Annual Reports.

My birding has taken a direct hit due to major refurbishment to one of the rooms at home. Not looking good, and I may well be 'out of it' for more than a week at this rate.

But I'm in receipt of two excellent 2013 Annual Reports, so at least plenty of birding interest to read. Both of these reports are excellent publications, and I would personally like to thank everyone involved in the production of these two comprehensive records. If you have an interest in the records of the birds of the LDBWS recording area....

....and Lancashire in 2013 I can strongly recommend them. 

Though the cover photograph on the LDBWS report is an ID simple, the one on the Lancashire report is something of a challenge you might like to take on. 

I took particular note that both the LDBWS and Lancashire Reports recorded the only pair of Stonechat I found in the Clougha/Birk Bank area in 2013, and both also mentioned that I had recorded 43 here in 2005 before they started a decline culminating with a total disappearance following two harsh winter periods after which the Stonechat has yet to return to Clougha including this year of 2014. This despite pairs apparently breeding in all the main valleys and in many side-valleys on the United Utilities Bowland Estate. Perhaps the Stonechat isn't going to make a return again to the former stronghold of Clougha/Birk Bank....I'll be investigating this in 2015 with renewed enthusiasm.

It was interesting to see only one Common Sandpiper had wintered in our area in 2013 being the Conder Green bird. This winter looks like it may have two birds though three were reported on Friday 3 October.

Dotterel Cockersands 16 April 2013. Chris Batty.

The Dotterel found at Cockersands with Golden Plovers took it's rightful place in the reports. 

Killdeer. Martin Lofgren. 

And Lancashire claimed three first records in 2013, a Killdeer was found at Alston Wetland in April, a Two-barred Crossbill was found at a farm on Browsholme Estate in August, and a Baikal Teal was on Crossens Out Marsh in November.

Thanks to Chris Batty for the Dotterel, and to Martin Lofgren at Wild Bird Gallery for the Killdeer.

Best get my hands into the tool box I'm getting withdrawal symptoms! 

Driving Me On.

A favourite motto of mine regarding my attitude to birds/birding is....

Not what you will see
But rather what you might
The element of surprise
Never fails to delight

A decision to do the walk to follow the River Lune from Lancaster - Glasson Dock was a wise one on Wednesday last week and turned out to be the epitome of my motto when I found six Little Ringed Plover (LRP) on the flood at Aldcliffe a record which - until I find out or am told otherwise - is an all time best count of the species in this area and certainly on this excellent flood. However, I note in a search through my records that the Aldcliffe six pail into insignificance regarding numbers of this species of wader seen together in a sighting when I find a visit to the Kent Estuary at Halforth in July 2006 produced an amazing sixteen LRP's. The surprises and unpredictability of birds never fails to intrigue me, these are the kind of experiences which drive me on every time I leave home for a days birding....And then there was the Jack Snipe on Conder Pool last Wednesday too....nice one!!

The migrants are coming.     

Yesterday I received the news that snow had been falling on Friday in the south of Toulouse in France, the first time it ever has done here as late as early April according to my correspondent. But the weather has improved over here in the past two days and now perhaps we should hopefully see some northbound migration in the country and into our area.

Garden Birds.

Siskin. Richard Pegler. 

Visits to our garden feeders have increased once again with 6 Siskin seen here on Friday last week.

Brambling/Redpoll. Richard Pegler.

Richard has had some excellent visitors to his suburban garden, last year he collected the record of 32 species, a much better tally than we hope to ever achieve in our garden. Thanks for the excellent photographs of the male and female Siskin, the Lesser Redpoll and Brambling, they are much appreciated Richard   

The Mega.

Killdeer Tim Kuhn  

A Killdeer was at Alston Reservoir at Longridge this morning at 10.10am. The bird was on Alston Wetlands and stayed until 11.00am when it flew off NW, it returned at 11.22am and stayed until 11.50am when it flew off once again, this time NE never to be seen again. The Killdeer breeds in North and Central America, South America from Peru to northern Chile, and the West Indies. 

Whilst here I noted 2 Little Ringed Plover and a Raven over. 

In Brief....

....and no names.

Turtle Dove Antonio Puigg 

Its my intention to be brief here, but the escalation of bird persecution throughout the world dictates that I should draw attention to visitors to Birds2blog from around the same world to the intention of a couple of companies - one of which is close to my home town of Lancaster -  which are making arrangements to visit foreign parts for the purpose of engaging in the 'sport' of shooting Turtle Doves....I'll just repeat that in case you think I'm hitting the wrong keys on my keyboard....shooting Turtle Doves.

But there is a glimmer of hope here, in that having sent an e-mail to one of these companies expressing my concerns over these trips I received the following reply....

Many thanks for your email.

As a result of the Turtle Dove being put on a ‘red list’ status by the RSPB, we have recently removed these shooting trips from our website and itineraries.

If we can help in any other way, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Kind Regards

And the pics.... 

Killdeer Tim Kuhn

I've recently been in touch with Tim to see if he keeps well, and to check if it is still OK that I use his images on Birds2blog. Thankfully Tim agreed it was and so I decided to post a couple of his images of two waders most of us are never likely to see, though it must be said, both have occurred in the UK and are probably likely to again in the future....who knows. 

The Killdeer is a rare vagrant to the UK the last record of which was of a bird in Co Wicklow, Ireland, in December 2009. 

Least Sandpiper Tim Kuhn

The Least Sandpiper is an extremely rare vagrant to the UK and the last record was at Butt of Lewis, Isle of Lewis, Western Isles in October 2007.

Many thanks for these two excellent images which I appreciate very much Tim. Good to know you are well and keeping up the photography which - in the case of them being on Birds2blog -  are a much needed dash of colour and interest on an otherwise gloomy post for reasons not of my doing.