So it was a small and very select group that met up in Lilac Avenue for the journey west to the Wirral peninsula! Heavy rain to start with but the sun actually appeared as we approached our destination, although it was very, very windy; conditions that prevailed for the rest of the day - occasional sunshine and heavy, but short lived, rain showers.

A good start to proceedings as we drove down Puddington Lane and came across a group of 24 Egrets feeding in a sheltered field. I did a quick count and assumed they were all Little Egrets but I was later told the two Cattle Egrets were often to be found amongst them.

Staff outnumbered visitors at the reception centre but, most importantly, they'd got the coffee on, so we enjoyed a cup as we set up the 'scopes and began scanning the reserve. Most species were hunkered down due to the ongoing gale, but a female Marsh Harrier spent most of the morning quartering the reserve, her progress marked by potential victims taking briefly to the air. A passing Peregrine though caused much more consternation and generated a blizzard of activity!
Lapwings appear to be on eggs already and a number were in constant action seeing off intruders whilst the Avocets don't seem to have started yet and looked absolutely brilliant as they fed in the shallows. The head Warden told me they had at least 70 and steps have been taken to deter predators by the erection of an electric fence around the whole of the marsh- excellent!
We counted 47 Grey Herons crouched in the reeds, I assume they would be well into incubation by now but there was no sign of activity in the trees where they nest - the weather was doing them no favours. From the Inner Marsh Hide we had good views of a Great White Egret and a selection of the usual wildfowl sheltering from the wind - Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Shoveler, Pintail, Teal and a large number of Wigeon.
As you can imagine small birds were taking a low profile but stands of willow afforded some protection and we were able to add species such as singing Wren, Dunnock, and Robin to the day list - not birds we'd normally struggle with! Finally on the return leg we had the briefest of views of a Bearded Reedling, low over the water flying between two clumps of phragmites. 52 species recorded, a thoroughly enjoyable morning and much better than likely!

This Friday 22nd March it's our final indoor meeting of the season before the AGM. We'll be welcoming back David Tolliday who will be telling us all about "Overseas Travel with a Wildlife Camera".

Elevenses were taken in the comfort of the Morgan hide, bolstered on the day by Jude's excellent home made picked onions - I hope you save some for the Christmas party Jude!
Plenty of action in front of the hide. No Black-necked Grebes yet but plenty of Black-headed Gulls, Little and Great Crested Grebes and displaying Shoveler on the water whilst on the well-stocked feeders Chaffinches, Greenfinches and four Bramblings.
Further round the reserve, on the track away from the Warrington Rotary hide, a song none of us is very familiar with, that of a Willow Tit, hidden away in a tangle of undergrowth. We downloaded the song from the excellent Xeno-Canto bird song website for confirmation. No such problems a further 50 yards down the track as we approached our first Chiffchaff of the year, close enough for everyone to hear - unlike the Willow Tit which was outside the range of some of the old ears amongst us!

A reminder that it's time to renew your Woolston permit or apply for one if you've never had one previously. Click here - permits.

In Mobberley singing Skylarks are back along Smith Lane and Hobcroft Lane but, as yet, no displaying Lapwings although I expect them to return on schedule this coming week in the big fields opposite Smith Lane farm, their favourite location; this year growing Winter wheat - so they may stand more of a chance than last year.
In Tatton Bob Groom counted 65 Common Snipe when they were flushed from the reed bed by a photographer, no Jack Snipe this time though. Bob recently had a Peregrine from the obs. at Rostherne and I was lucky enough to get a good view of one, carrying prey, as it flew low overhead. Also there an Oystercatcher perched on the rails of the weather buoy in the middle of the mere (25/2).

In two weeks time Saturday (16/3) it's our March field trip up to Leighton Moss meeting at the reserve around 10am or 08:30am in Lilac Avenue. We'll be looking for Sand Martin, Marsh Harrier, Marsh Tit, Bearded Reedling and, of course, booming Bitten!

