Sefton bumper bundle

Starlings, Crosby Marine Lake 

A caterwauling of magpies, rooks and jackdaws woke me up and for the life of me I couldn't work out what all the row was about. As I got washed and dressed it all went quiet and the back garden was left to the goldfinches and titmice when, an hour later, the hooligans came back into the trees and resumed their racket. I suspect it's teenage disco fever.

It was a gloomy morning with the threat of wind and rain and distinctly cooler than it has been. I headed out to Merseyside to have a wander round Crosby Marine Lake, check out Seaforth Nature Reserve through the wire fence then see what was about on the Alt Estuary at Hightown. Anything further would be dependent on time, weather and my energy levels.

Crosby Marine Lake 

The wind was a bit fierce at Crosby Marine Lake. Cormorants and a great black-back lounged on a raft, goldeneyes and a drake red-breasted merganser drifted about on the water, I couldn't see any sign of any dabchicks. Pigeons, starlings and a little egret pottered about the banks.

Coot

The old boating pool was livelier, mostly with coots, black-headed gulls and herring gulls. A couple of dozen oystercatchers roosted on the grassy bank. A small flock of starlings rummaged about on the near bank before flying over and joining the fifty or so on the far bank. They were joined by a turnstone which flew in from across the lake. A handful of tufted ducks cruised about, all the mallards were with a mute swan at the far end by the dunes.

Crosby Beach 

I very quickly got very windswept and almost interesting on the beach. I looked over the estuary at the filthy weather being dumped on North Wales and decided I'd best not linger too long, it would be over here in an hour's time. Oddly, though there was the usual complement of black-headed gulls, herring gulls, carrion crows and pied wagtails on the beach there was not one single wader. 

Canada geese and shelduck

I had a look through the fence at Seaforth Nature Reserve. Canada geese and rabbits grazed on the grass while shelducks loafed and dozed. Over a hundred black-tailed godwits were feeding thighs-deep in the pools with a few dozen redshanks and a couple of curlews. I thought I was going to have no luck finding any bar-tailed godwits when one obligingly had a bit of a stretch of its wings then resumed feeding. Usually, when I get an eye in on one I can find a few more but not today I didn't.

Turnstone

The water levels have been lowered on the marine lake for maintenance and this provided rich pickings for half a dozen turnstones scampering about the usually submerged rocks on the edge.

The nature reserve 

The little nature reserve was fairly quiet, the titmice took some finding and the robins didn't feel like singing much. The Cetti's warbler in the reedbed did a warm up but didn't really give it the full song. The weather was hardly springlike so I couldn't blame it.

Alt Estuary, Hightown 

If anything the weather was gloomier and windier at Hightown, though it mostly kept dry. The tide was well out, leaving groups of curlews and herring gulls dotted about the mud. About ten minutes after I arrived the curlews decided it was time to go for a feed and they flew out to follow the tideline. The couple of dozen redshanks stayed behind to fossick about the muddy banks of the Alt while pairs of mallards were content to doze out of the wind. 

Gadwalls 

I was wind worn by the time I headed back to the station. I didn't have enough left in the tank for anything ambitious or energetic so I got the train to Southport and wandered down to see what was on the lake. The answer, naturally, was a lot of herring gulls, greylags, coots and mallards with a supporting cast of mute swans, Canada geese and black-headed gulls. The snow goose had been reported again, if it was around while I was there it must have been hiding in the trees. The great crested grebes were asleep by the islands, the banks of which were thickly lined with cormorants, geese and coots. For once there weren't many dabchicks about. I had a sit-down near the paddle steamer and scanned around. A few tufted ducks, mallards and gadwalls bobbed about by the near bank. A little egret appeared in one of the trees on the island then promptly disappeared. I wonder if they'll be nesting here. 

The wind decided to add an icy note to its buffeting. I noticed the 40 bus was due in ten minutes and weighed up whether to have a quick look at Marshside. I headed back to Liverpool for the train home.

