Details of February sightings compiled by John Thompson will appear on the Monthly Sightings page.
21 Comments
John 29th February 2020
Tawny Owl in Quakers Coppice.
Bill and I had just arrived in the woods this morning to clean out the nest boxes when we bumped into a gent with two dogs. He mentioned that he sometimes walks there at about 05:30 and described hearing, recently, the calls of both male and female Tawny Owl.
Not long after, Bill was up the ladders checking one of the larger boxes used by Stock Dove when he ‘jerked’ backwards. Seconds later a Tawny Owl flew out of the nest box; I saw it fly just above Bills head as he ducked. It flew into and perched in a nearby tree – she had been sitting on three eggs! Bill said that he first caught sight of the head and back of the bird as he got eye-level with the box opening before he took evasive action.
I am reminded of Bryan and Colin’s account of a fledgling Tawny Owl encounter in the SECOS 2003 Bird Report.
John 29th February 2020
Robin in my garden – picking up and flying off with damp leaves, presumably for nesting material.
Love is in the air despite Storm Jorge!
Colin Lythgoe 28th February 2020
At Doddington yesterday afternoon I managed a brief visit in strong wind and most birds were sheltering under the bankside trees but I did get a good count of tufted with a total of 139 and despite the weather a pair of great crested grebes were displaying on Lemon Pool.
John 24th February 2020
17 – 23 Feb
EHF/PHF: Gadwall, Goosander, Water Rail, L & GC Grebe, Curlew, Bl-t Godwit, Snipe, Redshank, Kumlien’s Gull, GW & L Egret, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine
MGT/RF: Gadwall, Snipe, Common, Kumlien’s & Y-l Gull, GW Egret, Barn & L Owl, Peregrine, Raven, Skylark, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit
CF: Oystercatcher
Astbury Mere: Goosander, Common Gull, Siskin
Checkley Ln: R-l Partridge, Skylark, Reed Bunting
Doddington: Shoveler, Gadwall, Pintail, Pochard, Goldeneye, L Grebe, Oystercatcher, Kestrel
Elworth: Peregrine
Lawton Lake: Dipper
Lea Forge: Raven, Goldcrest, Reed Bunting
Rode Heath: Barn Owl
Scholar Green: Green Woodpecker, Linnet, Yellowhammer
Smallwood: Peregrine
Swettenham: Egyptian Goose
Wall Hill: Curlew, Skylark, Tree Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Yellowhammer
Mike&Andy 22nd February 2020
Oystercatchers up to 7 at Doddington this morning and still at least 18 Goldeneyes.Also Gadwall,Teal,Shoveler,Little Grebes and a Kestrel scything through the trees like a Sparrowhawk!!
Mike& Andy 19th February 2020
A male and female Pintail at Doddington this morning ,also 11 female and 7 male Goldeneyes,10 Shovelers,2 Wigeon,Pochard,6 Oystercatchers and Stock Doves.At Lea Forge,Goldcrest , Raven,180 Lapwings,Reed Bunting and G.S. Woodpecker .Checkley Lane very quiet with just Skylark,Reed Bunting,Song Thrush and Red- legged Partridge worth a mention .
Andy Brown 18th February 2020
Swettenham – three Egyptian Geese in a field on the south side of the Arboretum.
Yesterday morning on Macon Meadows:
Water Rail calling.
Also Song Thrush, Dunnock and Greenfinch singing plus 10+ Moorhen in the very wet vegetation.
Colin Lythgoe 14th February 2020
very early signs of spring approaching at Doddington this morning with 5 oystercatchers chasing about and a pair of great crested grebes displaying. Also 117 tufted duck but just 3 shoveler, 2 teal and 2 pochard to add to Mike and Andy’s goldeneye count.
Mike&Andy 13th February 2020
A Great Egret dropped in at Railway Flash this morning and a Peregrine was on the pylons.Along the canal at the back of E.H.F. Yellowhammer,Tree Sparrow and at least 5 Reed Buntings.
