WILDFOWL AT EHF/PHF ~~ MALLARD regular, max 181 on 14th ~
TEAL regular, max 14 on 29th ~ SHOVELER regular, max 4 on 16th ~ WIGEON regular, max 3 on 23rd ~ GADWALL a single on the 22nd ~ SHELDUCK regular, singles, a pair and 13 Juvs on 26th ~ GARGANEY singles 1st to 13th
~ elsewhere 11 Greylag were over RF on the 29th ~ a Mandarin Duck plus 3 young were on the new pool, MGT on the 8th ~ a pair of Shelduck plus 13 young were on FFF on the 5th
WADERS AT EHF/PHF ~~ BLACK TAILED GODWIT regular, max 9 on 16th ~ LAPWING regular, max 258 on 29th ~ COMMON SANDPIPER singles 23rd to 27th ~ DUNLIN regular, singles 5th to 20th ~ GREEN SANDPIPER regular, max 3 on 19th ~ CURLEW regular, max 12 on 25th ~ REDSHANK singles 16th,17th & 20th ~ LITTLE RINGED PLOVER regular, max 4 on 25th ~ OYSTERCATCHER regular, max 6 on 26th ~ RINGED PLOVER 3 on 13th ~ AVOCET 2 on 3rd
~ elsewhere Oystercatchers bred at Stowford and Doddington ~ Little Ringed Plover were on flood water in Green Lane throughout the spring.
RAPTORS AND OWLS ~~ SPARROWHAWK records from EHF, Oakhanger, WLF and Crewe Town Cemtre, where a pair are nesting ~ KESTREL records from EHF, MGT, Weston and Stowford ~ BUZZARD regular in the Flashes/MGT area, Elsewhere records from Oakhanger and Weston ~ HOBBY records from EHF, WLF and Oakhanger ~ RED KITE one over Red Lane, Elton on the 11th ~ TAWNY OWL one at Wistaston on the 26th.
GULLS ~~ Y L GULL one at EHF on the 27th ~ COMIC TERN a single at EHF on the 1st
OTHER SIGHTINGS ~~ Bird of the month was a Spoonbill arriving at EHF on the 16th. It stayed until the 20th mainly in the PHF/EHF area, allowing local birders excellent views ~ Goldcrests bred at Haslington, Valley Park Crewe and Crewe Green Churchyard ~ Spotted Flycatchers were recorded at Barthomley, Plant Lane, Elton and Wistaston ~ a pair of Willow Tits were regular at the FF feeding station~ Ravens were recorded over Willaston on the 6th and EHF on the 21st ~ at Stowford, Mistlethrush and Nuthatch bred, 6 male Yellowhammers and a pair of Yellow Wagtails were also recorded ~ Lesser Whitethroats were recorded at FFF and PHF and 30 Long-tailed Tit were at EHF on the 26th.
