Birds2blog

Oh no....not another Stonechat post!

2012-01-25T14:05:00.001Z

If per chance another Stonechat post on Birds2blog - well what do you expect - is likely to bore you I'd suggest moving on. But I did manage to find an excellent image below of a close relation just to break the monotony.

Whinchat. David Cookson

A Summary.

It was interesting to find in the introduction in the LDBWS 2010 Annual report, in relation to some severe winter weather in the winter 2009/10 the Stonechat was the most seriously affected species.

Anyone observing this species as I have for in excess of 12 years - especially in the Clougha/ Birk Bank (C/BB) area, couldn't help but see and record the results of this prolonged period of freezing temperatures being the demise of this smart little chat. Concentrating on this area and others - not alI in the LBWS recording area - I had noted an upturn in the status of the Stonechat from zero here on C/BB in the late 1990's to - for example - an amazing 11 pairs on 21 March 2007. However, by an awful coincidence when I visited here a month later in April the 'Guardians of the Countryside' had decided a 'burn' was a good idea and used it as another tool in their armoury for 'control' under the cover of land management. It goes without saying that the result of this 'good idea' was that the 23 birds I saw in March was reduced to 4 though I'm not suggesting that this event was the sole reason for 4 birds to be left from the 23 found but it sure didn't help and I just wish these people would have taken their torches elsewhere on this occasion.

My observations of the Stonechat on C/BB proved that the upturn in the status of the species which began at the end of the 90's had peaked around 2005/6 and that by the end of the winter of 2009/10 they had virtually disappeared from just about everywhere though I won't labour the issue with statistics here. However, if I was to compare last years Stonechat records on C/BB with those of 2007 when I visited every month of the year, by contrast when I scaled down my surveys in 2011 at 9 locations, I made just 4 to C/BB by which time the Stonechat had been virtually lost making my efforts almost pointless and we were unfortunately almost back to the late 90's with the species. That said, I did find a male up there on 23 July, and a female on 25 August.

Another previous stronghold was on Harrisend, though this area also only produced 4 birds on 24 March from 6 visits in 2011. I concluded that these were migratory birds passing through as I found not a solitary bird up here despite three more visits in June/July/August by which time I had given up on the Stonechat here too.

It is interesting to note my figures for 2010 agreed with the RSPB findings on the United Utilities Estate on the Bowland Fells where, by comparison to a full survey 66 pairs of Stonechat were found in 2007 representing 50% more than those found in 2010.

Rest assured....I shall renew and pursue the Stonechat relentlessly in 2012 whilst bearing in mind my record of 12 Stonechats on Newby Moor, Clapham on 1 February 2005.

Well, not being able to leave Birds2blog void of a couple of photographs, how about these....

Black Redstart. Geoff Gradwell

The smart little Black Redstart which has been present at Knott End for 'a while' now. Thanks for this GG.

And here's one to put you on your guard if you think you found a Red -crested Pochard. This bird was found at Marton Mere recently and as it turned out....its a hybrid! Thanks for this goes to Cliff Raby

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!

Friday the thirteenth....

2012-01-20T21:46:00.002Z

or....A Bewick's Swan Of Note.

Bewick's Swan. Marc Heath

If you're silly enough to believe in superstitions Friday 13 is bad news. I don't go for such rubbish and last Friday was anything but bad news for me, for starters I got in some birding which produced - amongst a few other nice finds - the excellent bonus of a Bewick's Swan with nine Whooper Swans in a stubble field at Fluke Hall. But these wintering birds bring with them another bonus in that some can be found as marked individuals, and my bird was just one of those. After struggling for several minutes to attempt to read the ring through a hedge, contact with my man at WWT was rapidly followed up the next day by some interesting data from this bird which turned out to be in excess of 22 years old having been ringed as an adult at Martin Mere WWT in December 1990. As you would be inclined to expect the creature has travelled a few thousand mind boggling miles in its life so far and has been recorded in our own LDBWS recording area just twice in all those years, even more remarkably quite possibly in the very same field on both occasions. With some amazing migratory flights to and from its summer/winter grounds having visited Denmark, Netherlands, and Germany in the process, this bird had been a delight to find and observe.

Whooper Swans. David Cookson

One of the nine Whooper Swans with the Bewick's Swan was also ringed and had been marked at Caerlaverock, Dumfries in February 2011 having since been first recorded at Fluke Hall last Friday 13 January.

And finally....

Short-eared Owls. Brian Rafferty

You'd be well advised to treat yourself to some spectacular bird behaviour caught equally spectacularly on film HERE

Thanks to Mark/David/Brian for the usual brilliant photography.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!

Something of a coincidence!

2012-01-17T19:34:00.003Z

Ferruginous Duck

You may like to look up the connection to this little tale I'm about to tell, if you would like to you'll find it HERE

By something of a coincidence - irony even - on Sunday morning I hear of a Ferruginous Duck found at Mullaghmore Lough in Co Monaghan, Ireland which was later shot dead. This follows on from a Blue-winged Teal that had met the same fate recently also in Ireland.

So....void of over labouring the issue, here's the irony....

I was employed to 'do my bit' on Sunday at high tide as a counter for the BTO WeBS Survey which I've been involved with for a year or two now and despite the restrictions of my birding of late to such an extent that I got out for the first time only last Friday since 14 October 2011 I chose to try to continue my involvement with this important survey and succeeded in doing so last month. On Sunday when I arrived at my allocated viewpoint overlooking Glasson Marsh I immediately clapped eyes on two 'sportsmen' on the marsh complete with guns and mutts. Now if you did decide to access 'At it again' - or indeed if you know me - you will have already worked out my next move which was to depart the location just 2 seconds after I had applied the handbrake on the motor having not even had the time to switch off the engine.

As you can imagine I've been in touch with the said BTO and told them I just made my last count - or attempted to - for the WeBS Survey on the principal that I don't subscribe to the shooting fraternity and my conscience won't allow me to try to count birds whilst they are being shot at.....The story ends there, though I could go on. Of course with these two around there was no birds to count anyway....of course!

Smew. Copy Permitted.

Always worth another look, the smart little 'redhead' Smew on the Lune Estuary on Sunday.

Smew. Cliff Raby.

And definitely always worth another look, the even smarter drake Smew with thanks to CR for the excellent photograph.

Putting a smile into birding....On 11 January a Great Blue Heron was reported at Kirkwall, Orkney apparently present for its sixth day....the bird was later identified as a Grey Heron!

Not before time!

2012-01-15T16:16:00.002Z

I managed an escape day on Friday. I've been looking forward to this for far too long now, and the day was a wall to wall sunshine day with zero wind, a delight to be out let alone out and birding.

Glossy Ibis. Marc Heath

A Glossy Ibis - the one above was darn sarf in Kent - was found at the north end of Aldcliffe Marsh on Saturday 7 January and remained in the area for six days but hasn't been seen since. The bird made it two of a kind in our area with another one at Leighton Moss. Though this is good news on the Ibis scene its not what I'm about and on Friday I managed a full eight hour stint, almost dawn to dusk but not quite.

As I arrived on the viewing platform at Conder Pool the first bird I saw was a Little Egret, also noting 4 Little Grebe on here with 12 Wigeon and a drake Goosander. An hours trawl had me finding the elusive - it seems - Common Sandpiper, and a Spotted Redshank, both lurking in the hidden corners of the creeks.

On the canal basin at Glasson Dock, a Little Grebe and 2 Goldeneye were of note. On the Lune Estuary 5 Bewick's Swans two of which were juveniles and are rarities in my book. I also noted c.250 Bar-tailed Godwit, up to 800 Golden Plover, and at least 60 Goldeneye with 103 reported yesterday along with a rather interesting record of a pair of Gadwall at Cockersands off Plover Scar, both of these are HERE the latter never in my note book here. On Colloway Marsh a distant raptor was almost certainly Peregrine Falcon.

Pulling off the road opposite Sand Villa I found 2 Whooper Swans in a field with Mute Swans, and of Pilling Lane Ends another 2 Whooper Swans seen, also a relatively small number of c.2,000 Pink-footed Geese. At Fluke Hall a Bewick's Swan was with 9 Whooper Swans in stubble. Regarding numbers seen together, 13 Meadow Pipit, at least 30 Skylark, 5 Reed Bunting, and 11 Great-crested Grebe offshore all had an element of surprise about them for me.

Stoat. Phillip Tomkinson.

Unlike the one above, a Stoat was good - if brief - in its winter ermine coat along the coastal path. I think this creature is about the twelfth stoat in ermine ever seen by me but I don't seem to be able to put my hands on the records.

Unfortunately I left my planned visit to Cockersands too late in the day and light was fading but I managed to note on a quiet Plover Scar estimates of 380 Oystercatcher, 25 Knot, and 12 Turnstone, a Cormorant off the scar was tussling with a 'flattie' almost the size of a dinner plate.

And finally, well not quite....

Otters. Phillip Tomkinson.

The Otters at Leighton Moss are showing themselves quite regularly it seems....so if its Otters you're after get on down there!

Thanks to Marc for the Glossy Ibis. And for the Stoat in its summer coat, and the Otters of Mull....thanks to Phillip

And finally....

Smew. Copy Permitted.

I had word via a text from a birder I know well that a 'redhead' Smew - not the one in the pic with the Wigeon for size comparison - was on the Lune Estuary with Goldeneye this afternoon. Thanks to the 'birder I know well' much appreciated. I found 3 Spotted Redshank and a Common Sandpiper at Conder Green whilst driving past on the return from a mission.

I'll need to do this birding business all over again and soon....I just can't cope otherwise!

Drawing your attention....

2012-01-11T21:58:00.001Z

....to an excellent illustrated story....A couple of links to more on the 'Icechat' in the previous post....And three excellent photographs.

Surprise, surprise, another post despite my early retirement from birding!

Photograph courtesy of Martin Jump.

Martin Jump paid a visit to Newton Marsh, a decision he made to be at the right place at the right time to witness and photograph nature in the raw. I have no intention of 'stealing' Martins story and you can read his account, and view his excellent illustrations if the whole event HERE

If it was the first time you heard about the Stonechat in yesterdays post and you remain interested in this remarkable event you can get more on the story HERE and a little more HERE

And the three excellent photographs are....

Grey Wagtail.Geoff Gradwell

The 'wagtail' with the longest tail....an excellent shot of this bird in its natural habitat and its brilliant reflection....nice one GG.

Iceland Gull. Cliff Raby

A nice bird at Marton Mere, Blackpool. Good numbers of the species at various locations at the moment especially up north with double figures in Scotland. An excellent image of this bird Cliff.

Short-eared Owl. David Cookson

Well you can never tire of 'owl' pics of this calibre, another excellent shot of this stunning bird with its undercarriage down....nice one DC.

Thanks once more to Martin/Geoff/Cliff/David for the excellent photographs.

The 'Quickie' Post.

2012-01-09T21:42:00.014Z

My apologies to all those who have seen what follows before but....

Stonechat. Brian Rafferty.

I had no intention of a post on Birds2blog, maybe one the end of the month....I've sadly still not got the time. However, trawling through the various favourite birding/photography blogs to try and secure my sanity, I discovered that I had missed by one day this amazing photographic record on its second anniversary yesterday 8 January 2010 illustrating an event I reckon nobody could ever have foreseen....that of a 'chat' fishing through an ice-hole in a lake on the return of the 'ice age' during the winter of 2009/10. As can be seen in the photograph the bird was having success in catching Common-back swimmers. At the time I claimed BR's pics to be unique, made sure the event was featured in British Birds magazine, and as I was never challenged the claim still stands.

Stonechat. Marc Heath.

OK, me being Pete Woodruff, you wouldn't expect to get away with just one photograph of the Stonechat would you....so here's another brilliant one taken recently by 'Reculver Birder'.

Many thanks to Brian Rafferty for his mind boggling pic of the 'Icechat', and to Marc Heath for his smart little bird in Kent.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING. See you again soon....hopefully!

More Good Wishes!

2011-12-31T14:48:00.006Z

To be honest this year has ended as a crap one for me. I've not had a days birding since my last one on 14 October and I won't get out - with the exception of at least a couple of 'escape days' which I'm looking forward to but are a long time coming - for several weeks yet....trust me I know what I'm talking about.

However, a bird like the Kentish Plover at Cockersands on Tuesday 3 May isn't likely to ever be forgotten and I'll need to do a search to nudge my memory on all the other birds found/seen in 2011 of which there are several, American Golden Plover and Lesser Yellowlegs have already sprung to mind. So all in all 2011 was about as opposite to 'crap' as is possible to be and good birding days were as endless as any other year for me.

So to add a bit of colour and interest to the blog on the last day of this year 2011, I'd like to take this opportunity to share and showcase six photographs which have blown my socks off and hopefully will yours. They have been randomly chosen by yours truly and in no way are to be seen as a selective bunch to be set apart from the many excellent/brilliant/amazing pics I find on other birders/photographers websites, all good friends of mine many of whom I have personally met and some I've had many an hours first rate birding with at equally first rate locations and all of who have given me the necessary permission to post their images on Birdsblog.

Cuckoo.

Actually - with the exception of the last photograph - they are in bird name alphabetical order, and all resist the temptation to repeatedly use words like stunning/brilliant/excellent/amazing. The picture of the Cuckoo is by Paul Foster who did well to capture this bird on the wing, not all that easy to find these days let alone achieve an image as good as this.

Great White Egret.

The 'Great' one as Reculver Birder Marc Heath called it when he visited Oare Marshes in Kent recently....a close encounter with the Great White Egret.

Herring Gull.

The Herring Gull doing what it does best which is to 'down' large sizes of food source in one gulp - and shown to good effect - by David Cookson ....impressive stuff by DC.

Little Owl.

The Little Owl giving its usual 'oh no not him again pointing his camera at me'. A nice one of this appropriately named bird by Brian Rafferty

White-whiskered Puffbird.

This White-whiskered Puffbird was just one of many 'gems' for Colin Bushell when he visited Colombia recently.

Meerkats.

And finally....the 'non bird' image of the Meerkats is from Gary Jones a very cool pic indeed.