Please note that our April Field Trip has been changed from Saturday 20th April to Sunday 14th April to avoid the Easter weekend.

My request for volunteers to help with the Big Farmland Bird Count organised by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust met with a lukewarm response which was a great pity. A list of farms who had asked for help from competent birders was extensive with a large number in and around the Northwich / Middlewich area. This is an ideal opportunity to open a few doors and gain access to some new birding areas - I'll be twisting a few arms next year.

As it was, just Bill Killey and I took part, and last Wednesday (13/2) visited Shipbrook Hill Farm, Whatcroft owned by Simon Bennett and home of Riverside Organic, a family run farm, wholesalers, farm shop, and cafe. The farmland is managed as stipulated in Natural England's Higher Level Stewardship scheme.
The farm stands in a lovely location; slightly elevated with views down the Dane Valley looking towards Northwich - the survey itself is a doddle and requires that observers simply select an area "of interest" and spend half an hour identifying and counting the species seen!

Bill and I chose a field just down the road from the farm - flat and very damp running alongside the River Dane and being managed with Lapwings in mind. The first birds we saw as we approached the field were Curlews, a flock of 21 - so we started the clock there and then! An area of open water and juncus reed in the centre of the field held 6 Mallard and 13 Teal, a Song Thrush was singing from a roadside ash tree and, as we left, a Chaffinch spluttered into song - the first I've heard this year. 19 species and one Brown hare was a very satisfactory total given the 30' time limit.
Bill and I have been invited back in the Spring to see what's about during the breeding season: door open - job done!

The annual late Winter increase in visitors to our feeders is underway, the resident Goldfinches have been joined by up to six beautiful little Siskins and yesterday three female Reed Buntings. No sign yet of Redpolls or Bramblings but I'm hoping we'll get some soon - other KOS members have reported both species in their gardens recently.

This Friday (23rd) it's our February indoor meeting when Ashley Grove will be telling us all about "Trinidad and Tobago: Home of the Hummingbird". As usual 7:45pm for an 8pm start in the Jubilee Hall.

So on Saturday (9th February) Olwen and I headed west to Merseyside and the centre of Liverpool; just one navigation error when we ended up driving through the sleepy suburb of Wavertree not a place in which to linger! We finally arrived with no further mishaps at the appropriate location, a much more salubrious spot with the library sandwiched between the World Museum and the Walker Art Gallery opposite St. John's Gardens and the Bedlam Paintball Emporium!
The library itself is a lovely building having re-opened in 2013 after extensive refurbishment with all the usual facilities and a pleasant cafe serving snacks and proper coffee. The viewing event took place on the third floor, in the search room, into which we were ushered at the allotted time. A group of about 25 people who were asked to consider others during the event - not to hog the best positions and allow everyone to get a good view and take photos if they wished. This worked well, all very civilised with participants moving politely from spot to spot to examine the prints and take some record shots. The two members of staff gave interesting presentations and were happy to answer questions as they went along. The prints were beautiful and looked as fresh as the day they were completed and no one went away disappointed. I believe a further event is planned sometime this year with all four volumes available - but you'll need to book early!

The Manchester Birding Forum reports Brambling this morning (6th) along Beech Walk in Tatton. Park ranger Darren Morris had no less than 40 Mandarin Ducks in front of the Higmere Plantation on the Park's main mere (1/2). I thought this must have been a record for Cheshire but Hugh Pulsford tells me he has previously had a flock of c.100 on the lake in Alderley park where a nest box contained 24 eggs - all of which apparently hatched out!

An interesting text today from Darren who has watched (for the past few weeks) 15 to 20 Cormorants herding young carp into the shallows of the lagoon at the north end of Tatton mere. I've seen film of Pelicans doing this but a quick search on the internet revealed that other members of the Cormorant family indulge in this cooperative exercise in other parts of the world.