Sefton bumper bundle

Sanderlings, Crosby Beach

A cool, breezy but bright sort of a day saw me heading over to Merseyside to try and catch up on waders. Martin Mere had reopened its doors but I thought the first day of half-term might be a bit hectic, better to have a tour of the Sefton coast and see what was about.

Herring gulls and black-headed gull

First stop was Crosby Marine Park. It was approaching high tide and the grass was covered in gulls. There were equal numbers of black-headed and herring gulls with handfuls of lesser black-backs and common gulls. There were as many coots on the grass around the boating pond as on it, and plenty of them, but there weren't many mallards, just the one tufted duck and no swans or geese. A dozen turnstones huddled together and dozed on the far bank.

A couple of little egrets worked the banks of the marine lake. The water was very choppy and there seemed to be just the one herring gull sitting in it. A cormorant and a great black-back loafed on one of the floats. A few starlings picked their way amongst the rocks, most of them were huddled noisily in the stand of sea buckthorns in the corner. Just as I'd checked the gulls for exotica so I checked the starlings and had equally negative results.

Carrion crow

Apparently I have a look of somebody who has dog treats. I'm frequently approached by dogs under this impression. One of the carrion crows had the same idea and accompanied me for the next ten minutes, begging all the way. I shall have to be careful and not weaken and start carrying dog treats, Heaven knows where it would end.

Sanderling

I had wondered if I hadn't dressed too warmly. I needn't have worried, it was a brisk wind blowing sand across the beach. All the gulls at the water's edge were black-headed gulls. They were accompanied by sanderlings which scampered along the surf like clockwork mice.

Crosby Beach 

The sun rendered silhouettes of all of the birds on the pools on Seaforth Nature Reserve. The shelducks and curlews were easy enough to pick out. The redshanks were trickier and if there were any other Tringa waders out there I missed them in the mix. There were scores of godwits and the flare and glare didn't make it easy to spot the subtle structural differences between bar-tailed and black-tailed. Luckily, both have a habit of stretching their wings when they're loafing so the plain wings of the barwits separated them from the black-and-white winged blackwits. Dozens of cormorants and oystercatchers crowded the big island but I couldn't see any lapwings. The Canada geese I hadn't seen by the pool were grazing on the grass by the fence I was looking through.

Robins and wrens sang in the little nature reserve by the sailing club. Blue tits and great tits fidgeted about and goldfinches twittered in the tree tops. Otherwise it was surprisingly quiet.

Alt Estuary 

Next stop was Hightown. I walked down to the sailing club and parked myself down on one of the seats overlooking the Alt Estuary. It was high tide but there were plenty enough sand-and-mud bars over on the far side for gulls, waders and cormorants to loaf on. The loafing gulls were mostly herring gulls, the black-headed gulls were busy flying about. Most of the curlews were loafing with the gulls, a few dozed in the grassy mud this side of the river and a couple strutted about between the very active redshanks and fast asleep grey plovers. (I confess: I spent half a minute wondering what the grey, plover-sized birds were before what's left of my brain joined the dots.) Meadow pipits flitted about but it looked like I was going to have no luck with ringed plovers, which I had expected to see here. Eventually one flew in and immediately disappeared behind the lumps and bumps in the mud so I dare say I'd just not been able to see dozens of them.

Stonechat

As I walked back from the sailing club a skein of pink-feet called from somewhere over Altcar. I thought to myself that there should be stonechat about and as if by magic a female stonechat jumped up into a bush by the path. She flew over into a bush a few yards away and was joined by her partner who saw me on my way.

Stonechat, the same bird as above

Greylags

Last stop was Marshside. I wondered if I had the energy for it but was glad that I made the effort. A couple of ruffs flew low overhead as I walked down Marshside Road, which I took as a good omen. A white-winged black tern had been reported over the weekend but hadn't turned up today, and nor did it while I was here. On the other hand, there were family groups of pink-feet amongst the greylags and Canada geese, the wigeons were coming out of eclipse plumage and ruffs skittered about amongst the lapwings. Pintails and shovelers dabbled on Junction Pool, gadwalls and wigeons in the land drains. I had nothing to complain about.

