Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB - 5th December 2010

Both Reece and I headed out to Hesketh Out Marsh today to have a further look around after fridays visit and an email from Colin Bushell giving me a little more information on the area. Well the temperature wasn't as cold as Friday and we got a few more sightings but no sign of the Barn Owl though it was afternoon. First stop was a scan across the field to the east of he car park with a large flock of Linnet mixed with Chaffinch, Tree Sparrow and Brambling.

LINNET, TREE SPARROW AND BRAMBLING IN THE FIELD NEXT TO THE CAR PARK

 A scan from the platform gave distant views of Pink-footed Geese, a few Redshank, Kestrel, Curlew, Shellduck and Mallard. From the platform we headed west and added 4 Dunlin which dropped in with a couple of Redshank. More Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Blue Tit were in the hedges as well as more views odf the Merlin and a Buzzard and Little Egret over. A large number of Teal could be seen in one of the distches as well as a second Kestrel and we flushed 2 Woodcock in seperate locations, one as we were leaving the car park. A Sparrowhawk made an appearance on the way back to the car and we were told of a Female Hen Harrier having been seen from the platform wilst we were wandering around!

                                                    ABOVE 1500+ PINK FOOTED GEESE BY THE RIBBLE

ABOVE SPARROWHAWK (TAKEN BY REECE) BELOW TREE SPAROW

Stags Lodge, Cuerden Valley Park

I wouldn't call myself a patch birder but if I was to be asked what my local patch is I'd have to say Stags Lodge. I spend most evenings and a few mornings there usually walking my 3 dogs but do manage to see what goes on even though I don't always blog it. Its not one of the best patches but does have a few nice birds our favourite of this year being the Whinchat that made an appearance earlier in the year. At the moment there are warblers calling again, Chiffchaff, Willow and Whitethroat which look to have bred successfully this year with 4 young on show with 2 adults this evening. On the pond the Coot have done well with 2 pairs raising a total of 5 young though no Moorhen this year we can't forget the large Mallard brood. Across the park we regularly see Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Magpie, Rook, Carion Crow, Greater-black Backed and Black-headed Gull, Coal, Long-tailed, Great and Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Swallow, Wren, Robin, Jay, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Kestrel, Grey Wagtail, Grey Heron and even the odd Buzzard from time to time. During the week though I found what I believe to be a young Sparrowhawk, what has taken it I'm not sure but possibly a Peregrine.

YOUNG SPARROWHAWWK FOUND DEAD ON THE PARK

The meadows were cut just over a week ago which caused me some concern not only beacause of the lack of flowers for the Bees and Butterflies but also beacause the meadows contained Common Spotted Orchid. A number of plants still remain in a ditch and a few more in the wilder part of th every bottom meadow which is usually left to grow its course so hopfully we will see them in future years here.

Butterflies can still be seen on the park with much smaller numbers of Meadow Brown than some weeks ago, a couple of Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell, Coma, Green-veined White and a single female Brimstone.

ABOVE COMA BELOW FEMALE GREEN-VEINED WHITE

ABOVE PEACOCK CATERPILLAR ON ITS FOODPLANT THE COMMON NETTLE

All photo's on this post taken with my Sony Ericsson C905 mobile phone (who needs a fancy camera?)