Common Sandpiper. David Cookson.

I see with interest the/a Common Sandpiper has been reported a couple of times recently at Conder Green again, if this is 'the' wintering bird then its been hiding from all comers for several weeks now.

If you're looking to while away some time you could do much worse than visit any one of the above to view some excellent photography, read some interesting accounts of birding days, and much more. Meanwhile....A HAPPY NEW YEAR and GOOD BIRDING and many thanks for 'sticking' with Birds2blog to see if and when it comes back to life. I'm still getting new first time visitors, like the average of 14 over the last 30 days including 20 yesterday....who'd a thunk it!

With Best Wishes.

2011-12-24T15:34:00.005Z

By way of a change from the birds, I've been looking back on 2011 with regard to butterflies and have discovered how the hot dry spring and the warmest autumn on record had many species appearing much earlier and much later than in a typical year with some on the wing from early March to December.

Black Hairstreak. Steven Cheshire.

The endangered Black Hairstreak was recorded this spring in May, a month ahead of the norm for the species....

Lulworth Skipper. Copyright Steven Cheshire.

....and the Lulworth Skipper - which is restricted to the south in Dorset - was also seen on the wing several weeks earlier than is usual, as was the Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

Grizzled Skipper. Copyright Steven Cheshire.

And my personal favourite of the three is the Grizzled Skipper - a little beauty - also emerged weeks ahead of the normal date in the warm spring weather. Red Admirals were still being recorded on the wing in the mid-December run-up to Christmas, and a rare Marsh Fritillary was seen in mid-September almost two months after the butterfly should have disappeared for the year.

The warm autumn weather also saw a large influx of migrant moths from Southern Europe with species such as the Crimson Speckled and the Vestal being seen into October. Other moths - including one with the bizarre name for December of Spring Usher - have been recorded regularly since November, months earlier than you would expect to have them appear, and the Humming-bird Hawk Moth is thought to have had its best ever year in the UK with in excess of 9,000 records submitted beating the previous one of 6,500 in 2006....intriguing stuff!

Painted Lady. Copyright Steven Cheshire.

On a personal note void of a records search I rate my self lucky to recall finding one Painted Lady this summer on 7 July at Cockersands and don't remember seeing more than a couple of records from other observers in our area in the entire year. Thanks to Steven Cheshire for four excellent butterfly images.

Well....I still can't get to see these views of Conder Green. These were taken at high tide one day during the freeze of last year as seen from the viewing platform at Conder Pool, a couple of photo efforts by yours truly. But don't worry, I know all about the influx of large numbers of White-Fronted Geese into the UK and a good many more Bean Geese than is the norm, and the comings and goings of all the rare and scarce birds both nationally and locally like the....

Glossy Ibis. Colin Bushell

Glossy Ibis at Leighton Moss above - thanks for the image CB, much appreciated - and the Glaucous Gull, Snow Geese, Snow Buntings, Shore Larks, and Great White Egret to mention but a few.

Greater Yellowlegs. Gary Jenkinson

And the Greater Yellowlegs which GJ saw in Northhumberland last month is almost certainly the very same bird now present in the Highlands of Scotland, its wintering grounds being in the southern coastal areas of the USA. It's interesting that given both the Lesser Yellowlegs and Greater Yellowlegs are long distance migrants the number of records in the UK are something in the order of up to 300 of the LY yet little more than c.30 of the GY. Incidentally, the first record for the Greater Yellowlegs in Britain was of a bird at Tresco on the Isles of Scilly in September 1906, and the Lesser Yellowlegs 52 years earlier in Nottinghamshire in 1854. Thanks for the image Gary, much appreciated.

Thanks for the comments in 'At it again!' they are much appreciated, and....I'd like to wish everyone who supports/visits Birds2blog and reads this post despite the continuing attempts to keep it afloat until normal service is resumed....A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS and many hours of excellent birding in 2012....I'm sure I will....eventually!

And finally....I'd like to pass on another Christmas Wish sent to me by one of my ardent supporters and good friend who - like so many others - obviously knows me well....

At it again!

2011-12-04T17:11:00.003Z

Updating that is....to keep the blog breathing, with only a little advance in the change of circumstances which - as you will already know if you follow Birds2blog - has brought my birding life to a grinding halt for the time being and also reduced the blog to a skeleton.

If your in the camp that gets fed up of hearing me going on about 'shooting birds for fun' or 'slaughtering them as pests' then perhaps you'd better move on. If you're staying there's some brilliant photographs and a little info on some of the birds which have recently advanced my passion for them a little further.

The Blue-winged Teal breeds over much of North America and being a long distance migrant and 'summer duck' is very much the equivalent of the Garganey. The pattern of appearances in the British Isles is complicated by escapes, but a ringing recovery from New Brunswick in 1971 in Suffolk proved conclusive that there are genuine vagrants, this individual was ringed as a juvenile in Canada. But there's a sting in the tail of this little piece about the species in that I recently read someone had cause to make the comment that it was a worry when people with guns can't identify birds. Sadly it looks like someone in Ireland lived up to this worry when a Blue-winged Teal was shot on 10 November at Upper Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh.

I throw my chances of the popular vote to the wind as I have no desire to gain popularity when it comes to the shooting fraternity, therefore I'm always ready to oppose and 'shout my mouth off' about those who shoot birds for fun, but this time I'll resist the temptation to launch into a vitriolic attack on them. Incidentally, there's a petition regarding the fight against raptor persecution and those who slaughter them as pests which I was going to put on Birds2blog but find it's on other blogs and websites for you to sign. There's a link to the petition and a small taste of discussion on the subject HERE

On a lighter note there's a nice little video of the Blue-winged Teal HERE

Of course any post on Birds2blog wouldn't be complete without at least one or two excellent photographs so try these....

Buzzard. Gary Jones

The Buzzard was taken on one of Gary's many visits to the Lakes where he does some of his mountaineering and where others fear to tread judging by the dramatic photography he achieves whilst up there....visit his website and see for yourself....there's a good example of his latest 'adventure' in Wales HERE

Merlin. Paul Foster

My most favourite bird of prey the Merlin, taken by Paul on a Hebrides adventure he had earlier this year....please take a look at his blog.

Eastern Black Redstart. Marc Heath

Marc recently encountered this Eastern Black Redstart at Margate in Kent, the bird represents the first confirmed record of this form in Britain. Below is a video of another one recently on Holy Island, Northumberland.

Desert Wheatear. Mike Watson

Here's another 'goodie' to have turned up in the country this autumn, the smart little male Desert Wheatear seen and photographed by Mike on his visit to Bempton Cliffs on Yorkshires east coast in November. Interesting that the species was once classed as a member of the Thrush family but is now more generally considered to be an Old World Flycatcher. The first Lancashire record of the species was of one found 20 years ago at Rossall Point, Fleetwood in November 1991. The first for Britain was 111 years earlier at Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland in November 1880. There was an interesting Desert Wheatear trapped at Landguard, Suffolk, in October 1987 which subsequently moved overnight c.270 miles south-west to Devon. This bird clearly illustrated that what might appear to be unrelated vagrants may involve the same birds moving around the country and appears to confirm the suspicion that autumn vagrants arriving on the east coast tend to filter south-westwards. It is also an indication of the kind of distances many migrants may fly in one night.

Laughing Falcon. Colin Bushell

And another little beauty, this one seen by Colin on his visit to Colombia. The Laughing Falcon is also called the Snake Hawk, erroneously since its not a hawk at all, though it is a specialist snake eater.

The video's good....though you do need your speakers plugged in to get the full effect and hear the bird laughing.

Thanks to Garry, Mark, Paul, Mike, and Colin for these brilliant images, and many thanks to all those visitors to Birds2blog - old and new - who still look in despite the 'bare bones' about it at the moment....I really appreciate you. Also a special thanks to all those who took time to comment on 'Closing Down' and later on 'Delighted with my failure'....these were some welcome comments which I noted and much appreciated.

There's a lot going on in the birding world both here and afar but didn't want to 'overload' the post....perhaps later.

I'D SOONER BE REPORTING ON THE BIRDS I'VE ENCOUNTERED!

Delighted with my failure!

2011-11-14T20:54:00.009Z

Black Redstart. Marc Heath

Well its a bit odd being delighted with anything which turns out to be a failure in life, but I'm a little more than delighted on this occasion in that at least I failed to close down Birds2blog which I'm updating to give it the breath of life it needs to keep it ticking over whilst not quite closing it down after all. However things have changed little and the prospects of my doing any birding still remains pretty remote. That said, I reckon its going to be essential in order to save my sanity that I set up a 'great escape' for at least one day as soon as possible, someone - it'll be me sooner or later - has to do some upland wanderings to find out if there are any Stonechats anywhere out there/up there ready to face the worst of the winter weather what ever that might be, and are any of them going to spend the winter months on the coast in our area.

It was good to see three Spotted Redshank reported at Conder Green on Sunday 6 November, also I note the number of Little Grebe on Conder Pool has increased to ten, but I also note no mention recently of the wintering Common Sandpiper nor any Greenshanks here.

Jay. David Cookson

Another reason for bursting back on the scene is that minus the break of one month Birds2blog is 3 years old tomorrow November 15 2008, and I reckon it was going to be a great pity for me not to have celebrated this if only for my own benefit. So, here I am wishing my own blog a Very Happy Birthday....three years.... who'da thunk it!

Snipe. Brian Rafferty

So I decided to take the time and effort to update the sidebar on the blog, put up a new and brilliant header in the form of a stunning little gem of a male Stonechat with thanks to Simon Hawtin.

Long-eared Owl. Christian Thompson

Christian Thompson made a comment in 'Closing Down' expressing an ambition to have one of his photographs published on Birds2blog - I'm honoured - and I reckon this one of the in flight Long-eared Owl is a good introduction to that ambition....Thanks Christian.

Black-goggled Tanager. Colin Bushell

And also to showcase five more images that can only be described as excellent with thanks to Marc, David, Brian, Christian, and Colin whose photograph above shows a bird most visitors to Birds2blog will never see in a lifetime but which he saw in Brazil during a visit there in September.

And finally....

I'd really like to publicly thank the sender of the e-mail who told me four weeks ago that I shouldn't and couldn't pack in my birding because....'I needed the birds more than they needed me'....just about said it all I thought, though I did have to 'pack in' my birding and ease down - maybe not quite close down - on my blogging for a while yet I'm afraid....very afraid.

What next....The Great Escape....watch this space!

Meanwhile, you may like to try your ID skills on the excellent Phillip Tomkinson photograph below...don't worry nobody will ever know if you couldn't clinch it!

Closing Down....

2011-10-16T17:33:00.000+01:00

....with no sale I'm afraid....nothing to sell anyway!

This is going to be brief.

Having many visitors to Birds2blog which have built up over nearly three years - and lots of them on a daily basis - I reckon its only fair to make a blogging announcement that I'm 'closing down'. More to the point and a much more seriously drastic move on my part is that I'm taking a step out of birding altogether for a while....probably a long while. The world wide web is by far too big a place to offer reasons, in any case it's all very personal and I'm not sharing any anyway.

OK....now I realise nobody's life is going to be changed by all this, I'm just another birder who decided to have a go at keeping a blog and....surprise....surprise, I nearly made it to the three year birthday, who'da thought.

Nobody has got into and enjoyed birding more than me, the list of achievements is by far too long to put up here, but I did find one or two of my own 'goodies' along the way, got involved with a nest box scheme which is attracting Pied Flycatchers to an area where they were absent, but the list goes on. On the subject of PF's I found a 'first' breeding site this very year in the Trough of Bowland and eventually observed an adult feeding one of the young, not an easy event to catch up with I can assure you, I also established over a year or two that the Spotted Flycatcher is to be found in greater number in the same area of the Trough of Bowland than anywhere else in the LDBWS recording area....like I said the list is just too long to go on.

I also made very good friends with some very good birders who know how and where to look for birds, and have the knowledge to ID what they found when they did so, I maintained a respect and admired these people who know what real birding is about and who subscribed greatly to my learning curve.

A pity really as I have a library full of brilliant images of birds, collected from people who have kindly given me the permission and privilege of posting their work on Birds2blog for the pleasure of us all to see. I was going to put a couple of final ones in this post but decided that it would have looked like favouritism directed to just one of the many brilliant birder/photographers I've come to know over the years....so no pics.

I could go on, but I did say this was 'going to be brief'....I'D SOONER BE BIRDING !

The Friday Sortie.

2011-10-15T13:29:00.001+01:00

Sparrowhawk. Warren Baker

With JB/BT yesterday we saw 3 Sparrowhawks with one over the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock being mobbed by a couple of Black-headed Gulls, one on Gulf Lane gliding below a hedge-line above a ditch, and another being mobbed by c.50 Meadow Pipits over Broadfleet, Pilling.

The day started by standing at the gate overlooking Aldcliffe Marsh, a Greenshank seen, Little Egret, and c.600 'geese' were estimated as 350 Canada Geese and 250 Greylag. At Conder Green stood on the old railway bridge I observed a personal first regarding numbers when a wisp of 35 Snipe flew off the marsh before soon returning back on to the banks of the River Lune. Seven Goosander were noted on the River Conder, and on Conder Pool 3 Red-breasted Merganser, 7 Little Grebe, and 32 Tufted Duck probably displaced from the canal basin at Glasson Dock. On the Lune Estuary I noted a Spotted Redshank, estimates of up to 5,000 Lapwing, 2,500 Golden Plover, 250 Redshank, 300 Curlew, and 150 Bar-tailed Godwit.

Off Bodie Hill another c.2,500 Lapwing, c.250 Golden Plover, and a Little Egret, 450 Wigeon were on the river. Driving not much more than a half mile from Bodie Hill to Jeremy Lane up to 20 Magpies were of note in this short distance. At Cockersands where I walked the headland from the lighthouse to the caravan park to meet up again with JB/BT, 5 Wheatear were seen and 22 Eider were off the abbey.

