The Bay Day.

An excellent decision to give Morecambe Bay along the promenade a good going over on foot from the Stone Jetty to Teal Bay either side of the high tide on what was a nicer sunny winters day you could not have wished for, and a day aesthetically charged though not the 'busiest' of bays in the world bird wise and only ten species got into my note book in the four hours spent here. Be warned I became rather enthusiastic with my little pocket digi camera and the grand total of seven pics follows....and only two are of birds!

Scaup. Scalestones Point.

The 6 Scaup been present here recently were seen east of Broadway where an adult Mediterranean Gull was also found. I didn't pay too much attention to counting waders though there was very few to count, but did note c.250 Dunlin on the groyne at Broadway, 5 Goldeneye were also of note off here.

Pintail. Teal Bay.

At Teal Bay the 6 Pintail in the pic above, and 9 Wigeon seen. I have no idea of the history, but neither of these species are ever seen in number off the promenade at Morecambe. I saw no more than 25 Eider, 12 Great-crested Grebe, and noted just a lone drake Red-breasted Merganser in four hours along the promenade. Bird of the day had to go to the Purple Sandpiper which I picked out of four small waders in flight and which landed on the slipway by the Lifeboat Station at the Stone Jetty. 

I'm never able to appreciate this 'piece' of art, but it - if it has a name I'm not aware of it - is mid-way between Happy Mount Park and Teal bay at the east end of the promenade.



There was some excellent photo opportunities today for anyone with a real interest in the art and even I couldn't resist a photograph of the well worn LR66.

I'm not sure how this person was coping with the weather sat at the end of the Stone Jetty this afternoon whilst I surveyed any birds around, but by now I was bloody cold as the sun enjoyed earlier had disappeared and....

....a fog was beginning to form in the west and actually became quite thick and freezing about an hour later.

So by 3.00pm I was heading for home, but not before witnessing the beginning of the end of the Super Dome, and theres a bit of a laugh in this pic in that, if you look closely to the right of the small four wheeled machine you can just about pick out the seven - and I'll be truly polite here - 'pee pots' in the gents.

The JB/BT birding run tomorrow....looking forward to that. 

The Road Of Gloom.

I make no apology for taking Birds2blog down this ever lengthening road of doom, gloom, and tragedy. But if you prefer to avoid a fit of depression then you'd better steer clear of this one. Though if like me your preference is to face the truth and think to yourself 'can I do anything about it' then you've really got to read this, and if the sight of the Hoopoe doesn't bring your eyes close to tears, and another photograph below 'a heap of Blackcaps ' doesn't bring yourself to at least a little anger, then I'd suggest you make some attempt at changing the way you see things.

So, if you've decided to go for it then this is the way forward.... Bird trapping in Cyprus

Barn Owl. Phil Slade

This time I owe you two apologies, firstly for yet another Barn Owl picture, and secondly, following the picture is another tale of gloom which I didn't plan to post but have some tragic info regarding the Barn Owl and the harsh weather of this winter. 

Over the years 130 boxes for Barn Owls have been put up across East and North Yorkshire, following the harsh weather we had recently, out of 25 boxes visited 25 dead Barn Owls were found resulting in the possibility of 80-90% of this local population being lost. The suggestion is made that, should the same harsh weather return this winter it may mean a recovery period of 10-15 years. Please visit Robert Fuller  for the full story apart from the fact it's an excellent blog to visit at any time, and can always be linked to via my sidebar.  

Once again I offer my regret to have to fill the page with such doom and gloom....but we must always face the facts.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!....and hopefully will be tomorrow.



Better than good!

A 'better than good day' today with JB who I guarantee enjoyed the birds we discovered just as much as I did.

But first.... 

Barn Owl. David Cookson

Yep, it's another one of those excellent photographs of the Barn Owl....can't get enough of these excellent photographs of Barn Owls. 

We first invaded some Fylde territory and at Knott End found a Dark-bellied Brent Goose roosting with Shelducks in turn roosting with estimates of 2,500 Oystercatcher, 250 Dunlin, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, a single Black-tailed Godwit, and c.50 Knot. Also an adult Mediterranean Gull, and at least 15 Twite.

