David Bowman

Ex bird ringer (bander), involved in: managing Woolston Eyes Nature Reserve, casual bird/wildlife photography and organising world-wide birding trips for mates.

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

@BRICSinfo Paid by the US taxpayer and US companies. What’s the point of that?

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

An astonishing 12 Yellow-browed Warblers were recorded at Woolston Eyes this week, following another record count, of 17 Great White Egrets, the previous week.

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

Fantastic morning at Woolston Eyes, with highlights of 3 Yellow-browed Warblers, 17 Great Egrets, 1 Garganey and 3 Marsh Harriers.

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

Great morning for passage at Woolston Eyes, with 1 Little Gull, 3 Whimbrels, 5 Arctic Terns, 2 Common Terns, 49 Dunlin, finishing off with a female Lesser Scaup.

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

Recent reports at Woolston Eyes include: Osprey, Avocet, Whimbrels and the establishment of a large Sand Martin roost. This is currently holding somewhere between 15-20,000 birds, which is remarkable, considering that the UK breeding population is only about 100,000 pairs.

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

@riccled Spot on, Rick!👍

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

An amazing two days at Woolston Eyes, with Slavonian Grebe and Gannets on Thursday and a Little Bittern found by Kieron Foster today. Only in sight for five minutes on an inaccessible part of the Reserve but it joins the Gannets as another first for Woolston. Photo by Kieron.

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

@todddzbox A couple more special birds and I’m sure it will be! 😎

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

The great spring continues at Woolston Eyes, with Lesser Scaup, Ferruginous Ducks, Ruddy Duck, Common Scoter and our earliest ever Little Ringed Plover and Swift followed this morning by a Slavonian Grebe and 4 Gannets. Pic by Dan Owen.

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

@RichardLafette We used to have a few breeding pairs but they’ve largely been displaced by Tawny Owls. Still see the occasional one, though.

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

No sign today of the Lesser Scaup which turned up at Woolston Eyes during last Saturday's WeBS count. Plenty of pre-breeding activity, though, with displaying Marsh Harriers, singing Willow Tits and a light passage of Curlews.

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

@GTAlstonWader I know, Gav! By the way, 2 LRPs today, our earliest ever.

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

Good progress being made at Woolston Eyes with our various projects to improve the habitat for our Willow Tits. Some decent birds this morning, too, with 1 Short-eared Owl, 5 Jack Snipe, 2 Woodcocks and 2 Marsh Harriers.

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

An excellent morning's birding on the Wirral, covering Parkgate, Burton Wetlands and Neston, with highlights of 3 Hen Harriers, 3 Water Pipits, 6 Spotted Redshanks, 11 Marsh Harriers and 10 Great Egrets. The short video shows some of the raptors. https://t.co/WT9U6BtscW

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

Woolston Eyes WeBS count today and on the Bed 4 wetland 1,700 "water-birds" were present. A Siberian Chiffchaff plus 11 Common Chiffchaffs were also good to see. The brief video shows one of the Chiffchaffs, Brambling etc. https://t.co/YLpd55HbZt

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

Clear, crisp, stunning morning at Woolston Eyes, with 9 Waxwings, a couple of Ring-necked Parakeets and a few hundred wildfowl working hard to keep small pools open on the No.4 bed wetland. The Waxwing photo is from a few years ago, at a favoured feeding site in Warrington!

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

Yesterday at Woolston Eyes a blustery westerly brought in 2 Scaup, with a Water Pipit and 2 Goldeneye also present. The short video shows the 3 regular Marsh Harriers, as well as a pair of Teal. https://t.co/mmj07gXZkm

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

@Shannz1987 Thanks, Shannon 😎

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

Yesterday's WeBS at Woolston Eyes turned up a Water Pipit, while highlights of the 4,394 wetland birds were: 1 Woodcock, 6 Jack Snipe, 2,000 Pink-footed Geese, 3 Kingfishers, 8 Water Rails, 92 Shovelers, 399 Tufted Ducks, 153 Gadwall, 118 Mallard, 5 Wigeon and 195 Coot.

[David Bowman @dsbowman123]

@kvtr01 They sound like Fieldfares, thrushes from Scandinavia which are a bit bigger than Blackbirds and often feed in flocks on open farmland.