero, Arenal, Manuel Antonio and Montervere Cloud-forest Reserve. Great wildlife viewing with Quetzal, numerous Hummingbirds, Toucans, Coatis, Sloths, Iguanas, Howler and Squirrel Monkeys, White-faced Capuchins and plenty of invertebrates. Here’s a few pics

Black Ctenosaur Ctenosaura similis

 White-nosed Coati Nasua narica

  Collared Aracari Pteroglossus torquatus

 Brown-throated Sloth Bradypus variegatus

 White-headed Capuchin Cebus capucinus

 Mantled Howler Alouatta palliata

 Red-eyed Treefrog Agalychnis callidryas

 Northern Jaçana Jacana spinosa

 Arrow-shaped Spider Micrathena sexspinosa

 Spiny-backed Orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis

Cricket sp.

 Purple-throated Mountaingem male Lampornis calolaemus

 Violet Sabrewing Campylopterus hemileucurus

 Green-crowned Brilliant male Heliodoxa jacula

Catch Of the Day!

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Birkenhead Priory, 5th February 2012

06/02/2012 by Barbara.

Snow had been promised for the whole country, but Merseyside escaped. Nonetheless it was a very much reduced group of only four that met on a cold and frosty morning at Queen Square. We were thinking of going to to Hesketh Park in Southport, but the X2 bus failed to stop at its assigned temporary stop in Victoria Street, and we watched it sail away. So we went to look at the new landing stage at the Pier Head, then took the ferry to Woodside.

The female Peregrine Falcon was sitting right at the top of Hamilton Square tower, staring out over the Mersey. We took ourselves to Birkenhead Priory and had a tour of the Scriptorium, with a display about Ian Fraser VC, a much-decorated diving pioneer who died on the Wirral in 2008.

There were very few other birds about today, just the usual gulls and pigeons, but we did see a party of Long-tailed Tits in the trees around the Priory.

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Sefton Park, 29th January 2012

30/01/2012 by Barbara.

Our first Sunday walk of 2012 was on a cold, still day with the temperature just above freezing.

At the south end of Sefton Park lake the usual crowd of Mute Swans, Canada Geese, Mallards, pigeons and Black-headed Gulls were hanging about for bread. Of the dozen or so Mute Swans, seven had blue Darvic leg rings, identifying them as local birds. Two sets of three were juveniles with almost-consecutive numbers, suggesting they were groups of siblings ringed together. Their ring numbers have been reported to the North West Swan Study.

On the path we spotted a Pied Wagtail, there were Magpies and Carrion Crows on the grass, while the water around the island had Moorhens, quarrelsome Coots and five Little Grebes, possibly a pair with three of last year’s chicks. Rats were common at the water’s edge. The former Mute Swan nest site on the island was bare, so I wonder where they are nesting now?

At the café there was a display of dead birds and mammals in small cases. A closer look revealed that they weren’t real animals, but made by “Replicated Taxidermy”. There was a poster advertising classes in this new craft skill. They looked pretty good, though.

There is a small bird feeder area near the Palm House, overwhelmed by pigeons and squirrels, but we chased them off, added some dried mealworms and were rewarded with Blue Tits, Great Tits, a Robin and a Nuthatch.

Since feeding bread to birds is now disapproved of, for my New Year resolution I bought some “Duck and Swan Treat” pellets. They are brown, granular discs, about the size of shirt buttons and the manufacturer (Gardman) says they are specially designed to float, preventing deterioration of the water quality. However, the blurb doesn’t say the intended consumers LIKE it!  The swans and Canada geese looked at it, but weren’t keen. One Swan took a pellet then spat it out. Mallards liked it and so did Coots. Black-headed Gulls dived among the Coots for it and Pigeons tried to hover and take it out of our hands. They pecked at it enthusiastically on the ground.  I also tried some on a Grey Squirrel in the Dell. One little chap approached cautiously, put a paw on my hand and leaned forward to sniff, then turned away in disappointment, finding it wasn’t a peanut.

The afternoon concert in the Palm House was given by the excellent Saxadaisical Quartet, a foursome of saxophonists, who played pieces ranging from Penny Lane to Handel’s Concerto Grosso.

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Marton Mere 22/1/12

23/01/2012 by David Bryant.

On a rather cloudy, windy day with the occasional brief downpour the MNA commenced its 2012 programme with a coach trip to Lancashire’s largest natural lake and a SSSI, an area of open water, reedbeds, grassland and scrub close to Stanley Park. The target species was the Long-eared Owl. Their winter numbers have varied from one to four. On the higher path we carefully scanned the tall shrubs and trees because they are so easily overlooked. Our patience was rewarded when one was picked out low down and close to the trunk of a tree, which is their usual habit. Initially a lot of members had some difficulty in locating this fairly large bird, so well did it blend in with its surrounds. With the aid of two telescopes everybody had the opportunity to fully appreciate its plumage, long ear-tufts and staring reddish-orange eyes.

(Picture of Long-eared Owl by Chris Derri - added 8 Feb 2012)

Then it was down to the hides with the best views on the west side where their was more shelter and better light. Several rafts of Teal rode the choppy water while a few Cormorants clustered on their favourite grassy isles. A female Sparrow Hawk dashed in from the right and disappeared into the scrub. The most variety was at the north end with Shoveler, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Mallard, a nice male Goldeneye and Gadwall. Amongst the Black-headed Gulls some of the party managed to pick out a 1st winter Iceland Gull. Towards the golf course several fungi added interest by way of Velvet Shank, Jew’s Ear, Dryad’s Saddle and Oyster Mushroom. As we were leaving 150 Pinkfeet landed in the open farmland at the south end.