I took JB on one of my many routes during my 'car parts delivery days' through Out Rawcliffe, a decision which paid off handsomely with a pair of Barn Owl hunting, and the truly wonderful sight and record of at least 100 Corn Bunting in a tree on Union Lane. Also from here I counted up to 250 Whooper Swans distant from Lancaster Road which included at least 30 juveniles and probably many more, a count hampered by distance and hidden birds. At Eagland Hill, another count - hampered as above - of 12 Bewick's Swans with 88 Whooper Swans and just 10 Pink-footed Geese (PFG). 

Whilst at Eagland Hill this sign tied to a gate pleased me no end for all the right reasons.    

In the field opposite the entrance to Pilling Lane Ends c.180 PFG, and on Pilling Marsh another Dark-bellied Brent Goose was with at least 2,000 PFG. Also of note a Little Egret and another of those distant perched on a post hunting machines, the Peregrine Falcon. By now I'd been alerted to the bird I was alerted to yesterday, but I was confident this time it would still be there after we had called in to look over Bodie Hill to find 6 Bewick's Swans, c.80 Black-tailed Godwit, and 38 Goldeneye on the Lune Estuary. 

Green-winged Teal. Copyright Granted.

The Green-winged Teal above is the very bird still in the River Conder creeks at dusk this late afternoon and giving excellent views albeit being asleep for the short period I spent there on one of my rare 'twitches'.

And finally....not remotely connected with birds, not the feathered kind usually recorded and photographed on Birds2blog anyway!

Sarah Palin.

   

My flag counter informs me of my 382nd US Flag from Alaska. Could this new US visitor to Birds2blog be Sarah Louise Palin, American Politician and first woman Governor of Alaska, I very much doubt it but tell you what....I'm going no further down this political road for the time being!

Wot no CG!

I amazed myself by not visiting Conder Green today, the excuse being, having done another of those 'birding in reverse days' by the time I reached Gonder Green I was out of time and daylight almost.

Red-necked Grebe. Brian Rafferty

We'll start the post with another of those excellent photographs of the long staying Red-necked Grebe on Fairhaven Lake at Lytham St Annes....Nice shot with a difference Brian - playing with the feather - many thanks.

So I started my days birding at Fluke Hall from where I walked along the coastal path to Cockers Dyke where I found at least 100 Twite, these birds are outside our LDBWS recording area and as far as I'm aware - with the exception of Heysham Harbour - none have been recorded in the area this winter yet. The foot slog was otherwise unrewarded but I could feel the cholesterol burning off all the time I walked....Mmmmm! 

On Pilling Marsh I counted up to 2,000 Pink-footed Geese sifting through them in the hope I'd get a glimpse of the Red-breasted Goose but didn't, nor has anyone else anywhere today as far as I know. Also on the marsh a Little Egret and another of those silently perched hunting machines the Peregrine Falcon, 25 Whooper Swans were in the channel beyond the marsh which is deep, even large birds fall out of sight and there could have been another hundred for all I know.  

The visit to Cockersands was made all the worth while by seeing the female Stonechat of 7 January again, also down at the Caravan Park end I noted 4 Blackbirds and a Mistle Thrush in Bank Houses horse paddock. At the lighthouse end I saw at least 50 Linnet with 40 at the Abbey and another 9 at the set-aside. Off Plover Scar just 2 Goldeneye drakes and a solitary drake Eider, I took note of 5 Brown Hare on the visit here today.

On Jeremy Lane from a moving car c.60 Fieldfare, and from Bodie Hill c.80 Black-tailed Godwit. But I'd been alerted to a Green-winged Teal on the Lune Estuary from behind the bowling green - I know the place well - but my time was up, and the light was going down. But none of this mattered as the bird was nowhere to be seen so I took note of at least 5,000 Lapwing, 450 Golden Plover, 4 Goosander, c.500 Wigeon, and just 2 Goldeneye which poses the question....where have all the Goldeneye on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock gone since the 'at least 120' count I made on 23 December 2010. 