So plenty to look forward to on Sunday (10th) when our February field trip will be to Tatton. Meeting up at 9:00am in the Dog Lodge layby on Mobberley Road. Tony Ellis is the trip leader.

Just 19 species the following morning on the Heath; despite the later start it was 3 degrees cooler at a chilly 5C with gale force northerly winds making it feel even colder. Although the two locations are about the same size the Heath suffers from not having an area of water within its boundaries and so misses out on the waterfowl to be found on the Moor Pool (although we "nearly" had an Egyptian Goose that passed low over the Heath without landing - that wouldn't feature on many garden lists!). Despite its limitations the Heath is a pleasant place to explore on a windy winters morning, numerous paths criss-cross the woodland making it very popular with local families walking their dogs and the shelter provided by the trees meant the small birds weren't affected by the weather and Blue, Great and Coal Tits were all in song - a gentle reminder that Spring's just around the corner (although the weather forecast gives snow for tomorrow and last year "The Beast from the East" didn't arrive until late February!

On Friday (1/2) it's the CAWOS February meeting at 7:45pm at the Catholic Church on Tatton Street
Our second talk for 2019 is by Mike Leach who is a superb photographer and speaker. Mike has visited us a number of times and always has been very entertaining. His talk this time is a bit of a follow up to one of his previous talks although it is by no means necessary to have attended the "Part 1" to fully enjoy his offering this time. Thoroughly recommended to ALL! Michael returns with a second helping! Those with long memories will remember his entertaining part 1 back in 2005! Further confessions of a wildlife photographer featuring advice on how to make a wild cat look more menacing and the story of working with hen harriers on a storm-swept Scottish mountain. Michael reveals how cameramen look into the secret world of underground dens and how to build a motorway in your garden shed.

NB Some people are still getting CAWOS and KOS mixed up! KOS is the Knutsford Ornithological Society our local bird club and the "owners" of this website. CAWOS is the Cheshire and Wirral Ornithological Society - the county Society. Some KOS members are members of both.

On then to Parkgate for the high tide of 10M. Many others had also made the trip and the car park at the old baths was chock-a-block, we managed to squeeze in and made our way to the sea wall where Sheila Blamire was nicely ensconced with a clear view across the estuary. The high tide was due at 12:36pm but it soon became apparent that the incoming water was never going to reach the sea wall, conditions on this occasion were just not in our favour. Nevertheless there were plenty of good birds to be found and those that appeared gave us good views. Up to five Marsh Harriers were in the air together, Male and female Hen Harriers caused much excitement as did the hunting Short-eared Owls - three at one stage with one posing photogenically on an old fence post out in the estuary, perhaps just too far away for the multitude of photographers after that killer image!!
Little Egrets were few and far between but a Great White Egret was a welcome addition to the day-list, Skylarks passed over in good numbers and two Stonechats obliged the photographers, assuming an appropriate pose just beyond the sea wall.
The Parkgate chippie was doing a roaring trade but it was again well worth the wait - great to welcome Len Mason back with us after his recent problems and in such good form - he wasn't going to miss those fish and chips!

Fieldfares have been conspicuous by their absence so far this Winter but I had 12 yesterday in Mobberley and Bob Groom counted 61 flying over Queensway at lunchtime.

A busy weekend ahead starting this evening (Friday 25th) -

Friday 25th January... KOS indoor meeting - "North Norfolk Here I Come" with Jim Almond

Saturday 26th January - Big Garden Birdwatch with the Friends of Knutsford Moor. 9am to 10am on the Moor.

Sunday 27th January - Big Garden Birdwatch with the Friends of Knutsford Heath 11am to noon on the Heath.

10 members arrived to give a hand during the morning, including Yvonne and Darren Morris who once again provided tea, coffee, biscuits and a supply of hot water - essential ingredients with which to tempt people in!

Thanks to all concerned for their help in making this event such a success - we must do it again sometime!

