December - January.

       Brambling - D. Belton.    

Seven members of the Friends group, with Ann, the Ranger, repaired the fence alongside the scrape pool, to stop dogs flushing the ducks and waders from the pool. In view of the freezing conditions, a local farmer kindly gave us five hundredweight of old potatoes, which were placed around the edge of the scrape and on the icy pool, These were relished by the mallards, teals and Canada geese.

On the 12th, a slight thaw commenced and the pool partially cleared of ice, with over thirty mallards on the pool feeding on the potatoes. Another eighty ducks were just over the fence. Consequently, all the potatoes had been eaten within three days! The grey wagtail was still feeding around the edge. Out on the river, a large flock of five hundred and eighty teals floated out the tide. On the marsh, amongst the woodpigeons, were a hundred and ten stock doves, feeding on weed seeds. Amongst the large flock of dunlins, feeding on the marsh, we found three ringed plover. There was also a small party of curlew.

Part of the large flock of teal and wigeon 

Large numbers of gulls, which run into many thousands, are again flighting each morning, at dawn, to the rubbish tips; they go back down to roost on the Mersey just before dusk. On the 13th, an adult Mediterranean gull was off the car park, with the black-headed gulls, whilst off the marsh, a massive flock of fifteen hundred teals and over two hundred and fifty wigeons were packed on the river, as the tide came in. Later, the wigeon flighted onto the marsh edge, to feed on the grass. The Friends group spent another morning repairing the scrape pool fence and building a small gate, to allow work access to the scrape area.

On the 17th, the pool was partially frozen over again. The large numbers of Canada geese and mallards kept the edge open and the grey wagtail made good use of this to feed. Redwings, fieldfares and bramblings were by the feeders. Amongst the many small birds on the feeders, near the ranger's cabin, a female pheasant took advantage of the spilt grain, as well as two grey squirrels! That night a further heavy snow fall took place and the scrape pool froze over again.

A juvenile Iceland gull, another adult Mediterranean gull and an adult yellow-legged gull were found amongst the many gulls gathering off Pickerings Pasture on the 22nd December, before flighting down river to roost out the night. The vicious weather continued, with snow and temperatures at night dropping to -10 on one occasion. Even during the daytime the temperatures didn't rise above freezing. Unfortunately, on the period of low tides the shore mud actually froze over making it difficult for waders, in particular, to find food. The birds and other wildlife were struggling, with several very weak dunlins and redshanks noted on the shore line.

On several occasions, well over a hundred birds of various species were recorded at both of the feeding station. At least ten bramblings were present with the chaffinches and greenfinch flock. This grey heron, photographed by a regular birdwatcher- Derek Belton, was seen by the scrape pool eating a turkey carcass. It may have gone some way to saving its life.

Foxes were being seen regularly during the early afternoons, walking about on the marsh, looking for food. A dog fox and a vixen were seen together on one occasion. Even the rabbits were coming close and were feeding from spilt grain under the feeders.

  A vixen on the scrape

Towards the white bridge, many blackbirds and at least nine song thrushes, together with a male pheasant, were feeding on the sea buckthorn berries. Teals, mallards and Canada geese were on the Ditton Brook, which was still managing to remain open, although it was iced on the bank-sides down over the mud. The flock of teal roosting on the edge of the marsh was still high, with over a thousand remaining

On the evening of the 27th December, a slow thaw was underway, with rain during the night, but it took over a week to clear the ice from the scrape pool. The mild weather continued into January, with a just a few nights of ground frost being noted. On New Year's Day, when looking through the mallards on the icy pool, a female gadwall was found but unfortunately it has not been seen since.

On the 13th January, ten fieldfares, eighty redwings and seventy starlings took advantage of the softer ground and were feeding on the meadows. A lovely flock of fifty goldfinches were feeding on birch seeds under the trees on the ground.

On the 17th January, a flock of forty waxwings were seen in the trees and feeding on the hawthorns just before the entrance gate. At least thirty two were still present the next day: they were also seen in the trees in the car park area. The waxwings attracted a lot of bird watchers to the site, many of whom went down to the feeding stations looking for the bramblings. Only two waxwings were present during the morning of the 19th, the others presumably having moved on in their search for berries.

Whilst walking along the back path, on the 18th, we came across twelve redwings, six song thrushes, two mistle thrushes and numerous blackbirds, feeding on the meadows. We were also delighted to see a treecreeper, with the tit flock, near the bird hide. Around the same period, six bullfinches, two males and four females, were feeding near to the white bridge.                     

Mistle Thrush on the meadows

On the 23rd, a female goldeneye was seen on the Mersey, just off the scrape pool. Later, it flew over the scrape pool, as if to land, but after flying about over the marsh, it eventually flew off down the river.  The feeding stations continued to be busy: with house sparrows arriving in good numbers by the cabin.

 Filling the bird feeders - D Belton and a robin waiting his turn - CAC