Hesketh Out Marsh & Marshside - 3rd December 2010

The plan was to have a good look around Hesketh Out Marsh then head up to Marshside to both see what was about and try my new lens out but with the temperature at -8 when I left home I wasn't for stopping out for long! I spent about an hour or so at each place and called in at Preston docks on the way back to see if I could catch up with the Iceland Gull again.
At HOM there seemed to be plenty of Meadow Pipits around, Reed Bunting, Goldfinch 2 Kestrel and 3 Song Thrush. Curlew and the odd Redshank were the only waders I managed to see and a single Little Egret as I left the reserve. The supprise of the trip was this Barn Owl which I watched for 15 minutes as it searched for a meal along the path.
After watching the Barn Owl I decided to head back to the car to thaw out and make my way up to Marshside. No one seemed to ba around when I got there so I headed around the Sand Plant to see if there was anything showing. A large flock of 20+ Greenfinch, Goldfinch and again plenty of Meadow Pipit. The only raptor to make an appearance was a male Kestrel which was a dissapointment after last year but there's plenty of time yet. I sat for about 45 minutes behind the sand plant watching the Pink-footed Geese come and go hoping to pick something out but as usual no such luck.
 ABOVE AND BELOW PINK-FOOTED GEESE AT MARSHSIDE 


3 comments:

Colin Bushell said...

Fantastic Barn Owl pics! I was down the other end of Hesketh near the Douglas this morning: 6 Bewick's, Woodcock, 6 Goosanders and usual raptors.
Any chance I can link your post to the Ribble Estuary facebook page Derek?
Cheers,
Colin

Anonymous said...

Derek, great photos of the Barn Owl, presumably taken with your new lens? If so, it looks to be very promising. Mike.

Derek Gallagher said...

The new lens is giving good results I was very lucky that the Barn Owl was there when I used it for the first time