Saturday, 10 March 2012
Rainford mosslands
I biked it around the Rainford Mosslands this afternoon. At Inglenook Farm a Peregrine hunted Starlings and Lapwings in spectacular fashion, stooping at them from a great height, and at fearsome speed, but I didn't see it take any. Elsewhere there were plenty of Lapwings displaying and Skylarks singing, but otherwise it was fairly quiet.
Eccleston Mere
Mute Swan 1 juv.
Tufted Duck 5
Kingfisher 1
Lots of resident species singing, Wrens, Robins, Dunnocks etc., but no sign of any migrants yet. Won't be long though if it stays as mild as this and the winds stay in the south.
Tufted Duck 5
Kingfisher 1
Lots of resident species singing, Wrens, Robins, Dunnocks etc., but no sign of any migrants yet. Won't be long though if it stays as mild as this and the winds stay in the south.
Monday, 5 March 2012
Hesketh Out Marsh and Crossens Marsh
It was back to Hesketh Out Marsh and Crossens Marsh this morning, to bring in the pitfall traps. Once again we were very lucky with the weather. Plenty of bird activity, but nothing that you wouldn't expect. Lots of Skylarks singing, Redshank and Curlew calling, the occasional Little Egret and lots of Shelduck and Teal. What more could you ask for? A wonderful experience!
Hesketh Out Marsh, looking towards the breach.
Ready for action at Crossens Marsh!
Hesketh Out Marsh, looking towards the breach.
Ready for action at Crossens Marsh!
Saturday, 3 March 2012
Eccleston Mere
Not much to report in the way of birds at the mere today, but one of the anglers had just caught this impressive Pike. Apparently this is by no means the largest Pike in the mere. It looks pretty fearsome to me!
Friday, 2 March 2012
Hesketh Out Marsh close up
Over the past few months I've been involved in a study of invertebrates at RSPB Hesketh Out Marsh and Crossens Marsh, on the Ribble estuary. The study involves the use of pitfall traps to catch insects and other invertebrates at the two sites, and these are then taken back to the lab where I identify and count them, so that a comparison can be made. Today we went out to set the traps in order to get some more samples.
This is the "bus shelter" hide at Hesketh Out Marsh, and is about as close as most visitors can get to the marsh.
However, armed with the necessary permission, relevant wading gear and collecting equipment, we headed out into the centre of the marsh.
Saltmarsh may seem like the sort of habitat which has remained unchanged since the dawn of time, one of the last wild places untouched by the hands of Man, but Hesketh Out Marsh is actually a vision of the future rather than an image of the past.
Up until 1980, this was indeed saltmarsh, but then a sea wall was built around the land, and it was converted to farmland. In 2006 the RSPB bought the land and breached the sea wall, allowing the sea to flood in again, which in turn allowed the saltmarsh to begin to return. The photo above shows the breach, which has now been made much wider than it initially was, by the actions of the sea. Not only does this provide a great new habitat for many saltmarsh creatures, it is also a form of managed realignment in the face of rising sea levels due to climate change.
This photo is also taken next to the breach.
Using a special tool, we sink pitfall traps into the ground, to catch ground dwelling invertebrates. The catches are usually dominated by spiders, ground beetles, rove beetles (staphs), water beetles, water bugs, amphipods, woodlice and springtails.
A lid is placed over the trap, using the two sticks to leave a 10mm gap. This is to stop larger creatures getting in, such as small mammals. The area is covered by the sea on spring high tides, which means that we are only able to set the traps during neap tides, since they need to be left out for a few days.
The sea really carves out the land, and at the moment Hesketh Out Marsh is a very dynamic and changing place.
It was a glorious day to be out on the marsh, with the calls of Redshank never far away. Shelduck were calling and chasing each other across the marsh, and the song of Skylarks filled the air, heralding the arrival of spring!
This is the "bus shelter" hide at Hesketh Out Marsh, and is about as close as most visitors can get to the marsh.
However, armed with the necessary permission, relevant wading gear and collecting equipment, we headed out into the centre of the marsh.
Saltmarsh may seem like the sort of habitat which has remained unchanged since the dawn of time, one of the last wild places untouched by the hands of Man, but Hesketh Out Marsh is actually a vision of the future rather than an image of the past.
Up until 1980, this was indeed saltmarsh, but then a sea wall was built around the land, and it was converted to farmland. In 2006 the RSPB bought the land and breached the sea wall, allowing the sea to flood in again, which in turn allowed the saltmarsh to begin to return. The photo above shows the breach, which has now been made much wider than it initially was, by the actions of the sea. Not only does this provide a great new habitat for many saltmarsh creatures, it is also a form of managed realignment in the face of rising sea levels due to climate change.
This photo is also taken next to the breach.
Using a special tool, we sink pitfall traps into the ground, to catch ground dwelling invertebrates. The catches are usually dominated by spiders, ground beetles, rove beetles (staphs), water beetles, water bugs, amphipods, woodlice and springtails.
A lid is placed over the trap, using the two sticks to leave a 10mm gap. This is to stop larger creatures getting in, such as small mammals. The area is covered by the sea on spring high tides, which means that we are only able to set the traps during neap tides, since they need to be left out for a few days.
The sea really carves out the land, and at the moment Hesketh Out Marsh is a very dynamic and changing place.
It was a glorious day to be out on the marsh, with the calls of Redshank never far away. Shelduck were calling and chasing each other across the marsh, and the song of Skylarks filled the air, heralding the arrival of spring!
Sunday, 26 February 2012
Pendle Hill
Had a walk around Pendle Hill today. Not many birds about, the best were 3 Stonechats and a few Red Grouse.
Eccleston Mere
Blackcap 1 singing male
Siskin 2
Kingfisher 1
Goldeneye 1 male
Pochard 1 male
Tufted Duck 8 (7males 1 female)
Sparrowhawk 1
Presumably the Blackcap is an overwintering bird inspired to sing due to the mild weather, rather than a returning migrant.
Siskin 2
Kingfisher 1
Goldeneye 1 male
Pochard 1 male
Tufted Duck 8 (7males 1 female)
Sparrowhawk 1
Presumably the Blackcap is an overwintering bird inspired to sing due to the mild weather, rather than a returning migrant.
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