September - November 

The Autumn migration can always throw up interesting sightings and often it is a case of being in the right place at the right time to see them. Some of the more unusual highlights this season have not hung around for long, which can be disappointing for those who missed out. Even the more common species around can sometimes do the most unusual things in view of the lucky observer.

 Three brown hawkers were seen flying around the pastures on the 2nd September and a southern hawker dragonfly was seen to catch a speckled wood butterfly. Another speckled wood was still flying around the hide area on 11th September, while a small copper butterfly and a male brimstone were noted on the 27th September. Both small tortoiseshell and red admiral butterflies were seen near the bird hide on 13th October and the latter was seen to fly off across the river, maybe beginning its return migration.

A visit on the 11th September during very strong winds produced twelve cormorants roosting on the marsh, with a party of fifty lapwings. The Canada goose flock was nearly 2900 strong: whether they were sheltering on Hale Marsh or had been disturbed by shooting over at Frodsham we are not sure, but we reckon almost the whole Mersey flock was present.

Another early morning visit, again in a period of strong winds, saw a juvenile male peregrine, trying his luck hunting over the marsh and nearby scrape pool, upsetting the local kestrel and buzzards that were making a terrific din. Later in the same week a female peregrine appeared and spent several days sitting on the marsh or in a nearby dead tree. On Sunday the 18th September during the afternoon an Osprey was seen coming across the Marsh edge moving east along the river. It passed right over hide, causing great excitement to the people bird watching there. A merlin was seen later in the same week, presumably just passing through the area as it has not been seen since.

Every evening large numbers of gulls now gather on the sand banks towards the bridge prior to departing to their overnight roosting area on the Mersey. A count of two thousand black-headed gulls, two hundred and seventy lesser-black backed and seventy herring gulls was typical of the daily numbers, though these numbers will get much higher when the winter weather finally arrives.

High tides at the end of the month really brought in the goodies and from the hide, with a telescope, a ruff, eight curlew sandpipers, twenty one golden plovers, thirty eight ringed plovers, seven hundred lapwings and the largest ever flock of twenty four cormorants were seen roosting out the tide. Despite the easterly winds the tides were so high that the scrape pool was flooded and even the islands disappeared.

A visit after high tide on the 10th October saw seventeen cormorants still roosting with three hundred lapwings. One juvenile curlew sandpiper was very fortunate as he sat alone on the edge of the marsh; a peregrine flew out of the dead tree, low across the marsh to attack. At the last minute the curlew sandpiper saw it coming and literally dropped over the edge. The peregrine’s speed was such that it stood no chance of stopping in time. A few dunlins roosting nearby were also disturbed by the falcon and scattered. Out on the sand banks (which now appear to be turning to mud) over one hundred and eighty shelducks, twenty five dunlins, twelve golden plovers and the usual redshanks and curlews were busily feeding as the tide dropped. Today we placed lard and seed on four trees by the bird hide to start the bird feeding program.

On 12th October two adult hedgehogs were found dead on the meadow near the car par. It wasn’t apparent what killed them but slug pellets are a likely candidate. (See separate article for further details) The next day a very young hedgehog (too small to be out by itself) was found wandering in the road outside Pickerings, no doubt a young one from the two dead adults. Anne, the park warden, took the baby hedgehog to the vets as it had a bad wound on its leg.

Bar-tailed godwits are a rare sight at Pickerings but one was found near a flock of twenty eight black-tailed godwits at the high tide roost on the 13th October. As well as the usual redshanks and lapwings three hundred dunlins, three curlew sandpipers and a knot were found. A large flock of twenty eight little stints was also exceptional. Amongst the Canada goose flock of one thousand and fifty birds we picked out two barnacle geese, three greylag geese and a very small Canada goose, probably of the race minima. In the tall poplar tree near car park a raven sat croaking as his mate was feeding on the foreshore.

On the 16th October one curlew sandpiper, two little stints and twenty six black-tailed godwits remained with the more usual species of waders at the high tide roost. Unfortunately a trespasser went out on the marsh just before high tide flushing most of the birds. Out on the marsh a peregrine falcon sat, whilst at the scrape pool a buzzard entertained us by eating a dead rabbit (which had the cameras clicking,) and a male kestrel hovered nearby. On the pastures a couple of siskins flew over the site and a few fieldfares were seen. During the last week of October about thirty redwings were feeding on the hawthorn berries.

Walking down to the hide on 19th October we saw a caterpillar marching across the path. This was rescued and returned to the meadows. Then we found another – and another, eventually counting twenty or so. The meadows had been mown that morning so obviously they had been disturbed. We met Anne with a party of school children who were so excited about all the caterpillars they had rescued. They were ruby tigers, a pretty but fairly common moth of the area. They over-winter as a larva and we think the caterpillars were either moving to relocate their food plant or possibly to find a place to hibernate. We think maybe over a hundred larvae were involved.

