Trip reports
Moore Nature Reserve
Sunday, 18 January 2009
A large part of the reserve consists of damp woodland, interspersed with areas of carr and gorse thickets. There are several large artificial pools, some of which have been created as part of a landfill site at the east end.
On a clear cold morning, we drove along the M56 past the scenic delights of the Stanlow refinery and the former ICI plants at Runcorn. We left the M56 at Daresbury and were soon parking our cars near to the reserve entrance.
Our leader, Peter Stevenson, gave us a brief safety talk and then we were off heading west to the first Pool, which contained a good selection of ducks, including tufted, mallard, pochard, teal, wigeon and a possible ruddy duck. Further along the bank we saw male and female shoveler in very good light. Moving round the pool, binocs were soon onto little grebe and confirmed ruddy duck.
On a long straight track, two birds were spotted feeding at the top of some silver birch. These were the subject of a prolonged examination which resulted in their being pronounced as redpoll. After a half mile walk through wet woodland, we reached a site with hides and feeders where some of us were able to obtain a limited view of a marsh/willow tit which was hiding at the back of the feeder. Above us in perfect light was a male siskin and all had excellent views.
We had heard about an owl near a wooden bridge. Peter led us there at high speed and we were all able to get onto a well marked tawny owl roosting in an ivy-covered tree close to the bridge. He was well exposed but just before we left he disappeared into the ivy. A short walk brought us to another pool which gave us gadwall and snipe, several herons and provided a convenient lunch stop. When we moved on, the wind was getting up and it was getting much colder. Nevertheless, we walked on to the eastern end of the reserve.
At the next hide, some people had a microsecond glimpse of a bittern which had been in the area for some time. Sparrowhawk and buzzard were also seen but there was no sign of the green sandpiper which we had been told about. Virgin Voyagers and a Pendelino could also be seen well from this hide speeding up the West coast main line.
Finally, we retraced our steps to the parked cars near the centre of the site and the leading walkers nearly fell over a fox which shot across in front of them.
This account does not list all the birds we saw but only those which the author remembers as highlights. It was a very enjoyable winter's walk along the Mersey Valley with some excellent light for viewing ducks in particular and showed us all a reserve which is close to Chester and well worth revisiting.
Many thanks to Peter for the well organised and enjoyable trip.
JW