Wildlife at the Pasture

        Autumn (September - November)

The kingfisher, which had been present since July, was still about in September, although so elusive at times that some regular visitors missed it completely. On one occasion two were present on the pool together. One was also seen near the bridge over Ditton Brook, on several occasions. A little grebe spent about a week on the scrape pool, regularly catching shrimps or small fish, much to the delight of the visitors.

  Kingfisher on Pickerings Scrape. CAC

Mallard numbers varied almost daily, with up to 40 being seen one day and hardly any on others. The maximum number of teal seen was 17. An occasional shelduck and Canada goose have been seen on the pool, while a huge flock of nearly 2000 have been present, on the marsh, for most of September and through to November. Other birds recorded on the pool (other than the usual black-headed gulls and two redshanks) have been grey and pied wagtails and some snipe, which were found by several visitors.

Unfortunately, one or two people have been letting their dogs run onto the scrape area and consequently scaring the wildlife. We would ask any visitors to keep their dogs under close control, especially when near the bird hide area.

A warm dry spell in early September, after all the summer rains, encouraged the butterflies and dragonflies to be more conspicuous than during the summer period. Several second broods of common blues were noticed, as were a few small coppers. Red admirals were evident in good numbers with the last being seen in November.  Migrant hawkers were quite common around the scrape and several were spotted in tandem, laying in the scrape pool, which is salt or brackish water.  

The rabbit population was hit by a severe outbreak of myxomatosis and during September many dead and dying rabbits were seen, which was very upsetting to many visitors to the pastures. Also, about this time, a fox was found dead in one of the woodland areas.

In late September and into October in particular, a large flock of 700 golden plover and 1500 lapwings roosted on the sandbanks at low water. Around this time peregrine falcons (three together were noted by one recorder!)  were attracted by the numerous birds and often hunted over the area. Other waders seen on an almost daily basis were curlew and dunlin. The numbers of shelduck at this time of year appear to be increasing.

Buzzard are becoming more common with up to three birds being seen on one occasion, including one bird which spent a lot of time sitting on the fence near the bird hide.

The bird feeding station near the ranger's cabin and the other by the bird hide have been set up again, but unfortunately a grey squirrel has found the food to its taste. Annoyingly it decided to destroy the plastic containers to get at the food. We have now set up a stronger type of container and also are smearing fat and seed on some of the tree trunks. Consequently the numbers of birds being seen in the feeding areas are starting to increase, with great spotted woodpeckers, the usual blue and great tits, chaffinches and greenfinches being the most regular.

Most excitingly in early October a female ruddy shelduck appeared on the marsh just over from the scrape and stayed around for several days, whilst it is possible that this bird had escaped from a wildfowl collection several others were recorded  in the country around the same time so it could just have been a wild bird.

Also in early October redwings were recorded feeding on the meadows together with numerous blackbirds and a few song thrushes and mistle thrushes. Around this time several siskin were seen by the bird hide.

A raven has been seen on quite a few occasions during autumn, feeding on the marsh or flying overhead attracting attention with its distinctive call.

On the 4^th November a house martin (a summer visitor) was seen flying around the scrape pool by the ranger and a couple of other observers before heading off across the River Mersey on its long journey south to Africa!

  Autumn at Pickerings Pasture   CAC