The Friends of Pickerings Pasture have organized three work parties at the site during the Autumn. Both sides of the hide and the seats in the hide area have been painted with preservative, willow cuttings have been used to build up the screening each side of the hide itself and the vegetation and bushes in front of the hide have been cut back to improve visibility. The river bank was reinforced in one area in an attempt to stop the leakage from the scrape pool. Fifteen trees and shrubs were planted and wildflower seeds scattered on some bare areas. Seats and picnic tables around the site have also been painted with preservative, although one or two are really passed their best and need replacing– a real sign of the recession! The December project day is also at Pickerings Pasture on Monday December 12^th. We meet at 10am in the car park and you will be most welcome to join us.

In early November visiting bird watchers found 6 six barnacle geese feeding out on the marsh and saw a siskin with the finch flock. On the 5th a sub-adult ring-billed gull was seen flying over the car park whilst out on the sandbanks a flock of one thousand and fifty golden plovers were roosting with two hundred and fifty dunlins.  A flock of a thousand lapwings were scattered over the sand banks. Out on the marsh were seven grey herons, about eight hundred Canada geese. Feeding on the weed seeds by the edge of the scrape pool was a flock of about fifty linnets: although difficult to see on the ground a few were usually on the fencing keeping an eye out for predators.

On Sunday the 6th November visitors saw one hundred and eleven golden plovers roosting on the banks. At 3.00pm an adult whooper swan flew in and stayed until they left at 4.15pm. Unfortunately it was in the water all the time so they were unable to tell if it was ringed. (Photo by D Belton)

On the 7th November, after the first of the autumn’s frosts, fifty three mallards and a Canada goose were on the scrape pool. A great spotted woodpecker was at the feeders with around fifteen greenfinches, five chaffinches and all the usual tit species. 

On the 12th November forty two mallards were on the scrape pool with a further thirty on the marsh, feeding on the weed seeds. A reed bunting was on the fence but only five linnets were seen that day. Several pied wagtails were spotted, spread out over the marsh, during this period. A careful scan with a telescope revealed at least sixteen regularly using the marsh and scrape. A female kestrel was on the fence post for quite some time waiting for a mouse to show itself.

Many rabbits, including a few black ones, were visible around the scrape, in the reeds and on up towards United Utilities. Inevitably they attracted the buzzards and a fox. The vixen was first observed on 24th October, patrolling the scrape and was seen again on 12th November creeping along marsh side before skulking around the edge of the reeds. We heard of many such sightings from other visitors: one, in particular, was fascinated when the fox walked around the pool edge and the mallards followed it closely, quacking loudly. This behaviour is common – if they can see the predator it can’t attack them and is called “mobbing”. It is the principle behind the method of duck-catching at decoys. The grey squirrels were also busy along the side of United Utilities probably collecting acorns. One was seen having a real tussle with a magpie; both animals were seen on their backs with the other on top as they rolled over each other and both used a nearby tree to gain height before another “attack”. Either animal could have escaped easily at any time but it was almost as if they were playing!!

The control meadow has been an excellent site for watching smaller birds this November. A small party of redwings, song thrushes and plenty of blackbirds were taking advantage of the abundant supply of hawthorn berries. Chaffinches and greenfinches were also around and were joined on at least one occasion by bullfinches.

On the 17th a female peregrine sat feasting on pigeon out on the marsh, whilst nineteen cormorants roosted out the tide. On the scrape pool over eighty mallards were present whilst forty stock doves and thirty linnets fed around the edge on weed seeds. Unusual birds for the scrape area were two male pheasants that were feeding underneath a nearby oak tree, no doubt looking for acorns.

On the 19th November, seven barnacle geese and a greylag were found amongst the Canada geese. In the late afternoon a party of six greater white-fronted geese circled the marsh in front of the hide, finally landing and almost immediately sitting down and going to sleep. They remained there for nearly an hour before awakening and starting to feed. Sadly a short time later wildfowlers were seen on the far marsh and a couple of shots were fired: all the geese, ducks and wader flew off the marsh onto the river. 

There has been too much disturbance on the marsh this month: on our final visit of the month more shooters were out in the middle of the day and the wader roost was again deserted at high tide. All these shooters appear to be perfectly legal but it is sad when a few wildfowlers can spoil the enjoyment of the numerous people who use the bird hide. It is unfortunate that they appear to no longer shoot only at dusk as in previous years.

On a more pleasant note an enormous finch flock has built up since we began our feeding regime. Consisting of chaffinches, goldfinches, linnets, a few reed buntings and a large number of greenfinches, it is very mobile; using the cabin and hide feeders, the cornfield and adjacent hedging. They also feed in the control meadow where they join the thrush flock of redwings, blackbirds, fieldfares and song thrushes.