Also in the park Roger Barnes tells me that Grey Herons can be seen perched high in the alder trees of Higmere plantation, staking out their claims to the most favourable nest sites prior to the breeding season, which is now upon us - young birds have been seen as early as February at some locations in the past. On his way to the Allen hide Alan Gillespie walked along Beech Walk, next to the golf course, and reports seeing Brambings feeding on the beech mast - the first I've heard of in our area this winter.
In Mobberley a pair of Little Owls have set up shop along Pavement Lane and this morning on Slade Lane I watched a group of 5 Bullfinches exploring an orchard and heard three Song Thrushes and two Goldcrests in song. let's hope they don't get carried away - it's mild at the moment but the weather people tell us it's going to get a lot colder - winter's not over yet!

There are some high Spring tides next week - around 10 meters on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th. The RSPB will be putting on a special event on the 23rd.

Wednesday 23rd January - Parkgate High tide Birdwatch (RSPB). 10.30am-2.30pm, Price: Free. In celebration of the RSPB Dee Estuary reserve's 40th anniversary, join us at Parkgate Old Baths for the awe-inspiring spectacle of a high tide flooding the vast salt marsh, potentially reaching the old sea wall. The marsh at Parkgate is one of the best wetland habitats in the northwest, and when flooded by an incoming tide, the wildlife which lives here is pushed closer, with chance of seeing the great range of ducks, geese, wading birds and egrets in big numbers as they are driven upstream by the rising tide. A range of birds of prey take advantage of mice and voles flushed from the grasses; hen and marsh harriers, peregrines and merlins all spend the winter months on the estuary and this is one of the best places to watch them, plus short-eared owls if we're really lucky. So why not venture out to try witness all the drama. Low pressure and a westerly wind will help push the tide and wildlife in close. There is free public parking at the Old Baths car park (CH64 6RN) at the north end of The Parade, and the Wirral Country Park car park on Station Road (CH64 6QJ). There are public toilets at Mostyn Square in the middle of The Parade, and a number of pubs and cafes. High tide (10.0m/32.8ft) at 12.36pm.

High tide was at 11:00am so we made our way immediately to the tower hide at the far end of the reserve, Chaffinch, Linnet and Brambling, seen from the cars, were early additions to the day list as we made our way along the track running parallel with the River Dee. Earlier in the morning we'd seen huge flocks of Pink-footed geese passing overhead as we approached Connah's Quay, a few more were seen from the hide but here Canada Geese predominated, a sizable flock grazed in front of us accompanied by a few Greylags and two difficult to find Barnacle geese.
Waders were well represented with c. 50 Dunlin feeding on the mud before the tide rolled in plus Curlew, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit and, in the distance, viewable only through the bigger 'scopes, a small group of Knot.
We had a number of sightings of Little Egrets out across the estuary towards Parkgate plus one record of a single Great White Egret. A Peregrine appeared from that direction and landed for a short time on a nearby pylon, partially obscured by the structure but viewable through the 'scopes. Just four species of raptor during the day with the Peregrine, an early Kestrel, Buzzard and a Marsh Harrier seen by Bob as we walked back to the cars, bringing our final tally to a reasonable 51 species. The only disappointment was the absence again of any Twite; apparently they have appeared only intermittently in small numbers at very high tides and after heavy rain when fresh water pools, in which they were seen bathing, formed in the car park.

This coming Sunday (13th) we'll again be at the Allen Hide, overlooking Melchett mere, in Tatton Park from 11am until 1pm for the annual Winter Wildfowl Watch in conjunction with the Park Rangers. Always good fun and we're hoping that refreshments will again be available but this depends on what Darren can scrounge!!

Our route took us from the Witton Bridge car park up to Haydn's pool, along to Budworth Mere then over to Neumann's Flash on our way back to the cars. Dunnocks, Great and Blue Tits were all in song as we approached Butterfinch Bridge, no Cetti's Warbler this year but a Water Rail called briefly from deep inside the reedbed upstream from the bridge.

