A good day for ducks! Lancashire Birding - 7th November 2009

A rainy day alone took me up to Leighton Moss in search of the reported Snow Geese. I know it was a little late and to be honest I didn't have my hopes up but an email last Tuesday from Mike containing 2 distant photo's sent me on my way. Also in the email contained directions to a viewpoint that gives breathtaking views of the whole area on which the Allen and Eric Morecambe hides sit and upon finding it I set myself up in the rain to see what I could find. I spotted the 4 Snow Geese straight away but after setting my scope up I lost sight of them. A couple from Lytham joined me and after pointing out the general direction I'd seen them we were soon back onto them. With the rain falling and the place being very exposed I decided to move down to the Eric Morecambe hide but not before seeing 30+ Graylag and 2 Little Egret.

SNOW GEESE WITH GREYLAG COURTESEY OF MIKE FOLEY

The Snow Geese were also visible from the Eric Morecambe hide along with 3 Great White Egret. Waders included 25+ Curlew, 3 Dunlin, 30+ Redshank, 2 Greenshank and 50+Lapwing, Pochard, Wigeon, Shellduck, Teal, Gadwall and Shoveler rounded the visit up before moving off to the public hide.

REDSHANK, SHELTERING FROM THE RAIN? (CLICK TO EXPAND)

The public hide brought more 'ducks' with a single female Scaup, Pochard, Shoveler, Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Teal. A Greater Black Backed Gull flew over whilst 3 Cormorant roosted on the little island. There were also several winter plumage Great Crested Grebe, Mute Swan and dare I mention the Coot that seem to gather in numbers here.

CORMORANT

As I headed back south I called in at Pine Lake to see if I could see the Slavonian Grebe and this time much to Reece's disappointment there it was at the north end. Also on the lake were 4 Goosander, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe and yes more Coot.

ABOVE BLACK-HEADED GULL BELOW ROOSTING OYSTERCATCHER (CLICK TO EXPAND)

After Pine Lake I decided to pay a brief visit to Hest Bank. I say brief as even though the tide was in there wasn't much about as a springer spaniel was causing havoc as it ran up and down the area. I did manage to see several Redshank, Black-Headed Gull, 500+ Oystercatcher and the odd Lapwing. It's the first time I've been here but I'll call in again as you can view most of the area from the car if it's raining.

The last call was Conder and with the tide being so high I thought there might be more about but just the odd Redshank, Curlew and a single Oystercatcher on the creek. The lake was slightly better with 4 Little Grebe, Tufted Duck, Redshank, Curlew and Goldeneye.

LITTLE GREBE