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.

Posted in Sunday Group | 1 Comment »

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.

Posted in MNA reports | 1 Comment »

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.

Posted in MNA reports | 1 Comment »