Hugh’s News – 10 January 2024
A slightly belated Happy New Year to Members and best wishes and happy birding to you all for 2024.
We didn’t see any owls on our trip to Lunt Meadows sadly. But Ellie saw a ghostly Barn Owl there on a previous visit – lucky her!
James has sent in a video taken by a colleague of his, Lauren Hadfield. She found a Short-eared Owl hunting over moorland in the North Pennines, and this shot the video. What a lovely, evocative film. (We can’t upload videos to the website, so it is attached to the notification email).
Finally, I came across a piece of wicker artwork of a Short-eared Owl at Parkgate Old Baths carpark. It commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Wirral Way. Work has finished here on a new seated viewing area with disabled access.
Not blowing my own trumpet (well, not too much!), but I mentioned the Waxwing invasion this winter, and birds have now been seen on Wirral and in Liverpool. They were often quite mobile, but Bill caught up with a small flock in Upton, and Ellie found some in Childwall.
Finally, a reminder that the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch takes place from Friday 26th – Sunday 28th January. I know many of you take part in the annual survey.
Thank you to Ellie and Hugh for the photos.
Hugh