Little Owls. Marc Heath

A detour along Gulf Lane gave us 2 Golden Plover looking quite lost stood in the centre of a large field of short grass, but we failed to find the resident Little Owls here. The photograph above of the two in Kent is my kind of picture in that it illustrates the birds in their natural surroundings....great stuff Marc.

Little Owl. Mike Watson

In this photograph the Little Owl shows how adept it is at catching insects like this unfortunate cricket....another great picture Mike.

On Pilling Marsh - from where we had seen large numbers flying inland as we drove towards here - I estimated at least 2,000 Pink-footed Geese still on the marsh when we arrived, 3 Little Egret were also seen. At Fluke Hall another Little Egret and a Wheatear seen.

And finally....

I want to share these two photographs with you. They were taken yesterday on the shore at Fluke Hall and are two more of my - maybe soon to become famous - 'Human Remains' pictures illustrating the kind of people with who we have no choice but to share this fragile planet of ours.

Thanks to WB for the Sparrowhawk, and to MH/MW for the Little Owl photographs. As with all photographs on Birds2blog....EXCELLENT.

Doing it again!

2011-10-13T21:18:00.010+01:00

A re-run of Tuesday, plus a trip 'down the road'....and a couple of 'Cookies Feeders'.

Swallows. David Cookson.

The first of which is a brilliant photograph of the young Swallow being fed by the parent bird and reminder that I saw a late one this afternoon at Cockersands. The second 'feeder pic' bears no relationship to today's birding but is another DC picture with the brilliant tag.

Great-spotted Woodpecker. David Cookson.

The young GSW being fed by the parent bird, with thanks to DC for these two photographs. If it's excellent photographs you're after there's loads of 'em HERE

I first checked out Conder Pool this morning but could only find 6 Little Grebe and nothing else of note. On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, a Curlew Sandpiper was distant by the Conder Estuary, 3 Spotted Redshank, an adult and 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull, 4 Goosander and 8 Snipe were of note, and an increase in numbers of estimated 2,500 Golden Plover, and 150 Bar-tailed Godwit. From Jeremy Lane, a lengthy sift through another field full of several hundred Black-headed Gulls - and a farmer in a tractor pulling a slurry tank - were accompanied by 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls.

At Cockersands a Dark-bellied Brent Goose was off Plover Scar - which itself was disappointingly void of birds - was initially in the company of 9 Eider but took off to fly south, a Rock Pipit also soon took off west and high out to sea before doing a u-turn to fly high inland north east. Also of note, 4 Wheatear, a 'few' uncounted Tree Sparrow, just 8 Linnet in the set -aside with a single Greenfinch, and a lone Swallow heading south.

On Pilling Marsh c.4,500 Pink-footed Geese were accompanied by at least 7 Barnacle Geese, frustratingly distant with PFG with neck collars seen. A smart little female/juvenile Merlin moved from place to place on the marsh showing its characteristic threatening glare and bobbing head. At Fluke Hall I saw 2 Wheatear, 3 Little Egret, and another 30 Pink-footed Geese joined several hundred others flying inland off the marsh. On the day I counted 14 Red Admiral with probably at least the same number seen but unidentified at a distance.

And finally....

Yesterday this adult pale morph Pomerine Skua was 'hanging around' at Fleetwood Golf Course before being relocated on Cleveleys Beach. By all accounts it was an approachable individual on the beach. I have been given permission by the author to post these photograhs.

Moth Migration.

2011-10-12T16:40:00.002+01:00

Crimson Speckled. Copyright John Wilson.

Following a recent spell of September warm weather, hundreds of rare moths have turned up in the UK resulting in the best migration for years, the largest influx of all has been that of the Flame Brocade which have flocked here in greater numbers than any for the past 130 years and experts believe it has now formed a colony at a site in the south of England. This moth is normally found in France and Spain, and there are usually only single figures each autumn in the UK but the discovery of the brilliant purplish-brown moth that has a distinct white wing flash has led to the suspicion that a colony is a possibility. The moth was resident in Sussex for at least 50 years from about the mid-19th century but then became a scarce migrant but has been making attempts to re-colonise probably as a result of more favourable weather conditions through climate change.

Vestal. Copyright Helen Bantock.

Other moths drawn by the late summer weather have been the Death's-head Hawk-moth the largest moth to appear in Britain and has a wing span of 12 to 13cm, which has a skull like pattern on the thorax and has been seen in Dorset and Devon. The beautiful Crimson Speckled pictured at the top, and the delicate Vestal moth above have also been seen in good numbers on the southwest and southeast coast and also in Gwynedd, both of these are normally found in the Mediterranean. The extremely rare tropical species Spoladea recurvalis has been recorded in the south, on the Isle of Man, in Ireland, and very close to 'home' in Cumbria.

Despite these excellent records from afar, it has been a relatively poor year for some of our rare native moth species, having struggled as a result of the record breaking dry spring.

Early Birds....

2011-10-11T20:47:00.001+01:00

....well, early'ish, with one or two other interesting birds found. And a couple of excellent photographs if its plumage detail you're after.

Turnstone. Brian Rafferty.

One of my favourite waders the Turnstone showing some excellent plumage detail. At Cockersand today I counted with great difficulty amongst the stones on Plover Scar - try it sometime - at least 40 Turnstones. I was pushed for time today and noted nothing else of any significance on the scar other than a solitary Grey Plover with 13 Eider off here, but I did note 4 Wheatear along the headland which should be thinking of reading the script by now.

The circuit at Cockersands was rewarded by c.450 Wigeon at the caravan park end with 32 Pink-footed Geese over going south. From the road I counted at least 45 Tree Sparrow minus one taken out by a Sparrowhawk....no garden bird atrocities being committed by this female then. In a field containing an estimate of 3,500 Black-headed Gulls, an adult Mediterranean Gull, a Ruff, a solitary Black-tailed Godwit, and c.120 Curlew. Forty 'finches' in the set-aside were predominantly Linnet with only about 4 Greenfinch.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, a Curlew Sandpiper, 4 Spotted Redshank, and an adult Mediterranean Gull. I had little time left for any waders assessments but reckon c.650 Golden Plover are still present here. Three Goldeneye on Conder Pool surprised me being a little early in my records, though I'm sure not the earliest ever in the recording area, I counted 8 Little Grebe again on the pool today.

Dunlin. Brian Rafferty.

The Dunlin image also shows some good plumage detail, useful for the study of. With many thanks for todays photographs to Brian Rafferty

The Red-backed Shrike.

2011-10-09T16:11:00.011+01:00

Red-backed Shrike. Marc Heath.

The Red-backed Shrike (RBS) once extinct in the UK has bred for the second year in succession on Dartmoor in Devon. Sadly there is a negative side to these brilliant events in that a 24 hour watch was needed to be set up to guard against egg thieves which still roam around the world. But hey....two breeding successes this year of these 'butcher' birds fledged a total of seven young and a hope now exists that the RBS will recolonise parts of the country once again.

Red-backed Shrike. Marc Heath.

The RBS earned the tag of 'butcher bird' because of their habit of impaling some of their prey on thorns and wire fences as a larder for later eating. They are a small bird - not much bigger than a Bullfinch - and are accomplished hunters prone to catching small birds as well as small insects, lizard, mice, and vole. They winter in east Africa to move north to breed in Europe. The UK population declined in the 1930's, and it last bred in Devon in 1970, it was eventually lost as a breeder in this country in the 1990's. Egg collecting - illegal since the 1950's - played its part in accelerating that decline and remains a real threat to this day obviously including these breeding records in Devon, hence the massive 24 hour protection they needed and were given by the volunteers on Dartmoor....a big up to all volunteers in Devon regarding the RBS's in 2010 and 2011.

By the early 1950's Clifford Oakes recorded the RBS as 'formerly a regular nester', in fact to read Mitchell's earlier accounts of the species is like something out of another world, there appears no doubt that the species was quite numerous in the first half of the 19th century and beyond. Mitchell goes on to record ample evidence that it was a regular breeder and quotes Knott End - which is a few miles from my home in Lancaster - amongst other locations where it bred regularly. However, by the closing years of the 19th century the breeding sites had been forsaken and the species had become almost extinct even as a passage bird. Over a period of almost 30 years since 1909 Oakes mentioned only two records of the RBS in Lancashire, the last was of a bird reported near Chat Moss - now in Greater Manchester - in July 1938.

On a personal level the only RBS I ever caught up with was a 1st winter bird at/around Rossall School on the Fylde which I saw on Thursday 18 September 2008.

Thanks to 'Reculver Birder' Marc Heath for the excellent photographs of the juvenile Red-backed Shrike at Herne Bay in Kent recently.

Round the bay and back for tea!

2011-10-07T21:32:00.000+01:00

Curlews. Pete Woodruff.

With JB/BT the visit to Aldcliffe paid off today with the reward of an adult Mediterranean Gull seen below Heaton Marsh at a location known by the 'Aldcliffe Brigade' as Gull Bank. Also noted here as viewed from the gate at Railway Crossing Lane was a - unsurprising these days - Little Egret, and estimates of 600 Lapwing and 220 Greylag. If its greater detail and more birds you're after, then JB has them as always on the LDBWS website HERE

At Conder Green the creeks were illuminated today with the presence of 2 Spotted Redshank and 'the' Common Sandpiper, 8 Little Grebe were on Conder Pool - looks more like a lake at the moment - and I noted 4 Swallows battling the wind south, 3 Red Admiral can't have felt anything like healthy today either.

At Glasson Dock an adult Mediterranean Gull wasn't all that easy at the distance, waders of note were c.650 Golden Plover, 220 Redshank, 160 Bar-tailed Godwit was a build up on recent numbers, 30 Dunlin, the Knot went uncounted when the entire bird population of the estuary birds went into the air en masse, and c.80 Pink-footed Geese went over south. On Gulf Lane the Little Owl was in its tree today following several visits void of seeing it.

Brutus and friends. Pete Woodruff.

From the A588 opposite Sand Villa 6 Whooper Swans were with a 'few' Mute Swans, and c.320 Curlew were at rest in a field off Backsands Lane where I took two of my 'classic photographs' of Brutus and his mates above, and the Curlews at the top of the page.

Barnacle Geese. Colin Bushell

On Pilling Marsh by something of a coincidence I found the same number of 7 Barnacle Geese as CB had photographed on the Solway recently, they were with c.550 Pink-footed Geese, also noted was a Little Egret and a Peregrine Falcon. Three Swallows were flying around the Golden Ball in Pilling.

The Sandhill Crane.

2011-10-06T13:21:00.000+01:00

This post is in particular favour of visitors from the USA - of which I've currently had 728 - from where this bird 'possibly' originates though proof cannot ever be one hundred percent, but if it does then this is an epic journey for such a large bird and a remarkable achievement if it really has crossed the Atlantic.

Sandhill Crane. Mike Watson.

A Sandhill Crane is currently at Boyton Marshes in Suffolk. This same bird was first seen at Loch of Strathbeg in Aberdeenshire, Scotland on 22 September and stayed there for four days, it was then seen in in flight over Northhumberland, North Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, Norfolk, finally arriving in Suffolk on Sunday 2 October where it still remains.

The Sandhill Crane (SC) breeds from north-east Siberia across North America and south into the prairies and the western Great Lakes. It winters in the southern USA and Mexico. The first Irish record of a SC is of a bird shot in Co Cork in 1905 and was the first to be reported from the Western Palearctic, but because it was thought to have escaped captivity wasn't admitted on to the Irish List until 1961, the combined British and Irish List added the bird 10 years later in 1971.

The first record for Britain was of a SC in 1981 Shetland, Fair Isle. But another 10 years later in 1991 was of a SC with a remarkable tale attached to it. This bird flew in off the sea near Sumburgh, Shetland in September and fed on potatoes nearby until it left 10 days later. It turned up in the Netherlands the following day having flown a little in excess of 500 miles, it left the Netherlands location 2 days later never to be seen again.

Sandhill Crane. Mike Watson.

Thanks to Mike Watson who recently made the journey to Suffolk to see this Sandhill Crane and came home with an enjoyable account of his experience and some excellent images of the bird which I recommend you take a look at HERE

....and another sting in the tail!

2011-10-04T21:13:00.000+01:00

Common Sandpiper. David Cookson

It was good that JB could get out with me today and making a start at Conder Green we soon found the Common Sandpiper in the creeks, surely now going to winter here. Conder Pool will now have be renamed Conder Lake which is what it now resembles until the level drops to create some edges to become more attractive to the birds. I'm going to become the self appointed management of this place if someone doesn't make a move before me by the start of 2012. I could only count 6 Little Grebe today along with 6 Teal, otherwise Conder Green is generally quiet of late.

On the Lune Estuary the green ringed adult Mediterranean Gull seen for the third time today but still not in range to take any readings. Also noted from an unimpressive wader presence, estimates of 2,000 Lapwing, 120 Redshank, a poor show of just 25 Golden Plover, and 14 Bar-tailed Godwit.

Little Stint. Dave Appleton

At Cockersands from the lighthouse car park, 2 Little Stint, 3 Grey Plover, c.30 Dunlin, 4 Turnstone, and c.120 Redshank, 13 Greenfinch were around the set-aside field which apparently isn't a set-aside field at all. On Hillam Lane a single Whooper Swan was with c.30 Mute Swans, and on Pilling Marsh a Barnacle Goose was again with c.2,000 Pink-footed Geese with 5 Little Egret noted.

Grey Plover. John Bateman.

The sting in the tail....

The Lesser Yellowlegs - present in the area for its tenth day - apparently put in a brief appearence in the creeks at Conder Green at 2.20pm today....well thats not on is it!

Out....but nowt about!

2011-10-03T21:06:00.002+01:00

Well on the face of it the title will sound just about as silly as it possibly could do, as we're currently surrounded by 'goodies' some of them 'Americans'. But I turned my nose up at 'em to give the rounds - Conder Green/Glasson Dock/Cockersands - a bit of a bashing to no avail....but no complaints.

Razorbill. Peter Guy.

