Trip reports

Frodsham Marsh & Weaver Bend

Sunday, 11 March 2007

Fifteen of us joined up on a sunny Sunday, meeting at Chester Castle initially and following on to Frodsham. After walking along past bushes with goldfinches, we were delighted to find a plethora of plovers of the golden variety spread along the fields, a few just entering their breeding plumage and showing off their black bellies. The bright white shelduck were all over the fields. Spectacular!

At a distance, we saw a perfect flock of black tailed godwit identifying themselves - guess how? By showing off their black tails! What a sight as they flew round to land again in the sunshine. Hidden amongst them were a few redshank, not to mention some curlew behind them. We had some debate over the occasional ruff amongst the dunlin in the next field and were amazed at the change in russet plumage of some of the dunlin. Skylarks proclaimed spring was nigh as they rose above the feeding birds below.

Over in the ponds on the south side were several partially submerged hedges, decorated regularly with cormorant, but also housing several grey heron on their nest, a few showing off their long crested plumes in the wind. In one nest, being watched by a heron perched on nearby tall stick, we saw a fantastically aquamarine large egg. The nests were below our height so it was unusual to be in a position of looking down on them. Other water fowl included widgeon, coot, teal, Canada geese and mallard. On the sands, we saw perfect views of ringed plover. Several birders insisted there were stint at a distance, a bit too distant to identify.

I did have one emergency identification by Roger of a fat magpie face - hiding in a field of tussocks - I was sure it was a vicious new type of owl! Exhausted by intensive efforts at identification, we retired to the cars for lunch, in view of kestrel over the motorway, then moved on to the Weaver Bend. The route varied between low, muddy and treacherous and high, irregular and treacherous! We reached the Weaver to be rewarded by a small flight of Canada geese, but most of all very clear views of four goldeneye, who were later joined by a few more. A dabchick was also on the river, and a buzzard rose above the scene as we reached safe ground by the cars once again (thanks to wellies!). Many thanks to Brian Webster for leading this field trip.

L McC