Bird Watching - West Cheshire Rural

Status:	Active, open to new members
Leader:	Niki W
When:	Monthly on Wednesdays 2:00 pm-4:00 pm 3rd Wednesday
Venue:	On Location

This group is a mix of experienced and beginner bird watchers. No previous experience is needed and we welcome anyone with an interest in birds.

We take a slow walk of 1-3 miles, fairly locally, focussing on bird watching. We may also enjoy other flora and fauna along the way.

When there is a convenient cafe nearby, those who wish to meet for a light lunch beforehand or a cuppa after the session.

Our next outing will be on Wednesday 17th February

More information about venue and arrangements will be emailed to group members before the trip.

If you are interested to join or have any queries please click the Leaders name to send an e mail.

20th October 2026

OUR RECENT VISITS

September Meeting

For our September trip eight members met at the RSPB reserve at Conwy. After a showery morning we were lucky to have a warm, dry afternoon. We had a disappointing start as the scrape by the cafe was completely dry with no birds to be seen and the only sightings along the paths were a few robins, blue tit, great tit, wren, long-tailed tit and magpie.
In the first hide we could see moorhen a cormorant and a group of small ducks swimming along in formation feeding unusually with their heads continually dipped into the water. It looked like Shoveler behaviour but they seemed too small so were possibly female Teal.
When we got to the main hide we were not disappointed as the lake was teeming with birds. Initial we spotted several coot, a group of oyster catcher, and several curlew. A very helpful and knowledgeable man had a scope set up and helped us to observe and identify the other species. He showed us bar-tailed godwit, a few small dunlin amongst the curlew, red shank and green shank.

We walked round to the other side of the lake and saw pied wagtail, little grebe, black-headed gulls, grey heron, little egrets, mute swans and, of course, lots of mallard and herring gulls in the estuary. After an inauspicious start we all felt that we had enjoyed a very rewarding afternoon and headed to the on-site cafe for a celebratory cuppa and a chat.

May Meeting

We headed to RSPB Point of Ayr area and Talacre Beach for our May trip. After a quick drink we walked out to the hide overlooking the marshes and sea edge as we wanted to make the most of the high tide. As we walked along the coastal path there were several lively skylark over the marshy areas to our left as well as pigeon, blackbirds, wrens, crows and magpies. Merlin also picked up a Cetti's Warbler but we weren't able to spot it.

We settled down in the hide and saw Shelduck, Oyster Catchers, Curlew and a Black-backed Gull. A flock of swallows passed by and there were several Stone Chat very close by in the scrubby bushes. As we walked back we saw a Chiff-Chaff with a beak full of food and a Pipit. Merlin identified it as a Tree Pipit but we thought it was more likely to be a Meadow Pipit given the location and lack of trees! We also heard a Whitethroat, a Blackcap and a Linnet and saw a few Canada Geese.

In the large hedgerow by the coast path there was family of Long-tailed Tits. Some very squeaky young and busy parents trying to keep them fed.

The highlight for me was the fantastic view of the colony of Little Egrets nesting in the trees very close to the path. We spotted about a dozen occupied platform-style nests and listened to their very unusual and amusing burbling noise. Several of them were also flying out onto the marsh area to catch food.

We then had a little bit of time to wander down to the beach to finish off a very pleasant afternoon.

October Meeting

We returned to the popular RSPB reserve at Burton Mere Wetlands for our October trip. There are always lots of helpful volunteers and bird watchers here who are keen to help and share their knowledge. As usual we weren’t disappointed by the numbers and variety of birds and had a very enjoyable afternoon.

From the reception viewing area we saw a large number of Black-tailed Godwit feeding in the mud around the islands. There were plentiful Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Teal and Shoveller ducks. A Heron flew into the lagoon area and posed for us all to observe. A Marsh Harrier was repeatedly flying low over the reeds and bushes in search of prey.

When we left the reception we paused at the feeding station and spotted numerous Blue Tit and Great Tit and a couple of Robins. A Coal Tit, Nuthatch and Greenfinch made brief appearances and a few Wood Pigeon were up in the tree canopy.

There was not much close to the Marsh Hide so we moved on to the Bridge Hide to get a better view of the Shelduck, Lapwing and geese. Here we saw Pink-footed Geese and Canada Geese. There were also Widgeon, Gadwall and Little Grebe on the water. A very kind man invited us to use the scope that he had set up to get a fabulous view of a pair of Mandarin duck on the island. We also spotted a Kestrel flying over and heard Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest.

From the Border Hide we saw more Lapwing and a Marsh Harrier, Black-headed Gulls and Redshank.

As we walked back we observed a Buzzard sitting patiently on a fence post and a lively flock of Goldfinch chattering together high up in some bushes.

The weather was dull but we still had a very rewarding and enlightening few hours and hope to return to Burton again in the Spring.

September Meeting

We ventured into Wales for our September trip, meeting at Alyn Waters Country Park visitor centre. There were six regulars and three U3A members joining us for a taster session. It was a bright afternoon but quite breezy so we concentrated on the more sheltered, wooded areas. Our most enjoyable sighting was a Dipper spotted on the stream by Lorraine. We had a very clear view of this charming bird on a rock in the fast-flowing water and all enjoyed watching it as it then went into the shallow water to feed.

On the way through the woodland and coppice areas we heard Goldcrest, Wren, Bluetit, Long-tailed tit and Chiffchaff. Unfortunately there was too much leaf cover for us to find them but we observed wrens and robins. There were also the usual Magpies, Crows, Wood pigeon and a juvenile Blackbird. A Buzzard was also spotted high overhead.

We look out for other wildlife and luckily a frog was sunning itself on a bright and warm section of the path as we strolled back to the cafe. Everyone stayed for a cuppa and a chat before heading back to Cheshire.

July Meeting

We were lucky again with the weather for our July trip to Parkgate on the Dee Estuary. From the Old Baths car park we could see distant Herons, Egrets and Canada Geese. A lone Black-headed Gull and a few Swallows were flying overhead. A few of us got very close to a Dunnock, which was perched on the railings tweeting happily and a small flock of Starlings gave a brief display over the marsh.

The highlights of the afternoon were a Kestrel and a Marsh Harrier, which were in search of small mammals making their way towards the shore as the tide came in. The Marsh Harrier was flying low and parallel to our path so we had plenty of time to observe it clearly.

There were numerous small groups of Goldfinch chirping and flying around the shoreline shrubs and a lone pheasant who seemed a bit out of place! We also saw blue tits, crows, pigeons and a few other gulls.

Patches of flowering Ragwort along the path were covered in very bold and distinctive gold and black striped caterpillars. Marjorie identified them as larva of the Cinnabar moth.

Refreshments on the terrace of the Boathouse pub brought a further opportunity to enjoy the fine weather, views and a chat.