I met PG at Glasson Dock this morning where I gave the Lune Estuary a pretty good grilling for almost two hours to find 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, and noted c.250 Golden Plover as quite a reduction in number as of late, a remarkably small reeve Ruff, up to 40 Bar-tailed Godwit, and at least 6 Swallows south. Other waders here were rather unremarkable today. The juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs apparently showed at 2.00pm about two hours after I left....of course!

Conder Green has been pretty quiet of late and today was no exception, but Conder Pool has seen an increase with 8 Little Grebe seen today, with the 2 Wigeon summer residents. The circuit was worth the effort if only to find the Common Sandpiper in the creeks.

I gave Cockersands a pretty good shot from the lighthouse down to Bank End where you need to know - if you don't already - the sun glares into your face, the birds are all silhouettes, and just about the only ID you can achieve is that they vary in size. I saw 5 Wheatear along the length, and noted roosting on Plover Scar at high tide estimates of 650 Oystercatcher, 55 Ringed Plover, 40 Turnstone, 10 Dunlin, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, and a solitary Grey Plover - an uncommon bird here - was off the car park at the lighthouse.

Not the most exciting days birding of my life, but you've just got to get out there....do it....and be rewarded by degrees whilst not dwelling too much on finding the likes of Siberian Rubythroats and Audouin's Gulls.

And finally....

The Fylde Coast. Peter Guy.

I'm always up for showcasing excellent photography - birds or not - and this is a dramatic one of the Fylde Coast at Blackpool, looks perfect for a sea-watching session to me. Thanks for the images PG much appreciated, and good to see you again today.

The Monarch Butterfly.

2011-10-01T16:30:00.003+01:00

'Sweet freedom whispered in my ear....you're a butterfly....and butterflies are free to fly, fly away, high away bye bye'....Someone Saved My Life Tonight. Elton John/Bernie Taupin 1975.

Monarch. Kenneth Dwain Harrelson.

In the past few weeks many rare vagrants from North America have been arriving in the UK mainly as a result of the hurricane season. But by way of a diversion from birds on Birds2blog, a rare butterfly from the other side of the Atlantic has been found on the south coast. The Monarch butterfly is a spectacular creature and was discovered in Dorset on Thursday 29 September, nobody will ever know whether this was the result of the late summer weather we are currently experiencing in the UK, or whether it is the result of the winds from America.

The majority of Monarch butterflies are to be found in North America, but small populations survive in Southern Spain and the Canary Islands. They migrate a truly amazing 3,000 and winter in the Mexican mountains. The last good Monarch year was in 1999 when 'scores' turned up in the UK, this butterfly is regarded as one of the natural wonders of the world, and I wouldn't dispute that.

Gatekeeper. Steven Cheshire

As a result of the coldest summer for 18 years UK butterflies have suffered badly and the Common Blue ranks as the top loser in the worlds biggest count in 2011, but the Gatekeeper came out as the winner with 52,368 seen in this survey, and an interesting set of figures revealed that three times as many Small Tortoiseshell were recorded in Scotland than in England, though numbers generally stabilised this year after a recent severe decline. Another good result was that of the Red Admiral which enjoyed an excellent summer with numbers up by 98%.

Parts of the UK had a record breaking warm dry spring, but these conditions gave way to chilly temperatures and prolonged spells of rain, and the summer of 2011 became the coldest since 1993 resulting in butterflies being unable to feed, fly, find mates, or lay eggs throughout the bad weather.

Painted Lady. Steven Cheshire

I saw the record of a Painted Lady butterfly on the LDBWS website recently and reckon this takes the total in our recording area in 2011 to nothing much more than can be counted on one hand and includes just one individual which I found at Cockersands on Thursday 7 July.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!

The Big Dip!

2011-09-29T20:56:00.004+01:00

I set off this morning in good 'birding' spirits with the intention of stepping outside my kind of birding, to spend the day looking for 'other peoples birds' with Glasson Dock, and Arnside the priorities, and a look in on the Eric Morecambe Complex at Leighton Moss to see if I could prove the 'regulars' simply weren't doing the job right. It all ended about seven hours later with a massive - in twitching jargon - 'dip', but I wouldn't have it any other way, I would'nt be remotely interested in birds if they were always there to order....would you?

I was on the job at Glasson Dock and spent a full 2.5 hours watching the tide come in and push the birds ever closer until the mud was eventually covered and I left minus the Lesser Yellowlegs despite grilling c.200 Redshank coming and going - and others - until I was blue in the face just managing in between to log three adult Mediterranean Gulls, take note of c.650 Golden Plover and 45 Bar-tailed Godwit.

Forty minutes later I'm in the Eric Morecambe hide to take note of 14 species including at least 500 Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, a Ruff, and not very common on the complex, a single Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit, not everyone realises these are two of 'one or two' species of wader not all that regular/common on here. A solitary Pink-footed Goose was of note.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Brian Rafferty

Now I'm about to join some seasoned birders already in place when I arrive at Arnside as the tide ebbed, but despite allowing myself about one hour here I/we found no sign of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, nor....

Pectoral Sandpiper. Dave Appleton.

....any Pectoral Sandpipers and had to leave by 3.30pm only to see the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, two Pectoral Sandpipers, three Little Stints, and a Yellowlegs species reported there later....Oh Dear!!

Marsh Tit. Mike Watson

Three Little Egret were on the marsh, and a Marsh Tit was nice in the wooded area behind were I was stood on the embankment at Arnside, a very localised breeder in our area and mainly restricted to the Lune Valley, Silverdale/Arnside, and south-east Cumbria.

The sting in the tail....

The Lesser Yellowlegs was reported on the Lune Estuary, Glasson Dock at 6.10pm....Oh Dear again!!

I met a nice couple in the Eric Morecambe hide today, but despite seeing them at Leighton Moss on and off for c.150 years I still don't know their name, but they know who they are and I know they look in on Birds2blog on a daily basis which I much appreciate.....good to have seen you again today 'nice couple'.

Thanks to BR/DA/MW for the photographs which are much appreciated.

Yesterday....

2011-09-28T12:39:00.001+01:00

....all my troubles seemed so far away. Well they didn't really, but we'll leave that one there if you don't mind.

Common Lizard. Marc Heath

No appropriate 'birdie pics' again so a couple of non-birdies with thanks to Marc for the Common Lizard.

It was good to get out yesterday with JB and to work around the tide. We first did a trespass into Fylde territory where the tide had beaten us to it and was lapping against the sea-wall. But I did a wander NE along the esplanade and beyond to find 2 Mediterranean Gulls both of which were adult.

Pilling Marsh was almost under water though the just under 10m tide left some of it exposed. I thought a 'brush up' of counting skills might be useful and estimated 2,500 Pink-footed Geese, 1,000 Shelduck, 330 Curlew, 40 Lapwing, 30 Golden Plover, and 25 Redshank, all represented rather low figures in the wader category, 800 Teal and 35 Pintail. Two Peregrine Falcon put on a brief show of ariel skill, 7 Little Egret were together as were 7 Wheatear. Yesterdays 5 Whoooper Swans were in the field still with the Mute Swans opposite Sand Villa off the A588. A visit to Bank End to see just about everything in silhouette with a blinding sun in your face, produced 2 Little Egret and 3 Goosander of note.

A visit to the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock didn't produce 'The American' but I note it was reported at 4.38pm after we had left, and again at 6.15, as I write there is no mention of the bird so far today Wednesday. I noted a 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull and up to 650 Golden Plover. At Conder Green the number has now increased to 7 Little Grebe on Conder Pool where the bonus bird was another adult Mediterranean Gull with c.100 Black-headed Gulls, a Greenshank and 3 Goosander were in the creeks.

And finally....

Norwegian Maple Autumn Fire Wheel. Richard Shilling.

A long overdue - on Birds2blog - Landart creation by the man who certainly can do it. If you don't already know about this artist can I tell you....what you see in the picture above is natural, nothing in any of his work is transported in his pocket to any of his chosen locations and is made up entirely of natural materials....the mind boggles at such creativity. Thanks Richard brilliant as ever.

And finally!

2011-09-26T20:42:00.001+01:00

The Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock in all its glory in glorious technicolour, and with a North American bird re-found here again this afternoon, it was my final trick of the day on my way back to Lancaster having had an excellent days birding. But this bird frustrated me for a while as I had briefly seen a wader with - and looking a little like - the Redshanks though definitely was not one. It decided to take to flight but thankfully just did a 'half moon' to return to the mud-bank behind one or two Redshanks, but it gave itself up eventually to be revealed as a juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs, the bird showed well between the two white boats in the picture above and was still doing so when I left at 4.45pm. Other notes made here and the rest of the best today without too much waffle....Three adult Mediterranean Gull, a Ruff, Spotted Redshank, up to 750 Golden Plover, the Black-tailed Godwits and Bar-tailed Godwits didn't reach double figures, and a Little Egret seen.

But the day had started at Fluke Hall where I found a Curlew Sandpiper roosting on an exposed mound of marsh at high tide with 120 Dunlin, 4 Sanderling, and a single Grey Plover. Walking west along the sea wall I saw 7 Wheatear, 2 Tree Sparrow, and 2 Little Egret. At Cockers Dyke I found another Curlew Sandpiper, noted 2 Ruff, 11 Golden Plover and a Little Egret.

On Pilling Marsh with the tide still high, a Barnacle Goose was with c.2,000 Pink-footed Geese as it had been last Friday, and I made estimates off the car park of at least 800 Teal, 200 Pintail, a 'few' Wigeon, 5 Red-breasted Merganser, and 6 Great-crested Grebe. On Backsands Lane a Jay was on the fence post. And pulling in opposite Sand Villa to check the twelve 'swans' in a field, I found 5 Whooper Swans with the Mute Swans.

At Cockersands, an adult Mediterranean Gull was in a field being cut with 'a few hundred' Black-headed Gulls. Off Plover Scar I counted up to 30 Eider, 9 Wigeon, and 5 Red-breasted Merganser. Wader estimates noted, 70 Ringed Plover, 50 Dunlin, and 8 Turnstone. The strangest sight of the entire day was that of 2 Teal roosting on Plover Scar....this is definitely a new one on me!

Please Note.

My e-mail system appears to be ill and I'm not receiving all the messages I expect to. Until my 'wizard' has the time to visit me I'm afraid you may have to continue thinking I'm ignoring you....I most certainly am not.

The Lesser Yellowlegs.

2011-09-25T18:40:00.006+01:00

At around 5.00pm yesterday the RBA pager alerted me to a bird which definitely made my eyes light up. I sent a text to a man I know well to enquire if the bird was 'his' - knowing all the time what the answer was going to be - to be told at precisely 5.04pm that 'yes it was'....I was on my way to Glasson Dock to have the bird pointed out to me immediately, though in the hour I spent there the views could never have been regarded as brilliant - in fact it eventually went out of view and has never been seen since - but I was looking at a bird which has become familiar to me, my fifth Lesser Yellowlegs, also noted on the visit were 3 Spotted Redshank.

Lesser Yellowlegs.Dave Appleton.

The Lesser Yellowlegs (LY) breeds in eastern Alaska and across much of Canada, some winter in southern USA and Central America, but the majority winter in the West Indies and South America. The species is an annual vagrant to Britain the most of which are juveniles which occur - as all mine have done - in September and October. The LY used to be a major rarity and the first Lancashire record didn't come until 1965 at Freckleton Sewage Farm. On a personal level my five LY's are....

18 October 1995 Eric Morecambe complex Leighton Moss.

13 September 1997 Eric Morecambe complex Leighton Moss.

* 18 October 1997 Banks Marsh

12 September 2002 Eagland Hill, Fylde.

24 September 2011 Lune Estuary, Glasson Dock.

* A bird was seen at Banks Marsh in October 1997 and was joined by a second one in December, but thats another story and an interesting one too....perhaps some other time.

Greater Yellowlegs. Dave Appleton.

For comparison the Greater Yellowlegs is in my opinion reminiscent of the Greenshank especially given poor views in poor light. The Lesser Yellowlegs is much more reminiscent of the juvenile Redshank given the same poor viewing circumstances. However, it is a slimmer more elegant bird than the Redshank, its longer neck and attenuated look are good pointers to ID, but its main features are its long ochre-yellow legs. But the ID of both LY and GY are examples of the kind of skills I personally admire and I have respect for the many birders I know with the ability to know what they're looking at, take it from me, only earlier this week a reported LY turned out to be a juvenile Redshank.

I'm grateful to Dave Appleton me to use his excellent images of both these birds.

The Friday Jaunt.

2011-09-23T20:50:00.001+01:00

I recently saw - on Birds2blog - my Fridays birding with JB/BT described as 'The Friday Jaunt'. Looking up the true definition of 'jaunt' I discover its a....'short journey for pleasure'....So I accept that this is as good a description as any other of what I experience each and every Friday with the said two birding friends of mine. As always JB's records will be far more comprehensive than mine that follow and are HERE

Pink-footed Geese. Brian Rafferty

Another sign of the approaching winter was the sight of at least 2,000 Pink-footed Geese on Pilling Marsh this afternoon with which I found a single Barnacle Goose. The frustration of this welcome sight was that I saw at least three neck collars which were too distant to have any chance of reading. A Little Egret also seen here.

Barnacle Geese. Dave Appleton

But we had started about five hours earlier at Freeman's Pools where 6 Little Grebe were counted along with the exceptional number of 11 Grey Heron on the island all standing like hunched sentinels, a Greenshank was on Aldcliffe Marsh. Moving no further than the viewing platform at Conder Green I noted 'the' Common Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, and 5 Little Grebe.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock I thought the thing I should do first and foremost is to note the birds absent or in low number the most significant of which is the virtual total absence of Dunlin both here and at Cockersands, Curlew were no more than 40, the Redshank no more than 50. On the plus of note, at least 5,000 Lapwing, c.350 Golden Plover, and a Spotted Redshank.

Greenshank. Dave Appleton

At Cockersands where I walked the headland to meet BT/JB at the caravan park about twenty minutes later. No waders apparent which - given time - would have meant a search over Plover Scar to find any, I noted a Wheatear, a Little Egret, and a Sparrowhawk, with c.15 Greenfinch seen again as yesterday. A detour round Gulf Lane produced another Sparrowhawk 'gliding' at speed below a hedge.

