Mediterranean Gull, Arbury Lane, Winwick. This bird largely lacks the typical winter highway man's mask of adult Med Gulls, however the longer, darker legs and darker-red, chunky bill rule out anything else.
Peregrine preening in the rain, Leighton Moss
Agitated Redshanks, Leighton Moss
I am sure these Redshanks could still see the Peregrine perched on a nearby fence line!
Little Egret fishing. I watched a nature programme the other day featuring this birds hunting technique. The egret stirs up the water with its feet and flushes fish which dart away. However the fish can only swim at speed for a few centimetres and quickly become exhausted - they slow down at just the right distance for the egrets long neck and bill to reach them!
Little Egret, Leighton Moss
Great White Egrets at Leighton Moss - they remained distant
Grey Heron, Leighton Moss
Comma, HGF
This Buzzard always seemed uncomfortable on the wires and was constantly swaying backwards and forwards!
Tufty trying to sleep, Newton Lake
Tufted Ducks, Newton Lake. There are four times more of these birds on this oversized duck pond than there are at HGF!
Tufted Duck preening, Newton Lake
Black-headed Gull, Newton Lakexxxx
For almost four years I have faithfully scanned every gull flock at Houghton Green Flash and in the fields around Winwick hoping for something interesting – the best gull I have found to date is Kittiwake which I have picked up a couple of times in Spring. Odd given that I have found Med Gulls in all sorts of places in the general area. All that changed on Saturday. I was not birding actually – I had set off towards Culcheth to do some errands and as I passed the junction of Highfield and Myddleton Lanes I noticed the regular gull flock in the field. Almost out of habit I stopped and got the bins out to give the flock a once over – virtually the first bird I looked at was what looked like an adult Med Gull. Unfortunately the gull had its back to me and all I could see where white primaries so I couldn’t rule out leucistic BHG which I have found several times. The gull then buggered off as soon as I had found it.
Xxx
Ninety minutes later on the way back from errands I noticed a large gull flock in a field off Arbury Lane which was being ploughed. I dropped various bits of shopping at home and took Bill for a walk back down to the field. A large flock of gulls was busy feeding behind the tractor – I quickly picked out the Med Gull in the flock. The wind was absolutely blowing though and of around 30 digiscoped attempts, only one came out with the gull showing anything like. In the field off Highfield Lane the other part of the gull flock was resting. Numbers of other species present were 49 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 21 Herring Gulls, 1 Common Gull and at least 200 Black-headed Gulls. Now having Med Gull as a Winwick patch tick, I figured the birds were bound to drop into HGF for a wash and brush up so I headed off there next. After an hour or so the Med Gull finally arrived on the water!
Xxxx
HGF still remains quiet though last Friday morning two Green Sandpipers were present (another patch tick), the Grey Wags are around daily and a couple of Buzzards are also regular. One of these was doing a balancing act trying to perch on telephone wires rather than the usual pole – it eventually gave up and flew off. Seven Reed Buntings were present on Sunday in the south hedge and between 60 and 120 Lapwings are flitting around each morning, wheeling over the pool before heading off to feed in distant fields. A juvenile Ruddy Duck has been present since Sunday – a second Wigeon also appeared on Saturday but was gone the next day. Tonight (Tuesday 6th) a visit in the rain produced another Green Sandpiper feeding on the wide muddy fringe. On Sunday morning I briefly checked out the field off Highfield Lane again – no sign of the Med but 19 Pied Wagtails were busy and a Sparrowhawk glided over the field.
Xxxx
In the garden I had a male Sparrowhawk both on Saturday and Sunday. Monday night a Tawny Owl was again calling from the large Ash Tree. Saturday morning while Karen was at the hairdressers I managed a quick trip to Newton Lake. Nothing much doing with the Mute Swan and Canada pairs still present with 10 Tufties, 4 Gadwall and 33 Teal. Two flocks of noisy Long-tailed Tits comprised at least 30 birds. On Friday evening I diverted through Rixton Mosses on the way home. Four Grey Partridges walked casually up Prospect Lane in front of the car, a Jay flew over Moat Lane pool and a flock of tits by the claypits held a Willow Tit – otherwise not much about.
