Zac Hinchcliffe
@zachinch92.bsky.social
Ecologist. Birdwatcher. Trainspotter. Dad. Marvel.
Patch Gadwall are still increasing with 134 tonight, but likely many more between Sankey Bridges and Ferry Tavern and beyond on the St Helens Canal. Would to do a full count before their numbers drop around Christmas. #SankeyValley #Patchbirding
October 5, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Patch Gadwall are still increasing with 134 tonight, but likely many more between Sankey Bridges and Ferry Tavern and beyond on the St Helens Canal. Would to do a full count before their numbers drop around Christmas. #SankeyValley #Patchbirding
I can remain in Cheshire for another year 🙌🏻 a fruitless dawn raid on the Mersey at Runcorn bridge was always asking a lot, but luckily the family and I headed to Hoylake and Meols for lunch and had prolonged views of 4 Leach's Storm-petrels. Epic birds in every sense. @dannihinchy.bsky.social
October 5, 2025 at 6:21 PM
I can remain in Cheshire for another year 🙌🏻 a fruitless dawn raid on the Mersey at Runcorn bridge was always asking a lot, but luckily the family and I headed to Hoylake and Meols for lunch and had prolonged views of 4 Leach's Storm-petrels. Epic birds in every sense. @dannihinchy.bsky.social
High count of 121 Gadwall on the St Helens Canal near Bewsey Lock, #SankeyValley this evening. It's always been good for them, but that's an impressive count. Also my second record of wigeon on the canal itself #PatchBirding
October 3, 2025 at 5:37 PM
High count of 121 Gadwall on the St Helens Canal near Bewsey Lock, #SankeyValley this evening. It's always been good for them, but that's an impressive count. Also my second record of wigeon on the canal itself #PatchBirding
4 Ruff on patch this evening were a nice patch tick with additional 14 Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, 8 Ringed Plover and adult Yellow-legged Gull. Also grey seal. River Mersey south of Moss Bank and the St Helen's Canal. #SankeyValley #PatchBirding
August 20, 2025 at 7:58 PM
4 Ruff on patch this evening were a nice patch tick with additional 14 Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, 8 Ringed Plover and adult Yellow-legged Gull. Also grey seal. River Mersey south of Moss Bank and the St Helen's Canal. #SankeyValley #PatchBirding
And two patch ticks of two Dunlin and a beautiful Turnstone also present. The Ruddy Shelduck also added entertainment on the Mersey south of Moss Bank, Widnes. @birdguides.bsky.social #SankeyValley #PatchBirding
August 7, 2025 at 7:05 PM
And two patch ticks of two Dunlin and a beautiful Turnstone also present. The Ruddy Shelduck also added entertainment on the Mersey south of Moss Bank, Widnes. @birdguides.bsky.social #SankeyValley #PatchBirding
And a handheld phone shot for good measure and to provide some context. One of the best views of otters I've ever had and potentially my first dog otter. Amazing to have on the River Mersey and so close to home. #SankeyValley #PatchBirding
August 7, 2025 at 9:51 AM
And a handheld phone shot for good measure and to provide some context. One of the best views of otters I've ever had and potentially my first dog otter. Amazing to have on the River Mersey and so close to home. #SankeyValley #PatchBirding
Otter! Went to check the river for waders before work and was greeted by a wonderful dog otter feeding along the close shore line only a few 100 metres east of the Mersey Gateway. A Cheshire tick for me #SankeyValley #PatchBirding #Digibinned
August 7, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Otter! Went to check the river for waders before work and was greeted by a wonderful dog otter feeding along the close shore line only a few 100 metres east of the Mersey Gateway. A Cheshire tick for me #SankeyValley #PatchBirding #Digibinned
Moulting adult Sanderling, 28 Black-tailed Godwit and 9 Ringed Plover on the River Mersey east of the Gateway and south of Moss Bank this afternoon #SankeyValley #PatchBirding
August 5, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Moulting adult Sanderling, 28 Black-tailed Godwit and 9 Ringed Plover on the River Mersey east of the Gateway and south of Moss Bank this afternoon #SankeyValley #PatchBirding
Quest for Small Red-eyed continues but six Red-eyed on the St Helens canal in Sankey Valley this evening
August 3, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Quest for Small Red-eyed continues but six Red-eyed on the St Helens canal in Sankey Valley this evening
First patch tick in a while off Sunk Island. Yellow legged gull at low tide today.
August 3, 2025 at 3:40 PM
First patch tick in a while off Sunk Island. Yellow legged gull at low tide today.
Somewhat of a Cheshire rarity seen this morning on the drive to work with Schedule 8-listed Jersey Cudweed spotted from a moving car near IKEA Warrington on Gemini Retail Park. #UKWildlife #BritishPlants
July 16, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Somewhat of a Cheshire rarity seen this morning on the drive to work with Schedule 8-listed Jersey Cudweed spotted from a moving car near IKEA Warrington on Gemini Retail Park. #UKWildlife #BritishPlants
Currently staying in northern Normandy for D-day and surprised to find lizard orchids in their hundreds at Utah Beach and (so far) a single at Omaha Beach. Fantastic plants.
June 4, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Currently staying in northern Normandy for D-day and surprised to find lizard orchids in their hundreds at Utah Beach and (so far) a single at Omaha Beach. Fantastic plants.