So now we're back at the start of the post at Pilling Marsh to discover the aforementioned 'geese' and - unknown to JB and I - this was the termination point and we were on our way back to Lancaster....the 'short journey for pleasure' was over!

On the hunt.

2011-09-22T21:15:00.003+01:00

My target bird for today was a Baltimore Oriole at Conder Green, but it turned out to be just wishful thinking and it had already turned up a 'few' miles away on the Scillies.

Blue-naped Chlorophonia. Colin Bushell.

There are some amazing birds turning up here and there in the UK at the moment, but none anywhere near us up here 'int north and certainly not this colourful creature above....amazing, and what about the name.

Some 'hunting' in the area produced nothing significant, but I was urged on as ever by not knowing whats next.

Conder Green seems to have gone into deserted mode and despite a determined circuit I found just c.30 Goldfinch over the marsh, 5 Little Grebe and 2 Wigeon were on Conder Pool....this is becoming a little too repetitive for my liking, even the LG numbers have ceased to increase, but the Common Sandpiper showed and looks set to become the wintering bird here though still time for it to decide otherwise.

On the Lune Estuary, an adult Mediterranean Gull, distant Spotted Redshank, 18 Black-tailed Godwit, c.350 Golden Plover, and even the Lapwing number had dramatically collapsed since 5,000 on Tuesday to a mere 650 today, also 2 Little Egret seen.

The struggle continued at Cockersands where I thought I'd better do some counts to earn myself some credit and noted, c.500 Lapwing, 300 Redshank, 80 Ringed Plover, 7 Bar-tailed Godwit, no more than 6 Dunlin and none at Glasson Dock posed the question....where are they, 4 Wheatear, 15 Greenfinch, and at least 30 Meadow Pipit south.

And another 'Brazilian Beauty'....

Green-headed Tanager. Colin Bushell.

The Green-headed Tanager makes a couple of colourful little gems entered into CB's records book from his latest trip to Brazil. Thanks for these Colin, much appreciated....colour you could eat, and there are more HERE

MEGA NEWS.

The latest from a long line of aforementioned amazing birds turning up here and there in the UK is a....Sandhill Crane in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

If at first you don't succeed!

2011-09-20T21:09:00.000+01:00

After yesterdays miserable attempt at some birding - rain stopped play - I thought I'd better have another go at doing the rounds again today, a much better one than yesterday which reminds me, I must try to be a little more selective with the choice of wording in my posts as people are taking me too serious when I use words like 'depressing' 'gloom' and 'shouldn't I be doing something better with my life'....all a bit tongue in cheek if you ask me.

I just gave Conder Green a quick look over as I wanted to get a bit further down the road today, Conder Pool held just 5 Little Grebe and 2 Wigeon. At Glasson Dock on the Lune Estuary 3 Mediterranean Gull were all adult, wader numbers of note were 5,000 Lapwing and 550 Golden Plover at least, 7 Bar-tailed Godwit, c.25 Black-tailed Godwit, and a distant Spotted Redshank.

Wigeon. Dave Appleton.

Pintail. Dave Appleton.

At Cockersands, a stark reminder of the time of year when I found at least 500 Wigeon off Plover Scar with 40 Pintail and 7 Eider, also of note 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Little Egret, and 3 Wheatear. Thanks to Dave Appleton for the wildfowl images.

Ringed Plover. Brian Rafferty.

From Gulf Lane 3 Ringed Plover juveniles were alone in a flooded field at Cockerham Moss Edge. Thanks to Brian Rafferty for the excellent Rossall Point juvenile. At Fluke Hall I noted a Wheatear, Dunnock, and 2 Little Egret, a Peregrine Falcon flew above c.30 Lapwing in flight ignoring them and continued east, a Red Admiral was the only butterfly seen. A healthy walk from Fluke Hall to Cockers Dyke was well rewarded when I found 3 adult Mediterranean Gull present.

And finally....

Curlew/Snipe. Cliff Raby.

An excellent opportunistic photograph of a Curlew overshadowing the Snipe which was achieved from the Eric Morecambe Hide at Leighton Moss. Thanks to Cliff Raby for this, a much appreciated and perfect illustration/comparison of the two waders involved.

The Washout....

2011-09-19T20:57:00.000+01:00

....a couple of gloomy pics, and a stunning one of a bird.

The gloomy pics are both of the early autumn weather we're 'enjoying' in our area, this one was taken by me on Sunday 11 September when the gale wasn't quite as strong as it was the following two days.

This one I took today at Cockersands early afternoon by which time I'd reached the 'shouldn't I be doing something more useful with my life' mode, this was a washout and I buggered off home. The view is of what you can see - through the mist and drizzle - of Sunderland Point from the Cockersands lighthouse.

I'd started off in good spirits - which didn't last very long - at Conder Green where the only birds to find their way into the book were, 5 Little Grebe and 'the' 2 Wigeon on Conder Pool, with 35 Teal in the creeks. The circuit proved pretty worthless but at least 80 Goldfinch were of note and perhaps pointed towards the chance of c.300 as in September 2009, and c.200 in 2010.

At Glasson Dock on the Lune Estuary where today there was no chance of me becoming a dedicated counter for anybody. Something put panic into probably 9,000 birds, but despite a thorough grilling when they settled down again I noted just 3 Black-tailed Godwit, and the Golden Plovers didn't reach three figures here today.

The day was illuminated by the sighting of an immature male Marsh Harrier which I saw from Moss Lane giving excellent views quartering the fields. From the lighthouse soon before the weather turned positively grim, some birding from the car produced 6 Bar-tailed Godwit, c.650 Redshank, 70 Dunlin and similar Ringed Plover....Repent the end is nigh!

And finally....

Grey Phalarope. Brian Rafferty

You don't get the opportunity very often - if ever - to photograph at close range a bird like the Grey Phalarope was at Lytham St Anne's recently, but BR took full advantage of the situation to achieve a stunning image of this juvenile bird....Thanks for this once more Brian.

Scilly Update.

A Red-eyed Vireo was found at St Mary's here today. One of the commonest birds of deciduous woodlands of North America, it winters in South America, south to Argentina, and is the commonest North American passerine to reach Britain.

Scilly Goodies!

2011-09-18T17:08:00.000+01:00

At least three 'goodies' have already turned up on the Scillies - are you going this year? - and I found videos of all three which are good, in particular the first which is an excellent one of the singing Northern Waterthrush. But if you've not the time or interest in all three I'd go for the Black And White Warbler an excellent film of this little beauty, though I'm both puzzled and disappointed at not being able to hear this bird singing it's head off even though there is a bird heard in the background....try it and see/hear for yourself.

The Northern Waterthrush breeds from Alaska across Canada to Nova Scotia, it winters from Florida, Cuba and Mexico south to Ecuador, Peru and northern Brazil....In any event, this bird is lost and had no intention of finding itself on the Scilly Isles where the first record of the species for Britain was found in September 1958 at St Agnes.

Another North American bird, the Black-And-White Warbler winters south to northern South America. It is - as the video reveals - a quite simply unmistakable bird the first British record of which was of a bird found at Scalloway, Mainland Shetland in October 1936, this bird was dead, the first live bird found was at St Mary's, Isles of Scilly 40 years later in September 1975.

Yet another North American bird, the Solitary Sandpiper is one of the rarest North American waders in Britain, it breeds in the coniferous forest belt of northern North America and winters mostly in South America. The first British record of this species is of a bird some time prior to 1870 at Strathclyde, Lanarkshire.

I'm off to the Scillies....are you cumin!

The Sabine's Gull.

2011-09-17T11:49:00.002+01:00

Juvenile Sabine's Gull. Copy Permitted.

The Sabine's Gull (SG) has a fragmented but circumpolar breeding range in subarctic regions and the high Arctic, it winters off the Pacific coast of South America and in the South Atlantic off southern Africa.

A scare passage migrant to our area in Lancashire, a SG has spent 6 days at Heysham Harbour until last seen on Wednesday 14 September and 'entertained' all comers during its stay....including me. Unlike the one in the photograph above the Heysham bird was an adult which thankfully - to birders with an expertise to match mine - could be picked out from the attendant 'terns/gulls' at the power station outfalls even without the aid of optics on your nose-end such are its easy ID characteristics.

The numbers of SG seen in Britain are - to a large extent - dependant on the incidence of westerly gales in September. In recent years there have been two particularly large influxes, a severe gale in September 1983 produced in excess of 100 individuals in Cornwall, while a 'hurricane' in October 1987 produced c.250 of which up to 100 were seen inland mainly in south east England.

The first record for a SG in Britain is of a bird at Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire in 1839. But in Ireland there is a record of an immature bird found in Belfast Bay, Antrim in September 1822. Oakes claimed the first Lancashire record of SG to have been a bird at Morecambe in October 1893. A more modern first county record is of a bird at Blackpool in September 1950.

With the popularity of sea-watching growing, by the 1970's sightings were becoming more frequent. In 1980 passage began in August, and in the period up to mid-October 9 singles were recorded from Heysham south to Liverpool, and in 1987 covering a similar span 15 birds included at least 6 at Heysham in September which constitutes the county's largest day-count. Most SG's seen in Lancashire are 'one day only' birds, but a few hang around for longer as this latest Heysham bird has shown, but this one didn't do so for as long as one there in 1988 which stayed for 15 days.

The Sabine's Gull I saw last Monday gave me the enjoyment and fascination I knew it would - if only I could find it - when I arrived at the harbour. Find it I did and went on to have excellent views of what I'd refer to as a brilliant creature which added perfectly to my still growing passion for the birds.

Try these for size!

392+ Sabine's Gulls Bridges of Ross, Co. Clare
12 Buff-breasted Sandpipers Tacumshin, Co. Wexford

And....The 'Scilly Season' is under way with, Solitary Sandpiper and a Black and White Warbler already found.

Not a lot....

2011-09-15T20:55:00.001+01:00

....to write home about!

But with BT, an autumn upland visit on a brilliant day weather-wise was an absolute must. However, as is often the case - especially so late in the year - there was nothing much to write home about, nor very much to write in my book, but it's essential to keep on plugging away in these areas on the principal....you never know what you're gonna discover whilst learning to accommodate nowt!

Having no appropriate photographs associated with today's birding, I was unable to resist....

Grey Phalarope. David Cookson.

These images of the Grey Phalarope currently on Fairhaven Lake at St Annes. Thanks for these DC....brilliant is the word, and much appreciated.

A decision to go at least so far up the Hawthornthwaite track on the west side was a good decision if only to find a pair of Stonechat here. Not too surprised at that though, because although I'd found none up here on two visits - 27 January/7 April - I found 5 on 24 June, and found 9 six days later on 30 June, being a pair with 5 young, and a male and female, a pair found on 9 August were probably these two today. Also noted, 9 Red Grouse, at least 40 Meadow Pipit, and a Buzzard. Butterflies were, 3 Red Admiral, 2 Small Copper, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, and a Peacock.

A saunter up the track from Tower Lodge was a different story than that up the same track two weeks ago on 1 September when amongst other observations were 5 Spotted Flycatcher still here. Today produced 6 Coal Tit, 3 Goldcrest, a Nuthatch, a Robin, and a Blue Tit. On our way out of Lancaster we had called at Blea Tarn Reservoir to note, a Little Grebe, 2 Great-crested Grebe, at least 100 Lapwing, c.60 Mallard, 2 Cormorant, and 3 Linnet.

And finally....

Greenshank. Phillip Tomkinson.

Another brilliant image, this of the Greenshank and their reflections. Many thanks for this, and much appreciated PT

The Regua Project.

2011-09-14T20:24:00.011+01:00

'For each hundred trees of time long gone, only five remain to bear witness and to accuse the centuries-old, relentless executioner. Only five, no more: the ghost of the proud primeval forest'....Carlos Drummond de Andrade.

Regua is hepling to protect one of the last stands of tropical rainforests in the severely depleted Atlantic Rainforest which needs as much help as it can get. Please take a look at the website below.

REGUA.

And take a look at the video below showing one of many of the rich array and variation of birds to be found in the Atlantic Rainforest Mata Atlantica the Green-headed Tanager.

You can keep up to date on the travels - and see the pictures of some of the brilliant birds - of Colin Bushell who is currently leading a truly successful trip in this amazing area in Brazil HERE

Sitting it out!

2011-09-13T20:55:00.000+01:00

In brief....

It was a bit difficult today, for starters it was late when I got out birding, the tide was only a couple of hours from high and the waders 'disappeared', and there's a 'howler' still blowing, which reminds me....I was given some interesting statistics today when someone who had measured the wind speed yesterday, told me it had gusted several times at 65mph at Cockersands.

Gannet. David Cookson.

So I decided the best bet was to sit it out in the motor at Cockersands and put it to the sea-watching test, and see what - if anything - happens. Well, I never really expected it to be the best sea watching location in the land but at least there was a little action and I ended up with 7 Gannets in two hours, including three lingering close in, three on the sea also close in, and a distant individual, also a Great Skua flying out of the bay. Also noted from the motor - not my kind of birding - during the watch, a Whimbrel, 2 Eider, and a Great-crested Grebe.

With a few minutes to spare on the way home, I called in at Conder Green to see 2 Spotted Redshank both adults, and 2 Greenshank. On Conder Pool 5 Little Grebe, and 2 Wigeon drakes.

And being that seabirds are the topic....

Kittiwake. David Cookson.

Here's another of DC's excellent photographs, this of the Kittiwakes obviously not seeing eye to eye. If it's brilliant photographs you're after....they're all HERE

The SG Has It!

2011-09-12T21:30:00.000+01:00

Dusting it off and donning my twitchers hat I set off for Heysham Harbour to target a 'gull' and arrived at the power station outfalls to find - to my amazement - I was the only one on duty, well its 9.30am not 5.30am I thought to myself, but there I was....alone!

Sabine's Gull. Mike Watson.

