+131209.jpg)
Drake Scaup at Teal Bay, Morecambe+131209a.jpg)
First winter drake Scaups at Teal Bay+131209a.jpg)
Eiders from Town Hall groyne, Morecambe+131209.jpg)
Eiders at Teal Bay, Morecambe
Mediterranean Gull, Heysham
First winter Herring Gull, Heysham
Argentatus (Scandinavian) Herring Gull, Fishmoor Reservoir, Blackburn
Mediterranean Gull having a shower at Moore NR
Pheasant at the feeding station, Waterworks Lane Winwick
Yellowhammer at the feeding station by John Tymon
Tree Sparrow by John Tymonxxxx
Back to bits and bobs birding in the last week or so with an hour here and there and lots of ten minutes mooches at various spots. Probably the most disappointing was a mid week visit to Moore where the gull population was approx 20% of the size it was when I watched the Glauc. I did find an adult Med Gull which hung around for a while but nothing else worth recording.
Xxxx
HGF has seen the Wigeon flock slowly increase to 68 birds this morning – most other things on the water are pretty much as was. There was a drake Goldeneye present at the end of last week and up to three Ruddy Ducks, however these have all now departed. The single wintering Redshank is a bit hit and miss though the local Buzzard is virtually a dead cert at the moment – usually practicing its worm charming on the lawn in the south field. Possibly the best spectacle was Saturday morning when Woodpigeons zoomed everywhere in large numbers. The biggest flock was 800+ birds which zoomed over my head though the numbers could have been much higher as birds came and went with regularity. This morning a flock of 106 Linnets was also perched on the wires by Midhops.
Xxxx
I haven’t been watching the garden much – a Sparrowhawk zooming through this morning was the sole record of note in the last week. The feeding station, by contrast, is getting busy. This afternoon a Peregrine was perched on the nearby pylon while in the hedge were 75+ Tree Sparrows, an amazing 24 Yellowhammers, 3 Reed Buntings, 6 Chaffinches and a pair of Bullfinches. A covey of eight Grey Partridges and the cock Pheasant were also there. It is very noticeable that the Yellowhammers etc spend most of their time at the bottom end of the hedge and keep away from the feeding area when the Tree Sparrow flock is present – perhaps they are a little intimidated by the numbers? On Saturday morning a flock of over 130 Linnets was flying around over the field between Golbourne Road and Waterworks Lane.
Xxxx
The Moat Lane pool at Rixton has gone a little quiet – typically 25+ Gadwall and 35+ Tufted Ducks at the moment but little else, though 230+ Pink-footed Geese flew over last Thursday. Glazebrook is more interesting with the fields at the north end of the village hosting large numbers of birds. This morning five Buzzards were walking around in the field together; besides the large numbers of gulls, Woodpigeons and Starlings is a flock of 360+ Lapwings. Last week 49 Fieldfares were also present, today there were just 20 with a couple of Redwings and a few Mistle Thrushes.
Xxxx
Last week I put up some feeders at COL – when I arrived this week the sunflower hearts had been hammered. Present on the feeders were 7 Blue Tits, 3 Great Tits, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Chaffinches and a Robin. Late on Saturday a Treecreeper appeared on the trunk below the feeders – it was back again the next morning! On Saturday afternoon Karen and I walked Billy along the millennium path at Caton. Not much in the way of birding, however I did pick up a couple of Siskins and two Bullfinches plus a male Spar. The following afternoon we started the walk at Halton weir (Denny Beck) where as soon as we arrived a Great Black-backed Gull caught what looked like a pigeon and proceeded to drown it in the river before dismembering and eating its victim. A female Goosander perched on the weir wall and two Little Grebes fished in the river.
Xxxx
Sunday morning I did get a few hours solely for birding so I headed off to Heysham for high tide. Three adult Med Gulls were present, however none of the gulls around seemed interested in breakfast, consequently photos were hard to get. Three skeins of Pink-footed Geese flew over (90+, 250+ and 70+) while the usual waders congregated near the helipad. I did see some little brown jobs near the feeding station, however they were very flighty and did not provide an opportunity to ID them.
Xxxx
On the falling tide I spent a little time at Morecambe starting with the Town Hall Groyne. A raft of around 110 Eiders were busy feeding at the water’s edge while two Red-breasted Mergansers swam past and a drake Goldeneye dived for food. Lots of waders scuttling around, mainly Oystercatchers with a few Knot and Dunlin. At Teal Bay another raft of 115 Eiders were loafing around rather than feeding and were consequently easier to count. Three Scaup were also here (adult drake plus two first winter drakes) plus 71 Wigeon, 55 Bar-tailed Godwits and lots of various waders. It was a very enjoyable potter around.
