Tag Archives: birds
November on the Allotment
November was a mild month – too mild. Flies and other insects were still on the wing, the weeds were still growing, and the grass even had to be strimmed. But there were also some wonderful wildlife encounters, and that’s … Continue reading
The Christmas Wreath
At this time of year, thoughts turn to decorating the home for the festive season, and may alight upon the Christmas wreath. This evergreen wreath has been a symbol of eternal life since the earliest days of Christianity, and incorporates … Continue reading
Hunting for Harriers at Parkgate
Spurred on by memories of a previous visit, and consulting both weather forecast and tide times, I choose the perfect day for a late autumn birdwatch – target species marsh harrier, hen harrier and short-eared owl – at Parkgate. The … Continue reading
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Tagged bees, birds, birdwatching, high tide, marsh harrier, nature, Parkgate, twite, Wirral
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“I Look at Harriers and They Bring Me Joy”
Listening to a recent BBC Radio 4 programme about one man’s search for hen harriers reminded me of my own encounters with these wonderful birds, so I revisited a piece I wrote for Hen Harrier Action’s February 2021 newsletter (https://henharrierday.uk/news) about … Continue reading
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Tagged birds, birdwatching, estuary, harvest mouse, high tide, nature, Parkgate, raptors, Wirral
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Lesser Yellowlegs: Lifer Number Two for the Day
The lesser yellowlegs has been frequenting the far side of Marshside, right next to Glencoyne Drive, so it should be an easy ‘tick’, and so it proves to be: I climb the short but muddy slope to the path along … Continue reading
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Tagged birding, birds, lesser yellowlegs, RSPB Marshside
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Hoopoe Hallowe’en at Ince Blundell
It’s Hallowe’en morning. I spent yesterday afternoon on a three-hour Zoom course, interested, participating, but with one eye on Twitter, monitoring the news about the hoopoe that had been discovered at the microlight airfield in Ince Blundell late that morning. … Continue reading
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Tagged birding, birds, hoopoe, Ince Blundell
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Autumn on the Allotment, Part 2
Two mornings later, as fog creeps across the river and envelops the plot, the boldest robin decides to try and compete with the fox for ‘nature-based encounter of the week’.
Autumn on the Allotment, Part 1
It’s mayhem in robin land: there are at least three individuals competing for the suet every time they see me; one even flies onto the shed door if the food isn’t served within a minute of me arriving. This bird … Continue reading
A Circular Walk around Hale: Late Swallows Lead to Musings on Nature’s Decline, Part 2
Having reached Carr Lan, I turn down it, prepared to play chicken with the cars as there are no pavements here, and both the road itself and the grass verges are very narrow. The road winds, too, so I zigzag … Continue reading
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Tagged #AttackonNature, Anthropocene, birding, birds, farmland, Hale, nature, walking
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A Circular Walk around Hale: Late Swallows Lead to Musings on Nature’s Decline, Part 1
On a mild October morning of blue skies and fluffy white clouds, I drive to Hale for a walk, but not to the estuary; today, I choose the Town Lane, footpath, Higher Road, Carr Lane loop, hoping to see the … Continue reading