Haydn's Pool was disappointing; it's currently overgrown with little water to be seen, but we did tick off Stock Dove and Peregrine on the day list - the latter perched on a railing on the old ICI building, not in it's usual position on the chimney - you can't hide from the Hon. Chairman's Swarovski!

Elevenses were taken at the viewing screen overlooking Budworth Mere. More to see here, the most obvious species on view were the Goosanders - no less than 29 birds, four full adult males but mostly "red heads" one of which was fishing in the shallows, just below the screen, where Richard obtained the image shown above. A second Water Rail was heard from here whilst out on the mere good numbers of Great Crested Grebes two of which were displaying.

Over towards the sandspit were the gulls, Mainly Black-headed with a few Herring a handful of Lesser Black-backed and a single Great Black-backed. Other wildfowl included Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe with a couple of Canada Geese and a lone Goldeneye. A Kingfisher flew low over the mere as we made our way along the waterside path and into the woodland.

Approaching Neumann's we came across a small flock of finches predominately Green and Gold but alongside them a couple of Lesser Redpolls. More Wildfowl on Neumann's with Wigeon and Teal present in good numbers; across on the far side of the flash a flock of c. 200 Lapwings (but no Golden Plovers this time). Richard, Geoff and Sheila diverted to Pod's hide before returning to the cars and from there had a Snipe and great views of a Water Rail which was so close that Richard was able to capture this shot with his phone camera. In the foreground you'll see red roses left in memory of Pete "Pod" Antrobus and in who's memory the hide was erected. A poignant image and a reminder that for many people Christmas and New Year can be a very difficult time.

Some up and coming dates for your diary.

Sunday 6th January.... Our KOS January field trip to Connah's Quay. 08:30am at the Tatton Street car park or 09:20 at the entrance to the reserve. Hopefully the Twite flock has built up again this winter.

Sunday 13th January... Wildfowl watch with the Tatton Rangers. 11:00am to 1pm at the Allen hide.

Friday 25th January... KOS indoor meeting - "North Norfolk Here I Come" with Jim Almond

Saturday 26th January - Big Garden Birdwatch with the Friends of Knutsford Moor. 9am to 10am on the Moor.

Sunday 27th January - Big Garden Birdwatch with the Friends of Knutsford Heath 11am to noon on the Heath.

Greetings all. A lovely evening last Friday rounded off our 2018 meeting programme with festive spirits fuelled by a delicious food offering. This event is also our sole fund raising effort of the year; here is how we did on that front.

I've not received many sightings of interest since the last update. Bob Groom was at Rostherne on 11th December and had a flock of c.100 Pinkfeet flying over. In Mobberley along Pavement Lane two Little Owls have taken over the oak tree nest site used two years ago by a pair of Barn Owls. Blue, Great and Coal Tits have been in song for the past couple of weeks and were joined over the weekend by the local Dunnocks. Not long now to the shortest day and in the garden the daffodil leaves are beginning to emerge - Spring can't be that far away - or am I being a tad too optimistic? In his weather column in today's Times Paul Simons, who correctly predicted the arrival of the "Beast from the East" at the end of February, seems confident that were going to suffer something similar in the near future, possibly as soon as late December although more likely in mid to late January. It could run through to February with hard frosts, ice and snow - you've been warned!

I've updated the trips and meetings page with three additional outdoor events. On December 28th we'll be having our Christmas walk around the Northwich Woodlands - Neumann's / Haydn's / Budworth Mere etc. meeting at the usual Witton Bridge car park at 09:45 for a 10am start.
We'll again be joining forces with two Knutsford organisations for the Big Garden Birdwatch. Friends of Knutsford Moor at 9:00am on 26th January and Friends of Knutsford Heath at 11:00am the following day.