2 Brimstones flying to and fro over a good show of Dandelions near the library opposite the New Strand shopping centre. Water Voles at the canal margins where Church Street Demolition (Brasenose Road) have landscaped their bank and also Rimrose Valley close to the pedestrian bridge. 3 good specimens of Rusty-back Fern on a sandstone garden wall in Langdale Street – a rare species on Merseyside.
It was a lovely walk today, through Rimrose Valley Country Park. We got the bus from Sir Thomas Street to the Netherton end of the park and walked back southwards towards Liverpool. Sunny and warm, with just a few drops of rain. Lots of spring flowers were coming out. Birdsong was everywhere. We heard and saw Greenfinch, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Swallow, Blackbird, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie. On the Leeds-Liverpool canal we saw a family of seven young Coots and a clutch of six young Mallards. All the time we were having lunch a splendid male pheasant sat on a knoll and watched us closely. Some gulls made a commotion and they may have been mobbing a buzzard.
It was a great day for butterflies, too. We saw a White (probably a Large White), a Blue (probably a Holly Blue), Orange Tip, Brimstone, several Speckled Woods looking bright and fresh, a Peacock and one fleetingly seen butterfly which might have been a Comma.
We were at Seaforth and Litherland station at about 2pm and split up to take the bus or train home.
This is the first post on the new MNA blog. It is intended as a place where members can write about the places we went to and list the plants and animals we saw.
To get us started, here is a list from Terry of his sightings (mostly birds) on MNA trips this year.
Barbara
Parkgate, Saturday 9th January 2010
Water Rail
Spoonbill
Woodcock
Merlin
Peregrine
Hen Harrier
Short Eared Owl
Marsh Harrier
Little Egret
Fieldfare
Redwing
Raven
Pennington Flash, Saturday 23rd January 2010
Goosander
Gadwall
Bullfinch
Willow Tit
Shropshire Meres, Sunday 7th February 2010
Smew
Goosander
Treecreeper
Nuthatch
Teal
Wigeam
Shoveller
Marshside, Sunday 21st March 2010
Raven
Merlin
Peregrine
Little Egret
Avocet
Bar-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Godwit
Golden Plover
Grey Plover
Snipe
Teal
Wigeon
Pintail
Shoveller
Sand Martin
Brown Hare
Gilfach and Gigrin Farm, Sunday 11th April 2010
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Swallow
Redstart
Pied Flycatcher
Hen Harrier
Sparrowhawk
Peregrine
Raven
Red Kite
Dipper
Grey Wagtail
Bullfinch
Bowland, Saturday 17th April 2010
Hen Harrier
Wheatear
Peregrine
Merlin
