Catch the pigeon!

Yesterday Dorothy rescued a Woodpigeon from a cat which was toying with it on the lawn. It took a wack with a stick to make the cat back off. The poor woody looked in a bad way with chunks missing from its flanks and lots of feathers missing. By chance I had an appointment at the vets with Smudge, one of our doe rabbits. The vets early diagnosis was that the pigeon was doomed, however it then flew up onto the air conditioning unit near the ceiling to prove there was still life left in it. After I agreed to look after the bird, the vet cleaned it up and gave it some antibiotics and home I went with a poorly pigeon. Nice that vets don't charge for treating wild animals.
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The first 48 hrs are crucial for the bird - it has a very serious wound under the left wing. We kept it warm and confined overnight. Fortunately it made it through the night and was eating and drinking this morning. This evening the serious wound already looks like it is starting to heal and the bird is very wick - my hopes have been raised.
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Yesterday at HGF one of the BNG's had gone walkies, however I managed to see the female Yellow Wagtail. On the way to work a Yellow Wagtail was perched on the wires outside Holcroft Hall Farm with the Corn Buntings. Last yr Jonathan spotted them here and I got a few good views - this year the only sign was a brief call heard by Jonathan a few days ago. Lets hope they stick around.
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Yesterday lunch I had a mooch around Rixton. Everywhere was dead with birds not showing or singing. Four Wheatears were in the fields between Prospect and Woodend Lanes with 2 Grey Partridges also present. On the way home from the vets last night I swung by Lady Lane in Croft - a Little Owl was in its usual tree with 2 Grey Partridges oin the grass beneath.
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This morning at HGF another BNG has left, however both Yellow Wags were showing well. On the way home this evening a quick mooch around Rindle Road produced Cuckoo, Whimbrel, Corn Bunting, Garden Warbler, 7 Lesser Redpolls and a Great Spotted Woodpecker plus usual stuff.

Gorgeous Dotterels

The highlight of the day, undoubtedly, was a brief trip to see the Greater Manchester Dotterels, with 2 males and a female exhibiting the unconcern towards humans traditionally exhibited by this species. As the weather forecast was for torrential rain all over the NW all day and I didn't expect the birds to linger, no trip was planned and I didn't have my EOS450D. Bugger! The poor digiscoped efforts above don't do the birds justice. I had been looking forward recently to my annual trek up Pendle and todays birds have just whetted my appetite for more.

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The birds scuttled around between the clumps of moorland grass and rushes, stopping frequently to stare around and occasionally showing well in the open. When I left I started looping well away from the gathered birders and was surprised when all three birds headed straight for me. I stood still and viewed through the scope - they kept on coming. Eventually I was looking at a female Dotterel stood 10 feet away from me through an 88mm Kowa scope - mind blowing! They really are fabulous and it was just a pity my time was very limited.

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At HGF the eight BNG's were all still present with the male Yellow Wag showing briefly this evening. The usual pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls were also hanging around, however this evening belonged to hirundines. Approx 60 Swallows, 35 Sand Martins, 4 House Martins and a Swift were feeding over the water.

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On the way to work this morning I called in at Rindle Road but failed on my target bird of Cuckoo. I did see 3 Whimbrels, a pair of Red-legged Partridges and an amazing flock of 55 finches, most of which (if not all) appeared to be Lesser Redpolls! 2 pairs of Grey Partridges and a Brown Hare were present off Waterworks Lane this evening.

Sunshine after the rain...

Bloody awful morning - pouring with rain. On the way to work I spotted eight Corn Buntings on Holcroft Hall Lane. Four were on the wires outside Holcroft Hall farm with three outside Hanging Birch Farm and one near Bridge's Farm Shop. A Buzzard was perched in the hedge by the side of the road at Glazebrook.
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Fortunately the rain stopped at lunch so I had a swift trip around Rixton. A drake Gadwall and a female Ruddy Duck were on the pool - a pair of Coots had 2 juveniles in tow. Plenty of warblers singing including a Whitethroat and 2 Blackcaps but no sight or sound of the gropper. In the fields between Woodend and Prospect Lanes were 15 Wheatears, 4 Grey Partridges, 2 Linnets, a Yellowhammer and a Corn Bunting. Near the fishing pool a Kestrel was getting some pain from a pair of Mistle Thrushes.
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This evening it was very sunny - what a contrast to this morning. A Coal Tit was on the feeders in the garden and the Dunnock brood is still doing well. The Wheatears have gone from the field on Waterworks Lane (the field has been worked over today) but 3 Grey Partridges and 3 Stock Doves were there.
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At HGF still eight Black-necked Grebes, the Yellow Wagtail in his usual spot and the Wigeon also still present. Two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls are present most days and have been for months - no change tonight. Five Swifts were also present but few hirundines. A Whitethroat was singing behind the east hedge and Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel were all flying around.

