Thanks Andrew. It's a strange thing, I've been aware of how good Billinge Hill is for many years, yet only this year have I really started visiting the site with any regularity. I find it quite an exciting place, somedays there is very little, other days there is a decent passage by St Helens standards. I always feel as though there is likely to be something good there, and the next few weeks could produce anything. It's all about visiting regularly though, because whatever there is probably won't stay long.
I live just 1/2 a mile down the road so i get up there quite regularly ,weather permitting!I was wondering what would i be likely to see now during september/october regarding birds,moths,butterflys etc or any other wildlife really?Obviously its gone past peak season but is there anything in particular that i could be likely to see or look for?
I'd get up to the beacon and look out for birds passing over. Over the next few weeks we should start seeing hundreds of Fieldfare, Redwings, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits heading over South West, and perhaps other species as well. Hopefully a few will land, and get in the bushes around the beacon, but it's the spectacle of the birds passing over which I enjoy the most. I don't know how well you know the calls of these species, but obviously when they're passing over, knowing the call is pretty much key to identification.
I think i recognise most of them especially if their migration calls are similar to how they normally call out .There were loads of meadow pipits near the stone circle about a month ago,theyre very curious birds and come to check me out.Photographed a few on the stones plus a wheatear.
Thanks Andrew. It's a strange thing, I've been aware of how good Billinge Hill is for many years, yet only this year have I really started visiting the site with any regularity. I find it quite an exciting place, somedays there is very little, other days there is a decent passage by St Helens standards. I always feel as though there is likely to be something good there, and the next few weeks could produce anything. It's all about visiting regularly though, because whatever there is probably won't stay long.
ReplyDeleteI live just 1/2 a mile down the road so i get up there quite regularly ,weather permitting!I was wondering what would i be likely to see now during september/october regarding birds,moths,butterflys etc or any other wildlife really?Obviously its gone past peak season but is there anything in particular that i could be likely to see or look for?
ReplyDeleteI'd get up to the beacon and look out for birds passing over. Over the next few weeks we should start seeing hundreds of Fieldfare, Redwings, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits heading over South West, and perhaps other species as well. Hopefully a few will land, and get in the bushes around the beacon, but it's the spectacle of the birds passing over which I enjoy the most. I don't know how well you know the calls of these species, but obviously when they're passing over, knowing the call is pretty much key to identification.
ReplyDeleteI think i recognise most of them especially if their migration calls are similar to how they normally call out .There were loads of meadow pipits near the stone circle about a month ago,theyre very curious birds and come to check me out.Photographed a few on the stones plus a wheatear.
ReplyDelete