Merlin and lots of corn bunting whilst on survey in Lancashire this week. Really nice to see and hear
April 18, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Merlin and lots of corn bunting whilst on survey in Lancashire this week. Really nice to see and hear
Holyhead to Dublin ferry in the rain. Blackcap, willow warbler (3), meadow pipits (20+) temporarily touching down throughout the journey. Harbour Porpoise, puffin, lots of manxies and pipit/finch flocks the highlights over the sea.
April 18, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Holyhead to Dublin ferry in the rain. Blackcap, willow warbler (3), meadow pipits (20+) temporarily touching down throughout the journey. Harbour Porpoise, puffin, lots of manxies and pipit/finch flocks the highlights over the sea.
Two red-eared sliders on the St Helens Canal were a novel patch tick this afternoon. Yeartick or two reed warblers was also nice. #SankeyValley #PatchBirding
April 13, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Two red-eared sliders on the St Helens Canal were a novel patch tick this afternoon. Yeartick or two reed warblers was also nice. #SankeyValley #PatchBirding
Drake Common Scoter swimming around on the River Mersey below Forrest Way overbridge, Sankey Bridges, Warrington just now. Excellent suggestion by @liamlangley1.bsky.social to check the river. Literally the first bird I saw when I got out the car! #SankeyValley #PatchBirding #PatchTick
March 25, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Drake Common Scoter swimming around on the River Mersey below Forrest Way overbridge, Sankey Bridges, Warrington just now. Excellent suggestion by @liamlangley1.bsky.social to check the river. Literally the first bird I saw when I got out the car! #SankeyValley #PatchBirding #PatchTick
I've seen them along the Mersey closer to Fiddlers Ferry, but a flock to four REDSHANK heading north low over the water along the St Helens Canal in the #SankeyValley CP. Much excitement on my morning run into work #PatchBirding
February 19, 2025 at 9:13 AM
I've seen them along the Mersey closer to Fiddlers Ferry, but a flock to four REDSHANK heading north low over the water along the St Helens Canal in the #SankeyValley CP. Much excitement on my morning run into work #PatchBirding
I only went and twitched something! My first visit to the Oglet and was very impressed. A really cool site. Lovely to pick up the skylark flock and very quickly locate the shore lark. Cracking birds and a great find by @dfoyliv.bsky.social
February 9, 2025 at 4:37 PM
I only went and twitched something! My first visit to the Oglet and was very impressed. A really cool site. Lovely to pick up the skylark flock and very quickly locate the shore lark. Cracking birds and a great find by @dfoyliv.bsky.social
Grey wagtail utilising the flood water outside the Avian Ecology office adding a splash of colour to a very windy day.
January 24, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Grey wagtail utilising the flood water outside the Avian Ecology office adding a splash of colour to a very windy day.
Office excitement today with an adult female MERLIN hunting meadow pipits. The first office record starting in 2012. Also a leak of 9 Yellowhammer in the hedges and 5 species of thrush #OfficeTick
January 23, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Office excitement today with an adult female MERLIN hunting meadow pipits. The first office record starting in 2012. Also a leak of 9 Yellowhammer in the hedges and 5 species of thrush #OfficeTick
Managed a quick visit to Richmond Bank today to try and grab some year ticks in the sub-0 conditions. Plenty of snipe, gadwall and teal with small numbers of lesser black-backed and great black-backed gulls, plus redshank, little grebe goosander & reed bunting #patchbirding #ukbirding #SankeyValley
January 11, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Managed a quick visit to Richmond Bank today to try and grab some year ticks in the sub-0 conditions. Plenty of snipe, gadwall and teal with small numbers of lesser black-backed and great black-backed gulls, plus redshank, little grebe goosander & reed bunting #patchbirding #ukbirding #SankeyValley
Ruddy Shelduck, 2 Common Sandpiper and a Chiffchaff at Spike Island, Widnes. With in bloom Daffodils too, it felt very spring-like in the winter sunshine #ukbirding
December 29, 2024 at 12:34 PM
Ruddy Shelduck, 2 Common Sandpiper and a Chiffchaff at Spike Island, Widnes. With in bloom Daffodils too, it felt very spring-like in the winter sunshine #ukbirding
1cy Caspian Gull and 2 Golden Plover on the exposed Richmond Bank, Warrington. Both patch ticks and lovely to see. #patchbirding #ukbirding #sankeyvalley
December 29, 2024 at 12:31 PM
1cy Caspian Gull and 2 Golden Plover on the exposed Richmond Bank, Warrington. Both patch ticks and lovely to see. #patchbirding #ukbirding #sankeyvalley
Always a treat to see Willow Tit this morning from Bunting Hide at Pennington Flash. Also got a couple of @kanebrides.bsky.social coots coming up to the locals.
December 28, 2024 at 2:06 PM
Always a treat to see Willow Tit this morning from Bunting Hide at Pennington Flash. Also got a couple of @kanebrides.bsky.social coots coming up to the locals.
Morning wander at LWT Brockholes. Credit where credit's due, it's the best I've seen No1 pit look for a good few years. Green Sandpiper, Golden Plover, Cetti's Warbler, Bullfinch and decent numbers of Lapwing, Wigeon, Shoveler and Teal. Next to no water on Meadow Lake, though. #PigmymeedTakeover
December 27, 2024 at 11:36 AM
Morning wander at LWT Brockholes. Credit where credit's due, it's the best I've seen No1 pit look for a good few years. Green Sandpiper, Golden Plover, Cetti's Warbler, Bullfinch and decent numbers of Lapwing, Wigeon, Shoveler and Teal. Next to no water on Meadow Lake, though. #PigmymeedTakeover