I took advantage of decent days to get off my backside and get out again....Twice!
Wednesday 29 January.
I covered the estuary starting at Conder Pool to note 5 Snipe, the same number of 5 Little Grebe and 3 Tufted Duck, but the best bird for my book was the Song Thrush below the hedgerow.
Notes from a 'relatively quiet' Lune Estuary at Glasson, up to 400 Golden Plover, 325 Wigeon, 3 Goosander, 450 Pink-footed Geese were at the south end of Colloway Marsh. Pick of the day was 4 Goldeneye seen as two drake and two female, these four represent my best count this winter....something wrong here!
I made a video of two Cormorant on the Lune Estuary today, but the birds were too distant for it to be any value for positive ID. But in a drastically cropped still from the video, one of the Cormorants was seen as suggestive to be a continental Sinensis, though good views of the gular pouch angle - not possible here - is the best way to be certain about this.
En-route to Cockersand, at least 60 Fieldfare off Moss Lane, and probably up to 400 Whooper Swan were fragmented over five fields between Bank End Farm and Crook Farm. In fields around Abbey Farm, at least 1,500 Golden Plover were put to the wing with Curlew and Lapwing, probably by the wintering Merlin which I failed to latch on to. Eight Eider were off Plover Scar from where I saw 2 Greenfinch on a fence post.
Notes.
I make interesting notes about two species today. In my book, the Goldeneye is generally absent from our area this winter, the best count I've seen recently reported is of 17 Goldeneye on 12 January. My records reached a peak of 4 Goldeneye at Glasson this week on the Lune Estuary.
As far as I can see, the winter thrushes are also in short supply in our area this winter too. My best count was of the c.60 Fieldfare seen along Moss Lane this Wednesday, my previous best was of 12 Fieldfare at Cockersand 9 January.
Thursday 30 January.
My intention was to go on the Stone Jetty at Morecambe, but I swiftly had a change of mind, and made a U-turn when I saw this from the landward end of the jetty....
I often read your bird lists and think I would love to see that on my patch. Some impressive numbers of some very good birds. Take care.
ReplyDeleteIn danger of repeating myself here but, there are often birds on your lists, some of which I rarely ever see. Thanks for keeping in touch with B2B Marc.
DeleteRegards....Pete.
Nice header picture with plenty of variety there.
ReplyDeleteDon’t get me going on the jet ski 😡🤬
Glad you managed to find some winter thrushes as said previously I have hardly seen any.
I will have to be more observant when coming across cormorant as I didn’t know there was a difference thanks.
This year I have only seen a single male Goldeneye on Glasson Dock.
Thanks for the interesting read.
Ian Mitchell.
Had news of thousands of winter thrush south of Lancaster from one of my many insiders Ian. Watch this space!
ReplyDeleteSting in the tail!....Got some excellent stills from our jet skier friend 😡🤬
Regards....Pete.
Hello Pete,
ReplyDeletethe first video is not so nice for nature lovers or observers, here in my area it's the motocross riders and quad junkies who drive through the forest without any consideration, but the video with the ducks is the winner for me, nice head shot.
Greetings Frank
No not nice at all for us or the birds, and the thought of the motocross and quad junkies through the forest makes me scream. Thanks also for your complimentary comments Frank.
DeleteRegards....Pete.
Hallo Pete, de dwergsspitsmuis zag ik eens in Duitsland. Watersnippen en goudplevieren hier nog niet gezien dit jaar. Wij hebben hier veel watersport in Zeeland. Groetjes, Fijne avond.
ReplyDeleteHello Caroline...Believe it or not, I have never seen the Common Shrew in my life before, a pity my first was a dead one. Early days for you to find Snipe and Golden Plover this year, I will watch your posts to see when you do. Water sports are becoming increasingly more popular, bad news for the water birds like the ones I was hoping to see when this one 'performed' for me!
ReplyDeleteKind Regards....Pete.
Perhaps the Buzzard had his beady eye on the Pygmy Shrew???? I have never seen a Pygmy Shrew but we had plenty of the regular shrews in our garden when I lived in England.
ReplyDeleteAlways nice to get a visitor and new name on B2B.
ReplyDeleteKind Regards to you Shammickte and to Canada....Pete.