South Lancs

Roseate Tern, Seaforth

The Roseate Tern appears to be paired up with this Common Tern

One of the tern nesting rafts

The terns frequently spooked and all lifted up - this time caused by an overflying flock of Feral Pigeons!

Bar-tailed Godwits in flight at Seaforth.

Speckled Wood, Houghton Green Flash

Marsh Orchid, Houghton Green Flash. It seems to be a good year for these flowers - I seem to see them everywhere I go.

Four young Mallards head for the water at HGF. This bunch were the first brood to appear this year.

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Today birding constituted a wander up the south Lancs coast. The best part of the day was the visit to Seaforth. The Roseate Tern is still present, showing well and engaging in courtship displays with a Common Tern. Approx 80o+ of the latter were present, along with single Arctic and Sandwich Terns. Impressive was the large congregation of waders on the back pool. At least 1500 Bar-tailed Godwits milled around with 400+ Black-tailed Godwits, around 30 Knot and a few Redshanks and a single Curlew. An adult Ringed Plover took exception to the pair of Little Ringed Plovers and harassed them while the latters three juveniles hid in some thistles.

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Fantastic though it is in winter, I normally avoid Marshside like the plague during the summer months and for some reason I decided a visit was in order this morning. I shouldn't really have bothered - hardly and birds and hardly and birders! 20 adult and 4 juvenile Avocets are still present, eight of the former currently incubating. Approx 150 Black-tailed Godwits and 8 Dunlins were on the fresh water pool. And that was about it!

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At Martin Mere, it was hardly any better. No sign of the recent American Wigeon or yesterday's Red-necked Phalarope. 35 Avocets here (6 juveniles) with 10 Black-tailed Godwits and 25 Teal. There are also 4 summering Whooper Swans and around 20 Tree Sparrows were flitting around the path. And that was it. One birder in the Ron Barker hide walked off muttering that a ditch would be more interesting. Another exhibited mock excitement when a Swift appeared.

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Yesterday, for some obscure reason, I decided to park on Southworth Lane and walk to HGF through the little wood that runs alongside the M6. Walking through to the pool there was, predictably, no sight of anything interesting and the only noise that of hundreds of vehicles driving up and down the motorway.

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At the pool the drake Wigeon has disappeared, though 2 Yellow Wags visited (male and female) and the Little Ringed Plover was briefly present. 31 Canada Geese flew over heading NW. Otherwise nothing much different, though it is clear that the water level is still dropping. The muddy fringe around the edge is ideal for waders, however the place is inundated by dog walkers, kids going swimming and people having picnics. The large patch of reedmace in the corner has largely been flattened - very sad!

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On the way back through the wood I struck gold! A male Redstart flew up from an old oak tree and away through the wood. I searched for half an hour but couldn't re-find him. The wood is the ideal sort of habitat for these birds, being quite old woodland with plenty of oaks etc. It is on the small size, however there are several similar stands along a mile or two stretch down the M6 which are all easily within flying distance of each other. It is also difficult to hear anything singing due to traffic noise at all times of day so birds like Redstarts could easily go undetected. 2 Nuthatches were also picked up in the wood on the way back, plus a male Blackcap.