And finally....

Iceland Gull Brian Rafferty

Another long staying bird is the juvenile Iceland Gull at Preston Dock, and another excellent 'we have lift off' from BR. With my thanks once again Brian. 

The Great Northern Diver....

....and a couple of sketches from a book I required recently from a second hand bookseller who has some excellent publications for sale from time to time. This one is about C.F.Tunnicliffe, a man born 110 years ago at Langley, Cheshire in 1901 and who devoted a lifetime to his art in etching, engraving, and water colours mainly in natural history subjects.

Spotted Flycatcher. C.F.Tunnicliffe R.A.

In both these sketches Tunnicliffe manages to remind me of the halcyon days of summer now on their way around the corner from winter. A brilliant sketch of the Spotted Flycatcher with two begging young.

And....

Pied Flycatcher. C.F. Tunnicliffe R.A.

The other 'flycatcher' favourite of mine, the Pied Flycatcher.....coming soon - well in about 13/14 weeks - to a woodland near you!

A juvenile Great Northern Diver (GND) has been present in the Fleetwood area for 'some weeks' now and is currently at Fleetwood Docks in the Fish Dock. This is an exceptional record not only because of the length of time it is staying around, but also as a rare - and by no means annual - visitor to our area mainly offshore, though they do occur occasionally at inland reservoirs. 

Although the only European breeding of GND occurs in Iceland where there is an estimated 300 pairs, it has been held by some as a potential breeding bird in GB for many years, but a record review of claimed breeders in Scotland found not one to be completely satisfactory. The W.Isles and western coasts of GB are of international importance as wintering grounds for the GND, Scapa Flow has the distinction of holding the highest winter total of 780 in March 1999, and the waters off GB hold an estimated wintering population of 3,500-4,500 individuals thought to originate from Iceland and Greenland. But the GND is notorious for remaining offshore during the winter months, although they do come closer inshore to sheltered bays and harbours during periods of harsh weather which is perhaps what the Fleetwood bird has done, though it lingers too. 

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!

Save Our Forests....

....and some other 'bits'.

During another lull in my birding I'm confident this gap filler on Birds2blog will be of interest to everyone who visits here so please take a look at Save Our Forests and consider signing the petition please.

Linnets. John Bateman

Two of the 34 Linnets I counted yesterday which seem to be the remnants of what has been some interesting observations of the set-aside at Cockersands where the numbers of Linnet/Greenfinch - and on one occasion a Brambling on 27 October - have fluctuated over a period of 'several' weeks and which reached a peak of at least 100 birds on two dates in Oct/Nov last year. Thanks for the pic John, you may be interested to know the only urban Grey Wagtail I know of visited our humble garden this morning after a long absence, though I know it has been seen by you recently John, on the other hand....is there more than the one bird? 

MEGA NEWS.

A Slaty-backed Gull has made an appearance at Rainham Marshes in London and put in a brief show again today at 12.20pm but as I write has not been seen since. Now I'm most certainly not the one qualified to make too many comments about 'gulls' it being an area where I 'fall down' in my moderate qualifications as a birder, but what I do know about this bird is this....

It is a large white headed 'gull' which breeds on the western coast of Alaska but which travels widely during the non-breeding season. It is similar in appearance to two other 'gulls' namely the Western Gull and the Glaucous-winged Gull. The species is a first for Britain with only one previous record in Europe, having been seen in Latvia and Lithuania.

If you can appreciate some good humour you'd better take a look at 'ID of the Slaty-backed Gull' HERE but be warned if 'strong' language offends you....STAY AWAY.

The Whizz Kids!

Well I was wrong on my prediction in yesterdays post about being back home with JB/BT by 2.00pm as we got an extra 45 minutes added to the day compared to last weeks homecoming. However we still did some 'whizzing around' again with little lingering and - in my view - tried to cram in too many locations in the time scale....end of whinge! I've decided not use my usual 'circa' to describe my counts today which are as accurate as possible in all cases. The photograph below has no particular connection with todays events other than they are of birds and are both stunning ones which hopefully add some much needed class to the blog.