Birding Lancs

Oystercatchers

Black Guillemot

Black-headed Gulls

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This morning, as usual, I made up my mind on where to go birding at the last minute. Today North Lancashire was my gut feeling so I headed off with Bill to do some sea watching. The conditions were pretty good though a heat haze made distant viewing difficult. Unfortunately it was a very quiet morning with the following being seen:

1 Black Guillemot

1 Purple Sandpiper

11 Guillemots

1 Gannet

6 Sandwich Terns

2 Arctic Terns

3 Eiders

1 Red-breasted Merganser

400+ Oystercatchers

180+ Turnstones (many moulting into their stunning breeding plumage)

2 Dunlin

1 Curlew

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On the way home I called into the Mythop flood for good but distant views of the Wood Sandpiper. 7 Wheatears were flitting around the rabbit warren.

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At home the Dunnock is still going well with her brood in the laurel hedge. In the ploughed field off Waterworks Lane were 4 Wheatears, 4 Stock Doves and a Brown Hare.

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At HGF there are still 8 Black-necked Grebes and the Yellow Wag was also showing well. A Blackcap and 2 Willow Warblers were singing behind the east hedge. The first youngsters of the year appeared when a duck Mallard lead her brood of seven onto the water!

Flitting around day

Mediterranean Gull, Delamere Forest.

Med Gull, Delamere.

Yellow Wagtail, HGF

Drake Wigeon, HGF. Will this bird stay for the summer?

Whimbrels, Plex Moss

Whimbrel, Plex Moss

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Bit of a flit about day with no attempt at serious birding. First thing I had a quick tour round the mosses. 18 Whimbrels flew up off Downholland Moss and headed over to Plex Moss where I later picked up 30 birds. Five Wheatears also present though I made no serious attempt to count them there - I did get 38 on Plex. Had both Grey and Red-legged Partridges and 23 sub-adult Common Gulls. It was nice to catch up with Jonathan, Squeaky (John) and Ian Woosey who were all present on Plex Moss. Both Cattle Egrets showed reasonably well but my didscoped shots were typically crap.

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Back home 2 Swifts were in at HGF this morning with the male Yellow Wag being a bit showy and all 8 BNG's still around. The Dunnokcs in the garden have hatched their young several days ago and are busy murdering the meal worms I put out for them. They've done well to avoid the attentions of the Maggies who are nesting literally right above them. Late afternoon I took Bill for a quick mooch around Delamere Forest to have a look at the Med Gulls. 6 birds at three nest sites found amonst the hundreds of Black-headed Gulls. Let's hope they have a successful year!

Patch Ticks

Snipe at Pennington Flash

Greenshank at Houghton Green Flash this morning

Sunset over Winwick from HGF

Field nr Midhops farm. This used to be a reedbed full of Reed Buntings. Not much left now!

Male Yellow Wagtail at HGF

Barn Owl at Risley Moss

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Highlight of the last week has been a couple of patch ticks at HGF. Last Friday evening I rolled up to find a couple of Arctic Terns feeding over the pool. A week later (this morning) and a Greenshank was feeding around the pool. The water level has dropped by about a foot or so leaving a muddy fringe all the way around - it should be good for waders. Single Redshank and Oystercatchers around (possibly other halves on nest) with up to 3 Common Sandpipers. On Tuesday all the Black-necked Grebes had left - on Thursday evening there were 8 present!