John 10th February 2020
3 – 9 Feb
EHF/PHF: Shelduck, Pintail, Gadwall, Goosander, Water Rail, L & GC Grebe, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Bl-t Godwit, Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Redshank, Common & Y-l Gull, GW & L Egret, Sparrowhawk, Raven
MGT/RF: Snipe, L & GW Egret, Stonechat (Oaktree Flash)
Canal/Fodens: Redpoll
Rookery Br / towpath: Tree Sparrow, Brambling, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting
WLF: GC Grebe
Astbury Mere: Pochard, Goldeneye, GC Grebe, Common Gull, Peregrine, Grey Wagtail
Borrow Pit M: Goosander, Bullfinch
Bradwall: Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting
Congleton: Dipper, Grey Wagtail
Doddington: Shelduck, Shoveler, Goldeneye
Lawton Lake: Goosander, Dipper, Grey Wagtail
Rode Pool: L Egret
Also 2 x Barn Owl ( see Peter’s post – 9th )
Peter 9th February 2020
BARN OWL on the A51 by Mile Lane just past the sand quarry at Wybunbury and then ANOTHER along the fence line at Doddington, 10.45 pm this evening
Nigel Henderson 8th February 2020
Congleton downstream from the Rood Hill road bridge. Dipper x 2; Grey Wagtail
John 6th February 2020
Meremoor Moss this lunchtime
A beautiful day to be out birding. Reminiscent of this time last year, in the same area, when I had a Red Admiral & Brimstone ( 15th Feb ). Highlights today were Sparrowhawk – 3 views of a female in flight, 2 Oystercatchers back on neighbouring Mere Moor Fisheries, a Kingfisher in silhouette, a female Kestrel hunting, a passing Peregrine flew by perhaps was perched on the pylons before I spotted it? 3 Raven flew, calling, from the direction of Crewe Hall. Minutes later 2 flew back again – were they escorting a interloper off their territory?
A feeding flock of over 60 Fieldfare with one or two Redwing and Song Thrush amongst them, a pair of distant Stonechat, a Grey Wagtail, a Bullfinch. Also, great to see small numbers of Meadow Pipit, Greenfinch and Linnet – between 5 and 10 in each flock. A pair of Reed Bunting and I thought I hear a partial call/song of a Yellowhammer but, sadly, it didn’t call again to confirm.
Mike&Andy 4th February 2020
Our best count of Goldeneye for this winter period was 11 females and 5 males. Also at Doddington 1 Shelduck and only 3 Shovelers.
Graham 3rd February 2020
Barn Owl eastwards on Parker’s Road one downside of bridge near kennels 6.30pm
John 3rd February 2020
27 Jan- 2 Feb
EHF/PHF: Pintail, Gadwall, Goosander, L & GC Grebe, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Bl-t Godwit, Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Redshank, Y-l Gull, GW & L Egret, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, Peregrine, Raven
MGT/RF: L Grebe, L & GW Egret
Clay Ln: L Owl
Dragons Ln: Barn Owl
FF: L Grebe, Kingfisher, Siskin
Green Ln: mixed finch flock
Rookery Br / towpath: Brambling, Reed Bunting
WLF: Water Rail
Astbury Mere: Pochard, Goldeneye, L Grebe, Common Gull, Kestrel, Peregrine
Bagmere: Peregrine, Starling murmuration
Borrow Pit M: Goosander, Meadow Pipit, Greenfinch
The Cloud: Raven
Doddington: Pintail, Goldeneye, L Grebe, Oystercatcher,
Lawton Lake: Mandarin, Dipper, Grey Wagtail
Mow Cop: Woodcock, Snipe
Rode Heath & Scholar Green: L Egret
Colin Lythgoe 2nd February 2020
Highlights of a SWaBBS visit to Borrow Pit Meadows yesterday were three bullfinches looking really colourful in the sunshine. Also a male goosander but no tawny owls; usually one or occasionally two but they have not been seen for the past two weeks.
John 2nd February 2020
Macon Meadows this morning
The highlight was a small group of finches in a tree near Macon Way turned out to be seven Greenfinch!
Also notable was a Water Rail calling and a duet of Song Thrushes
Mike&Andy 2nd February 2020
2 Oystercatchers at Doddington yesterday,Saturday the 1st.
29th February 2020
Tawny Owl in Quakers Coppice.
Bill and I had just arrived in the woods this morning to clean out the nest boxes when we bumped into a gent with two dogs. He mentioned that he sometimes walks there at about 05:30 and described hearing, recently, the calls of both male and female Tawny Owl.