It felt and sounded like a gale to me, whether or not it officially was I have no idea, but lets say it was blowing a howler. Making the best of views I had at the outfall through a telescope on the verge of a nervous breakdown I picked up an adult Little Gull, uncounted adult and juvenile Arctic Terns, and at least one Common Tern, but wait a minute, this isn't a bad start but....wheres the 'target bird'. OK, now I move on to the next outfall where there are more birds feeding - or at least looking for something to feed on - and here it came into the scope and gave me excellent and often close views, a pretty smart bird this adult Sabine's Gull.

From here I walked cautiously - I'm in danger of being blown into the sea here you know - to the harbour wall to spend just a while looking out to sea to no avail, but noting at least 90 Turnstones taking shelter on the old wooden jetty. I retreated even more cautiously back along the sea wall to find a wind blow Wheatear opposite the caravan park.

Sabine's Gull. Mike Watson.

My own personal opinion of the photograph of the Sabine's Gull above, is that it has the whole atmosphere of what I saw at Heysham Harbour today and not just a picture of a bird in an empty sky, this shot shows the bird passing the old wooden jetty which is slowly crumbling into the sea. A brilliant image with my thanks to Mike Watson for allowing it on Birds2blog.

The day from here on turned out to be a little on the dull and unproductive side. At Conder Green I saw a Common Sandpiper on Conder Pool which brings me another day closer to suggesting this bird is going to be this years wintering individual at Conder Green. Also on the pool, 5 Little Grebe, and the two site faithful Wigeons, a Grey Plover was in the channel below the railway bridge, and c.70 Swallows were hawking over the marsh. On Glasson Marsh from Bodie Hill 2 Little Egret.

Apart from the fact it was now high tide at Cockersands, the wind made it almost impossible to scan the only land above water at what remained of Plover Scar, but I managed to pick out a Whimbrel, c.25 Turnstone, and a 'few' Ringed Plover, a single Eider was off here, and at least 20 Greenfinch were in what I insist on calling the 'setaside' by Lighthouse Cottage.

And finally....

Lesser Yellowlegs/Pectoral Sandpipers. Colin Bushell.

Well, if this had been taken at Hesketh Out Marsh you'd have to call CB a little on the greedy side at finding these three together, but these are on the coast east of Rio de Janeiro and you can see more exciting stuff like this HERE....Thanks for this Colin, keep 'em cumin!

Delayed Action....

2011-09-11T18:00:00.005+01:00

I did get out on Friday with BT but I've had some computer problems to deal with, the consequences of which has been that the post has been delayed. The computer is obviously feeling much better now though I must say I've received no e-mails in the past few days so still problems for my 'wizard' to attend to....But first a couple of birds which turned up on the Marine Lake at Fleetwood last week.

Manx Shearwater. Phil Slade

Most surprising of the two has to be the Manx Shearwater which appears to be in good health if the photograph is anything to go by and I have no knowledge of it being otherwise.

Red-throated Diver. David Cookson

But not all that much less surprising this summer plumage Red-throated Diver which sadly is no more, though I have it on good authority that the bird appeared ill on its arrival on the lake. Thanks to PS/DC for the images, as ever much appreciated.

I was with BT on Friday and we first went to Knott End where the Sandwich Tern numbers don't appear to have exceeded the c.230 seen her earlier in the migration period on the early date of 29 July, today I found only two. Also of note were 2 Curlew Sandpiper juveniles, 2 Mediterranean Gull both of which were adult, and some uncounted - not much use to the recorders - Sanderling, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, and Dunlin.

I then decided to walk from Knott End to Fluke Hall to meet BT there a couple of hours later. At Cockers Dyke another adult Mediterranean Gull found, and noted 2 Bar-headed Geese over going west, c.3,200 Knot, c.50 Grey Plover some of which retained stunning summer plumage, and estimates of 250 Lapwing, 120 Sanderling, 100 Golden Plover, and similar Dunlin. Between the two locations I counted with caution at least 12 Wheatear which have the habit of flying in both directions causing duplicate counts by passing you in flight more than once, and a single Red Admiral seen. Calling in at Pilling Lane Ends gave us 3 Wheatear and a Little Egret.

I have to record....in all honesty the visit to Cockersands - being a location full of 'western promise' and occasionally excellent results - was too brief and pointless. Sorry BT no offence, but this place needs two hours absolute minimum, preferably three. The Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock and Conder Green were also not visited today....So, some 'birding' mistakes made today in my opinion.

And finally....

Yellow-headed Caracara. Colin Bushell

One of the many bird species CB will no doubt encounter on his current trip to Regua in Brazil. You can keep up to date with him HERE

The Curlew Sandpiper.

2011-09-09T21:21:00.002+01:00

It's always good to find a Curlew Sandpiper (CS) and having seen one or two this autumn I was as always fascinated to think of the distance this bird had already flown to reach places like Glasson Dock - which is where I found my first this year - and the further distance it has to travel to reach its wintering grounds.

Curlew Sandpiper. Brian Rafferty

Time will tell, but there appears to be an influx in the making this autumn with CS's seen around the country and sometimes in decent flocks. These influxes are related to population peaks and/or weather conditions encountered by the birds on migration between the distant parts of the high Arctic tundra of Siberia and wintering grounds mainly in Africa. The CS in spring is invariably seen in small numbers, I personally have never seen one at this time of the year, but the image above is of an adult seen by BR at Marshide 6 June and if this individual was intent on breeding it had a long flight ahead of it.

The adult male CS leaves the breeding grounds immediately after mating - no dedication to your partner there then - and most have commenced migration by mid-July, the female raises the young alone leaving the breeding grounds when they are independent, she then leaves to migrate mainly in early August to begin arriving in Britain by mainly late August with stragglers sometimes into October and even November.

In excess of 2,000 CS have been ringed in the Britain but only a mere fraction of no more than 40 have ever been recovered, but estimated figures of CS passing through the Sivash Gulf, Ukraine in autumn can reach a staggering 140,000. In years of large influxes flocks of up to 500 CS's have been recorded in Britain, the kind of numbers I'd be rubbing my eyes with if I came across them at Glasson Dock. My personal best count was one misty afternoon at Leighton Moss some years ago when I watched 12 come down on to the Allen Pool. Some other numbers I would like to have seen were those of 65 in September 1969, and 30 in September 1972, both recorded at Conder Green.

And finally....

Little Stint. David Cookson

Here's another little gem to be on the look out for in the coming days/weeks. Many thanks to BR/DC for the usual excellent images to brighten up Birds2blog.

Gone with the wind!

2011-09-06T21:25:00.003+01:00

And some showers to dodge....

River Conder. Pete Woodruff.

When I rounded the corner by the Stork Hotel at 11 o'clock this morning I was more than a little surprised to find I thought I'd read the tide table wrong but no, this was the River Conder in spate the likes of which I've personally never quite seen before. The shot above of the river going under the A588 road bridge shows how it would look at the height of a c.8m tide, yet that had been nearly five hours earlier at just after 6.00am.

I never expected to find any birds in the creeks with this volume of water racing down, but my second surprise of the morning came just a few minutes after the first when I found 5 Greenshank and 2 Spotted Redshank all feeding on the edge of this torrent of water. Also noted was a single Bar-tailed Godwit, on Conder Pool the number has increased to 5 Little Grebe on here, a Common Sandpiper had me wondering when to start thinking this may be this years wintering individual, and 3 Wigeon, c.40 Goldfinch were over by the old railway bridge.

Spot the Spotted. Pete Woodruff.

The Lune Estuary also gave the impression of high tide and amazed me at the volume of water racing down past Glasson Dock to the sea around the corner. Here the birds were very thin and no sign of the previously reported Curlew Sandpipers, but I noted on what little mud was above water c.350 Redshank, c.20 Dunlin, and 2 Goosander were distant dots. A return here two hours later gave me 2 Spotted Redshank one of which is in the pic above - it's the one in the centre behind the Lapwing - but I couldn't help thinking these could be the two earlier birds seen at Conder Green.

Juvenile Knot. Brian Rafferty

At Cockersands where one or two gusts of wind were almost of blow you over force, through a very shaky telescope I eventually found 2 Curlew Sandpiper in company with c.65 Ringed Plover, 40 Dunlin, 6 Turnstone, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, and a juvenile Knot.

Mega News. Courtesy of RBA.

Yelkouan Shearwater. Copyright Dave Appleton

Some recent 'Mega Birds' in the UK have been, a Yelkouan Shearwater past Cley, Norfolk 29 Aug, a Fea's Petrel past Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire 31 August, a Black-browed Albatross past Kilnsea, East Yorkshire, 1 September, and a Madeiran Petrel past Pendeen Watch, Cornwall 6 September....wonder where all these four birds are now.

Thanks to Dave Appleton for the brilliant photograph of the Yelkouan Shearwater.

Rare and Scarce.

2011-09-05T16:30:00.002+01:00

Ruff. Phil Slade

The status of many of the bird species in our area of Lancashire are recorded as rare or scarce, for example in the 2009 LDBWS Annual Report, of 121 species recorded 29 were 'rare' and 45 'scarce'....I've done a few notes on three of them, being in the Red/Amber/Green list respectively.

Counting 14 Ruff of Hillam Lane in a field by Norbreck Farm on Thursday 25 August was an all time best record for me, though the bird - which is a rare breeder in Lancashire - is a fairly common passage migrant and winter visitor, its a species you don't get many chances of seeing in such a number, but is a particular favourite wader of mine and I'm always pleased to find one or two around this time of the year and maybe during the winter period.

The Ribble Marshes and Marshside are the two best places to find Ruff at a lek, but in 2009 no lek was found anywhere within these areas and the year was regarded as an uneventful one with low numbers recorded and a decline in Lancashire reflecting the national trend which led to the Ruff being Red Listed as a Species of European Conservation Concern.

Purple Sandpiper. David Cookson

The Purple Sandpiper is definitely a rare bird in winter in our recording area and is in the Amber List. I don't recall anywhere you'll see this species anywhere other than at Heysham, or the Stone Jetty area in Morecambe. In 2009 the Purple Sandpiper wasn't seen anywhere in Lancashire or on the Fylde coast more than four in number. Three pairs bred in the UK in 2003 and after a gap of six years two pairs were confirmed to have bred at a site in the Highlands of Scotland in 2009.

Little Ringed Plover. Simon Hawtin

On the other hand, another favourite wader of mine - how many favourites do I have you might ask - is the Little Ringed Plover (LRP), not least of all because of its annual arrival on the Conder Pool, though proof of breeding year on year is another matter. The LRP has the welcomed distinction of being quite the opposite to the Ruff and better than the Purple Sandpiper in that it is a Green Listed Species, the number of confirmed and probable breeding pairs reached 600 in 2009 which included 21 pairs in Lancashire and North Merseyside even though its status is that of a scarce breeder of which the pair on Conder Pool successfully reared two young which were seen here until 21 August 2009....quite a different story to that of the LRP on Conder Pool in 2011 I may tell you. My personal best record of the LRP is that of an amazing 16 at Halforth on 11 July 2006 and an observation I'm not likely to forget in a hurry.

Thanks to PS/DC/SH for the much appreciated and excellent images.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!

Missing the Migrants.

2011-09-03T16:38:00.001+01:00

On the JB/BT day yesterday (Friday) we missed the migrants - Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stint - on the Lune Estuary, but thanks to a very reliable and obliging contact at least I knew they were there and where.

With no appropriate pics again for today's post I thought I'd put up a couple of my miserable attempts at photographic skills with two 'Coming Soon' shots of the Pink-footed Geese.

And....

The Whooper Swans....both species will be in an area near you soon, even in maybe 5-6 weeks time.

Yes you guessed it, we started at Freeman's Pools where I noted up to 6 Little Grebe, as always JB will have comprehensively noted much more both here and elsewhere HERE. Conder Green - including Conder Pool - was a depressing deserted place today and we soon moved on to Glasson Dock where I left the finer details to JB but noted myself, 3 adult Mediterranean Gulls and c.110 Golden Plover. From Bodie Hill 2 Little Egret seen.

What turned out to be at the minimum 2,500 birds in a field off Moss Lane were estimated as 900 Black-headed Gull, 950 Lapwing, and 600 Golden Plover. At Cockersands on Plover Scar I made notes of 980 Oystercatcher, 55 Ringed Plover, 55 Dunlin, and 4 Turnstone, 21 Eider were off here, c.20 Goldfinch were seen near Bank Houses, and a Sparrowhawk dashed through, at least 22 Small Tortoiseshell were on nettles in pristine freshly emerged condition, with a Common Blue noted.

The routine tour along Gulf Lane produced a solitary Grey Partridge, and at Pilling Lane Ends where the 10m + tide was at its height there was little inspiration save a Little Egret, 5 Great-crested Grebe and 3 Red-breasted Merganser, a solitary Wall Brown and 2 Speckled Wood rounded the session off.

Note.

On Thursday at Glasson Dock I observed an Oystercatcher with a bill deformity in that it was the same size and shape as that of a Curlew. I had thought at the time this creature was unable to preen in order to keep its plumage in good healthy condition, were the Curlew has the advantage of a long neck. However, the Oystercatcher definitely appeared generally uncomfortable about the predicament it was permanently in for life and I felt its chances of survival was limited....An amazing sight if unpleasant for the unfortunate bird.

Mixed Bag!

2011-09-01T20:48:00.002+01:00

Willow Emerald Damselfly. Marc Heath

No appropriate photographs for today's birding, but no better way to start a post than this brilliant little creature stunningly photographed.

And....

Chalk Hill Blue. Marc Heath

If you live in the same area as I do you won't have to hold your breath until you find one of these beauties. Thanks for the images Marc, much appreciated.

My 'mixed bag' for today started at Conder Green where I soon found the palest juvenile Curlew Sandpiper I'm ever likely to see. A phone call to a reliable contact of mine to explain a wader causing me problems had us both deciding what it was, but this individual had the purest white underparts with barely any detectable suffused pale buff on foreneck and breast....got me going for a while! A Little Grebe on Conder Pool is later than those of 2010 on here when I found my first 3 on Tuesday 24 August and actually peaked at 16 on Monday18 October. Nothing else much on the pool save a Common Sandpiper, the two drake Wigeon, and 19 Mute Swans waiting for 'Mr Warburton' to turn up.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock an adult Mediterranean Gull, c.220 Golden Plover, and a solitary Black-tailed Godwit before the incoming tide came like a charging horse and combined with - presumably - a raptor putting everything to flight, and a birder asking me if I'd seen the YLG put me to flight too.

