Hugh’s News – 11 May 2025

There were more photos from the Lake Vyrnwy visit than could go in the trip report, so I am including a few more here from Colin, Ellie and Peter.

Peter took a great photo of a male Common Scoter on the sea off Leasowe. Thousands of these sea duck winter off Wirral but they are usually far out from the shore, so Peter did well to get this shot. It is a black male – females are brown.

Whimbrel pass through the Dee every Spring, and Peter found a few on the marshes by Heswall Fields on the incoming tide.

Peter was in the right place at the right time at Leasowe to capture these classic views of a Cuckoo. The rusty feathers on the upper breast indicate that it was a female.

You may know that the main lake in Arrowe Park often has Mandarin Duck on it. I recently saw a pair of these colourful duck flying around the woods, presumably looking for a nest site. They use holes in trees, which give them good protection, but it must be a long way down for the fledged ducklings!

News from Martyn Jamieson, one of our Honorary Members, who now lives on South Uist. He reports that their Avocets have returned, and they now have at least 2 or 3 pairs nesting. Who would have thought that would happen so far north?

However, on the downside, they are about to lose their Corn Buntings. Only 2 males were heard singing on Uist last year, both at Balranald – the last two males of the Outer Hebrides race. He has heard a single male singing so far this Spring, but they will do an intensive survey for them over Summer.

Thank you to everyone for your contributions and photographs.

Hugh