Xxxx
Sunday afternoon I had a couple of hours to spare and whilst in the area I headed for the Eric Morecambe complex at Leighton Moss. A half dozen Swallows were flitting around in Yealand Redmayne – it won’t be long now before they have all left. Funny how some birds are still hanging around while the HGF and Winwick birds left a couple of weeks ago – I wonder if this is down to local insect supply rather than temperature or day light? I recently visited a company in N Wales where the colony of Swallows and House Martins were also still present and the latter were feeding young on the nest!
Xxx
On arrival at the EM Hide the two Great White Egrets were showing very distantly in the far pool to the left of the hide. Every now and then one would take flight as the local herons seemed to enjoy harassing them. A Spotted Redshank, a Dunlin and three Blackwits were present on the Allen pool along with 440+ Redshanks. A total of 34 Little Egrets were also present – I think this species has had a population explosion in the last year or two!
Xxxx
Soon it started absolutely bucketing down with the wind blowing the rain straight into the hide. I spotted a female Merlin perched on a fencepost – she soon took off and started a high speed dash over the marsh. Suddenly a second Merlin (another female from the size comparison) dive bombed her and a bit of fisticuffs ensued. The winner then settled down on a more distant post. A few minutes later the waders on the Allen pool took flight and dropped into the water right beside the Morecambe Hide. I scanned the air looking for a raptor in the rain but couldn’t see a thing. Approx five minutes later I found a Peregrine perched on a fenceline perpendicular to the hide. In the wind and rain I tried my hand at digifilming – my camera can do videos and I have a very shaky minute clip of the Peregrine preening in the middle of torrential rain! The sun soon came back and time to go – a couple of Buzzards soared over Warton Crag.
Xxxx
Monday and while working just a few miles from Seaforth there came news of a Little Bunting there. After work I quickly headed there to find the bird had not been seen since 1-30pm when, as I understand it, Steve Young’s camera shutter had apparently spooked the bird (no fault of Steve’s as he was some distance away). The bird had disappeared earlier and was apparently associating with some Meadow Pipits. Quite a few birders were present but no one found anything. Before I knew it everyone had left so I wandered to the far end to look for waders on the back pool. On the way back I noticed some movement on the banking adjacent to the large building – when I looked through the scope I saw only Mipits so I carried on walking towards them. Suddenly the Little Bunting appeared next to them. I got good views of the bird for around a minute or so as it scuttled in and out of bracken (I was too close to digiscope it) and then it just seemed to vanish into thin air! The rich red/brown cheek patch stood out a mile with the contrast exaggerated by the dark border around the rear cheek and also the dark crown sides and provides clear differentiation between this species and female Reed Bunting. The very dark breast streaks on otherwise whitish under parts help nail the ID.
Xxx
Ninety minutes later on the way back from errands I noticed a large gull flock in a field off Arbury Lane which was being ploughed. I dropped various bits of shopping at home and took Bill for a walk back down to the field. A large flock of gulls was busy feeding behind the tractor – I quickly picked out the Med Gull in the flock. The wind was absolutely blowing though and of around 30 digiscoped attempts, only one came out with the gull showing anything like. In the field off Highfield Lane the other part of the gull flock was resting. Numbers of other species present were 49 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 21 Herring Gulls, 1 Common Gull and at least 200 Black-headed Gulls. Now having Med Gull as a Winwick patch tick, I figured the birds were bound to drop into HGF for a wash and brush up so I headed off there next. After an hour or so the Med Gull finally arrived on the water!
