Mersey Mossland

I just thought I would post a quick update from yesterday, although I don't really have anything exciting to post! I was surveying a farm on part of the mosslands near Rainford in Merseyside and I had one or two birds that suggested that autumn migration is under way.

Arable Landscape 

Walking around this arable farm I had several singing Yellowhammers that were utilising the mature hedgerows that had been planted over 10 years ago through Countryside Stewardship. The hedgerows were now nice and thick, providing fantastic wildlife corridors.

 Yellowhammer

Probably the best bird I had was a Cuckoo that flew from a line of trees and was then mobbed by a plethora of birds. Do they mistake it for a raptor or do they know it is a Cuckoo and a nest parasite! This was only my second Cuckoo of the year, illustrating how scarce they now are. If this had been on the Fylde and the Cuckoo had been 'nailed' down it would have caused great excitement amongst the 'pager driven clowns'!

The farm has a large number of Birch woodland on it and Buzzards called and soared above most of them and I had 10 in total. Large numbers of Goldfinches were feeding in weedy field corners and House Sparrows seemed abundant around some of the yards.

Walking alongside one stretch of fairly wet grassland I had two Wheatears perched on fence posts. Definitely autumn migrants I thought. My survey didn't reveal much else other than a few Skylarks and Grey Partridges.

The forecast is looking a bit grim for tomorrow with fairly strong northerlies, but it looks better for Sunday so hopefully we should be able to ring a few more Warblers.