At this point - and void of any earlier plans - I decided to 'head for the hills' to pay what will probably be my last 'summer' visit to the Marshaw-Tower Lodge area in Bowland to find at least 5 Spotted Flycatcher having no apparent intention of 'moving out' just yet. Also of note, at least 7 Coal Tit, 7 Goldcrest, 2 Treecreeper, a Nuthatch, Dunnock, Wren, Mistle Thrush, a Dipper was the only bird seen on the stream in three hours, and a Buzzard over, another Buzzard was over Procter Moss Road on my way to Lancaster.

I make no apology for ending on a 'down note' with the pic below of one of the many kinds of snares/traps I rarely fail to come across on my many visits in a year to the Forest of Bowland....put in place as a killing tool by one of our 'Guardians of the countryside'.

The Sanderling has it....

2011-08-30T21:00:00.000+01:00

....and so does BR's photograph.

Sanderling. Brian Rafferty

I found a Sanderling on Plover Scar this afternoon with 'about' 60 Dunlin, 20 Ringed Plover, and 8 Knot, it was the 'Bird Of The Day' in my book being a scarce species anywhere in the recording area outside the migration periods of spring/autumn, obviously this bird fits the latter but at Cockersands it is a very uncommon bird. Also of note, an adult Mediterranean Gull was off Crook Cottage and a Ruff flew by with a 'few' Redshank, a Whimbrel seen, and 26 Eider were off Plover Scar.

Little Egret. David Cookson

A visit to Pilling Lane Ends at high tide went unrewarded though I should remember the Little Egret I saw no longer causes the mass invasion of birders it would have done not all that many years ago, c.35 Goldfinch were of note as were another 16 west of Fluke Hall from the coastal path with at least 10 Wheatear also along here. The effort of a walk to Cockers Dyke also went unrewarded save 7 Grey Plover one of which still retained its immaculate full summer plumage.

Mediterranean Gull. Pete Woodruff.

At Glasson Dock after the tide had ebbed by three hours I found a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper about two seconds before it did a disappearing act, an adult Mediterranean Gull, Redshank/Lapwing numbers were at the 1,000 mark, c.40 Dunlin, I made no notes on the Redshank but unremarkable numbers, up to 40 Goldfinch were of note.

As opposed to the usual start of the day, Conder Green took up the rear today with just time to find a Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank in the creeks, and look over Conder Pool to find a zero of interest save a nice man who innocently feeds the Mute Swans regularly anywhere he finds them, and was today waving two slices of bread at them through one of the viewing slits, to be kind to him I'd have to call him....'naughty but nice'.

A day at the moss.

2011-08-29T21:25:00.001+01:00

Well much better than a day at the shops in Preston/Blackpool....or anywhere else.

Curlew Sandpiper. Colin Bushell.

A few Curlew Sandpipers around now including some seen in a couple of areas I've slowly been getting acquainted with over the past 150 years, but this one CB found on the Solway yesterday. And....

Yellow-legged Gull. Permit Granted.

Here's another of those pics of the YLG you should take a close look at if you really want to claim the sighting of a bird probably going to spend the next few months in the Glasson area of the Lune Estuary.

It was good enough for me that KT agreed to pay a visit to one of the RSPB flagship reserves at Leighton Moss today. Parking the car we wandered along the road to go through what used to be called 'the blue gate' and on to the path towards the Lower Hide where we heard a Great-spotted Woodpecker and got a glimpse of a Bullfinch in flight. At the hide we were rewarded with good views of a lingering juvenile Marsh Harrier, to be honest there aren't all that many places/opportunities to observe one of these beautiful creatures like you can at LM. I noted a good number of uncounted Gadwall, 2 Great-crested Grebe, an easy three figure number of predominantly House Martins hawking with a few Sand Martins. The main interest here for me was the sight of a juvenile Little Grebe but I have it on good authority not at its natal site.

At the Public Hide I reckoned 15 Greenshank on the island as we entered the hide, but a few had flown before I settled down to count them leaving ten in view, the two adult Greater Black-backed Gulls are still here I note. At Lillians Hide - not my most favourite of locations - little to note but it was interesting to see just one female Pochard and 2 Wigeon, with a 'good number' of Sand Martins.

Red Deer. Pete Woodruff.

At the Grisedale Hide at least I managed a couple of my half decent shots with two Red Deer sat quietly like a pair of bookends until suddenly for no apparent reason they stood to face each other and were soon....

Red Deer. Pete Woodruff.

....stood motionless with antlers interlocked for a few minutes before returning to their previous resting places like bookends once again....intriguing stuff. Four Little Egret and at least 24 Teal were noted with 2 Buzzard soaring over the woods.

Putting a smile into birding.

A message on the pager service this morning told of a Wryneck at Beachy Head, Sussex, in SHOOTERS BOTTOM....Ouch!!

Kilimanjaro....

2011-08-27T11:50:00.001+01:00

....two raptors, and yet another of those irresistible Barn Owl images.

Andreas and Steve.

OK....I know this is supposed to be a birding blog and not a begging blog, but for many weeks now there has been a link in my sidebar to the 'Kilimanjaro Trek 2011' in which Steve on the right in the pic above and his brother-in-law Andreas on the left are aiming to conquer Kilimanjaro in the name of a charity committed to the cure for cancer. The last time I visited their website they were a few hundred pounds short of the target and I wondered if you could/would help. You can read all about this venture - or should that be adventure - by these two guys and make a donation if you wish HERE.

As for the Merlin....

Merlin. Martin Jump

My most favourite raptor, lightning fast and can lock on to its prey with Exocet precision. My two most memorable experience of this bird to date was the day I watched it in pursuit of a Meadow Pipit, this feathered creature followed every twist and turn of the passerine with unbelievable speed and accuracy. On a previous sighting the Merlin had become the prey of a Peregrine Falcon which I observed with dropped jaw one day on Jeremy Lane, a spectacle I'm not ever likely to forget and which lasted a few minutes before the Merlin did eventually escape and both birds went their separate ways....magical and memorable. Thanks for the photograph MJ.

Red Kite. Phillip Tomkinson

And the magnificent Red Kite with thanks to PT.

And as for the Barn Owl....

Barn Owl. David Cookson

Irresistible like I said, an incredible bird, and an incredible photograph....Thanks DC.

Well, that was a good idea....again!

2011-08-26T15:27:00.002+01:00

Thursday 25 August.

Clougha in Heather. Pete Woodruff.

With favourable weather yesterday and a pair of new boots to christen - well I certainly did that big time when I stood in a hidden bog covered in moss up to my ankles - I decided to give Clougha/Birk Bank a going over. The heather was just as nice today as in this pic which I took up there five years ago in August 2006.

I was encouraged to get on with the task in hand when I found a female Stonechat to the left of the track within five minutes of leaving the motor, but it was all false encouragement and - not surprisingly - I found not another one in a five hour search. But the area at and around the car park was buzzing with activity and I soon connected with a Redstart, Blackcap, a 'few' Willow Warblers, a Song Thrush, Coal Tit, and Dunnock.

Five hours later I had noted a Whinchat, 3 Wheatear, 14 Red Grouse, 4 Kestrel, c.80 Meadow Pipit were either over or grounded during the visit, and I noted 2 Wren at c.400m. A Peacock and 2 Red Admiral were the only butterflies seen - nothing new there then this year - and a Brown Hare.

Ruff. Conder Pool 17 August 2009. Pete Woodruff.

When I arrived back at the car on Rigg Lane at 1 o'clock I felt the magnetism of Conder Green pulling at me. Soon after finding 2 Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank, and having noted 13 Teal, following an alert about a farmer spreading in a field on Hillam Lane I arrived to eventually count an amazing 14 Ruff in a field at Norbreck Farm with several hundred predominantly Black-headed Gulls. There is a record of sixteen in this field HERE understandably as they were hidden in the long grass for long periods and I obviously 'missed' two by not being the accomplished birder I like to think I am. Void of a 'history' search this could well be an all time record for the species in this area. Also in the same field 3 Mediterranean Gulls were, a juvenile, 1st winter, and 2nd winter. Having been grilling the field for twenty minutes this 'huge' flock of gulls took to the wing en mass at the appearance of a Peregrine Falcon which failed to take out one of the Ruff by inches. A Wheatear was on Cockerham Marsh.

Whilst on Clougha/Birk Bank again today I couldn't help but think....If I was to offer advice to someone thinking of some upland birding for the first time, I'd have to warn them of the need to have the ability to accommodate the lengthy periods of 'nothing' which inevitably I suffered again today as is always the case with upland birding in the 21st century. But I'll be doing it all over again sometime soon if only to find a little gem like the Whinchat as I did today....and of course never knowing whats around the corner.

Good Afternoon.

2011-08-24T11:44:00.002+01:00

Any birding is 'good birding' to me, yesterday I managed an afternoon only slot....and an excellent 'Triple Rafferty' included in the post today too.

Kingfisher.

I caught a tantalising glimpse of the Kingfisher yesterday afternoon as it flashed out of sight as I approached the top step of the viewing platform at Conder Pool. This is my first sighting of Kingfisher at Conder Green in over six months on Tuesday 15 February. I gave the two drake Wigeon on the pool a little more time today as once again they were in close association with the Mute Swan, it was clear that - as suspected yesterday - it is a feeding strategy and they were surface feeding in the wake of the swan stirring something up every time its head went under water....but what? A Wheatear came on to one of the islands, at least 30 Swallow and 2 House Martin at any one time were hawking over the pool, a Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank were in the creeks....no circuit today.

Great White Egret

Well, not a Great White Egret, but a Little Egret was of note on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock as were 2 adult Mediterranean Gull and c.750 Golden Plover had changed the landscape since yesterdays visit.

Wheatear.

Nine Wheatear were at Cockersands including six together, an obvious sign of the time of year, you don't need a calender to have some idea of the date when you find the Wheatear in this number on the coast. Off Plover Scar I noted only 2 Eider, c.55 Mallard, 4 Wigeon, and 23 Mute Swan here were unusual. A Whimbrel and 4 Linnet brought up the rear.

Thanks to Brian Rafferty for the 'triple' of excellent photographs.

Putting a smile into birding.

As I grilled a few gulls on the River Lune in Lancaster yesterday morning to see if perhaps there was a Mediterranean amongst them, a young boy about 8 years old came up to me and asked me what I was looking for, to keep the answer simple I told him I was looking for a particular gull to which he replied he'd never heard of a Particular Gull....A new species....Mmmmm!!

Bottom of the League.

2011-08-22T21:19:00.001+01:00

Well I will be at the rate my birding went today with few points scored on a day when I gave it my all but found it very heavy going, though the Ruff at Cockersands clawed a little back for me, few and far between in our area and I reckon its possibly the bird I saw in flight with 80 Redshank at Conder Green a week ago on 15 August. Today the bird was with estimates of 800 Dunlin, 630 Redshank, and 200 Ringed Plover. A Sparrowhawk and the 2 Wall Brown butterflies don't add up to a double figure count in my book for the entire summer.

Ladybirds. Pete Woodruff.

A circuit produced little save 2 Wheatear, up to 50 Swallow noted around Bank Houses, and these two 7-Spot Ladybirds appearing to be engaged in some multiplication activity, the 7-Spot is one of our commonest and is abundant in all kinds of habitat. There are 46 species in the UK of which only 26 are readily recognisable as Ladybirds.

I had started the day at Conder Green where the pool was once again deserted save the 2 Wigeon drakes which - for the whole hour I spent in the area - remained in close company with a Mute Swan recently resident on here....presumably some feeding behaviour. Other notes here, up to 40 Mallard were on the River Conder between the road bridge and Bush House, a Grey Wagtail was of note, also at least 12 House Martin around River winds, and it was nice to find 2 Whitethroat still in the area.

Wheatear. David Cookson.

Not your average image of a Wheatear - but well above it - of which two were at Glasson Dock. The Lune Estuary here was unimpressive today and although Lapwing numbers remain at c.1,000 other wader numbers were low though I had no intention of having today as a wader counting one. A Greenshank and Little Egret were the only other notes. A birder - unknown to me - who was already in position when I arrived pointed out a 'gull' he claimed to be the resident YLG....on this occasion I decided not to enlighten him of his error!

It was good to see AR/JR today at Glasson Dock and put a few things in the 'Birding World' to right. I know you look in on Birds2blog and hope to see you again soon, meanwhile....Kind Regards to you both.

And finally....

Sedge Warbler. David Cookson.

This time, not your average Sedge Warbler image with its catch of a deceased Orthoptera. Two stunning photographs of which you can always see more HERE

We have lift off....

2011-08-20T16:49:00.003+01:00

....but didn't get to the moon having to abort at Fluke Hall!

But first....

Hummingbird Hawk Moth. Martin Jump

I reckon to call this a pretty impressive image of the Hummingbird Hawk Moth would be something of an understatement. I've not particularly ever viewed many images of the moth, but this is by far the best I ever saw. Great stuff, and all credit to an amateur photographer who can achieve this kind of result and thanks for allowing it on to Birds2blog Martin.

With JB/BT 'lift off' was at 10 o'clock Friday morning when we proceeded to Aldcliffe to find a Green Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover on the currently excellent condition flood. At Conder Green, we found the whole area generally quiet although JB's comprehensive records HERE will indicate otherwise, I noted my first autumn 4 Teal, 5 Common Sandpiper, and the Moorhen on Conder Pool now appear to only have two young from the initial three.

At Glasson Dock on the Lune Estuary - in the time allowed - I noted a Greenshank, at least 1,000 Lapwing and a similar 1,000 Redshank, 6 Golden Plover, and a Peregrine Falcon on the edge of Colloway Marsh bidding its time to take off and cause mass panic wherever it goes.