Wigeons

Lapwings and ruffs

Shovelers and friends

The cattle were grazing the marsh near Sandgrounders. There was a time a few years ago when cattle egrets looked set to be Autumn staples here. I wasn't surprised not to see any today.

Grey wagtail

A grey wagtail was bobbing about on the island in front of Sandgrounders and pied wagtails skittered about with the lapwings and black-tailed godwits on the marsh beyond. Gadwalls, mallards, teals and wigeons fossicked about on the pools closer by.

At Sandgrounders 

I wandered back out and had a scan of the outer marsh, resisting the temptation to carry on walking round to Crossens. Resistance made the easier because I remembered I'd have to do a full circuit because roadworks were blocking the path by the water treatment works. At first all I was seeing was a pool full of mallards and shovelers and small skeins of pink-feet flying about. A great black-back cruised past and disturbed a few meadow pipits and skylarks. Then a female-type marsh harrier floated in and disturbed a lot of meadow pipits and skylarks before carrying on past the sand plant.

Pink-footed geese 

I called it a day, walking back up Marshside Road as skylarks, pink-feet and lapwings passed overhead. I got to the corner of Elswick Road when the 44 swung round and sailed past the bus stop. I walked up to Fleetwood Road in the hopes of catching the 40 into Southport and missed that, too. The next 44 was late so I just missed the train back to Oxford Road so I had a half hour wait and went home in the dark. I was too tired to be much fussed about it. It had been a long day with plenty to see and that was good enough.

Sefton coast

Wheatear, Blitz Beach 

It occurred to me that I should go for a proper walk. It also occurred to me that I'm shy of waders in my birdwatching lately so I headed off to the coast, aiming to walk the stretch of the coastal path between Hall Road and Hightown, having a wander round Crosby Marine Park as an appetiser and, time and legs permitting, a visit to Marshside for afters. A grey and cool August day is good walking weather.

Herring gulls, black-headed gulls and lesser black-backs 

The sun was threatening to come out as I got off the train at Waterloo and walked over to Crosby Marine Lake. The soundscape was dominated by the funfair by the entrance, reminding me how close we are to Bank Holiday Monday (and to put red flags against some plans for next Monday). Black-headed gulls loafed on the parched grass by the funfair, a couple of dozen herring gulls loafed on the parched grass by the pond. There were more of both with a lot of lesser black-backs sharing the pond with coots and mute swans. A lot of mallards hugged the shelter of the bank with a few tufted ducks. Canada geese were notably absent, still elsewhere in their moulting flocks.

Mute swans

Out on the lake there were a few black-headed gulls and lesser black-backs dotted about and a great black-back loafed on one of the rafts. A couple of cormorants fished near the sailing club and half a dozen little egrets stalked the far bank below the crow-littered dunes.

Crosby Beach 

High tide was on the ebb and the beach was busy with lunchtime revellers. Herring gulls and black-headed gulls followed the retreating tideline, lesser black-backs bobbed about in the water. One group of black-headed gulls had a common gull in tow. At least eighty people were in the queue for the jacket potato stall, they must be damned good potatoes as the high street with its cafes, snack bars and food shops is only ten minutes away.

Carrion crows 

About three dozen carrion crows had congregated in the near corner of Seaforth Nature Reserve, most of them sitting on fenceposts as they waited for the tide to go out. This probably explains why only the one rabbit was grazing out in the open.

Small heath

A few small butterflies fluttered about deep in the dune grasses on the outside of the fence. Most were small heaths but I also found a couple of small coppers. I don't see either nearly often enough these days, small coppers used to be one of the high Summer reliables round my way on waste ground but there's not a lot of that left these days.

Small copper 

The saltwater pool on the reserve wasn't terribly busy. A dozen or so shelducks dabbled amongst similar numbers of redshanks and lapwings. A spotted redshank had been reported on the pool but between the glare off the water and the shimmering haze I was doing well to tell the silhouettes of the redshanks from those of the lapwings at this distance. A group of curlews loafed on the far bank.

Perhaps a hundred oystercatchers loafed on the island opposite the hide in the company of gulls, Canada geese and cormorants. A couple of juvenile common terns were busy fishing.