Xxx
PS – congratulations to Jonathan who, last weekend, identified a new species of woodpecker (at Leighton Moss) on call alone. The bird is now named the Whispering Woodpecker, scientific name Picus Shushus Librarianensis!
Xxxx
HGF has seen the Wigeon flock slowly increase to 68 birds this morning – most other things on the water are pretty much as was. There was a drake Goldeneye present at the end of last week and up to three Ruddy Ducks, however these have all now departed. The single wintering Redshank is a bit hit and miss though the local Buzzard is virtually a dead cert at the moment – usually practicing its worm charming on the lawn in the south field. Possibly the best spectacle was Saturday morning when Woodpigeons zoomed everywhere in large numbers. The biggest flock was 800+ birds which zoomed over my head though the numbers could have been much higher as birds came and went with regularity. This morning a flock of 106 Linnets was also perched on the wires by Midhops.
Xxxx
I haven’t been watching the garden much – a Sparrowhawk zooming through this morning was the sole record of note in the last week. The feeding station, by contrast, is getting busy. This afternoon a Peregrine was perched on the nearby pylon while in the hedge were 75+ Tree Sparrows, an amazing 24 Yellowhammers, 3 Reed Buntings, 6 Chaffinches and a pair of Bullfinches. A covey of eight Grey Partridges and the cock Pheasant were also there. It is very noticeable that the Yellowhammers etc spend most of their time at the bottom end of the hedge and keep away from the feeding area when the Tree Sparrow flock is present – perhaps they are a little intimidated by the numbers? On Saturday morning a flock of over 130 Linnets was flying around over the field between Golbourne Road and Waterworks Lane.
Xxxx
The Moat Lane pool at Rixton has gone a little quiet – typically 25+ Gadwall and 35+ Tufted Ducks at the moment but little else, though 230+ Pink-footed Geese flew over last Thursday. Glazebrook is more interesting with the fields at the north end of the village hosting large numbers of birds. This morning five Buzzards were walking around in the field together; besides the large numbers of gulls, Woodpigeons and Starlings is a flock of 360+ Lapwings. Last week 49 Fieldfares were also present, today there were just 20 with a couple of Redwings and a few Mistle Thrushes.
Xxxx
Last week I put up some feeders at COL – when I arrived this week the sunflower hearts had been hammered. Present on the feeders were 7 Blue Tits, 3 Great Tits, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Chaffinches and a Robin. Late on Saturday a Treecreeper appeared on the trunk below the feeders – it was back again the next morning! On Saturday afternoon Karen and I walked Billy along the millennium path at Caton. Not much in the way of birding, however I did pick up a couple of Siskins and two Bullfinches plus a male Spar. The following afternoon we started the walk at Halton weir (Denny Beck) where as soon as we arrived a Great Black-backed Gull caught what looked like a pigeon and proceeded to drown it in the river before dismembering and eating its victim. A female Goosander perched on the weir wall and two Little Grebes fished in the river.
Xxxx
Sunday morning I did get a few hours solely for birding so I headed off to Heysham for high tide. Three adult Med Gulls were present, however none of the gulls around seemed interested in breakfast, consequently photos were hard to get. Three skeins of Pink-footed Geese flew over (90+, 250+ and 70+) while the usual waders congregated near the helipad. I did see some little brown jobs near the feeding station, however they were very flighty and did not provide an opportunity to ID them.
Xxxx
On the falling tide I spent a little time at Morecambe starting with the Town Hall Groyne. A raft of around 110 Eiders were busy feeding at the water’s edge while two Red-breasted Mergansers swam past and a drake Goldeneye dived for food. Lots of waders scuttling around, mainly Oystercatchers with a few Knot and Dunlin. At Teal Bay another raft of 115 Eiders were loafing around rather than feeding and were consequently easier to count. Three Scaup were also here (adult drake plus two first winter drakes) plus 71 Wigeon, 55 Bar-tailed Godwits and lots of various waders. It was a very enjoyable potter around.
Xxx
PS – congratulations to Jonathan who, last weekend, identified a new species of woodpecker (at Leighton Moss) on call alone. The bird is now named the Whispering Woodpecker, scientific name Picus Shushus Librarianensis!
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