We spent the last hour at Fairhaven, Lytham St Annes. The lake was fairly quiet and so some went further west in search of a reported Snow Bunting - no luck but a good find in the way of four Twite which were duly photographed.

(Picture of Twite by Chris Derri - added 8th Feb 2012)

The tideline was littered with shells - numerous razor shells and Common Whelks with some Rayed Trough Shells, Red Whelks, Prickly Cockles and one Common Necklace Shell.

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Sefton Meadows 17/1/12

18/01/2012 by David Bryant.

This was a vintage day for raptors in an amazing frosted and misty environment of grassland, copses, arable, scrub, coverts, deep ditches and the heavily embanked River Alt - almost reminiscent of the Fens. Richard and I started off with a female Bullfinch diving into willow thicket and a Sparrowhawk gliding in towards Sefton Church as Curlew poked about in rough grassland on the other side of the Alt. Walking northwards on top of the river bank a female Hen Harrier was seen flying low back and forth over the reeds and scrub to the west, and then another further on behind Lunt. Pressing on we had several Kestrels and Common Buzzards, the latter on the ground as much as in tall shrubs. We turned right at the sluices and along the main ditch to Carr Wood. Scanning the landscape on its north side a long-winged bird was seen approaching - at first we thought it to be a Grey Heron but it suddenly turned, showing chestnut and white and a forked tail - a Red Kite! It settled in a shrub and very close by was a Peregrine on a fence post. Meanwhile, to our right towards Lydiate another ringtail was quartering a field of dense stubble.

Retracing our footsteps along the Alt, and in sunshine at last, we were surprised to see a Barn Owl approaching us - it flew close by and then made a regular to and fro survey of the rank vegetation, legs dangling. It eventually returned south and quickly disappeared, probably via a broken window into an old brick pump house. Back near our start point 10 birders with large cameras were gathered around an area of reeds and as the light began fading Short-eared Owls started flying about, offering very good views - 4 of them. One came particularly close, screeched and went for a female Kesrel perched near the top of a spindly tree. A fitting conclusion.

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Croxteth Park, 11th December 2011

13/12/2011 by Barbara.

It was a seriously wet day, bucketing down almost the whole time we were out. We got to West Derby Village at about 10.30, met Margaret and Howard, then trudged up the long drive to Croxteth Hall.

Near the small resident herd of Highland Cattle, one sick Birch tree had eight bracket fungi growing from it, and there may have been more around the other side.

We saw quite a variety of the usual woodland birds – Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Wood Pigeon, Long-tailed Tits, Robins, and some Great Tits on the ground below a Beech tree, apparently feeding on beech mast. Not seen that before. There was a Grey Squirrel and a Jay flying through the trees. On the wet fields were Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, one Lesser Black-backed Gull, several Carrion Crows, Jackdaws and Magpies. The lake held only Mallards and Moorhen.

There was a dead mouse in a shallow puddle on the edge of a tarmacked path. We fished it out and measured it. Head and body length 7cm, tail length 8-9cm, fur looked grey – so it  must have been a House Mouse Mus musculus.  What was it doing dying out in the rain? No obvious injuries, so had it been dropped by a bird of prey?

On the lawn opposite the Hall we spied a tree that looked like an Oak, but which still had all its leaves.  Was it a Holm Oak? But the leaves weren’t right. It had corky bark and bristly acorn cups.

On the following day Margaret found it in a Croxteth “tree trail” leaflet. It’s a Lucombe Oak, Quercus x hispanica ‘Lucombeana’, a hybrid between Holm Oak and Turkey Oak, which occurs naturally in the Mediterranean but ornamental ones in the UK are mostly clones of the one first cultivated in Exeter by William Lucombe in about 1762.

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Chester, 4th December 2011

07/12/2011 by Barbara.

Our usual pre-Christmas trip to Chester was on a cold and windy day, with occasional squally showers, but at least it wasn’t snowy and icy like last year.

We walked along the canal, seeing just Moorhens and Mallards, then spotted a pair of Mute Swans on the bank at the canal junction, near the Telford Warehouse. The male hissed at us as we read his green Darvic ring – C502, which means he was ringed in Cheshire in 1999 and is twelve years old.  (Added later: No it was a female, ringed 29 July 1999 at Cholmondeston Locks near Nantwich.  Seen September 1999 at Barbridge, Nantwich and in November and December 1999 at Westport Lake, Stoke. Last sighted in April and November 2000 at Barlaston, Stoke. I wonder where she had been in the eleven years since then.)

We went into Water Tower Gardens for our sandwiches and a hazy sun tried to come out, but there was still a sharp wind.  Just Pigeons, Black-headed Gulls and a Magpie. Interesting maze, though.

There is a new Riverside Promenade walking and cycling path along the Dee, but the only extra birds were some Teal. Mindful of our sighting of a Mink two years ago, we spotted some tracks the silty riverbank, but whether they were Mink, Fox, cat or small dog we couldn’t say.

The middle of the Racecourse had several hundred BHGs interspersed with crows, and we were intrigued to see a cage and net by the fence. Soon an RSPCA man appeared. He had received a report of a fox with a broken leg near the 5½ furlong marker, and had been searching, but the injured fox was not found.

In town, heading for the Christmas Market, we came across the Greyhound Rescue street collection team, and they are as suitable a Christmas picture as any. Happy Christmas to all!

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