Portland Bill Obs.

 

Some notes of interest at/around Portland Bill Obs during March, indicating that the spring migration has yet to take off.

1 March. A tiny trickle of Meadow Pipit.

3 March. Single Chiffchaff.

4 March. 3 Wheatear.

8 March. A very interesting note on the Firecrest....

Sad to relate, as far as we know today's Firecrest was the first one seen on the island this year. We've never been any the wiser as to what it was that triggered the extraordinary and record-breaking fall of 150 Faircrest's on 15th October 2017 but that event seems to have begun an inexorable decline that's seen the species reach getting on for semi-scarcity status at Portland, culminating in last year's Bill bird-day total and Obs ringing tally both being among the lowest ever and this winter's complete absence being, as far as we can remember, pretty well unprecedented © Martin Cade/Erin Taylor

12 March. Long-tailed Skua off Chesil was a major surprise for the time of year.

14 March. A Swallow at Southwell, and a Sandwich Tern at Ferrybridge were both firsts of the spring.  

22 March. No double figures of Wheatear have arrived yet. The first Willow Warbler of the year was seen, though conversely, a count of c.100 Chiffchaff was made. 

We can keep up to date on the comings at and around Portland Bill Obs to give some idea of what we can expect to see up'tnorth in the coming weeks in the B2B right hand sidebar.

Same Again Please!

Yesterday I gained my own confirmation that one of the young Common Tern has now fledged, the bird appeared from the back of the island to flying around and land briefly on the pool before disappearing once again behind the island, the sighting lasted no more than 3 minutes, both adults were also seen today but no feeding took place over 1.5 hour of observation.

Also of note on Conder Pool, a good count of 5 Greenshank and the staying Great-crested Grebe. In the creeks 2 Common Sandpiper, a single Black-tailed Godwit, and a Little Egret.

On the Lune Estuary viewed from the bowling green at Glasson Dock, waders were a bit sparse, though up to 200 Lapwing seen, with 65 Redshank and 10 Dunlin pushed closer by the incoming tide, as were 2 Spotted Redshank being an adult and a juvenile. I picked out 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Common Tern flew downstream making just one dive, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, and c.30 Greylag seen. Three Little Egret were upstream almost out of sight.

Black-headed Gull. Pete Woodruff.

With apologise for the above poor quality bleached BHG image....

A ringed Black-headed Gull made life easy by staying put close in whilst I got the reading on its ring. As I was about to leave viewing the Lune estuary, a Peregrine Falcon zoomed into view on the hunt, over the time I watched this bird, it locked on to two separate Lapwings a few minutes apart, to chase for a few seconds, but failed on both ocassions giving cause for me to think perhaps a juvenile with a little to learn, an adult certainly wouldn't have failed in taking out the first of these two lucky birds.

The Conder Little Grebe.

Little Grebe Noushka Dufort 

An excellent count of 10 Little Grebe on Conder Pool yesterday was a count not achieved on the pool until 24 September last year when I saw the same number, the peak count in 2013 was of 17 on 29 October, the same day I saw the Firecrest at Heysham Harbour south wall.

And Finally....The Jellyfish.  

Common Jellyfish. Pete Woodruff.

I found this jellyfish - Aurelia aurita - on the shore at Cockersands recently. It is the most familiar jellyfish, and is recognised by its four gonad rings. The rest of the jellyfish is transparent and has numerous short tentacles around the margin of the bell which is difficult to see when out of water. 

Buzzin' In 2013 Part 2.

More selected sightings which kept me buzzing - and my passion growing - during the second half of 2013 from July onwards....most found/my own records but (*) I went to see.

July.

5. 4 Stonechat White Greet.

12. Common Sandpiper Blea Tarn Reservoir.

17. Bonaparte's Gull Heysham Harbour *

22.17 Common Sandpiper (peak count).

22. Painted Lady Cockersands.

24. Curlew Sandpiper Conder Green (scarce adult summer plumage). 

31. 3 Little Ringed Plover Conder Pool (juveniles).

August.

7. Painted Lady Clougha (my second of only two sightings this year).

8. 19 Whimbrel Cockersands.

Whimbrel Martin Lofgren

September.

9. 20 Wheatear Cockersands.

10. 5 Curlew Sandpiper Cockersands.

October.

29. Firecrest Heysham Harbour * 

November.

13. 3 Curlew Sandpiper Fluke Hall Lane (late record in stubble field).

13. c.95 Twite Cockers Dyke area.
19. 15 Bewick's Swan LEGD.

22. 3 Brambling Plantation Lane Abbeystead (scarce this winter).
25. 16 Bewick's Swan Cockersands.

Bewick's Swan Marc Heath 

December.

3. 75 Goldeneye LEGD (peak count this winter).

17. c.450 Black-tailed Godwit LEGD (a good count but only half the number counted on 19 March).

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THE TWO WIDGETS BELOW HAVE FOUND THEIR WAY ON TO THIS POST, THEY DON'T APPEAR IN THE DRAFT AND SO I'M UNABLE TO DELETE THEM.

Buzzin' In 2013.