Short-eared Owl. David Cookson  

So we started at Eagland Hill were at least 4 Bewick's Swans were with 48 Whooper Swans and at least 1,000 Pink-footed Geese (PFG). We followed here with the first of our 'nipping in' at Fluke Hall where I noted 950 PFG distant on the sands. On Pilling Marsh another 250 PFG with 6 Whooper Swans distant, 2 Little Egrets, and an absolute minimum of 950 Shelduck. In the field opposite the entrance to Pilling Lane Ends, 320 PFG and 70 Greylag. Pulling in at Braides - if only to say hello to a Fylde man whose name I can never remember - I noted a Buzzard on the coastal embankment thanks to the man whose name I can never remember but whose initials I recall as being PS.

At Cockersands the set-aside appears to be reduced to 34 Linnet seen today. And here is the place I definitely needed time to spend sifting through at least 2,500 wildfowl in the Cocker Channel, the ratio of which I'll never know given the short period spent there, but in numerical order were, Wigeon, Mallard, Teal, and Pintail.

From Bodie Hill, 45 Black-tailed Godwit, 450 Lapwing, 500 Wigeon, and a distant Greenshank over by Bazil Point. At Glasson Dock - another good place t'would have been good to linger at today - 2,200 Lapwing, 850 Wigeon, and 450 Golden Plover....well Alleluia to the latter record. 

And finally....

Great-crested Grebe. David Cookson

Thanks for the photographs DC, excellent stuff and much appreciated once again.   

I wandered lonely....

....as a cloud. But didn't see any Daffodills, well I wouldn't it's only January and if you don't know William Wordsworth and his poetry then you'll wonder what the hell I'm going on about....my apologies.

Pied Wagtail. David Cookson  

Once more I insist on starting - and ending actually - the post with another excellent image. I tossed a coin to decide which one was to be at the top and this one of the Pied Wagtail in the snow was the winner, probably the best Pied Wagtail photograph I ever saw with thanks to DC. 

I decided on the 'birding' walk from Lancaster to Glasson Dock was the best plan for today and was surprised at the amount of fresh coming racing down the River Lune when I arrived at Green Ayre, resulting in the scene being almost void of birds from here to Marsh Point with barely 100 Black-headed Gulls seen on the entire length with nothing esle of note.

The birds have claimed back Freeman's Pools from the iceman though few have taken it up as yet and I noted just a drake each, Goldeneye, Pochard, and Shoveler, with c.20 Mallard and 2 Mute Swans bringing up the rear. Aldcliffe Marsh was hardly a hive of activity but 13 Barnacle Geese switched on the lights for me though other 'geese' numbers were drastically reduced from my last few visits here with c.200 Greylag, only 14 Pink-footed Geese, and little more than 10 Canada Geese seen. From Aldcliffe to Conder Green the birdlife was worryingly minimal though 38 Blackbirds were counted, 2 Song Thrush, and 10 Long-tailed Tits noted. Opposite Nansbuck Cottage on the far bank I estimated 3,500 Lapwing with - better still - 95 Golden Plover.

At Conder Green the Common Sandpiper obliged, with a Grey Plover noted, 3 Little Grebe included one on Conder Pool with a Goldeneye, c.90 Pink-footed Geese went over going south. At Glasson Dock I watched about 12 Mute Swans come down onto the River Lune from the south bringing with them the Black Swan and immature Whooper Swan I'd seen on Tuesday on Moss Lane. A Little Grebe was in the dock possibly being a first for me.

And finally....

Dunlin. Brian Rafferty

I have a feeling this smart little Dunlin has been showcased on Birds2blog before, whether it has or not this photograph definitely qualifies for 'excellent' you only have to look at the plumage detail - razor sharp - on this bird to accept the accolade....Nice one BR, with my thanks.

Out with JB/BT tomorrow, though this week the warning has gone out for 'an early finish' sounds like we'll be home again by 2.00pm....Oh dear!!!!

