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Birdwatching in St Helens

Bird Sightings for December  2008

Local news for local birders

email  -  birdwatchinginsthelens@blueyonder.co.uk

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Archive Monthly Bird News page

                December 2008

 

Wed 31st Dec -- Prescot Reservoir (access is by permit only) --  1 juv Great Northern Diver, 1 Dunlin,  2 Common Snipe.

                            Eccleston Mere  -- 4 Goldeneye,  130 Tufted Duck (site record),  14 Pochard,  2 Gadwall,  1 Snipe (SE corner),  1 Siskin.

                            Carr Mill Dam  -- 40 Canada Geese,  1 Little Grebe,  1 Goldeneye,  2 Tufted Duck,  3 Cormorant.

 

Tues 30th DecPrescot Reservoir (access is by permit only) --  1 juv Great Northern Diver.

                           Wagon Lane Haydock,  Sankey Valley    --  5 Reed Bunting,  2 Jay,  1 Coal tit, 3 Bullfinch.

 

Mon 29th DecPrescot Reservoir (access is by permit only) --  1 juv Great Northern Diver,  6 Little Grebe,  23 Goldeneye, 

                                 ''             ''              ''       ''        ''      ''      --  128 Tufted Duck,  11 Pochard.

                            Eccleston Mere  --  1 Kingfisher,  1 Great-spotted Woodpecker,  2 Kestrel.

                            Wagon Lane Haydock,  Sankey Valley    --  1 Snipe flyover,  1 Great-spotted Woodpecker,  4 Reed Bunting,  1 Jay,

                                  ''         ''            ''              ''           ''        --  3 Bullfinch,  1 Coal Tit.

 

Sun 28th Dec  -- Prescot Reservoir (access is by permit only) --  1 juv Great Northern Diver,  13 Little Grebe,  23 Goldeneye,  59 Teal, 

                                 ''             ''              ''       ''        ''      ''     --  100+ Tufted Duck,  2 Gadwall,  11 Pochard,  1 ad/w Yellow-legged Gull,  

                                 ''             ''              ''       ''        ''      ''     --  1 Redshank,  1 Dunlin,  1 Woodcock,  21 Stock Dove,  1 Nuthatch.

                            Carr Mill Dam  -- 10 Snipe,  70 Canada Geese,  1 Common Buzzard,  1 Cormorant.

                            Old Coach Road  --  lots of Redwings and Fieldfares present,  2 Kestrel,  1 Common Buzzard.

                            Mossborough Hall Lane  --  2 Great-spotted Woodpecker,  1 Grey Wagtail.

                            Eccleston Mere fields --  2 Kestrel,  1 Snipe flushed,  1 Cormorant - flyover,   45 Canada Geese flew in late pm.

                            Wagon Lane Haydock, Sankey Valley  --  2 Kestrel,  2 Yellowhammer,  5 Reed Bunting,  1 Bullfinch.

                            Havannah Bridge, Parr, Sankey Valley  --  12 Teal on the brook.

 

Sat 27th Dec  --  Prescot Reservoir (access is by permit only) --  1 juv Great Northern Diver 1 female Goosander,  10 Pochard,  

                                 ''             ''              ''       ''        ''      ''     --   11 Little Grebe,  2 Gadwall,  4 Wigeon,  12 Shoveller,  100+ Tufted Duck,  

                                 ''             ''              ''       ''        ''      ''     --  3 Teal,  18 Snipe,  30 G.B.B Gull,  1 Yellow-legged Gull,  8 Redpoll, 2 Siskin.

                            Eccleston Mere  --  1 male Goldeneye,  1 Water Rail in ditch in SW corner,  1 Little Grebe,  9 Great Crested Grebe,  

                                   ''           ''      --   2 Kestrel,  3 Common Buzzard,  1 Barn Owl in adjacent fields.

                            Newton Lake, NLW  --  145 Teal,  4 Common Gull,  7 Tufted Duck,  2 Canada Geese,  2 Mute Swans.

                            My Garden, off Wagon Lane Haydock  -- Sparrowhawk - Seen only once only today.

 

Fri 26th Dec  --  Prescot Reservoir (access is by permit only) --  1 juv Great Northern Diver 115 Pink-footed Geese,  8 Wigeon,  

                                 ''             ''              ''       ''        ''      ''     --  10 Shoveler,  1 Yellow-legged Gull,  5 Snipe,  1 Woodcock,  1 Raven.

                            Carr Mill Dam  --  1 Pintail on digpit at 9.30am,  12 Snipe,  19 Lapwing,  1 Common Buzzard.

