Photos
Mediterranean Gull, Great Black-backed Gull and Goosanders at Halton Weir
Lapwings, Curlews, Redshanks and Rock Pipits, Sunderland Point
Black-tailed Godwits (including a breeding plumaged bird), Golden Plovers and Knot at Morecambe
November 8th
Having been out for the day with Karen, I noticed some swans in the fields at Melling as we drove home. I stopped briefly to check – five Whoopers! Nice one.
At dusk Karen and I walked Bill down by the river at Forge Bank weir. Two Goosanders, Dipper and Grey Wagtail seen. Annoyingly, as the lower path has been closed while the eco-friendly houses are built (what is eco-friendly about new build when there are empty houses just 100 yards away – oh I forgot – they don’t have a river view!) the fishermen have been driving 4 x 4’s along the top path and down the slope rather than walk 100 yards with their gear. The result – a mud bath!
A Tawny Owl was calling around the van tonight.
November 9th
Bit of wander aimlessly day today which just about sums up the way I do birding these days! I drove over to Sunderland Point just after high tide, stopping to snap a few Curlews and Redshanks etc etc. At the far end I found three Rock Pipits with a small flock of Meadow Pipits and these entertained for a bit. On arrival I decided I didn’t want to walk round to the point so I drove back again!
I settled up at Morecambe (I enjoy wandering aimlessly along the front here either side of high tide) and noticed a very large flock of waders nr Broadway. They were mostly Black-tailed Godwits and Knot. I started to count the flock when an adult Peregrine appeared and spooked the waders. Most of them relocated then towards Scalestone Point but around 70-80 Blackwits headed off in the direction of Heysham.
I headed up to Scalestone Point and found the flock had split into two groups, north and south of the groyne on the falling tide. I managed to get a decent count then – 1075+ Blackwits and 350+ Knot. I don’t know whether the earlier group of Blackwits had circled back into this lot or not so I didn’t include that count. Also on the mud were 12 Golden Plovers with 8 Pintail in the edge of the water.
The adult Peregrine then reappeared and everything flushed once more. It made several unsuccessful passes at the waders before climbing high and then suddenly stooping. Its target now was a lone Redshank which seemed exposed on the beach no more than 30 yards from where I stood. I thought the wader was a gonner as it just stood there and then amazingly, at the very last second, it ducked completely under water into a shallow pool next to it. The falcon missed and disappeared only to return a few minutes later and flush virtually everything. A very enjoyable spectacle and I’m not sure what I enjoyed more – the display by the Peregrine or the sheer numbers of Blackwits.
Early afternoon I was travelling over the narrow bridge nr Halton weir when I noticed a small flock of Black-headed Gulls on the weir. I stopped to scan them and found an adult Med Gull. Also here was an adult Great Black-backed Gull with a metal BTO-type ring on its right leg.
Late afternoon at the van a flock of 380+ Redwings flew through heading north. Karen and I then took Bill for a walk along the path by Woodies at Crook O’Lune. I wasn’t really birding but still managed to find a Goldcrest and a Nuthatch by the picnic site. Also further up the river I could see a Magpie roost. At least 20 of these black and white thieves flew in – there were probably many more.
Having been out for the day with Karen, I noticed some swans in the fields at Melling as we drove home. I stopped briefly to check – five Whoopers! Nice one.
At dusk Karen and I walked Bill down by the river at Forge Bank weir. Two Goosanders, Dipper and Grey Wagtail seen. Annoyingly, as the lower path has been closed while the eco-friendly houses are built (what is eco-friendly about new build when there are empty houses just 100 yards away – oh I forgot – they don’t have a river view!) the fishermen have been driving 4 x 4’s along the top path and down the slope rather than walk 100 yards with their gear. The result – a mud bath!
A Tawny Owl was calling around the van tonight.
November 9th
Bit of wander aimlessly day today which just about sums up the way I do birding these days! I drove over to Sunderland Point just after high tide, stopping to snap a few Curlews and Redshanks etc etc. At the far end I found three Rock Pipits with a small flock of Meadow Pipits and these entertained for a bit. On arrival I decided I didn’t want to walk round to the point so I drove back again!
I settled up at Morecambe (I enjoy wandering aimlessly along the front here either side of high tide) and noticed a very large flock of waders nr Broadway. They were mostly Black-tailed Godwits and Knot. I started to count the flock when an adult Peregrine appeared and spooked the waders. Most of them relocated then towards Scalestone Point but around 70-80 Blackwits headed off in the direction of Heysham.
I headed up to Scalestone Point and found the flock had split into two groups, north and south of the groyne on the falling tide. I managed to get a decent count then – 1075+ Blackwits and 350+ Knot. I don’t know whether the earlier group of Blackwits had circled back into this lot or not so I didn’t include that count. Also on the mud were 12 Golden Plovers with 8 Pintail in the edge of the water.
The adult Peregrine then reappeared and everything flushed once more. It made several unsuccessful passes at the waders before climbing high and then suddenly stooping. Its target now was a lone Redshank which seemed exposed on the beach no more than 30 yards from where I stood. I thought the wader was a gonner as it just stood there and then amazingly, at the very last second, it ducked completely under water into a shallow pool next to it. The falcon missed and disappeared only to return a few minutes later and flush virtually everything. A very enjoyable spectacle and I’m not sure what I enjoyed more – the display by the Peregrine or the sheer numbers of Blackwits.
Early afternoon I was travelling over the narrow bridge nr Halton weir when I noticed a small flock of Black-headed Gulls on the weir. I stopped to scan them and found an adult Med Gull. Also here was an adult Great Black-backed Gull with a metal BTO-type ring on its right leg.
Late afternoon at the van a flock of 380+ Redwings flew through heading north. Karen and I then took Bill for a walk along the path by Woodies at Crook O’Lune. I wasn’t really birding but still managed to find a Goldcrest and a Nuthatch by the picnic site. Also further up the river I could see a Magpie roost. At least 20 of these black and white thieves flew in – there were probably many more.
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