MARBURY and WITTON FLASHES BIRD REPORT 2020
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MARBURY and WITTON FLASHES BIRD REPORT 2020 Eurasian Spoonbill, © Mark Jarrett © Greg Baker INTRODUCTION 2020 will be remembered for many things, most of them unrelated to the contents of an annual bird report. It was however a year when birding, and more specifically local patch birding, took on a new significance for many; an upli?ing solace during difficult Ames. The need for social distancing and the closure of other venues highlighted the significance of Marbury & WiFon Flashes’ habitats and relaAve ease of access for a local populaAon in need of respite. Given that most of the area’s regular birders live locally, the various stages of regional and naAonal lockdown meant coverage of the birding patch was actually rather good. On the negaAve side, there was an influx of visitors whose respect for nature and the local faciliAes was much less welcome. Piles of discarded refuse liFered hides and benches. At Ames there seemed to be more dogs than birds at Marbury Country Park and small paths through quieter secAons became open tracks, now in regular use. Time will tell as to the longer term impact of a significantly increased fooQall on the patch’s ecosystem. In the context of recent Ames, above average coverage resulted in an above average year for the number of species recorded. 150 is an excellent return for an inland birding patch. IniAally a fine dry spring boded well, but as with 2019 a very wet summer and autumn significantly derailed wader passage as the prime habitats were again deluged. There were plenty of quality species on show nonetheless, with the famous Siberian Stonechat remaining into the spring plus the patch’s second ever CaFle Egret (this Ame a long-stayer) and local rariAes such as Dipper, Spoonbills, White-fronted Geese, Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl and Firecrest found. AddiAonally it was a record breaking year for many species with the highest ever numbers of Pink-footed Geese, Shoveler, Gadwall, Pintail, Pochard, Marsh Harriers, Great White Egrets, Spoonbills and Sedge Warblers, plus the first ever nesAng aFempt by Avocets and possibly Snipe. The diversity of species at Marbury & WiFon Flashes owes everything to its variety of habitats. Council spending cuts and the resultant reducAons in habitat management are however beginning to take their toll. As alluded to in the last report, Haydn’s Pool is now a remnant of its former status as one of the patch’s best wetland habitats. It seems desAned for birch scrub encroachment and as such species diversity will undoubtedly plummet. On the main flashes, reedbed expansion at Neumann’s Flash has been noAceable in more recent years, effecAvely reducing the extent of muddy edges. Even during dry spells, the spit which used to be favoured by waders and gulls on the west side of the flash seems to have disappeared. Nonetheless, Dave James (the site’s countryside officer) and the volunteers from the Friends of Anderton and Marbury, do a superb job in maintaining what they can and patch birding would be considerably less interesAng without their much appreciated efforts. Many thanks also to all who have contributed to the various sources used to produce this report and who have provided their own personal records. Data has been gleaned most specifically from the local patch WhatsApp group and TwiFer feed, plus entries into BirdTrack, eBird and other online forums. Finally, thanks to the various photographers who have permiFed use of their images which enhance the report substanAally. Greg Baker 1 Marbury and WiDon FlasHes 2020 Bird Report THE SITE As with previous reports and for those not acquainted with the area, the Marbury and WiFon Flashes birding patch (also herein referred to as M&WF or just ‘the patch’) consists of five major areas: Marbury Country Park, the WiFon Flashes, Anderton Nature Park, Carey Park and Higher Marston. Included within Marbury Country Park is the prime site of Budworth Mere along with the main woodlands of Big Wood and Hopyards Wood. Budworth Mere itself also hosts the Coward Reedbed plus Kid Brook Spit on its northern shoreline and the associated Kid Brook Fields. WiFon Flashes are the reclaimed lime beds north of Northwich, and include Neumann’s Flash plus Ashton’s Flash, Haydn’s Pool, WiFon Mill Meadows and Dairy House Meadows. The other areas are more standalone; Carey Park is the site of the former WiFon landfill, Anderton Nature Park is the country park west of Haydn’s Pool, and Higher Marston encompasses the fields and housing estate north and east of the Trent & Mersey Canal, including