September -- November

During early September, the information boards were finally erected,at various points on the site, and were well received by the general public. They provide useful and interesting facts about the site and have generated many comments. Around this time, over 100 goldfinches were feeding on the seeds of knapweed,on the pastures, and continued to do so until the fields were mown.

The kingfisher was recorded back on the scrape pool in mid September.  On the 17th, some pink-footed geese were seen, circling the marsh. Unfortunately they did not land. On the 23rd September, a juvenile little stint was roosting on the marsh, with over 900 lapwings and 320 golden plover: Good views being obtained by several people at the bird hide, using the telescopes provided by one of our members and the ranger.

Little Stint

A speckled wood butterfly, a large white and three red admirals were recorded flying at the end of September. Late flying insects have included migrant hawker dragonflies, which have been fairly plentiful this autumn and one was still about in the last week of October. An equally late record was a red admiral seen on the 28th October.

Speckled Wood

A couple of members of the Friend's group repaired the bird feeders by the hide and replenished the food on the 3rd October. Whilst we were still working, the first birds were seen using the feeders - two great tits and a robin! 

Willow bower   

On the 11th October, the ranger recorded 3 swallows circling over the car park area. On the same day a work party of ten members of the Friends of Pickerings Pasture renewed the roof over the notice board and repaired the willow bower, together with weather-proofing the seat. We are pleased to see it has been well-used since its renovation. Two kingfishers were seen, fighting on the pool by the hide. This autumn one kingfisher has been very obliging, being seen most days throughout October and frequently catching shrimps or very small fish. Many visitors to the hide had not seen a kingfisher before and were delighted to get such brilliant views.

Kingfisher

On the 13th, a stoat spent some time wandering around the scrape pool, to the amazement of several visitors. On the same day,five teals and a grey wagtail were present on the pool, whilst on the Mersey, over 700 golden plovers, 80 dunlins and 35 black-tailed godwits were feeding on the mud banks and eight cormorants were fishing in the river channel.

This year little egrets have been seen only on the odd occasion and always just a lone bird in attendance. On the 16th October, visitors to the bird hide were really surprised to see seven little egrets on the marsh and later they flew onto the pool, were excellent views were obtained - a very good record.

On the 19th October, a hedgehog was found wandering across the road by the entrance gates; an unusual visitor to Pickerings Pasture (see separate article).  On the same day, at high tide, 1200 golden plovers, 400 lapwings and two ringed plovers roosted on the marsh in front of the bird hide. The number of birds using the feeders is rapidly increasing. The usual tit and finch flocks have been joined by quite a large party of long-tailed tits. At least one jay and a great-spotted woodpecker have also been seen feeding there.

On Saturday 21st October, a kingfisher, a little grebe, two green sandpipers, five teals and a grey heron were present together on the scrape pool.  Two buzzards circled over the pool, while a pied wagtail and twenty linnets were feeding on shingle.  Just over the fence a cock pheasant was strutting about. On the pastures, eight fieldfares and a few redwings were seen feeding on the hawthorn berries. A flock of over 200 black-tailed godwits, together with several bar-tailed godwits, were present on the sand banks. The bird-feeders were also visited by lots of different species. This is what we aim for at Pickerings Pasture: a truly memorable visit.

Later, on the same day, a man in a red anorak, with a black dog, spent some time flushing the birds off the scrape pool.  We would appeal to dog owners to keep their dogs under close control in the area of the bird hide and if necessary put them on the lead for a while. We would urge people to report any incidents of loose dogs on the marsh or pool area, to the ranger, please. Despite the notices, people still venture onto the marsh area for better views, flushing all the birds away!  

On the 28th Octobe, visitors to the bird hide heard a terrible screaming from the vegetation by the pool. It turned out to be the stoat, which had caught a rabbit and was in the process of killing it. With all the noise, the twenty five teals, which were swimming and feeding on the pool, departed, hastily,over the bank onto the river. However, the little grebe stayed put, as did the redshank and a grey wagtail. On the sandbanks 1400 golden plovers and 200 dunlins were feeding close to five shelducks.  

In early November, Rob, the ranger, had a large flock of over one hundred finches feeding on the cornfield: this flock consisted of greenfinches, with a few chaffinches and goldfinches. A flock of up to twenty collared doves are being seen on a regular basis by the bird hide feeders, exploiting the spilt grain from the hoppers. Whilst the numbers of finches are increasing, almost daily, the most exciting bird was a female brambling (a Scandinavian visitor), which dropped in for a short visit. The flock of linnets, feeding on the marsh, has exceeded a hundred and fifty on occasions, and this flock is being harassed by a male and female sparrowhawk.

Other birds of prey being seen on a regular basis are the buzzards, one of which has taken to sitting on the fence by the scrape pool, and a male peregrine, which is back on the marsh, sitting on a log and harrying the wader flocks or woodpigeons. Usually the first indication that a peregrine is about is when most of the birds on the marsh take flight, attempting to go high up into the sky to avoid the predator.

Buzzard

On Saturday 7th November, one visitor had a lovely surprise when he found a couple of siskins at the bird hide feeders. Later, the same day, five were present in one of the woodland compartments. A couple of fieldfares and redwings were still present in the hawthorns.

Siskin

The Friends of Pickerings Pasture, with the ranger, had another work party in the hide area, erecting some fencing, to keep dogs away from the bird feeders, tidying up the area and cutting back the vegetation, that was blocking the view from the hide. They were joined by some visitors from the Croda"1% Club".

On the 19th, after some very strong winds and rain, 32 pink-footed geese were found feeding on the marsh.  Also, a male merlin was seen chasing the linnet flock, though with no success.