Dr Phil Smith – Wildlife Notes January 2025

According to the Met Office, January was one of the sunniest on record for the UK but was a little colder and drier than normal. The month’s rainfall in Formby, measured by Rachael Parks, totalled 75.5 mm, a little below average. On 24th, named storm Éowyn was the UK’s most powerful wind storm for over a decade. By great good fortune, its worst effects were well to the north of us; even so, gusts of over 60 mph were recorded at Crosby. The storm also coincided with neap tides, with minimal erosion along the dune coast. It could have been a lot worse. Surprisingly, Éowyn produced hardly any rainfall, with only 0.5 mm measured on 24th in Formby. Despite the relatively dry conditions, the water-table, as measured at the Devil’s Hole, went up by 18 cm (7 inches) during the month and, as a result, the slacks were well flooded.

Like December, January is usually a fairly quiet month for wildlife, unless you happen to be in the right place at the right time. For instance, during a Wetland Bird Survey on 9th, Steve Cross counted a record 23,900 Common Scoters off Formby Point. Large flocks of this ‘sea-duck’ have been known to winter in Liverpool Bay since the late 19th century but are usually too far out to be seen from the shore. I had to be content with 36 Gadwall and a male Pochard at Sands Lake, Ainsdale, on 1st. Two days later, I went up to Southport Marine Lake with some bread and photographed two more ringed Black-headed Gulls. One had been reported on six previous occasions since 2022, all of them at Southport. The second had contributed as many as 12 sightings since 2020, one in Nottinghamshire and the rest also in Southport. I am informed that the gulls were originally ringed at Sands Lake. On 25th, I finally caught up with a ringed adult Mediterranean Gull wintering at the Marine Lake. It didn’t seem too keen on crusts and only stayed for a few seconds but long enough for me to get some photos Its ring letters indicated that the bird came from Poland. I am trying to find out more details. The first records of Mediterranean Gull in the county were in 1968 but numbers rapidly increased during the 1970s and they even began to breed in 2001.

All images Phil Smith

Reports of Cattle Egrets at Cabin Hill encouraged me to visit the area on 17th. A long walk (for me) produced only three Little Egrets, two Buzzards and about 2000 Pink-footed Geese. But at least I got the chance to say “Hello” again to the four magnificent English Longhorns on Cabin Hill NNR.

I often call in at Sands Lake to see if any interesting ducks or gulls have appeared but it was pretty quiet all month. The resident pair of Mute Swans still had their three youngsters, though the male was starting to show some aggression to them. He will soon kick them out of his territory.

Although plants mostly take a back seat in January, I noticed that the patch of Slender Sweet-rush on the Sands Lake-shore, near the carpark, had increased in area. When I found it as a new plant for the Sefton Coast in May last year, I estimated it covered 1 m2. Now it is four times bigger. Also, I found another patch nearby of about 9 m2. Don’t say we’ve got another invasive! 

Another of my regular walks takes in Wicks Lake at Formby Point; here, the usual 50 Mallard had been joined by a pair of feral Greylag Geese. Continuing on to the wooded area near Lifeboat Road I stopped off to see two of our most spectacular mosses, the Little Shaggy-moss and Big Shaggy-moss. Both are more often found in upland areas and are scarce on the coast. Nearby, was an early sign of spring – catkins were beginning to open on the non-native Siberian Violet-willow.

Essential management works for nature conservation in the sand-dunes continued apace.  The ‘Buckthorn Bashers’ met five times during the month, cutting Sea Buckthorn regrowth north of Sands Lake. The numbers of volunteers ranged from nine to fifteen. National Trust staff also cut regrowth on the former Asparagus field at the end of Range Lane, Formby. Green Sefton contractors created two new scrapes for Natterjacks in a Birkdale frontals slack that had previously been heavily scrubbed-up. They then moved into the Birkdale Sandhills, east of the coast road, with two big machines clearing and burying scrub that had developed on the formerly open dunes over the last 50 years or so. There’s a lot more to do but they’ve made a great start. I was interested to see numerous footprints of Roe Deer in the bare sand. These, together with winter-grazing by cattle should help to prevent the scrub coming back.