Some good news....

....and yet another excuse for a gap filler between my birding days.

The DEFRA minister and Britain's richest MP Richard Benyon - best remembered for his role in sanctioning a 'Buzzard Management’ trial in 2012 - has been booted out in the Government reshuffle. Wildlife can't be anything other than better off without this guy, question is what's the one taking over from him - George Eustice - like when it comes to wildlife issues. Mr R.B now becomes a back bencher, presumably with more time to pursue his blood sport interests on his grouse moor in Scotland, and his pheasant shoot estate in the south....bye, bye DICK.

Twite. Christer Sundstrom.

The winter Twite have arrived and thanks to RBA twenty were reported yesterday south of Burnley at Cant Clough Reservoir. I'm looking forward to seeing my first Twite of the winter at Cockersands perhaps, I've also seen the first report 17 of Whooper Swan at Martin Mere WWT.                                                                    

Glossy Ibis. Howard Stockdale.

There's been something of an influx of Glossy Ibis recently with birds seen in our area. The image above shows three of the four birds present for almost two weeks at a location near Bolton, and are the result of a visit by Howard who kindly forwarded me a set of four of these brilliant birds.

And finally....

Red Deer Brian Rafferty  

If you'd like to be in on the Red Deer rutting season, your best bet is the Grisedale Hide at Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve at Silverdale in Lancashire, homebase for this years filming of the BBC Autumn Watch later this month to be broadcast in November....be there!

Many thanks to BR for one of his excellent set of images of the stag the Red Deer seen last week from the aforementioned hide at LM. 

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!....Hopefully in about a half hour from now.