Trip reports

A RAMBLE AROUND WIGAN FLASHES

Wednesday, 15 April 2009

As we passed through the reserve entrance we were greeted by a dunnock and a robin singing. From the hide screen we watched a cock reed bunting, blue and great tits and goldfinches on the niger feeder. An alert birder noticed a sparrowhawk soaring above us. Walking along the path at the end of Scotman's Flash, we heard the metronomic notes of the chiffchaff. Listening carefully, we caught the soft low whirring song of a grasshopper warbler issuing from a dense rushey area. I have previously seen them singing from the top of a stem, but usually they skulk and are well hidden, singing from cover. Sometimes the bird turns its head as it sings, obtaining a ventriloquial effect, which adds further confusion. Moving onward along the path to the canal bridge, we heard strong wing beats and a pair of mute swans flew overhead. On Scotman's Flash, we found tufted duck, coot and moorhen.

We passed over the over the canal bridge, down the bank and on toward Horrock's Flash. We could hear the clear warbling song of the blackcap and the persistent 'chirruc chirruc' of the reed warbler from a nearby reedbed. It was at this point that we got the first of two excellent views of a willow warbler giving of his full repertoire from a topmost branch. His open bill pointing to the sky, he gave forth a liquid, descending arpeggio, ending with a flourish. Along the canal we came across a female mallard with a crèche of twelve ducklings, two of which were yellow. Three buzzards soared in the sunlit sky.

Looking over Horrock's Flash, a single greylag was picked out among the many Canada geese. The most numerous birds were the raucous black-headed gulls. Three common terns were found. We were fortunate to see them both at rest and in flight, their distinctive outline distinguishing them from the gulls. There were also a few pochard, teal, one shelduck, a gadwall, a lapwing, 2 oystercatchers and 2 common redshank. A member of the group spotted a sparrowhawk at rest which was not readily noticeable against the background of trees. A heron made a slow leisurely flight over the water, where a great crested grebe was fishing.

We called at Turners Flash, which seemed to be dominated by a flock of busy, rowdy black-headed gulls. On our way toward Pearson's Flash we came upon a beautiful tree, with white flowers hanging in clusters, with dashes of a deep red colour on its green elliptical leaves and stalks. Referring to Collins 'Wild flowers of Britain and Europe', it is likely to be Wild Cherry prunus avium. A fine male blackcap rested on an exposed branch and sang his rich warbling song, viewed by an enthralled group of birders.

Pearson's Flash held a good variety of duck, including shoveler, tufted, pochard, goldeneye, teal, gadwall and a great crested grebe. A kestrel hovered in the distance whilst c12 sand martins twittered overhead. As we left the reserve greenfinches sang their nasal 'tswe-e-e' from the tops of nearby bushes. It had been a good day, at first warm in the sun, then coolish with a breeze and some cloud. It had been a good time to see the warblers before the leaves are fully out.

By Graham Tonge

Photo: library picture of a willow warbler