Photos:
European White-fronted Geese and Tree Sparrow at Aldcliffe Marsh
27th November
This morning I started off walking Bill around Aldcliffe Marshes. Initially it was a little on the quiet side though there were plenty of Redwings in the hedges and around 20 Tree Sparrows and 3 Bullfinches were seen. Around 40 Goldfinches were feeding in the Alders in Freeman’s Wood so I stopped to watch them for a while. Four Goldeneyes were on the nearby pools.
I had hoped to see some of the recently spotted White-fronted Geese but none were visible and few other geese were around. I headed back down to the parking spot at the far end of the lane and suddenly three White-fronts flew low over, calling and disappeared somewhere onto the marsh. Back nr the car park I stood at the corner looking out over the marsh. It was extremely windy so keeping the scope still was a job in itself, however the tide was starting to flood the marsh and almost by magic geese were appearing!
I estimated around 500 Greylags and 150 Canadas were present and mixed in with them were 23 euro White-fronts. Scanning around I also found a further 12 birds emerging from a creek over towards Heaton Marsh. A large Lapwing flock was present and around 250 Golden Plovers mingled with their larger cousins. A presumed raptor seemed to be creating havoc with the birds continually flushing in panic – I never did see it. At high tide with most of the marsh flooded, a pipit flew in front of me. The strong supercilium at first glance had me thinking briefly of Water Pipit, however when it turned round giving better views, I could see it was a Rock Pipit.
I briefly called in at Morecambe on the way back to the van, stopping off at Broadway. 23 Eiders, 2 Goldeneyes, 2 Great Crested Grebes and 9 Red-breasted Mergansers were on the sea.
Later we arrived home and I popped round to HGF. 19 Pochards were now there, the Goldeneye still present but has moved from his usual place on the pool and 14 Redwings flew over. Nothing at the feeding station again.
28th November
Goldeneye still on HGF today, only 1 Little Grebe left.
29th November
No birding today
This morning I started off walking Bill around Aldcliffe Marshes. Initially it was a little on the quiet side though there were plenty of Redwings in the hedges and around 20 Tree Sparrows and 3 Bullfinches were seen. Around 40 Goldfinches were feeding in the Alders in Freeman’s Wood so I stopped to watch them for a while. Four Goldeneyes were on the nearby pools.
I had hoped to see some of the recently spotted White-fronted Geese but none were visible and few other geese were around. I headed back down to the parking spot at the far end of the lane and suddenly three White-fronts flew low over, calling and disappeared somewhere onto the marsh. Back nr the car park I stood at the corner looking out over the marsh. It was extremely windy so keeping the scope still was a job in itself, however the tide was starting to flood the marsh and almost by magic geese were appearing!
I estimated around 500 Greylags and 150 Canadas were present and mixed in with them were 23 euro White-fronts. Scanning around I also found a further 12 birds emerging from a creek over towards Heaton Marsh. A large Lapwing flock was present and around 250 Golden Plovers mingled with their larger cousins. A presumed raptor seemed to be creating havoc with the birds continually flushing in panic – I never did see it. At high tide with most of the marsh flooded, a pipit flew in front of me. The strong supercilium at first glance had me thinking briefly of Water Pipit, however when it turned round giving better views, I could see it was a Rock Pipit.
I briefly called in at Morecambe on the way back to the van, stopping off at Broadway. 23 Eiders, 2 Goldeneyes, 2 Great Crested Grebes and 9 Red-breasted Mergansers were on the sea.
Later we arrived home and I popped round to HGF. 19 Pochards were now there, the Goldeneye still present but has moved from his usual place on the pool and 14 Redwings flew over. Nothing at the feeding station again.
28th November
Goldeneye still on HGF today, only 1 Little Grebe left.
29th November
No birding today
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