With the risk of sounding like a sententious and pompous arse, I quite easily fended off the temptation to go warbler-worrying and headed down to the Point of Ayr for my weekly constitutional around the old colliery site.A pair of Peregrines was a pleasant surprise; not least because they were busy running sorties on and around the scrap metal yard?
A Sparrowhawk was also on the look out for some action, but it was a stunning jack Merlin that stole the show – perched on a small bush near the lagoons.
Like a finely tuned athlete in the starting blocks or a champion race horse in the stalls, the raptor looked like it was on the point of exploding with energy.
The sunlight played the role of starting gun, for when its rays burst through the thin cloud a Skylark rose instantaneously from the rough grass and in the blink of an eye the Merlin was in fast pursuit.
The next bird to shoot out of the blocks was a Jack Snipe that ached silently in to the air. Sometimes I am never quite sure with these skulking waders, but this individual looked impossibly small and had a very short bill too. Flintshire tick one hundred.
Point of Ayr 6.3.11
Peregrine 2
Merlin 1
Sparrowhawk 1
Jack Snipe 1
Until later.
Hi Paul
ReplyDeleteExcellent blog still, even though you live the other side of the border.
Interesting sighting by Denzil of the Goshawk along Dukes Drive.The same bird I presume was also seen(not by me, unfortunately) on 25/2 above Queens Park being mobbed by 2 brave Herring Gulls
Cheers
Andy
Hi Paul and Andy
ReplyDeletePaul it looks like you had an excellent day on The Old Colliery Site as well,especially with the Jack Snipe,it really seems to have been a good year for them.
It's brilliant to be back on my feet again,although until I'm completely recovered,I'm going to be restricted to places that are on the flat like Connah's Quay Nature Reserve etc.
The Sparrowhawk and the Goshawk were both Males,and seeing the 2 birds so close to each other,really helped me with the ID.
Chester has proved to be an amazing City for birds,with the River Dee no doubt playing it's part as a key migration route,and also the Chester Meadows are a superb place with an excellent mix of habitats right on the banks of the Dee.
Duke's Drive is in fact a considerable area of mixed woodland,and can easily take me 2-3 hours to walk from one end to the other.
It isn't the first time that I've seen a Willow Tit in the City,I've also seen one along the banks of the River previously as well.
The birds that are on my 'Wish List' for 2011 will hopefully be a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, a Marsh Tit,and also an Osprey on Migration would be nice too.......I don't want much do I!!!
The only thing that I can't find anywhere in the City are some Pools for Wildfowl and Waders,so hopefully I can pick some up on Passage along the Dee.
Cheers Denzil
Hi Andy
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware that a Goshawk had been seen recently over Queen's Park,do you know if the other bird was a Male or a Female please?
Cheers Denzil
Hi Paul/Denzil
ReplyDeleteI was told the bird was large,Buzzard sized, so I presume it was a female.
Not wishing to gloat, but I saw a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker on Saturday. It was just up river beyond the Meadows & the area where the horses graze. It flew past me alighting on an Alder Tree then crossed the river into Willow on the far bank.
I always think the best place for a passing Osprey might be around the weir. Judging by the number of Cormorants & Herons fishing in the shallow waters here you might just get lucky with an early morning visit.I saw one rising above Queens Park last year, and I suspect it had been fishing in the Dee.
Good luck with yout city birding. Im hoping for Yellow Wagtails and a Cuckoo on or around the Meadows this year.
Cheers
Andy
Don't worry Paul, all the arses of all types appear to be at World's End!
ReplyDeleteHi Paul
ReplyDeleteAnother couple of hours spent walking through Duke's Drive woods this morning produced another 'First' for Chester for me.
The woodlands were alive with birdsong again,and it was nice to see Goldcrests about the place for the second visit running.
But the bird that I was hoping for,and found,was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker,although I only heard the bird calling,and was unable to locate it.
CHESTER 'CITY'
URBAN BIRDING
93 SPECIES RECORDED
LATEST ADDITION - 10-03-2011
LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER
BLUE TIT 15
GREAT TIT 16
TREECREEPER 3
NUTHATCH 4
GOLDCREST 3
LONG TAILED TIT 7
COAL TIT 5
GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER 4
LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER 1
COMMON BUZZARD 1
SPARROWHAWK 1
Cheers Denzil
Hi Denzil, I've been trying for a Lesser 'pecker recently at Llyn Helyg and Greenfield.
ReplyDeleteNo joy yet, in fact, I haven't even heard either of the 'pied' 'peckers drumming this year?
However, it odds-on for the first Wheatear at Point of Ayr tomorrow by my reckoning...
Paul.
Denzil.
ReplyDeleteI'm really interested in your Willow Tit. Where was it? We had Marsh Tits at Stanney Woods until 2 years ago. They arrived, bred for a couple of years then disappeared. i saw two 'black-capped' tits whislt in the reatuarant at Crabwell Manor last year but didn't get enough on them and by the time I'd left the restaurant they'd gone. I know Dukes Drive used to be a well known spot for Marsh Tit.
Hi Paul
ReplyDeleteI've been very lucky lately really,and that is all it is to be fair......I think that you're either in the right place at the right time,or your not.
Duke's Drive is hugely popular with dog walkers,and it was one of these who pointed me in the direction of the Lesser Pecker,so to be fair the bird wasn't self found.
I could hear it calling for about 15 minutes or so,but typically I could'nt put my 'Bins' on it.
Cheers Denzil
Hi Phil
ReplyDeleteThe Willow Tit was right at the beginning of the woods where you would enter at the Wrexham/Hough Green/Lache Lane,roundabout end.
I'm pretty poor at separating Marsh and Willow Tits on sight alone to be honest,and unless they start calling,I'm usually 'Stumped'
Very fortuneately for me,the bird continually fired out the familiar tyoo,tyoo,tyoo,tyoo,for the duration of the time that it was present.
Strangely I still have'nt managed to record a Marsh Tit anywhere in the City thus far,but I'm going to put up a Feeding Station in the woods at Duke's Drive,and see what turns up as the year progresses.
Cheers Denzil