It was a really horrible, cold, wet and windy day. We had planned to go to Leasowe today, where there had been some rare winter visitors last week (Lapland Bunting, Snow Bunting), but they were long gone. We decided that West Kirby at least had some shelter. We were lashed with rain on the way from the station to the Dee Lane slipway, but despite the weather the row of five Stone Pines next to Morrison’s car park were still impressive.
The open water towards Hilbre Island was very rough, and high tide was approaching, due at 12.30. There had been a report of 17 Goosanders on the Marine Lake, but the windsurfers might have frightened them off and all we saw were one or two Redshanks, a Carrion Crow, a Pied Wagtail on the pavement and a few Black-headed Gulls hanging on the wind. We fought our way through the gusty rain to the little shelters in Victoria Gardens, and when the rain went off we headed up to Ashton Park, where the sun came out.
On the lake there were Mallards, Coots, Moorhens and Black-headed Gulls, but no Canada Geese, which are usually resident. One surprises was a single Cormorant, which appeared to be taking a bath. It flapped vigorously, churning up the water, then waggled its back end forcefully. After a second or two swimming around, it did it again, and then again … I have never seen that before.
We headed back to the shelters in Victoria Gardens for lunch, narrowly missing a short hailstorm followed by clearing skies and a rainbow. Afterwards, we returned to Dee Lane. From the railings by the beach we could see a row of birds taking refuge from the high tide on a spit of grassy sand. The black-and-white ones were Oystercatchers, while the grey-and-white ones were probably Knot.
On the way back to the station we looked for flowering plants on the pavement and in front gardens. The winter-flowering shrubs Laurustinus and Jasmine were starting to bloom. In Sandlea Park there were no nuts left on the Almond tree, but there were Rowan berries and yellow Crab Apples remaining on the thinnest branches for birds agile enough to reach them.
On the edge of the path was a clump of Stinking Iris, whose seed pods had just broken open to reveal the bright orange fruit inside. All parts of this plant are poisonous.
From the train home we spotted several Little Egrets in the cow pastures between Meols and Moreton.
Public transport details: Train from Central at 10.05, arriving West Kirby at 10.35. Returned on the train from West Kirby at 1.30, arriving Liverpool Central 2.05.
Next week we plan to go to Birkenhead Park. Meet Central at 10 am.
Anyone is welcome to come out with the Sunday Group. It is not strictly 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 join 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 or a wet bench (A garden kneeler? A newspaper in a plastic bag?), and wear stout shoes or walking boots. We are usually back in Liverpool City Centre by 3pm at the latest.
If you are interested in the wildlife of the north-west of England and would like to join the walks and coach trips run by the Merseyside Naturalists’ Association, see the main MNA website www.mnapage.info for details of our programme and how to join us.