Some selected sightings which kept me buzzing - and my passion growing - during the first half of 2013....most found/my own records but (*) I went to see.

January.

9. 8 Waxwing Conder Green.

15. Snow Bunting Cockersands 

16. c. 20 Siskin Bailrigg.

18. 2 Stonechat Freemans Pools perimeter fence. (An excellent winter record).

29.14 Bewick's Swan Jeremy Lane.

Siskin Richard Pegler

February.

6. c.700 Bar-tailed Godwit Lune Estuary Glasson Dock (LEGD).

6. Smew 'redhead' Freemans Pools *

7. Chiffchaff Fluke Hall.

13. Spoonbill LEGD * 

13. c.600 Black-tailed Godwit LEGD.

17. 2 Stonechat Rossall Point.

18. c.80 Goldeneye LEGD (Peak Count).

19. c.290 Whooper Swan Moss Lane Cockersands (an excellent count).

Chiffchaff Antonio Puigg

March.

8. 3 Lesser Redpoll Stodday.

19. c.850 Black-tailed Godwit LEGD (unprecedented count here).

19. Avocet Cocker Channel.

26. 2 Pintail LEGD (rare here).

26. Stonechat (female) Cockersands.

28. Stonechat (male) Cockersands.

28. 2 Wheatear Cockersands (my first of the year). 

April.

2. 2 Little Ringed Plover Conder Pool.

3. Jack Snipe Conder Pool *

8. 6 Siskin (our garden).

12. Water Pipit Conder Green *

16. Dotterel Cockersands.

Dotterel David Cookson

May.

29. Scaup Conder Pool.

June.

5. 2 - possibly 3 - Cuckoo Tower Lodge area.

7. 2 Cuckoo Cross of Greet.

7. 4 Whinchat Bloe Greet.

17. 5 Little Ringed Plover River Lune Bull Beck.

19. Osprey Public Hide Leighton Moss (almost certainly a Foulshaw Moss breeder).

The Harbour, The Green, And The Dock.

I decided as the Firecrest had hung around at Heysham Harbour and was still present yesterday morning into its third day, I should go to twitching mode and get on down there to see this bird.

Firecrest Antonio Puigg 

Well I can't resist another photograph of one of these little beauties which gave me excellent views down to a few metres at Heysham Harbour. I was so delighted at the sight of this Firecrest that someone who joined me to watch this bird couldn't have helped but notice my unashamed excitement, the bird was reported still showing at 4.05pm in the afternoon. An adult Mediterranean Gull followed the ferry into the harbour.

Later a quick - by usual standards - look in at Conder Green was rewarded by an all time best count of 17 Little Grebe on Conder Pool, I actually think there may be eighteen present but gave in after counting them five times between their dives. A Little Egret and 2 Wigeon were also noted on the pool, with the Common Sandpiper and up to 120 Teal in the creeks.

At Glasson Dock on the Lune Estuary off Fishnet Point, I counted at least 650 Golden Plover, 600 Wigeon, 100 Tufted Duck, and saw 3 Little Egret, a Peregrine Falcon was on Colloway Marsh.

Twite at Heysham Harbour.

Twite. John Darbyshire.

Whilst at Heysham Harbour yesterday I realised I'd seen no reports to date of the Twite returning here yet this winter, the past two years they had returned on 9 October 2011 - the same date twenty returned to Cant Clough Reservoir this year - and 10 October 2012, so almost three weeks late. Forty Twite were at Fleetwood Marsh yesterday.

And finally....

Little Egret Ana Minguez 

A brilliant pose and a brilliant image of the Little Egret, thank you Ana. Also thanks to Antonio and John for their excellent images.     

The Pale Swift.

One or two Pallid Swift have been seen in the country including in Norfolk and other east coast locations, with more than one bird seen on the south coast in Kent.

Pallid Swift. Marc Heath.

The Pallid Swift is so closely similar to the Common Swift that it mitigates against its discovery, and an individual found in Cleveland has caused some discussion about its ID. But if you use the link below to see the discussion, be warned it was six pages long last time I viewed it but very interesting HERE

Considering the species is locally common in the Mediterranean, and breeds as close as southern France it is remarkably rare here. An interesting historical fact about the Pallid Swift is that the first record for the UK lay in a museum for 77 years after being collected at St John's Point in Co Down, Ireland in 1913, before being positively identified in 1990. The first record for Britain was at Stodmarsh, Kent in 1978. 

Pallid Swift. Marc Heath.

Thanks to Marc Heath for his excellent images of the Pallid Swift he saw at Foreness in Kent, in particular the lower image which shows the bird about to take an insect....Amazing Marc and many thanks.

Nearer home....

 

White-fronted Goose.Copy Permitted.

An amazing 17 White-fronted Geese - an unprecedented record - were found at Cockersands yesterday in a field at Abbey Farm. Struggling to find a photograph of adult birds, the one above is of a juvenile at Eagland Hill on 17 October....Beware of what you may think is a Greylag in the middle of 10,000 Pink-footed Geese perhaps!