                            Sidings Lane area  -- 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker,  1 Jay,  1 Coal Tit,  1 Treecreeper,  total of around 12 Goldcrest present.

                            Dairy Farm Road  --  lots of small skeins of Pink-footed Geese around,  3 Common Buzzard, poss different birds to Old Coach Rd.

                            Old Coach Road   --  flock of 200 Fieldfare includes a few Redwings with them,  3 Common Buzzard.

                            My Garden, off Wagon Lane Haydock  -- Sparrowhawk - Three times again today, sitting waiting for movement in the bushes.

                            Wagon Lane Haydock, Sankey Valley  --  45 Pink-footed Geese thru at 12.15pm,  1 Jay,  3 Reed Bunting.

 

Thurs 25th Dec - Eccleston Mere  --  1 Kingfisher,  1 Goldeneye,  1 Willow tit (in SE corner on feeders),  1 Short-eared Owl in adjacent fields.

                             Burrows Lane opposite Prescot Res  --  2 Woodcock.

                             My Garden, off Wagon Lane, Haydock  -- Sparrowhawk - Three times today - bird bath, bird table roof and fence panel.

 

Wed 24th Dec -- Prescot Reservoir (access is by permit only) --  1 juv Great Northern Diver  1 1st/w Iceland Gull,  ad/w Med Gull,

                                  ''             ''              ''       ''        ''      ''     --  10 Pochard,  1 Raven.

                             Eccleston Mere, adjacent fields  -- 1 Barn Owl,  1 Short-eared Owl till 4.30pm.

                             Howards Lane -- 1 Common Buzzard.

                             Carr Mill Dam  --  1500+ Pink-footed Geese over,  80 Canada Geese,  11 Snipe,  28 Lapwing,  1 Fieldfare,  4 Redwing, 

                                ''      ''      ''  -- 1 Buzzard,  1 Great-spotted Woodpecker,  8 Siskin,  6 Bullfinch,  2 Goldcrest, 1 Treecreeper, Yellowhammer.

                             Haydock  -- 90 Pink-footed Geese going east at 10.00am,  followed by  200+50+100 thru around 11.00am,

                             Wagon Lane Haydock, Sankey Valley  --  75 Pink-footed Geese thru at 2.35pm with another 220 at 3.10pm all going S/E.

                                  ''        ''           ''              ''            ''      --  5 Yellowhammer,  6 Reed Bunting,  2 Jay.

 

Tues 23rd Dec -- Prescot Reservoir (access is by permit only) --  1 juv Great Northern Diver still present in north-east corner on PR4.

                             Eccleston Mere  --  1 Short-eared Owl in the area late afternoon.

 

Mon 22nd Dec -- Prescot Reservoir (access is by permit only) --  1 juv Great Northern Diver.

                             Haydock  -- 130 Pink-footed Geese going east at 9.40am.

 

Sun 21st Dec  --  Dairy Farm Road  --  2 Merlin,  10 Lesser Redpoll,  100 Fieldfare.

                             Old Coach Road   --  600 Pink-footed Geese,  40 Tree Sparrow,  1 Bullfinch.  

                             Rainhill  --  five skeins each of around 100 Pink-footed Geese over, all going north west around 2.30pm.

 

Fri 19th Dec   --  Gillars Lane, by Xmas tree land  --  Ringtail Hen Harrier  3.30pm.

                             St Helens town centre  --  1 Peregrine.

                             My Garden, off Wagon Lane Haydock  -- Sparrowhawk, twice today, briefly on bird table roof and later on fence panel.

 

Wed 17th Dec  --  Wagon Lane Haydock, Sankey Valley  --  1 Kestrel,  1 Jay,  1 Sparrowhawk over towards Coopers Lane.

                              Havannah Flash, Sankey Valley  --  1 Kingfisher,  1 Jay,  2 Common Buzzard.

                              Haydock  --  Pink-footed Geese heard flying overhead around 5.00pm.

 

Tues 16th Dec  -- St Helens town centre  --  1 Peregrine.

 

Mon 15th Dec --  Haydock  --  250 Pink-footed Geese over 9.30am.

 

Sun 14th Dec  --   Carr Mill Dam  --  500+ Pink-footed Geese over,  8 Canada Geese,  1 Goldeneye,  1 Pochard,  1 Little Grebe,  

                                 ''       ''     ''     --  5 Tufted Duck,  4 Snipe,  2 Siskin,  1 Kingfisher.