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Elsewhere had a great morning out with Jonathan (see his blog for an account) and good views of a Barn Owl at Risley Moss. I did find a Tree Sparrow in Croft but haven't got round to searching the area for a colony yet. On the way home from N Wales (work) I paid a swift visit to IMF where the highlights were 2 drake Garganey and 8 Spotted Redshanks in breeding plumage. 2 Ruff, 2 Greenshanks and lots of Avocets, Blackwits and warblers.

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On the down side, HGF is getting full of kids and litter again. I also noticed this evening that the farmer at Midhops has cut down the reedbeds near his farm - bloody criminal. There is no room for wildlife in this modern world.

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Last night a Sparrowhawk was buzzing around the garden - today a sad pile of feathers indicated the end of a Collared Dove.

Choices!

Spoonbills, Decca Pools, Burton Marsh

Grey Partridges dust bathing in the garden

Mating Avocets, Marshside

Buzzard, Houghton Green Flash

Billy at HGF

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There were so many places I wanted to go to today - couldn't do them all so the choice eventually came down to the Wirral or Marshside. In the end I did both!

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First thing this morning I turned up at Burton Marsh hoping to see some owls. All I got was cold, lots of mist and a single male Stonechat! I then decided to try my luck at Hoylake thinking that the mist might have grounded a migrant or two. Dead again apart from 6 Reed Warblers. Not a peep on the beach or the salt marsh though when I left I decided to check out the golf course and finally got some action. 19 White Wagtails and 30+ Linnets were on the course - a female Sparrowhawk flew over and was quickly joined by the mob!

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At Meols the mist was still down and the tide well out. Even so I picked up 13 Knot, 3 Curlew and a single Grey Plover still in winter plumage. I decided enough was enough and heading through the Mersey tunnel to Lancashire. My next port of call was Crosby - hoping for a Little Gull or two. All I got was more mist and no gulls. A quick walk down the fence side of Seaforth did produce another 16 White Wagtails, 6 more Linnets, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 25 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Goldeneye, 4 Swallows, 3 House Martins, a Chiffchaff and 2 Knot. A quick trawl around the mosses failed to produce a hoped for Whimbrel though plenty of Curlews around.

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Off then to Marshside and a camp in Nells hide. Here I picked up 19 Avocets, 11 Ruff, 340+ Black-tailed Godwits and 105 Golden Plovers - many of them in full breeding plumage and looking stunning. Then an old couple came in, sat down beside me and closed the window I was viewing from before plonking loads of gear on the window ledge. Bloody rude - they didn't even ask! Rather than have a go I decided to leave and headed off to Sandgrounders Hide. Just as I was about to sit down some old guy asked me to leave because dogs aren't allowed in the hide! Dogs are permitted right next to the hide by the viewing screens though. More stupid fuc***g rules from the RSPB. What do they think Bill is going to do - dive through the windows and savage an Avocet? There are reasons why I mostly prefer animals to people! I left quietly and stayed by the viewing screen next to the hide where I counted another 50 Avocets.

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It was getting severely crowded in Southport at this point so I thought bo**ocks and headed off back to the Wirral. I then got news of Spoonbills at the Decca pools so I headed off there to get some superb views of these two birds. They were too far out for my new EOS450D and small lens so I tried to digiscope them only for the battery to run out after one shot. I then decided I had left my spare battery in the car only to find when I got back to the car that the spare had been in my pocket all along! Also here were a drake Pintail and 10+ Little Egrets. A fox patrolled the fence on the other side of the pools with a Raven and a Buzzard overhead. I then picked up a female Marsh Harrier off down by the shooting range and 4 House Martins buzzed overhead.

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Not much else to report. Two Common Sandpipers today at HGF and 5 BNG's still present. I did have a male Wheatear here the last 2 days - didn't check for it today. On Sat I also got five Buzzards over the pool. Garden is very quiet. On Saturday I came into possession of my new camera - an EOS450D. Some nice shots so far, however I can't yet get used to the light weight compared to my old 30D. Will keep trying!

Local birding at its best!

Digiscoped shots of Snipe at Pennington Flash this morning

Buzzard, Highfield Lane, Winwick

Yellow Wagtail, Houghton Green Flash. Apalling photo but I don't care - it's great to see them back!