Firecrest Martin Lofgren

And a little gem the Firecrest was found on the South Harbour Wall at Heysham yesterday too, and was still there mid-afternoon today. And these records are topped by a Black Redstart at Heysham Harbour today, and one on the sea defences at Heysham near Grosvenor Road yesterday. 

So who was it said birding the west coast will never be birding the east coast. Well maybe it won't ever be....quite!!

                                     Red Deer Grisedale Hide Leighton Moss. Copyright Paul King.

Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve, Lancashire. Autumnwatch 8.00pm BBC 2 Tuesday for four nights....be there.

Yes you guessed it....I'm off the birding scene once again.

A Diversion Too Far.

To be honest I really think this 'gap filler' between my birding is taking things a little too far, but at least its clean and funny....well I thought so.

An elderly man was stopped by the police at 2.00am, they asked him where he was going.

The man replied....I'm on my way to a lecture about the effects of alcohol abuse, smoking, and staying out late.

The officer said....And who will be giving the lecture at this time of night.

The man replied....My wife.

But these stunning threesome are a diversion back to birds....

Crested Tit Ana Minguez  

Unless you live in Scotland its necessary to travel up there to see this delightful bird which is to be found in the ancient Caledonian pine forests and Scots pine plantations. The Crested Tit of the family Paridae, was first recorded in Britain in 1648. 

Firecrest Marc Heath

Another little beauty is the Firecrest, a species I only ever had a glimpse of several years ago at Marton Mere in Blackpool when two birds were suspected and subsequently proved correct. I look forward to having views half as good as these in this image. As opposed to the Crested Tit this species has never bred in Scotland and the first record from here wasn't until one found on the Isle of May in 1959.

Black Redstart Noushka Dufort

A brilliant image of a brilliant bird the Black Redstart. I was never more pleased than the days I found two of these birds over the years, one at Fluke Hall, the other at Cockersands where I convinced myself you've just got to keep on plugging away at an area to reap the rewards.

Thanks alphabetically to, Ana/Marc/Noushka for three brilliant photographs of three brilliant birds....'clik the pik' to be really impressed.   

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!

Chris and Lyster.

I had to write up a post this evening if only to bring you up to date on the Cuckoos just in case you haven't done so yourself.

This is Chris who - along with Lyster - has arrived back in Norfolk having flown a massive 10,000 miles since he was tagged back in June last year. Quite amazingly this bird is now within a few miles of the site where he was tagged eleven months ago....mind boggling stuff. Lyster is reported as being on the Broads in Norfolk.

You will remember that Clement - who I personally sponsored - was reported dead several weeks ago and since then a 'no news' situation from Martin has put this bird as also assumed to be dead. There's lots of interesting reading about these five Cuckoos and their epic journey HERE 


And to light up Birds2blog....

Firecrest. Antonio Puigg.

Four impressive images of four impressive birds the first of which is the Firecrest, followed by....

Wryneck. Antonio Puigg.

The Wryneck which - if you live in our neck of the woods - you may have to wait a while to find/see one of these. Many Thanks to AP  for these two excellent images.

Chiffchaff. Marc Heath.

The Chiffchaff....

Ringed Plover. Marc Heath.

And the stunning little wader the Ringed Plover both from RECULVER BIRDER with Many Thanks.

Back to Clougha.....

....and a couple of 'crests'.

Goldcrest Warren Baker  

First the Goldcrest, one of the more difficult birds to photograph, ever-active during non-stop searches for food preferably in conifers. The smallest of European birds with a noticeable shortish tail, a bird I always note to have a remarkably plain face with dark beady eyes. WB's Goldcrest certainly doesn't look very active and gave him the opportunity to achieve this brilliant image.

Tomorrow - especially with the weather being as it is at the moment and record levels of high temperatures are being recorded - the plan is to escape and get myself back on to Clougha and Birk Bank primarily to check out the Stonechat situation. I'm hoping to see some evidence of birds having returned here and being we are approaching the end of March egg laying may have commenced. 


An interesting point to note is that several instances of nest building by the female have been recorded taking place in the late afternoon, but indications are that she usually builds in the early morning. There is a remarkable record of a female Stonechat visiting an active Carrion Crow nest when the adults were absent and removing sheep's wool as lining for her own nest. The Stonechat never fails to intrigue me and is the mainstay of my passion for this complex bird. Other notes I have made regarding the female is that she usually chooses the nest site and does so alone with the male remaining at a discreet distance, though still following her about during her forays for nesting material.

Hopefully tomorrow I can also pay a visit to another stronghold of the Stonechat - until the past winter put an end to it - at Harrisend.

And to end with....

Firecrest Marc Heath

Similar in looks, the same in size, and non stop searching for food in the conifers the Firecrest is the other 'crest' difficult to photograph but MH has taken the opportunity with this individual to good effect. Unlike the Goldcrest the Firecrest has a distinct face pattern of bold white eyebrow and prominent black eye stripe. Thanks to Warren and Marc for allowing me to share these excellent photographs on Birds2blog.

And finally....

If you own an aircraft you need to get it fired up and head off to the Scilly Isles where on St Mary's at Port Hellick if your lucky you'll find a Scop's Owl, seen there at 8.10pm about twenty minutes before I posted this.