                              Sidings Lane area  --  200+ Pied Wagtails,  1 Grey Wagtail,  Fieldfare,  Redwing,  Jay,  Corn Bunting also present,

                                    ''         ''        ''   --  1 Stonechat,  2 Buzzard,  1 Kestrel,  5 small skeins of Pink-footed Geese of 20 to 100 around.

                              Rainford Bypass   --  500+ Pink-footed Geese in fields.

                              My Garden, off Wagon Lane Haydock  -- Coal tit,  Sparrowhawk briefly on bird table roof.

 

Sat 13th Dec   --  Eccleston Mere  --  10 Goldeneye,  16 Tufted Duck,  4 Pochard,  1 Willow tit (in SE corner on feeders). 

                             Game Bird pub, East Lancs  --  1000 Pink-footed Geese in fields alongside the pub.

 

Thurs 11th Dec  - Prescot Reservoir (access is by permit only) --  8 Pochard,  1 ad/w Med Gull,  1 Dunlin,  1 Grey Plover heard calling.

 

Wed 10th Dec  -- Prescot Reservoir (access is by permit only) --  500 Pink-footed Geese,  10 Great Crested Grebe, 23 Pochard,  5 Teal,  

                                   ''            ''             ''        ''        ''       ''     --  9 Snipe,  1 Jack Snipe,  3 Woodcock,  1 Raven,  3 Nuthatch.

                            Carr Mill Dam  --  30 Canada Geese,  3 Little Grebe,  1 Goldeneye,  5 Mute Swans,  3 Snipe,  1 Common Buzzard.

                            St Helens A570 Linkway Retail Park Ponds  --  150 Canada Geese,  2 Mute Swans,  1 Greylag.

 

Tues 9th Dec  -- Prescot Reservoir (access is by permit only) --  104 Canada Geese,  83 Tufted Duck,  14 Goldeneye,  1 female Pintail,  

                                   ''            ''             ''       ''       ''       '' --  13 Snipe,  6 G.B.B Gull,  1 Green Woodpecker,  18 Stock Dove,  1 Buzzard.

 

Mon 8th Dec  -- Prescot Reservoir (access is by permit only) --  23 Pochard,  11 Goldeneye,  3 Little Grebe,  9 Great-crested Grebe, 

                                   ''            ''             ''       ''       ''       ''     --   1 ad/w Med Gull,  1 Oystercatcher,  8 Snipe,  1 Woodcock.

 

Sun 7th Dec  --  Carr Mill Dam   --  1 Cormorant,  8 Tufted Duck,  4 Lapwing,  3 Herring Gull,  1 Kingfisher,  2 Nuthatch,

                               ''      ''      ''     --   1 Treecreeper,  5 Redwing,  14 Fieldfare,  6 Redpoll,  2 Goldcrest.  

                           St Benedicts Wood, Rainhill  --    3 Nuthatch,  5 Redpoll,  1 Long-tailed tit.

                           Clay Colliery, Thatto Heath  --  1 1st/w Med Gull,  1 Wigeon,  1 Kingfisher.

                           Wagon Lane Haydock, Sankey Valley  --  2 Jay,  1 Kestrel,  2 Bullfinch,  1 Reed Bunting.

                           Havannah Flash bridge, Sankey Valley Brook  --  2 Teal. 

 

Sat 6th Dec   --  Haydock  -- 110 Pink-footed Geese over, followed by another 200 all going towards Blackbrook way at 2.50pm.

                           Wagon Lane Haydock, Sankey Valley  --  3 Jay,  2 Kestrel,  1 Reed Bunting,  150  Pink-footed Geese over at 3.50pm.

                           Eccleston Mere  --  11 Goldeneye,  13 Pochard,  13 Tufted Duck,  2 Mute Swans,  1 Nuthatch,  1 Willow tit (in SE corner).

 

Thurs 4th Dec -- Newton Lake, NLW  --  110 Teal,  2 Mute Swans,  1 Common Gull.

 

Wed 3rd Dec  --  Carr Mill Dam   --  9 Pink-footed Geese over,  40 Canada Geese,  3 Cormorant,  7 Tufted Duck,  10 Snipe,  

                                ''      ''      ''     --   1 Kingfisher,  2 Tree Sparrow,  3 Goldcrest,  1 Nuthatch.

 

Tues 2nd Dec  -- St Helens town centre  --  1 Peregrine.  

                            My  Garden sighting, off Wagon Lane, Haydock  --  1 Coal Tit.

 

Mon 1st Dec  --  Carr Mill Dam  --  1 Shoveler,  4 Cormorant,  3 Tufted Duck.

 

 

 

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