Ruff Justice.

A couple of hours before high tide on the Lune Estuary on Friday, 3 Ruff was some justice for what turned out to be a day struggling to find anything of substance, 8 Black-tailed Godwit also added a little interest to the area, with a good number of Redshank and fewer Dunlin hanging on to what mud was left as the tide raced in, later in the day a Peregrine Falcon was on Colloway Marsh. 

I stuck it out in a bit of a howler on Plover Scar up to high tide to find up to 200 Dunlin, 60 Ringed Plover, and 3 Turnstone. Whilst a shower blew through, I watched the sea from the motor for thirty minutes to see a Guillemot drift out of the estuary and noted 2 Great-crested Grebe off Plover Scar.

Apart from 12 Little Grebe on Conder Pool again, and a Greenshank down the channel, to say Conder Green was a struggle is something of an understatement.

Adding a bit of gloss and quality to Birds2blog....again!!

Wilson's Phalarope Alston Wetland 9 September Paul Foster

A Wilson's Phalarope was found on Saturday at Alston Wetland, Longridge. A one day bird last reported at 7.45pm but not since. The first for Lancashire & North Merseyside since May 2010 at Seaforth NR, Liverpool....RBA 

The first for Britain was found as recent as 63 years ago in September 1954 at Fife, Rosyth. The bird needed to be observed in fine detail and studied in field guides before it could be named as a 1st winter Wilson's Phalarope. 

Many thanks for the image Paul. I'm really pleased you got to see this North American wader, and the excellent photographs you came away with too.

Female American Redstart. Eoligarry, Western Isles. Stuart Piner.

Another recent 'goodie' was found at Barra, Western Isles on 7 September. The first for Britain was found 50 years ago in 1967 at Porthgwarra, Cornwall, it was also identified from illustrations in a field guide as a 1st winter male American Redstart.

Many thanks to Stuart for the excellent image of this stunning little North American gem.

Petrel's & Gull's.

Leach's Petrel and Sabine's Gull all over the place today....I'm off to join the 'in crowd' first opportunity.

On The Outside!

The Outside Bog. Unknown.

Anyone wishing to do so would be justified in accusing me of diverting too far away from birds on Birds2blog today in posting the pic above, but, no matter how hard I tried I couldn't resist what I would consider to be the best political statement of the century requiring no caption whatsoever, a picture speaking volumes.

But back to the birds....

It was interesting to see the report of a Stonechat seen at Leighton Moss Thursday last. It was a male seen atop of the reeds near the Bearded Tit grit trays. I don't recall seeing a single record of Stonechat anywhere in the vicinity this year, and few reports from anywhere in our recording area in the breeding season, which prompts the thought, where is this bird from, and has it bred around this area this year.

And a couple of excellent images to be going on with....

 Hawfinch. Phillip Tomkinson.

Not many opportunities to see - let alone photograph - the Hawfinch as well as this one, but PT made good use of his opportunity on this occasion.

Bittern. Phillip Tomkinson.  

Not many opportunities to see - let alone photograph - the Bittern either, but PT made good use of his opportunity on this occasion too. For all we know this image could well reflect the sum total of Bittern at Leighton Moss today as I suspect this may well be the case....But now someone is going come forward to tell us I'm wrong on that suggestion.

Thanks to Phillip Tomkinson for the two excellent photographs. 

And finally... 

Putting a smile into birding.

For all the birding ID 'goofs'....don't worry I'm one too. A Wilson's Phalarope reported this morning was later identified to be a Spotted Redshank....Mmmmm!!