Photos:
Kestrel plus Mallard with “kids”, Houghton Green Flash
Mute Swan SYS and mate – they have been popping on and off the pool all winter
Pheasant and Wheatear, Rixton Moss
Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Little Stint at Ocean Edge, Heysham
Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Brown Hare and Pied Wagtail at Abbeystead
Goosanders at Halton
Sand Martins, Bull Beck
Friday 15th April
HGF was visited at lunch. First Whitethroat of the year singing away plus a Mallard brood of 7 and 14 Linnets flitting in and out of the south hedge. Five Black-necked Grebes still and a Common Sandpiper.
This evening I wandered over to Rixton. Driving down Holly Bush Lane I saw not a sausage in the ploughed fields despite careful scanning. On the way back up 30 minutes later there were 16 Wheatears! 2 Little Ringed Plovers and 2 Redshanks were on the tip pool and 3 Whitethroats were singing with the usual warbler line up on Moat Lane. I also had 3 Corn Buntings on the wires on Holly Bush Lane.
Next I wandered over to Astley Moss. A few birders were there but no sign of the Ring Ouzel for several hours. A lone Whimbrel was plodding around the next field. A couple of rangers walking by the SSSI flushed a few birds and I picked up the Ring Ouzel in flight. It landed and showed well for a couple of seconds before disappearing for good into a ditch. Plenty of yellowhammers, Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits here plus a couple of late Fieldfares.
Saturday 16th April
HGF early on had 7 Black-necked Grebes. I then headed up to the van, calling in at Heysham on the way. For the sake of brevity I have copied by entry for the Lancaster website here:
Sea watch this morning from north harbour wall, 09-30 to 11-00
Black Guillemot. Last bird seen and not observed prior to ferry leaving. As the ferry turned around the wooden jetty the bird flew across the front of the boat and then headed off in general direction of Ulverston I think. Also:
Guillemot 1
Razorbill 1
RT Diver 2+2
Gannet 4+5
Common Scoter 14+10
Eider 1+3+2
Red-breasted Merganser 3
Sandwich Tern 1+1
Turnstone on wooden jetty 215+
1 Wheatear on mound plus 4 Linnets, Mipit and 2 Pied Wags
Little Stint (found by Pete Marsh) present at Ocean Edge plus 50+ Ringed Plovers and 130+ Dunlin
Heysham NR - Sparrowhawk flew over office late morning plus Yellow Wag heard (thanks to Pete Marsh for the heads up)
Caton - COL HP this afternoon
4 Buzzards
4 Ravens
2 Sparrowhawks
20+ Mipits
1 GSW
1 Nuthatch
Halton this evening
2 Dippers
Sparrowhawk (male mobbed by 2 Mistle Thrushes)
3 Goosanders
2 Grey Wagtails
4 Oystercatchers
3 Herons
1 Common Sandpiper
Sunday 17th April
Kestrel plus Mallard with “kids”, Houghton Green Flash
Mute Swan SYS and mate – they have been popping on and off the pool all winter
Pheasant and Wheatear, Rixton Moss
Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Little Stint at Ocean Edge, Heysham
Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Brown Hare and Pied Wagtail at Abbeystead
Goosanders at Halton
Sand Martins, Bull Beck
Friday 15th April
HGF was visited at lunch. First Whitethroat of the year singing away plus a Mallard brood of 7 and 14 Linnets flitting in and out of the south hedge. Five Black-necked Grebes still and a Common Sandpiper.
This evening I wandered over to Rixton. Driving down Holly Bush Lane I saw not a sausage in the ploughed fields despite careful scanning. On the way back up 30 minutes later there were 16 Wheatears! 2 Little Ringed Plovers and 2 Redshanks were on the tip pool and 3 Whitethroats were singing with the usual warbler line up on Moat Lane. I also had 3 Corn Buntings on the wires on Holly Bush Lane.
Next I wandered over to Astley Moss. A few birders were there but no sign of the Ring Ouzel for several hours. A lone Whimbrel was plodding around the next field. A couple of rangers walking by the SSSI flushed a few birds and I picked up the Ring Ouzel in flight. It landed and showed well for a couple of seconds before disappearing for good into a ditch. Plenty of yellowhammers, Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits here plus a couple of late Fieldfares.
Saturday 16th April
HGF early on had 7 Black-necked Grebes. I then headed up to the van, calling in at Heysham on the way. For the sake of brevity I have copied by entry for the Lancaster website here:
Sea watch this morning from north harbour wall, 09-30 to 11-00
Black Guillemot. Last bird seen and not observed prior to ferry leaving. As the ferry turned around the wooden jetty the bird flew across the front of the boat and then headed off in general direction of Ulverston I think. Also:
Guillemot 1
Razorbill 1
RT Diver 2+2
Gannet 4+5
Common Scoter 14+10
Eider 1+3+2
Red-breasted Merganser 3
Sandwich Tern 1+1
Turnstone on wooden jetty 215+
1 Wheatear on mound plus 4 Linnets, Mipit and 2 Pied Wags
Little Stint (found by Pete Marsh) present at Ocean Edge plus 50+ Ringed Plovers and 130+ Dunlin
Heysham NR - Sparrowhawk flew over office late morning plus Yellow Wag heard (thanks to Pete Marsh for the heads up)
Caton - COL HP this afternoon
4 Buzzards
4 Ravens
2 Sparrowhawks
20+ Mipits
1 GSW
1 Nuthatch
Halton this evening
2 Dippers
Sparrowhawk (male mobbed by 2 Mistle Thrushes)
3 Goosanders
2 Grey Wagtails
4 Oystercatchers
3 Herons
1 Common Sandpiper
Sunday 17th April
Bull Beck this morning produced 3 Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper. Spent most of my time watching the Sand Martins digging in the river banks. Late afternoon I wandered over to Abbeystead, mainly for a walk as much as anything. It was a beautiful sunny day. A Raven flew over Abbeystead Lane and there were the usual Oystercatchers and Lapwings etc but nothing really interesting. A pair of Pied Flycatchers were in the usual place – also various woodland species. Also had a natter with Jonathan. We arrived home at dusk and I could see 3 Black-necked Grebes on the pool at HGF plus 2 Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper.
No comments:
Post a Comment