Photos:
Juvenile Iceland Gull and first winter and adult Common Gulls, Pumphouse Pool, Moore NR
7th February
First thing this morning a small flock of 16 Fieldfares were feeding in the garden. They do like to visit in late winter when food is running scarce and polish off the remaining crab apples. Not many left on either bush now. At the feeding station as I flashed past were 4 Grey Partridges and a single Fieldfare.
A quick visit to HGF had seen a deterioration in conditions overnight and only 1% of the pool was unfrozen. The Wigeon flock had increased overnight to 88 ducks. There was no sign of the Dunlin, 97 Lapwings were lined up on the shore and in the south field were 36 Grey Partridges (25, 9 and 2).
On my way into the office I stopped briefly at Moat Lane pools – they were frozen and empty and the only bird I saw was a Bullfinch.
Late afternoon I managed a trip to Moore and drove up the track towards Pumphouse Pool. Through the hedge as I drove past I could see the pool was frozen and that there were only half a dozen large gulls present. One of these was an Iceland Gull so I quickly stopped the car and scoped the bird through the trees and the fence. This is a bird I am sure I have seen before – in a field opposite the power station at Fiddlers Ferry. Then I couldn’t be sure about the age of the bird. I think from these closer views, I would plump for juvenile, albeit a very bleached one because of the dark eye and bill pattern.
Today also shows one of the ironies of birding. Pete Berry spent four hours at Richmond Bank today, trawling through 10000+ gulls and didn’t see a white-winger. I find one with half a dozen birds on a frozen pool.
Not much else turned up on the pools and I had a quick watch of the tip but again nothing much showed. I did see a few Jays and Redwings and a female Bullfinch.
8th February
A quick visit to HGF this morning didn’t produce much. The pool is still largely frozen. 87 Wigeon today.
Late afternoon I headed to Risley Moss where Peter Hilton was already in residence. It was a fine, clear and cold afternoon with superb visibility so I expected to see some decent birds. The reality was very different. Although we stayed until well after dark, not a single owl was seen. We didn’t even hear the usual Tawnies. Five Woodcock and 2 Snipe provided some small consolation.
9th February
No birding today.
First thing this morning a small flock of 16 Fieldfares were feeding in the garden. They do like to visit in late winter when food is running scarce and polish off the remaining crab apples. Not many left on either bush now. At the feeding station as I flashed past were 4 Grey Partridges and a single Fieldfare.
A quick visit to HGF had seen a deterioration in conditions overnight and only 1% of the pool was unfrozen. The Wigeon flock had increased overnight to 88 ducks. There was no sign of the Dunlin, 97 Lapwings were lined up on the shore and in the south field were 36 Grey Partridges (25, 9 and 2).
On my way into the office I stopped briefly at Moat Lane pools – they were frozen and empty and the only bird I saw was a Bullfinch.
Late afternoon I managed a trip to Moore and drove up the track towards Pumphouse Pool. Through the hedge as I drove past I could see the pool was frozen and that there were only half a dozen large gulls present. One of these was an Iceland Gull so I quickly stopped the car and scoped the bird through the trees and the fence. This is a bird I am sure I have seen before – in a field opposite the power station at Fiddlers Ferry. Then I couldn’t be sure about the age of the bird. I think from these closer views, I would plump for juvenile, albeit a very bleached one because of the dark eye and bill pattern.
Today also shows one of the ironies of birding. Pete Berry spent four hours at Richmond Bank today, trawling through 10000+ gulls and didn’t see a white-winger. I find one with half a dozen birds on a frozen pool.
Not much else turned up on the pools and I had a quick watch of the tip but again nothing much showed. I did see a few Jays and Redwings and a female Bullfinch.
8th February
A quick visit to HGF this morning didn’t produce much. The pool is still largely frozen. 87 Wigeon today.
Late afternoon I headed to Risley Moss where Peter Hilton was already in residence. It was a fine, clear and cold afternoon with superb visibility so I expected to see some decent birds. The reality was very different. Although we stayed until well after dark, not a single owl was seen. We didn’t even hear the usual Tawnies. Five Woodcock and 2 Snipe provided some small consolation.
9th February
No birding today.
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