Jelly Ear Auricularia auricula-judae, a very attractive fungus growing on Elder. 
Lichen growing on Hawthorne.
Tuesday, 6 November 2012
Eccleston Mere
Goldfinch 40 Goldcrest 3 Buzzard 1A very quiet day at the mere. Just waiting for something to happen...... 
Jelly Ear Auricularia auricula-judae, a very attractive fungus growing on Elder. 
Lichen growing on Hawthorne.
Jelly Ear Auricularia auricula-judae, a very attractive fungus growing on Elder. Lichen growing on Hawthorne.
Monday, 5 November 2012
Old Coach Road
Peregrine 1 adultRaven 1Pink-footed Goose 2000Pied Wagtail 100Fieldfare 20 Redwing 20Goldcrest 5 
The Old Coach Road runs through large swathes of farmland, the southern most end of the Lancashire mosses. Amazing to think that much of this photograph is in St Helens.
The Old Coach Road runs through large swathes of farmland, the southern most end of the Lancashire mosses. Amazing to think that much of this photograph is in St Helens.
Sunday, 4 November 2012
Frodsham to Helsby
Today we parked the car at Beacon car park on Frodsham Hill and walked part of the Sandstone trail towards Alvanley, and then made our way over Helsby Hill and back through Woodhouses and Foxhill arboretum. It was another beautiful autumnal day, our Sunday walks certainly seem to be blessed at the moment! There was plenty of bird activity, with lots of Goldcrests, Nuthatches, Redwings and tits, and larger birds included Raven and Buzzard. 
We sat on a bench in a beautiful sunny glade in the middle of an ancient woodland and ate our lunch. It was almost like summer again in this sheltered spot, with warm sunshine and Robins and Wrens singing. I found this interesting looking green fungus under an Oak tree, which looks like Common Earthball Scleroderma citrinum, though that species isn't normally green. 
Also basking in the sunshine were a couple of Comma butterflies and this old female Common Darter. In fact there was plenty of insect activity in the glade, with lots of hoverflies feeding on the ivy flowers. 
This is a good time of year to see bracket fungus, and Birch Polypore Piptoporus betulinus is one of the commonest. The brown fungus is (I think!) Southern Bracket Ganoderma australe and is one of the largest I have ever seen, approximately 60cm across!
We sat on a bench in a beautiful sunny glade in the middle of an ancient woodland and ate our lunch. It was almost like summer again in this sheltered spot, with warm sunshine and Robins and Wrens singing. I found this interesting looking green fungus under an Oak tree, which looks like Common Earthball Scleroderma citrinum, though that species isn't normally green. 
Also basking in the sunshine were a couple of Comma butterflies and this old female Common Darter. In fact there was plenty of insect activity in the glade, with lots of hoverflies feeding on the ivy flowers. 
This is a good time of year to see bracket fungus, and Birch Polypore Piptoporus betulinus is one of the commonest. The brown fungus is (I think!) Southern Bracket Ganoderma australe and is one of the largest I have ever seen, approximately 60cm across!
Saturday, 3 November 2012
Old Coach Road
At least 5000 Pink-footed Geese roosting on Simonswood Moss. It's difficult to view this area because it's quite distant and very low lying, and at best you can only see the tops of the birds heads. It's perfectly possible therefore that there were many more than 5000 birds. 
Pink-footed Geese over the Old Coach Road and thousands roosting on Simonswood Moss (behind the cows!). Although Pink-footed Geese have been in the Rainford area for as long as I can remember, Simonswood Moss is a relatively new roost site, and was created by peat extraction.
Pink-footed Geese over the Old Coach Road and thousands roosting on Simonswood Moss (behind the cows!). Although Pink-footed Geese have been in the Rainford area for as long as I can remember, Simonswood Moss is a relatively new roost site, and was created by peat extraction.
Eccleston Mere
Gadwall 1 female
Mute Swan 2 adults
Tufted Duck 7
Little Grebe 2
Great crested Grebe 8
Willow Tit 1
Siskin 2
Lesser Redpoll 1
Goldfinch 50
Goldcrest 5
Redwing 10
Buzzard 1
Kingfisher 1
Mute Swan 2 adults
Tufted Duck 7
Little Grebe 2
Great crested Grebe 8
Willow Tit 1
Siskin 2
Lesser Redpoll 1
Goldfinch 50
Goldcrest 5
Redwing 10
Buzzard 1
Kingfisher 1
Friday, 2 November 2012
Mosslands birding
This morning I was out early on the mosslands between Ormskirk and Southport. Loads of Pink-footed Geese about, also plenty of Fieldfares and Redwings. Best of all, I watched a Barn Owl for several minutes hunting along a ditch, and then later in the same area, a ringtail Hen Harrier. A beautiful morning, but very chilly!
Sunday, 28 October 2012
Eccleston Mere
Pochard 1 male Tufted Duck 7 Teal 1 Redwing 10 Goldcrest 1 Goldfinch 20 Rain (lots) 
This magnificent winter plumage adult Lesser Black Backed Gull has been on the mere for several days now. Adults in summer plumage are immaculate birds I think, and one of the first signs of spring, but this is one of the best marked winter birds I've seen on the mere for a long time. If only I knew a bit more about gull id, I'd probably claim it as something else! It's a mean looking critter!
This magnificent winter plumage adult Lesser Black Backed Gull has been on the mere for several days now. Adults in summer plumage are immaculate birds I think, and one of the first signs of spring, but this is one of the best marked winter birds I've seen on the mere for a long time. If only I knew a bit more about gull id, I'd probably claim it as something else! It's a mean looking critter!
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