Marston Pools along Ollershaw Lane. The patch generally assumes the same boundaries as the area also known as the Northwich Woodlands. Higher Marston Map of Marbury & WiDon FlasHes (also known as NortHwicH Woodlands) 2 Marbury and WiDon FlasHes 2020 Bird Report THE 2020 BIRDING YEAR MontH by montH review of notable records JANUARY began the year with the highly popular Siberian Stonechat conAnuing its stay for the rest of the winter and entertaining birders from near and far from its favoured habitat at Ashton’s Flash. Also extending its stay into the new year was the wintering Eurasian Biern in the Coward Reedbed at Budworth Mere along with a Lile Egret on Kid Brook Spit. Some of those watching the stonechat were lucky enough to see a Short-eared Owl passing north over Ashton’s and Neumann’s Flashes on the 2nd, and a Whooper Swan was briefly at Neumann’s Great Northern Diver, Budworth Mere. © Greg Baker Flash on the 3rd. Pink-footed Geese movements over the patch were notable throughout the month and there were record breaking counts of 58 PocHard on the 12th and 88 Gadwall on the 16th. On the 17th a Great NortHern Diver spent part of the a?ernoon on Budworth Mere but unfortunately then flew off west. FEBRUARY was probably the quietest month of the year, with the undoubted highlight being a Black-legged Kiwake found on Budworth Mere on the 14th. A probable White-tHroated Dipper was glimpsed along Forge Brook in Marbury Country Park on the 7th but at that Ame was not confirmed. The only other notable records were of 2 Eurasian Bierns present in Kittiwake, Budworth Mere. the Coward Reedbed from the 17-18th and a reasonably © Sheelagh Halsey good passage of Mediterranean Gulls. MARCH brought confirmaAon on the 4th that the White-tHroated Dipper glimpsed back in February along Forge Brook in Big Wood had returned (or maybe never gone away). It was seen again on the 6th. On the 5th the first Mandarin Duck of the year was on Budworth Mere and on the 8th a Red Knot paid a brief visit to Kid Brook Spit on the north shore of the mere. At Neumann’s Flash another Whooper Swan evaded the regular birders with a brief visit on the 14th. On the 30th an immature male MarsH Harrier at Ashton’s Dipper, Marbury Country Park © Malc Curtin Flash was the vanguard for a record number of sighAngs over the spring. APRIL proved again to be the best month for headline sighAngs, although it took unAl the 7th to get going with 2 Pied Avocets at Neumann’s Flash. Two different MarsH Harriers began 3 Marbury and WiDon FlasHes 2020 Bird Report more regular appearances from the 6th, and on the 8th a count of 53 Common Chiffchaffs across the patch was the highest ever. The much admired Siberian Stonechat, by now showing signs of adult male plumage, was last seen on Ashton’s Flash on the 12th, the same day an Osprey passed over Budworth Mere and the first Eurasian Hobbys made an appearance. The pace then quickened with up to 2 Bramblings in Marbury Country Park on the 13-14th, a Grasshopper Warbler at Marston on the 14th (with a more obliging individual at Haydn’s Pool from the 28th), 7 Whimbrel at Ashton’s Flash on the 17th, a male Whinchat at Budworth Mere on the Siberian Stonechat, Ashton’s Flash © Mark Woodhead 18th, and incredibly the year’s only Eurasian Golden Plover at Higher Marston on the 20th. A male Mandarin Duck somemes showed well at Budworth Mere from the 20th-23rd. Weather condiAons on the 20th heralded the arrival of 2 Lile Gulls and 2 Black Terns at Budworth Mere, a Black Tern also being seen at Neumann’s Flash on the 25th with 2 back at Budworth Mere on the 27th. Next day (21st) an amazing 54 ArcXc Terns were spiralling over Budworth Mere, and another Lile Gull (this Ame a first winter) was also at the mere on 22nd. Scarce waders finally made an appearance at the end of the month with Neumann’s Sanderling, Neumann’s Flash Flash hosAng a brief Wood Sandpiper on the 27th and a © Greg Baker Sanderling on the 30th. MAY was surprisingly quiet with the first week limited to a Lile Egret at Neumann’s Flash (first of the year at the flashes) on the 2nd, a record count of 12 Sedge Warblers at Ashton’s Flash on 3rd and at the same site another male Whinchat on 4th. Just the one SpoDed FlycatcHer established a territory in Big Wood at Marbury Country Park from 10th and the year’s only Red Kite flew over Anderton Nature Park on 11th. Another Sanderling was at Budworth Mere on 16th and one at Neumann’s Flash on 27th. A Pink- footed Goose was a surprise find at Budworth Mere on 17th. That same day an excellent series of Pied Avocet sighngs began, culminaAng in a nesAng aFempt at Neumann’s Flash at the end of the month.