Not long after, Bill was up the ladders checking one of the larger boxes used by Stock Dove when he ‘jerked’ backwards. Seconds later a Tawny Owl flew out of the nest box; I saw it fly just above Bills head as he ducked. It flew into and perched in a nearby tree – she had been sitting on three eggs! Bill said that he first caught sight of the head and back of the bird as he got eye-level with the box opening before he took evasive action.
I am reminded of Bryan and Colin’s account of a fledgling Tawny Owl encounter in the SECOS 2003 Bird Report.
29th February 2020
Robin in my garden – picking up and flying off with damp leaves, presumably for nesting material.
Love is in the air despite Storm Jorge!
28th February 2020
At Doddington yesterday afternoon I managed a brief visit in strong wind and most birds were sheltering under the bankside trees but I did get a good count of tufted with a total of 139 and despite the weather a pair of great crested grebes were displaying on Lemon Pool.
24th February 2020
17 – 23 Feb
EHF/PHF: Gadwall, Goosander, Water Rail, L & GC Grebe, Curlew, Bl-t Godwit, Snipe, Redshank, Kumlien’s Gull, GW & L Egret, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine
MGT/RF: Gadwall, Snipe, Common, Kumlien’s & Y-l Gull, GW Egret, Barn & L Owl, Peregrine, Raven, Skylark, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit
CF: Oystercatcher
Astbury Mere: Goosander, Common Gull, Siskin
Checkley Ln: R-l Partridge, Skylark, Reed Bunting
Doddington: Shoveler, Gadwall, Pintail, Pochard, Goldeneye, L Grebe, Oystercatcher, Kestrel
Elworth: Peregrine
Lawton Lake: Dipper
Lea Forge: Raven, Goldcrest, Reed Bunting
Rode Heath: Barn Owl
Scholar Green: Green Woodpecker, Linnet, Yellowhammer
Smallwood: Peregrine
Swettenham: Egyptian Goose
Wall Hill: Curlew, Skylark, Tree Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Yellowhammer
22nd February 2020
Oystercatchers up to 7 at Doddington this morning and still at least 18 Goldeneyes.Also Gadwall,Teal,Shoveler,Little Grebes and a Kestrel scything through the trees like a Sparrowhawk!!
19th February 2020
A male and female Pintail at Doddington this morning ,also 11 female and 7 male Goldeneyes,10 Shovelers,2 Wigeon,Pochard,6 Oystercatchers and Stock Doves.At Lea Forge,Goldcrest , Raven,180 Lapwings,Reed Bunting and G.S. Woodpecker .Checkley Lane very quiet with just Skylark,Reed Bunting,Song Thrush and Red- legged Partridge worth a mention .
18th February 2020
Swettenham – three Egyptian Geese in a field on the south side of the Arboretum.
17th February 2020
10 – 16 Feb
EHF/PHF: Shoveler, Gadwall, Pintail, Goosander, Water Rail, GC Grebe, Curlew, Bl-t Godwit, Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Common & Y-l Gull, L Egret, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Raven
MGT/RF: Kumlien’s & Y-l Gull, L & GW Egret, Peregrine, Skylark, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit
Rookery Br / towpath: Skylark, Tree Sparrow, Brambling, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting
Astbury Mere: Pochard, Goosander, Stock Dove, Tawny Owl, GS Woodpecker
Congleton: Dipper, Goosander, Grey Wagtail
Doddington: Shoveler, Teal, Pochard, Goldeneye, GC Grebe, Oystercatcher
15th February 2020
Yesterday morning on Macon Meadows:
Water Rail calling.
Also Song Thrush, Dunnock and Greenfinch singing plus 10+ Moorhen in the very wet vegetation.
14th February 2020
very early signs of spring approaching at Doddington this morning with 5 oystercatchers chasing about and a pair of great crested grebes displaying. Also 117 tufted duck but just 3 shoveler, 2 teal and 2 pochard to add to Mike and Andy’s goldeneye count.
13th February 2020
A Great Egret dropped in at Railway Flash this morning and a Peregrine was on the pylons.Along the canal at the back of E.H.F. Yellowhammer,Tree Sparrow and at least 5 Reed Buntings.
