Friday 7 November 2008

A WIZZ ON THE WIZZAL

After the depressing last week or so a phone call from Big Al this morning spurred me into action (cheers Al). Arriving at Red Rocks just to late to see the Rough leg Buteo (a Cheshire tick noless) fly off I heard the unmistakable trill of a Waxwing and looked up to see two flying over, what a shot in the arm. Boosted by my good fortune I then did a circuit of Red Rocks reedbed playing a tape of Bluetail, well it is the best year ever and surely the North West dead zone is due something this awesome Autumn.

No Bluetails or Sibe Blue Robins this time so I made my way round to West Kirby parked up and decided to walk out to Hilbre Island (having read Phil's blog theres yearlist padders out there).

The view of Middle Eye and Hilbre from Little Eye, yes! it really is that far.

Standing on the the most westerly point of Cheshire by the old lifeboat hut on a sunny calm November day was what the doctor ordered. The tide was well out and on the rocks below fed various waders such as Knot, Barwit, Sanderling, Turnstone, Oyc, Curlew and the Island speciality Purple Sandpiper. A Cheshire tick stood on the rocks in the shape of an immature Shag (didn't realise at the time till I consulted Birder's Diary back home) with a female Eider nearby.



Also present 114 Brent Geese floating around (oh! for just one on the patch). What a cracking place...in good weather of course. Nearby the locals had the mist nets up but not being in this clique like the rest of the Wizzlers who knows how many Pallas's Warblers they'd tagged.

***MEGA ALERT*** its just gone off and theres an English upgrade to LESSER GREY SHRIKE in Lincs (that godforsaken dip pit...bugger!) cud be a Saturday sojourn.

Anyway back to the Wizzal, having scored with some choice Cheshire yearticks infact a Shagfest was crowned when walking over Middle Eye I nearly stood on a Snow Bunting...sorted.
Its the wee pale birdy in the grass. Taken with a handheld digi camera. Last one I saw in Cheshire was at Meols in 1981 !!!
After all that exercise a pint was required and I called in at the Harp Inn at Little Neston (a real proper pub) seeing a ringtail Hen Harrier drifting over the marsh on the way out...great.

CHESHIRE 2008 -193
CHESHIRE LIFE - 256
NORTH WEST LIFE - 306 NW Birdline region
UK 2008 - 225

2 comments:

Phil Woollen. said...

if they'd caught a Pallas's without letting me know I'd sulk for the rest of the year. Rest assured you'd hear about it!

Podster said...

Some times Phil its not what you know but who!