Northwich flashes

Wigeon, coot and shelduck, Neumann's Flash

I've been conscious of the fact I've not been doing much birdwatching South of the river so I had a day out wandering the Northwich flashes. Facebook's been full of photos of a very nice Siberian/Stejneger's stonechat (ID almost certainly going to need a DNA test to be certain) and that put the idea in my head. There was nothing reported yesterday but that could just as easily be because everyone who was likely to report on it had been to see it already as that the bird had flown. Anyway, it looked like an interesting walk.

First visit for me so there was a degree of exploration before I found how to get in (the Northwich Community Woodlands complex, which includes the flashes, is very well signposted once you're inside but coming at it from Northwich there's nothing).

 Plenty of ducks, a willow tit and the first Cetti's warbler of the year but no Siberian stonechat for me at Ashton's Flash. Like I try to explain to non-birdwatching friends: it's not like a theatre ticket, there's no guarantee of an appearance by the star attraction, which makes it all the better if you do strike lucky. (Mind you, it's easier to think that way when you've spent a few hours in pleasant scenery on a mild, sunnyish January day. Had it been the back end of someplace nasty in stonking rain I might have been more disappointed.)

Shovelers, Ashton's Flash

I walked around Ashton's Flash and took the path between this and Neumann's Flash along the way. Whereas Ashton's Flash had dozens each of shovelers and pochard, Neumann's had about a hundred wigeon with about a dozen each of shelduck, gadwall and tufted duck. Something spooked the wigeon and shelduck that were clustered round a couple of little islands and they settled down in the open water. I've no idea what scared them, whatever it was left the mallards feeding there completely unmoved.

At least three jays made themselves very conspicuous amongst the trees along the paths.

Jay, Ashton's Flash