At Cockersands the 1st summer male Marsh Harrier gave excellent views again today, here for its sixth week having been first seen on 7 July. At least 85 'finches' seen here today being estimates of 60 Goldfinch, and 25 Greenfinch.

Not for the first time on Friday the days birding seemed to fall flat on its face from here on. A detour round Gulf Lane drew a blank, and at Pilling Lane Ends, 15 Common Blue were mainly attributed to BT, whilst I noted a single Gatekeeper and Peacock. From Backsands Lane, c.230 Greylag was a good count in my book. Despite a run to Fluke Hall the end was nigh.

Colours of nature. Pete Woodruff.

The visit to Pilling Lane Ends was all the worth while if only to see the stunning array of colour still on show in the flowers there....colour you could eat and a credit to all concerned in the village of Pilling.

Next week an attempt at MARS....that'll probably be of the chocolate bar kind - not the planet - the one that helps you work, rest, and play!!

And finally....

Crescent-chested Puffbird. Colin Bushell.

You won't have to hold your breath until you find one of these on your patch in the UK....

Marbled Duck. Colin Bushell.

Or one of these either. Both species no doubt on CB's list again when he visits Regua in Brazil anytime soon. You can find lots more where these came from on Colin's website HERE

Untitled....

2011-08-18T21:08:00.002+01:00

....couldn't think of one!

Small Heath. Marc Heath

On a good day weather-wise, save a few 'whites' I saw just four butterflies today, a Small Heath and 3 Red Admiral, all four seen on Harrisend where I found 3 Whinchat, an annual event here if you chose to be there on the right day/s. Also of note, 2 Whitethroat took me by surprise in the lone Hawthorn by the track where a Willow Warbler came within a couple of mtrs as I stood motionless, c.15 Meadow Pipit, a Dunnock, and a Buzzard. From the track to Lane Head I saw 2 Redstart, and at least 20 Mistle Thrush exploded out of one of the brilliant old Oak trees down this track, a Coal Tit also noted.

At Conder Green void of a circuit today, 5 Common Sandpiper, the two drake site-faithful Wigeon were on Conder Pool with little else, c.35 Goldfinch in flight. At Glasson Dock on the Lune Estuary an adult Mediterranean Gull, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, and in excess of 1,000 Redshank today. I noted the absence of any Bar-tailed Godwit here.

At Cockersands, a small variety of c.1000 waders on Plover Scar consisted of, 5 Whimbrel, up to 100 Ringed Plover, 750 Oystercatcher, 130 Dunlin, 6 Golden Plover, 9 Knot, and 5 Turnstone. Off here were 33 Eider, and 3 Linnet noted on the headland. As I walked towards Bank End to check out the high tide gull roost - which resulted in a nil of interest - an Osprey went over going south west.

The Glorious Twelfth.

Having been in Red Grouse country this morning I was reminded of the shock and disbelief I had when reading a comment regarding the then forthcoming 'Glorious Twelfth' - a day celebrated by the so called 'Guardians of the Countryside' - from a high profile professional with a dedication to wildlife, which said quote....'Its not a sport I take part in but accept that the Red Grouse we see on the moors are only there because of it'....unquote.....Perhaps you'd like to read through that once again, just to be sure you got it right.

The Sandwich Tern.

2011-08-17T19:38:00.001+01:00

Sandwich Tern. Phil Slade

The first British record of Sandwich Tern (ST) goes back as far as 1784 at Sandwich in Kent, the bird was then collected by a William Boys, the bird was sometimes then called Boys Tern....Thanks for the photograph PS.

The ST is an annual visitor to Preesall Sands during its migration journey to West Africa in mainly late July-late August, though earlier and later records can be found. I visited Knott End on 29 July specifically to see if the ST had started to gather yet and was a little surprised to count at least 230 birds there, a lovely sight of a bird which makes an equally lovely sound.

Oakes reported ST's nesting with Common Terns on the Ainsdale/Formby coast in 1910, 1912, and 1916, as I understand it there have been no attempts since. The ST is always the first 'tern' to be seen in the spring, the average date being the last few days in March, though the earliest date was recorded at Heysham on 13 March 1990, this same site also has the claim of a late record, that of a bird seen on 7 November 1991, but another record during the winter months was of an individual seen off Blackpool in December 1994.

I've not made many notes on ringing statistics and recoveries, but a notable recovery is that of a nestling S.s.acuflavidus - which breed along Atlantic and Gulf coasts - ringed in North Carolina, and was found dead in its first winter in southwest England, another also ringed in North Carolina was found in the Netherlands.

It's a sad fact that trapping is carried out - mainly by children - in West Africa, they use dead fish as bait in a noose trap and in the 21st century this so called 'tradition' still remains widespread. In years when the Sardine is abundant the trapping becomes even more prevalent. It is painfully obvious that there is the need for a high profile in the education of the people of parts of the world where this kind of attitude towards wildlife - in this case the ST - which brings them to trap and kill with no justification. Such an education would not only benefit the birds and their populations, but would also benefit the local fisherman as the very birds they are killing are those which are used as markers of fish concentrations in their seas.

And finally....

White-throated Hummingbird. Colin Bushell

A bit of exotica from a previous trip to Regua in Brazil, the bird is an Atlantic Forest endemic....Thanks CB.

Image by Geoff Gradwell

And whilst I'm certainly not good on insects, I reckon images like this one from amateur photographers deserve a lot of credit....Thanks GG.

I'm afraid you have to ignore the video above, apparently there was an error whilst downloading it and I've no idea how to get rid of the thing, in any case it doesn't work anyway.....A Birds2blog boob!!

The Usual Suspects.

2011-08-15T21:04:00.002+01:00

Well a few of them anyway.

I've also accumulated quite a number of brilliant images from some birder/photographers I know, the first of today's is....

Merlin. Colin Bushell

My favourite raptor the smart little Merlin which Colin found at Hesketh Out Marsh recently, the caption read 'Magnificent Merlin'....I'll second that.

White-throated Robin. Gary Jenkins

Gary joined the hordes at Hartlepool, Durham in June to see and photograph this little gem which caused quite a stir during its stay there. As for me....I managed to get some time in today but despite some considerable effort uncovered nothing other than a few of the usual suspects in the Conder/Glasson/Cockersands/Bank End area.

At Conder Green it took me thirty seconds to establish Conder Pool to be deserted save two lonesome drake Wigeon. On the circuit I noted 6 Common Sandpiper, at least 80 Redshank with which - when they took to flight - I saw briefly with them a same size wader definitely not a Redshank. I reckon if you're planning a visit here sometime soon you may find a Ruff which I'm refusing to record having lost the bird to view and didn't find again despite trying to. Also noted, 4 Swift over, maybe my last of 2011, and House Martins are still visiting nest at River Winds.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock which I mistimed - I'm pretty good at mistiming - 'cos the tide was well up but had driven at least 900 Redshank to closer quarters than usual, c.250 Dunlin, 320 Golden Plover, a Greenshank, and 55 Bar-tailed Godwit are a remnant of what they've been during most of the summer here, up to 90 Canada Geese were noted on Colloway Marsh.

The waders at Cockersands were confined to Plover Scar on the high tide and I noted 2 Whimbrel, c.20 Ringed Plover, 10 Dunlin, and a solitary Turnstone, a passing Peregrine Falcon soon changed the landscape....but shouldn't that be waderscape! Eleven Eider seen included two adults and two young, these birds have been seen here on two recent visits 28 July/3 August and have always been in the same area separated from the rest and were three young then, a Wheatear also seen, and a brief raptor in flight and soon over the hedge was Merlin/Sparrowhawk of which I'll plump for the latter. One of the most notable records of the day in my book was that of 18 Greenfinch here.

On Hillam Lane at least 40 Tree Sparrow seen from a moving car. And at Bank End I noted a Common Sandpiper, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, and c.15 distant Linnet on the marsh.

And finally....

Stonechat. Warren Baker

A nice image of the juvenile Stonechat from my man in Kent, the most dedicated patchworker I know....bar none.

Whinchat/ Wheatear. Warren Baker

And....whats the odds on this happening again....a pretty amazing photograph.

Along came the spider.

2011-08-14T18:37:00.001+01:00

The Ladybird Spider (LS) was for many years thought to be extinct in the UK, but in the 1980's a colony was discovered still clinging on. It is a truly amazing creature not only because of its bright red body and four black spots giving rise to its name of LS, but also because it is a creature which leads a fascinating life, not least because they spend most of the time underground where they create silk canopies decorated with the remains of other spiders, ants, and beetles they have previously eaten.

Today conservationists are giving the LS a helping hand by releasing some into one of the most diverse insect and spider habitats in the country at Arne RSPB Reserve in Dorset. These creatures will be yet another addition to a reserve which already plays host to a number of rare insect and spider species which includes....

Silver-studded Blue. Steven Cheshire

The threatened Silver-studded Blue butterfly, and....

Roesel's Bush Cricket. Nick Gadenne

The Roesel's Bush Cricket which was only discovered at Arne last year, it is quite rare and formerly found only in coastal areas of the south east.

The most interesting and intriguing aspect of all this is the method being used to transfer the LS's which is in empty plastic mineral water bottles, they are apparently the right shape and size for the spiders to make their nests in, they were captured in the heather and moss filled bottles, and having settled in and made their webs, they will be buried in holes in the ground at their new home at Arne.

Being the heathland specialist it is, the LS - along with birds like the Dartford Warbler and Nightjar - has suffered over the years from the loss of its heathland habitat through destruction. More than 90% of lowland heathland has been lost to such things as commercial forestry, development, and agriculture.

So....lots of fingers crossed at this project and the attempt to save the LS.

Last week will go down in my book as the worst for some time and for one reason or another I've done no birding since the exceptionally good and rewarding day I had last Tuesday in the Marshaw/Tower Lodge area in Bowland. I have a feeling if I continue to have these spells of no birding - five days now - and follow the trend of non-bird related posts, there's going to be the need to change the title of Birds2blog to maybe....Wildlife2blog!!

No Go....

2011-08-12T13:01:00.003+01:00

....and the Ross's Gull.

For one reason or another the traditional Friday JB/BT/PW jaunt was called off today. I'm housebound and taking antidepressants by the dozen, whilst KT continues to insist its not the end of the world, well....we're all entitled to our opinions.

Ross's Gull. Pete Woodruff.

So I've been sifting through my photographs and came across a reminder about a gem of a gull which I went to see at Lytham St Annes in April 2008. My resulting photograph may well look initially good, but the camera didn't handle the bright light and the bird appears to be a pure white individual with its plumage detail bleached, in fact the birds upperparts are essentially a soft grey. This unfortunate individual was found dead in the area in May.

For nearly a hundred years one of the great ornithological mysteries of the Arctic was the location of the breeding grounds of the Ross's Gull (RG). The bird had been seen only amongst the pack-ice of the far north and seemed likely to breed only in the high Arctic. In 1905 the Russian explorer Alexandrovitch Buturlin discovered the main breeding area only just within the Arctic Circle, on the Kolyma River delta of eastern Siberia. Subsequent records showed that the RG bred further south often in association with Arctic Tern, Spotted Redshank, Snipe, and Ruff in well-vegetated marshy areas. Had he been alive, it is unlikely that anyone would have been more surprised than James Clark Ross, the man who collected the first specimen of the gull and who undoubtedly associated the bird only with ice and snow. Today it is well established that the RG breeds in north-eastern Siberia, western Greenland, and in northern Canada, the most famous site being at Churchill, Manitoba.

Although formerly a great rarity in Britain, the RG has been much more regular since 1974 and the first record for Lancashire was that of an adult found on Birkdale shore in January 1983. There was a RG which created an excellent record in 1995 in that it was seen briefly at Fleetwood in January, relocated six days later at Seaforth, and then became the longest staying RG in the country being seen at Seaforth until the last sighting in March almost two months after first being seen in Fleetwood. I myself remember this bird well, it was reported as being seen on the reserve fairly regularly during the day usually only for short periods before flying off inland to feed. The bird would then reappear at dusk to roost, in itself an unusual behaviour in that Seaforth was at the time - and presumably still so today - rarely used as an overnight gull roost, therefore, in relation to all other gulls, this bird had the entire reserve to itself for its overnight stay. I clearly remember a friendly 'Mersey Birder' telling John Leedal and myself all this interesting detail as we waited in anticipation for this gem of a gull to return for one of its predictable 'short periods' during its long record breaking stay here....it did eventually return to our great pleasure and delight.

Birds....they fascinate me in a thousand ways!

Out of time....again!

2011-08-10T22:36:00.002+01:00

Out of time for blogging again today, and with the weather set to be similar again tomorrow things not looking all that exciting birding wise at the moment, but always an opportunity to have another sift through history....

Swallow on the wire. Geoff Gradwell

....to find some random records. Twelve months ago today I watched c.300 Swallows lingering a few minutes at Conder Green included a jaw dropping pure white albino type individual. I can't help wondering if this was a once in a lifetime observation for the species.

One or two other records of interest noted during the search....

Chimney Sweep. Aileen Urquhart.

The only Chimney Sweep I ever saw was on Hutton Roof on 24 June 2003. A daytime flying moth found in areas of limestone and is completely black save the tips of its forewing, it is local throughout Britain. I noted c.300 Small Tortoiseshell at Cockersands on 10 July in the same year.

On 14 June 2004 I found 9 juvenile Ring Ouzel together at a location in the Forest of Bowland. In the same year, 2 Pectoral Sandpipers were on Conder Pool. On 5 November 2005 I found a Grey Phalarope at Heysham Harbour. On 11 July at Halforth I saw an amazing 16 Little Ringed Plover, and 12 Clouded Yellow butterflies were seen along the coastal path towards Cockers Dyke from Fluke Hall on 7 August.

Painted Lady. Phillip Tomkinson

An amazing 149 Painted Lady butterflies were found on Clougha/Birk Bank on 30 May 2009. And 2 Wood Sandpiper were on Conder Pool on 4 September 2009.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING....BUT WHO KNOWS WHEN!