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Even though I spent the day just messing around with bits of birding in between chores, it seems to have been a fabulous day. Maybe its because I am starting to chill out after working long hours recently, maybe its because Spring is here. Who knows; anyway I have picked up some superb birds today.

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I started this morning with a quick mooch around Waterworks and Highfield Lanes. Three pairs of Grey Partridges and 3 Yellowhammers were in various fields and 7 Stock Doves. Best were five Brown Hares, two of which had a game of kiss chase near the car before engaging in a quickie! A Buzzard flushed from a bush on Highfield Lane and briefly hovered by the car while it got going. At HGF were eight Black-necked and 14 Great Crested Grebes along with the sole drake Wigeon. Off then to Penny.

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I drive round to the Slag Lane end first and spent 15 mins or so wandering around the trees nr the car park. Five Willow Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs and 2 Blackcaps all singing was the result. Over at the bay a Common Tern was perched on No. 7 buoy with the drake Scaup just behind it. All three Black-necked Grebes were still around with lots of Tufties and a pair of Ruddy Ducks.

Later at the main flash 4 Snipes were feeding nr Horrocks Hide. On the spit were a Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper and 7 Black-tailed Godwits. The latter, typically, were all asleep.

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In the garden today the highlight was a Willow Warbler. This makes three warbler species in the garden in a week, though unlike the Blackcap and the Chiffchaff, Willow Warblers are relatively regular in my garden at this time of year. They seem to like the buds on the Silver Birch tree which is just where I found this one. A Dunnock is also now incubating in the laurel hedge and male Reed Bunting and Song Thrush also showed up.

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Mid afternoon and I managed to fit in a quick zoom round Rixton moss. Eight Wheatears were in a field at the back of the farm off Prospect Lane though they were distant. A pair of Grey Partridges, 25 Linnets and a White Wagtail were in the field by the tip. Over 140 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were present on the tip - I don't recall seeing another gull species. Around the lanes I counted seven singing Corn Buntings (plus three on Holcroft Hall Lane on the way over) and a second pair of Grey Partridges were in a field off Holly Bush Lane. A Buzzard flew over and a couple of Reed Buntings and 4 Yellowhammers fizzed around. Opposite Wood Farm a large flock of little brown jobs turned out to be another 100+ Linnets. Scanning around revealed another 30 birds perched in a tree with 8 Fieldfares - a total of 155+ Linnets!

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Late afternoon I had another quick visit to HGF. Four Swallows were perched on the wires nr the kennels and the Oystercatchers have moved into the field behind Midhops. It's strange they haven't yet ventured over to the usual breeding field off Highfield Lane. I've been constantly checking the sw corner of the pool over the last few days and tonight it paid off when I spotted my target - a male Yellow Wagtail. It was soon joined by a second male - the two had a spat and flew off. All in all, a pleasant and productive day birding locally.

North Wales

Nearly full moon digiscoped the other night

Herring Gull, Southstack. This bird clearly didn't like the wind - it sat in the car park and refused to budge causing cars to drive around it!

Holyhead breakwater.

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I've been working in Bangor for a few days so not much to report locally. On Tuesday I managed to get some birding in over nr Anglesey. First was a brief pit stop at Llanfairfechan in the morning. The highlight were two stonking Slavonian Grebes in full breeding plumage and quite close in. Only one Red-throated Diver present plus Sandwich Terns, Gannets, Razorbills, Eiders, Red-breasted Mergansers and a single Fulmar.

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After work I nipped up to Southstack where the wind levels had reached force 8. It was difficult to stand up and the wind gradually increased to force 10 that evening - it howled outside my room in the Travel Lodge! Anyway at Southstack approx 55 Kittiwakes were on the water with three Fulmars and large numbers of gulls. A pair of Puffins had arrived back last Saturday - I eventually picked them out on the water past the lighthouse. Best sighting was two Manx Shearwaters flying close in past Ellins Tower - the first reported there this year. A Porpoise followed soon after. A single Black Guillemot and a Shag were present in Holyhead Breakwater.

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Back home a male Blackcap was in the garden this morning. This evening a male Reed Bunting and a singing Song Thrush were also present, three pairs of Grey Partridges and 3 Yellowhammers in Waterworks/Highfield Lanes.