10th February 2020
3 – 9 Feb
EHF/PHF: Shelduck, Pintail, Gadwall, Goosander, Water Rail, L & GC Grebe, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Bl-t Godwit, Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Redshank, Common & Y-l Gull, GW & L Egret, Sparrowhawk, Raven
MGT/RF: Snipe, L & GW Egret, Stonechat (Oaktree Flash)
Canal/Fodens: Redpoll
Rookery Br / towpath: Tree Sparrow, Brambling, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting
WLF: GC Grebe
Astbury Mere: Pochard, Goldeneye, GC Grebe, Common Gull, Peregrine, Grey Wagtail
Borrow Pit M: Goosander, Bullfinch
Bradwall: Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting
Congleton: Dipper, Grey Wagtail
Doddington: Shelduck, Shoveler, Goldeneye
Lawton Lake: Goosander, Dipper, Grey Wagtail
Rode Pool: L Egret
Also 2 x Barn Owl ( see Peter’s post – 9th )
9th February 2020
BARN OWL on the A51 by Mile Lane just past the sand quarry at Wybunbury and then ANOTHER along the fence line at Doddington, 10.45 pm this evening
8th February 2020
Congleton downstream from the Rood Hill road bridge. Dipper x 2; Grey Wagtail
6th February 2020
Meremoor Moss this lunchtime
A beautiful day to be out birding. Reminiscent of this time last year, in the same area, when I had a Red Admiral & Brimstone ( 15th Feb ). Highlights today were Sparrowhawk – 3 views of a female in flight, 2 Oystercatchers back on neighbouring Mere Moor Fisheries, a Kingfisher in silhouette, a female Kestrel hunting, a passing Peregrine flew by perhaps was perched on the pylons before I spotted it? 3 Raven flew, calling, from the direction of Crewe Hall. Minutes later 2 flew back again – were they escorting a interloper off their territory?
A feeding flock of over 60 Fieldfare with one or two Redwing and Song Thrush amongst them, a pair of distant Stonechat, a Grey Wagtail, a Bullfinch. Also, great to see small numbers of Meadow Pipit, Greenfinch and Linnet – between 5 and 10 in each flock. A pair of Reed Bunting and I thought I hear a partial call/song of a Yellowhammer but, sadly, it didn’t call again to confirm.
4th February 2020
Our best count of Goldeneye for this winter period was 11 females and 5 males. Also at Doddington 1 Shelduck and only 3 Shovelers.
3rd February 2020
Barn Owl eastwards on Parker’s Road one downside of bridge near kennels 6.30pm
3rd February 2020
27 Jan- 2 Feb
EHF/PHF: Pintail, Gadwall, Goosander, L & GC Grebe, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Bl-t Godwit, Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Redshank, Y-l Gull, GW & L Egret, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, Peregrine, Raven
MGT/RF: L Grebe, L & GW Egret
Clay Ln: L Owl
Dragons Ln: Barn Owl
FF: L Grebe, Kingfisher, Siskin
Green Ln: mixed finch flock
Rookery Br / towpath: Brambling, Reed Bunting
WLF: Water Rail
Astbury Mere: Pochard, Goldeneye, L Grebe, Common Gull, Kestrel, Peregrine
Bagmere: Peregrine, Starling murmuration
Borrow Pit M: Goosander, Meadow Pipit, Greenfinch
The Cloud: Raven
Doddington: Pintail, Goldeneye, L Grebe, Oystercatcher,
Lawton Lake: Mandarin, Dipper, Grey Wagtail
Mow Cop: Woodcock, Snipe
Rode Heath & Scholar Green: L Egret
2nd February 2020
Highlights of a SWaBBS visit to Borrow Pit Meadows yesterday were three bullfinches looking really colourful in the sunshine. Also a male goosander but no tawny owls; usually one or occasionally two but they have not been seen for the past two weeks.
2nd February 2020
Macon Meadows this morning
The highlight was a small group of finches in a tree near Macon Way turned out to be seven Greenfinch!
Also notable was a Water Rail calling and a duet of Song Thrushes
2nd February 2020
2 Oystercatchers at Doddington yesterday,Saturday the 1st.