Xxxx
HGF still remains quiet though last Friday morning two Green Sandpipers were present (another patch tick), the Grey Wags are around daily and a couple of Buzzards are also regular. One of these was doing a balancing act trying to perch on telephone wires rather than the usual pole – it eventually gave up and flew off. Seven Reed Buntings were present on Sunday in the south hedge and between 60 and 120 Lapwings are flitting around each morning, wheeling over the pool before heading off to feed in distant fields. A juvenile Ruddy Duck has been present since Sunday – a second Wigeon also appeared on Saturday but was gone the next day. Tonight (Tuesday 6th) a visit in the rain produced another Green Sandpiper feeding on the wide muddy fringe. On Sunday morning I briefly checked out the field off Highfield Lane again – no sign of the Med but 19 Pied Wagtails were busy and a Sparrowhawk glided over the field.
Xxxx
In the garden I had a male Sparrowhawk both on Saturday and Sunday. Monday night a Tawny Owl was again calling from the large Ash Tree. Saturday morning while Karen was at the hairdressers I managed a quick trip to Newton Lake. Nothing much doing with the Mute Swan and Canada pairs still present with 10 Tufties, 4 Gadwall and 33 Teal. Two flocks of noisy Long-tailed Tits comprised at least 30 birds. On Friday evening I diverted through Rixton Mosses on the way home. Four Grey Partridges walked casually up Prospect Lane in front of the car, a Jay flew over Moat Lane pool and a flock of tits by the claypits held a Willow Tit – otherwise not much about.
Xxxx
Sunday afternoon I had a couple of hours to spare and whilst in the area I headed for the Eric Morecambe complex at Leighton Moss. A half dozen Swallows were flitting around in Yealand Redmayne – it won’t be long now before they have all left. Funny how some birds are still hanging around while the HGF and Winwick birds left a couple of weeks ago – I wonder if this is down to local insect supply rather than temperature or day light? I recently visited a company in N Wales where the colony of Swallows and House Martins were also still present and the latter were feeding young on the nest!
Xxx
On arrival at the EM Hide the two Great White Egrets were showing very distantly in the far pool to the left of the hide. Every now and then one would take flight as the local herons seemed to enjoy harassing them. A Spotted Redshank, a Dunlin and three Blackwits were present on the Allen pool along with 440+ Redshanks. A total of 34 Little Egrets were also present – I think this species has had a population explosion in the last year or two!
Xxxx
Soon it started absolutely bucketing down with the wind blowing the rain straight into the hide. I spotted a female Merlin perched on a fencepost – she soon took off and started a high speed dash over the marsh. Suddenly a second Merlin (another female from the size comparison) dive bombed her and a bit of fisticuffs ensued. The winner then settled down on a more distant post. A few minutes later the waders on the Allen pool took flight and dropped into the water right beside the Morecambe Hide. I scanned the air looking for a raptor in the rain but couldn’t see a thing. Approx five minutes later I found a Peregrine perched on a fenceline perpendicular to the hide. In the wind and rain I tried my hand at digifilming – my camera can do videos and I have a very shaky minute clip of the Peregrine preening in the middle of torrential rain! The sun soon came back and time to go – a couple of Buzzards soared over Warton Crag.
Xxxx
Monday and while working just a few miles from Seaforth there came news of a Little Bunting there. After work I quickly headed there to find the bird had not been seen since 1-30pm when, as I understand it, Steve Young’s camera shutter had apparently spooked the bird (no fault of Steve’s as he was some distance away). The bird had disappeared earlier and was apparently associating with some Meadow Pipits. Quite a few birders were present but no one found anything. Before I knew it everyone had left so I wandered to the far end to look for waders on the back pool. On the way back I noticed some movement on the banking adjacent to the large building – when I looked through the scope I saw only Mipits so I carried on walking towards them. Suddenly the Little Bunting appeared next to them. I got good views of the bird for around a minute or so as it scuttled in and out of bracken (I was too close to digiscope it) and then it just seemed to vanish into thin air! The rich red/brown cheek patch stood out a mile with the contrast exaggerated by the dark border around the rear cheek and also the dark crown sides and provides clear differentiation between this species and female Reed Bunting. The very dark breast streaks on otherwise whitish under parts help nail the ID.
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