Cheshire & Wirral's eighteenth record of Ring-necked Duck was found by Ivan Clarke at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB on the Bridge Pool last Thursday afternoon.
I made my way over to BMW for my second evening visit in recent weeks. Upon arrival the bird showed well in the centre of the pool. However, by the time I'd got fully set up it had drifted to the right in poorer light conditions, in pursuit of a female Tufted Duck to which it subsequently started displaying. Eventually, the drake Ring-necked Duck came back around the island into the centre of the pool again, giving pretty good views, although it was diving frequently & spending little time on the surface. Quick action payed off with my first Ring-necked Duck for Cheshire & Wirral. It had gone the next day. Highlights of a leisurely walk back along the boardwalk were, a short blast from a Cetti's Warbler in a bush right next to me the other side of the boardwalk screen & two Swifts wizzing over, my first of the year.
Previous records:
1978 Rode Pool, male, 1st to 7th May (D. Allen, M. Arrowsmith).
1980 Billinge Flashes, male, 1st to 8th June; presumed same, 27th August (J. P. Guest).
1983 Frodsham, male, 30th October to 24th December (D. Wheeldon, M. R. Whiteside).
1984 Woolston Eyes, male, 26th May to 16th September (B. Martin, R. Taylor), presumed same as 1983.
1985 Woolston Eyes, male, 25th June to 30th July (R. D. Riley), presumed same as 1984; presumed same, Frodsham, male, 22nd to at least 24th August (M. S. Garner).
1986 Woolston Eyes, male, 14th June to 9th August (G. Baker, S. Kennedy, D. Riley), presumed same as 1985.
1991 Woolston Eyes, male, 5th to 8th February (J. Walsh); same, Rostherne Mere, 9th, Chorlton, 16th to 14th March (per A. M. Broome).
1994 Woolston Eyes, adult male, 10th to 12th June (D. Riley, S. Kennedy).
1996 River Dee south of Eccleston, first-winter male, 10th November (C. Jackson).
2001 Marbury CP, male, 10th to 11th April (D. Wild, P. Brewster).
2005 Wigg Island near Runcorn, adult male, 2nd April to 21st April (F. Duff, W. S. Morton); same, Astmoor, 17th April & 1st May.
2009 Astbury Mere near Congleton, adult male, 1st November (J. Spottiswood).
2011 Woolston Eyes, adult male, 21st to 23rd April (M. Baron).
2012 Frodsham, No. 6 Tank, male, 4th to 6th June (F. Duff, W. S. Morton).
2014 Neumann’s Flash, male, 15th May (P. Antrobus).
There's been a few good local birds recently.
As previously mentioned, I'd visited BMW a couple of weeks earlier on the evening of Friday 20th April to see & hear a singing Wood Warbler located at the start of the Woodland Trail, next to the car park. I'd missed the one at Leasowe the previous Sunday, so was keen to see it. It took a while to get adequate views since the bird wasn't always singing & tended to stay in the upper storey, only venturing lower a couple of times as it moved around its circuit. The Wood Warbler stayed for a week & was last reported on Thursday 26th April.
Whilst at BMW I took the opportunity to go in search of another first for Cheshire & Wirral for me. Cetti's Warbler. I've seen many Cetti's Warblers but for some unfathomable reason never locally. They're one of my favourite birds. Incredible song & skulking behaviour, allied to subtle tones of rich brown in the plumage are some of the reasons I like them so much. I expected to hear the loud, strident song somewhere along the boardwalk on the way to IMF, but I didn't. However, half way down the path to IMF I heard the unmistakable song almost right next to me in dense scrub. It took a while, but eventually the Cetti's Warbler popped out giving brilliant views.
Cheshire & Wirral's third record of Iberian Chiffchaff was found by John Gilbody at Thustaston on Tuesday 1st May 2018.
At first it was only a probable, as these birds often are until the song is confirmed as the full monty, which it was during the next couple of days. I headed over to Thustaston on 3rd May. After finding the directions rather confusing & having wandered around Thurstaston Hill for a while, a quick phone call pointed me in the right direction. I could hear the Iberian Chiffchaff as I approached the clearing half way between the end of School Lane & Benty Farm. The bird performed constantly, singing loudly & frequently as it made its way around a circuit of the clearing. The bird is still present at time of post.
Iberian Chiffchaff at Thurstaston photo by Elliot Monteith
Iberian Chiffchaff, Thurstaston, Cheshire from Colin Davies on Vimeo.
Previous records:
2004 Dibbinsdale, male in song, 29th April to 20th May (P. Brewster, P. S. Woollen).
2017 Kelsall, male in song, 30th May to 28th June (L. Ozsanlav-Harris).
The next day, Friday 4th May 2018, a second Wood Warbler of the Spring was found at Leasowe by Allan Conlin, along the start of the Nature Trail before reaching the pond. I headed over there & after a bit of searching the Wood Warbler was relocated & gave excellent views as it foraged, although not singing whilst I was there.
Wood Warbler at Leasowe photo by Graham Connolly