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At HGF this evening 8 Black-necked Grebes were present with 14 Great Crested Grebes. A single drake Wigeon is left with 4 birds disappearing overnight!

Sparrowhawk hat trick

The Grey Partridges spent most of today in the garden having dust baths and generally mooching around

Ringed Plover and Little Ringed Plover at Pennington Flash

Redshank, PF

Redshanks and Lapwing, PF

Lesser Black-backed Gulls, PF. These two birds kept having a tiff with the result that one would fly off causing the barrel to spin. It was hilarious watching the remaining bird trying to keep its feet!

Black-tailed Godwits, PF

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Three different Sparrowhawks today. Early this morning a female was drifting over HGF. At Pennington later on a female was sharing a thermal with a Buzzard and a female Kestrel - all three very close together at one point and low - it would have made a cracking photo! In the garden this afternoon a male dropped in and posed in an apple tree for a minute or so.

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Three pairs of Black-necked Grebes were on HGF this morning. The Wigeon flock is down to six birds - otherwise nothing much to report. At Pennington, one of the six Little Ringed Plovers present seemed to take exception to the presence of its larger cousin - a Ringed Plover. Three Black-tailed Godwits were asleep on the spit with a busy and stonking White Wagtail buzzing around. Pied/White wags are often difficult to separate - this was a nailed on very smart looking bird - no ID issues here. Comming out of Horrocks Hide I heard the familiar sound of a Blackcap singing and soon spotted the bird.

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In the garden this afternoon the Grey Partridges were present for most of the day with a Yellowhammer, a Chiffchaff and 3 Reed Buntings also present. Quite chuffed with the Chiffer - don't see many of these. This evening a flock of 23 Linnets were in the south hedge at HGF.

Richmond Bank

Adult Yellow-legged Gull, Richmond Bank (top, left)

Second winter/summer Yellow-legged Gull

First winter/summer Iceland Gull

Another first winter Iceland Gull

Great Crested Grebe, HGF

Billy enjoying himself at Richmond Bank

Flowering Blackthorn at Richmond Bank

Fiddlers Ferry Power Station

Very pale first winter/summer Glaucous Gull's arse!

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This morning started with a quick trip to HGF. Five Black-necked Grebes back on the pool - otherwise nothing much to report. One great Crested Grebe kept swimming in a flattened posture like a dagger at the bank where a group of Tufties were sunbathing. It was clearly agitated by them, the Tufties ignored it. One Sparrowhawk and one Buzzard today.

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I then wandered off to Richmond Bank for a spot of gull watching. There were probably around 1500 gulls on the exposed mud flat and it was very noticeable that the make up of the flock has changed substantially since I last went gull watching. Gone were the thousands of Black-headed Gulls and hundreds of Common Gulls. There were perhaps 7 or 8 Great Black-backed Gulls (mostly sub-adults) and only one argentatus Herring Gull seen. Last time there were hardly any Lesser Black-backed Gulls - today they comprised 60% of the birds present.

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Having scanned the birds I picked out two first winter/summer Iceland Gulls, one small and dark, the other larger and paler. Also present were a second winter/summer Yellow-legged Gull and an adult of this species which flew before I could digiscope it. After a while the whole lot flushed and most of the birds disappeared. The conditions weren't ideal with the light shining straight ahead and a strong wind shaking the scope. Another birder eventually appeared and I picked out another adult Yellow-legged Gull. Very few birds had returned by this point so we both decided to leave, however just as we were about to set off, he spotted a very pale and bulky white-winged gull flying down the river which he immediately called as a Glaucous Gull.

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Both of us were convinced we had seen pale grey on the mantle and thinking this might be an adult we pursued it. Lots of other gulls had started returning by then. He picked it up again in a group near a bend in the river - I also then spotted my third Iceland Gull of the day almost next to it. The Glauc was huge compared to the Iceland Gull, almost snow white but the pink bill with black tip gave away its age. Very nice spell of gull watching! Lots of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits and a Sparrowhawk also flew over.

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Back home not much going on. The garden was very quiet with the exception of three Reed Buntings.