Finch It!

My Bowland records made another forward surge this week when I found 3 Bullfinch, seen as two male in the trees at the car park on Rigg Lane, and two hours later, one in flight towards Cragg Wood. These birds represent 7 sightings of 23 Bullfinch in Bowland, with 16 at Birk Bank - eight of which were Northern Bullfinch - on three dates in Nov/Dec 2004, a pair at Tower Lodge Nov 2022, a pair at Rushy Lee Feb 2022, and 3 at Birk Bank/Cragg Wood Oct 2022.

The Bullfinch is regarded as a partial migratory bird, those that migrate make short to medium distance movements. So are these Bowland birds wintering, or do they actually breed in Bowland. I reckon they don't breed, but if they do, having never seen a Bullfinch in Bowland during the summer months, I've yet to discover where. 

Other sightings included Siskin seen in mini groups flighty around Rigg Lane, woefully small numbers of no more than 6 Fieldfare all on the wing, and 8 Red Grouse.

No apologies, but the following section of this post starts with my third video footage of 2 Ruff at Conder Green, the species being well up the list of my favourite waders, also in the creeks, a Greenshank.

The purpose of this outing was to get to Plover Scar for the high tide, to find it relatively quiet, but with peak counts of 120 Oystercatcher, 95 Turnstone, and 42 Dunlin. 

Twite Cockersand. Martin Jump.

A count of 28 Twite were flighty and spent a little time on the scar. There was an obvious presence of Skylark in and over the stubble field by Lighthouse Cottage, with 16 >south. A male Reed Bunting seen, and a Kestrel hovering over the marsh off the Caravan Park before diving to take out a small rodent.

In the field south of Clarkson's Farm, I counted 32 Whooper Swan, though they were in a dip in the field and certainly a few more with heads down as they fed.

Thanks to Martin Jump for his Oystercatcher header and Twite at Plover Scar.

THE DRAGONFLY.

Vagrant Emperor Heysham Harbour 25 October. Kevin Eaves.

When Kevin visited Heysham Harbour last week on 25 October, he must surely have had what he might find in the back of his mind. What Kevin did find could only have made him amazed and elated in equal measure when he came across his second Vagrant Emperor at Heysham 15 days earlier than his first seen on 9 November 2020.

Thanks to Kevin Eaves for the image of the Vagrant Emperor, and his permission for the must post news of this Lancashire rarity on Birds2blog.