The nature reserve 

I dropped back down to the lake and wandered over to the nature reserve. A Cetti's warbler was practising singing from the depths of a bramble and for all that I was less than six feet away I could see no sign of it. The mixed tit flock was considerably easier. At first it seemed to be made up only of blue tits and chiffchaffs then a large posse of long-tailed tits erupted from the willows bringing some great tits along for the ride.

The only whitethroat of the day was making rude noises at the travelling public from the brambles by the track at Waterloo Station.

Starlings

I walked down from Hall Road to Burbo Bank where the usual flock of starlings were busy tidying up after other people. The tide was on full retreat and more starlings joined the gulls and curlews on the beach. The sun had retreated behind heavy clouds and the view over the damp sand was more glare than light.

Looking out to sea from the coastal path

Looking inland
The West Lancashire Golf Course is beyond them there hills.

It was good walking weather so there were plenty of walkers on the coastal path though it never got oppressively busy. Inland it was quiet — a few carrion crows, magpies or starlings with the occasional gull or woodpigeon passing overhead.

Dunlins

The beach was very busy. The groups of loafing herring gulls gave way to curlews, dunlins and ringed plovers. They were all distant silhouettes against a bright grey glare and I gave up any dreams of identifying anything unusual. 

Dewberries 

Everlasting pea 

The pathside was parched, the evening primroses and ragworts gone over but the straw was interspersed with field bindweed and the first of the Michaelmas daisies and nearly everywhere there were dewberries looking very tempting but not reliably unsullied by dog pee. Here and there there'd be a patch of everlasting pea, the magenta flowers joltingly vibrant on a grey day. The cloud and the cool wind was putting off any butterflies, the only one I saw along the stretch to Fort Crosby was a painted lady which fluttered by then nestled itself into the shelter of some ragwort.

Shelducks, dunlins and ringed plovers

The beach was getting busier but no easier to look at. Shelducks and redshanks joined the dunlins and ringed plovers. A small curlew passing by was worth a second look and I glad I took it as it was actually a whimbrel. Bloody-mindedness rather than any hopes of decent pictures led me to take a lot of very bad photos of distant dots. A flock of a couple of hundred knots billowed in but didn't settled long. They rose like a cloud of smoke and I looked for the cause but found none, even the redshanks just stood and watched them on their way.

Knots

Starlings

The boundary between land and beach was becoming defined by the rubble of "Blitz Beach." Flocks of starlings and linnets rummaged about, invisible until they decided to move on to the next pile of bricks. 

Linnet

Something called from the rubble, almost but not quite like the scold of a stonechat. A wheatear bobbed up, struck a pose on a boulder then disappeared again. A flurry of movement a bit further along was another wheatear. They looked like bright-coloured juveniles but I don't get too cocky about it this time of year.

Wheatear

I carried on along the rough path by the coastline. I was approaching Hightown Dunes when my eye was caught by one of the redshanks on the wet mud. I couldn't work out why it felt different and the bird didn't help by deciding to stand stock still with its back toward me. I managed to shuffle round to get a profile view and the bird shuffled round uncooperatively. A passing curlew made it move out of the way and I had me a spotted redshank with its tapering, drooping bill.

Hightown Dunes 

The shelter of the dunes provided a welcome bit of cover for the butterflies, adding wall and common blue to the day's tally as they fluttered about the harebells and asparagus. Anytime I found myself disoriented by the winding paths through the dunes I followed the sound of firing practice on Altcar.

River Alt at Hightown 

The half a mile of dune walking took its toll on the joints, I'd been doing well up till then. I had a sit down and considered the options. I wanted to move on to Marshside but realistically I didn't have the legs on me to enjoy the walk and make the most of it. Three weeks' relative idleness have definitely taken the edge off the joints. Or put them back on or something. Anyroad, I wasn't eager to spoil a good day so I walked into Hightown, got the train into Southport and went home. I felt tired in a good way, and it had been a very nice walk.