British Birds.

Grey Heron. Ian Tallon.

He's done it again....just as I was about to start the post and wonder what I could use in the form of a decent photograph IT sends me this brilliant portrait of the Grey Heron. Thanks for this Ian, it was good to see you again yesterday, but don't forget you need a permit to do any birding at Conder Green!!



In my quest to find that elusive rare antique for a couple of quid which - turns out to be valued at £50,000 - I recently came across some almost 70 year old British Birds Magazines which - in those days - cost the equivalent of just 20 pence each, and £1 for twelve copies over the year....WOW !

There's some fascinating reading as you can imagine with some amazing changes in the bird scene over the years, though the one I quote here in some notes about the Treecreeper didn't need to be an old record but interesting just the same. It tells of an incident which well exemplifies the overwhelming and inborn instinct in the Treecreeper to climb up anything rather than remain on the ground. The note goes on to say, about half an hour after a fledgling had left the nest it was observed clinging to the trunk of a tree when it spotted one of the parent birds, in an attempt to fly to it the young bird missed its mark and fell on the ground. On walking up to the youngster to get close views and on standing still, it hauled itself on to a turn-up on his trouser leg and with ease climbed up his clothes until it reached his shoulder, on seeing it could climb no higher it fluttered to the base of the nearest tree, climbed so far up to a branch along which it crept upside-down for about 10ft at which point it then flew to the base of another tree and continued its climbing of tree to tree from the base....as Treecreepers do.

I reckon this is a unique behaviour for this or any other bird perhaps....fascinating stuff! 

The Coastal Way.

Pink-footed Geese. Pete Woodruff.

I grilled a few of these today in search of the Red-breasted Goose, always trying convince myself if I did I was looking at the 'real thing' flown in all the way from the Taimyr Peninsula in Siberia. I know at least one other birder who did a similar search in a different and wide area to no avail.

I was a little 'late on duty' today and arrived at Conder Green around 11.00am to find the place somewhat void. However, the birds have claimed back Conder Pool from the iceman, but only 2 Goldeneye, 16 Mallard, and 13 Shelduck have so far returned here. On the circuit I'd estimate up to 200 Teal in the creeks, with a Little Grebe and 3 Grey Plover to note. The canal basin at Glasson Dock was also ice free but surprisingly much less quiet than when it was frozen over with just a small area clear around the boats in the marina but 3 Goldeneye, 6 Pochard, and 32 Tufted Duck were noted. The Lune Estuary viewed from the bowling green was equally quiet with no more than 320 Lapwing, 12 Dunlin, 8 - yes only eight - Golden Plover, and c.450 Wigeon. A Peregrine Falcon was picked up distant on Colloway Marsh quietly perched up and minding its own business preening whilst having the ability to put to panic several thousand birds in an instant as the most powerful and accomplished aerial hunter. From Bodie Hill overlooking Glasson Marsh and another section of the Lune Estuary 5 Bewick's Swans were my birds of the day, also to note, c.40 Black-tailed Godwit and 25 Goldeneye.

Fieldfare. David Cookson

On Jeremy Lane short of stopping the car c.50 Fieldfare seen, and at the junction of Jeremy/Moss Lane the Black Swan was curiously accompanied by an immature Whooper Swan obviously detached from any parent birds. I went to Cockersands but had a change of plan soon after noting 3 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Goldeneye, and a Grey Plover. I went off to Pilling Lane Ends via Gulf Lane where I counted about 180 Curlew in a field, and a Buzzard. In the field opposite PLE up to 50 Greylag and 80 Pink-footed Geese. On Pilling Marsh 5 Whooper Swans, no more than 500 Pink-footed Geese, a Little Egret, and another distant Peregrine Falcon also quietly minding it's own business. At Fluke Hall yet more c.300 Pink-footed Geese and 5 Whooper Swan flying NE and out on to the marsh.

With my wanderings, and although I found no more than around 900 PFG to grill today, it's surprising how time ran away, but it was encouraging to note I got home at 4.20pm without lights on the motor, longer days....roll on spring!