Seaside Sefton

Common gull, Crosby Beach

The weather forecast bode hot and humid so I headed for the seaside for a walk along the coastal path between Crosby and Hightown.

Joining Crosby Beach at Brighton-le-Sands

It had been a clammy morning when I set out but when I got off the train at Blundellsands and Crosby it was cloudy and cool with a brisk North wind. Good walking weather though I felt slightly underdressed in the wind. 

Common gull, Crosby Beach

Oystercatchers, Crosby Beach

Herring gull, Crosby Beach

The birds on the beach were mostly common gulls and black-headed gulls with a few carrion crows here and there. The herring gulls and lesser black-backs were nearly all passing by. I noticed a couple of curlews with a bar-tailed godwit out on the tideline, I didn't notice the couple of whimbrels until they all took flight, spooked by a passing RNLI jeep. Nearer to hand a few oystercatchers kept an eye on passing dog walkers and family parties of pied wagtails spent more time chasing each other round the seawall than foraging for food.

Crosby Beach
With one of the "Another Place" figures

Starlings, Crosby Beach

I walked up the beach to Burbo Bank where the inevitable gangs of starlings lurked about the parked cars hoping for scraps and I joined the coastal path to Hightown.

By the coastal path 

It was relatively quiet along the path, just a few small flocks of linnets and goldfinches and a family of stonechats. A couple of swifts drifted over from the golf course and every so often a swallow or two would pass by. All the action was on the tideline. It was all very nice to look at and the sun fighting its way through the thinning cloud took the chill off the wind.

Coastal path
With everlasting peas and ragworts 

Ragwort and everlasting pea

Bar-tailed godwits

Bar-tailed godwits

The tide was coming in but wasn't making any sort of rush about it yet, it was a few hours before high tide. The first waders I saw were a handful of bar-tailed godwits. A couple of them looked huge compared to the others and I had to keep looking back at the smaller ones to make sure I wasn't misidentifying greenshanks but no, they were scaled-down barwits. I don't see bar-tailed godwits very often and young juveniles rarely so I'm okay about not feeling confident about them first time.

Burbo Bank wind farm

By the coastal path

Sandwich terns

Oystercatchers, Sandwich terns, black-headed gulls and lesser black-backs

Moving along I noticed the flocks of birds starting to gravitate to the sand banks. Dark lines of oystercatchers and curlews curved around the tops where dozens of herring gulls and lesser black-backs had settled down to loaf while shelducks dabbled by the waterline. As I walked along they were joined by black-headed gulls, cormorants and small but very noisy flocks of Sandwich terns.

By the coastal path looking over towards Formby Point

Nearer to shore little egrets, curlews and redshanks shrimped in the shallows. A handful of turnstones settled down on a pile of rocks on the shore. They were joined by four small ducks. I'm used to sea-going mallards along this stretch of coast but was wrong-footed by these sea-going teal. I guess they must have been on the move and this was as good a place as any to settle down for a rest. They did a good job of disappearing out of sight among the rocks.

Blitz Beach

Redshanks and greenshank (centre left)

Redshanks

Ringed plovers and mallards

A little further on, past Fort Crosby, there were more redshanks on the Blitz Beach. (After the late unpleasantness there was a lot of smashed masonry lying about Merseyside so it was put to use as sea defenses.) A couple of dozen of them flew in to roost on an old jetty and they were joined by dunlins and a greenshank. I'm glad I saw the dunlins fly in because I couldn't see them once they'd landed. The mallards just further along were joined by a dozen or more ringed plovers.

Blitz Beach 

Common blue, Hightown Dunes

As the sun made more of an effort more butterflies started to appear in the grass by the paths. Peacocks and common blues skittered through the grass and wall browns sunned themselves on the dunes. Approaching Hightown the beach became busy with linnets.

Alt Estuary 

Sandwich terns, Alt Estuary

Sandwich terns, Alt Estuary

Sandwich terns, Alt Estuary

I had a sit down by the Alt and scanned the dozens of Sandwich terns lining the sandbanks beyond just in case any had long yellow bills. They didn't but you never know your luck.

Harebells, Hightown Dunes