Glaucous Gull, Southport Beach - 2nd January 2012

I spent my first day birding of the year at Southport beach with the intention of photographing the Gaucous Gull that has been reported from there for a while now. Reading on the internet and chatting to a few local birders suggested that the bird was ill but after catching up with it after a 2 hour search my thoughts are rather different. I’d been told it was very approachable and as I was able to get within 15m of the bird without causing it any due distress I’d agree which would maybe suggest there was a problem with the bird. As the photographs show the bill is rather red suggesting it has recently fed and there seemed to be no problem with it as it took to the air joining a throng of other gulls as an ignorant dog walker flushed it TWICE!!  I wouldn’t mind but it was quite obvious that about 10 birders with a variety of scopes, binoculars and cameras were looking at a large Gull that was on its own sat on the grass as she trundled through flushing the Gull and not satisfied with that she let her dog off within meters of were the Gull had landed thus flushing it again! I don’t tar all dog walkers with the same brush, most stayed away or even took an interest, and one couple even photographed it with their phone. Rant over.

 GLAUCOUS GULL - 2ND WINTER ACORDING TO MY HELM GUIDE

 BELOW TAKING FLIGHT FOR THE 2ND TIME

BELOW BLACK-HEADED GULL

Whilst searching for the Glaucous I came across a single Sanderling which seemed to have signs of oil on its underside. It didn’t seem to hinder the bird as it preened, fed and flew without any signs of a problem.

 ABOVE SANDERLING PREENING OIL PATCH, BELOW FEEDING

 

As I left a large flock of Twite (some ringed) fed near to the Weld Road car park, I estimated numbers of between 80 – 100 but have been corrected with a count of 122 by another birder who was there at the time.

PART OF THE LARGE FLOCK OF TWITE FEDING NEAR THE CAR PARK

Bittern & Waxwing - Leighton Moss

The plan was to try and photograph the Bittern at Leighton Moss and with the pools all frozen over now was going to be our best chance. Parking up by the public hide track we headed down towards the grit trays in search of the Bearded Tits but no such luck on this occasion but we were told that Bittern had been seen by the Lillians Hide so off we went after picking up a Waxwing in the garden of the house by the path.
We didn't have to wait long as Reece saw a Bittern fly across the front of the hide (I was wandering around the paths!) and land in the reeds near a small pool of open water. It was about 5 minutes before it made an appearance but gave good views for at least an hour as it nervously moved around the reed edge.

ABOVE AND BELOW BITTERN @ LEIGHTON MOSS

It was whilst watching the Bittern Reece spotted a Water Rail sculcing amongst the reeds. Reece wasn't the only one watching as the Water Rail broke cover a Carrion Crow flew in. The Rail dashed for cover but there was only ever going to be one winner.

ABOVE AND BELOW A CARRION CROW MAKING A MEAL OF A WATER RAIL 

After a fine early lunch / late breakfast in the cafe we headed back to see if we could catch the Waxwing again. 30+ were on show flying between the garden and the golf course feeding on berries and apples.

ABOVE AND BELOW WAXWING

On the way home we called in at both Heysham where we saw 20 Twite and what I think is a first winter Linnet. Then down to Bradshaw Lane feeding station with Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, Chaffinch, Yellowhammer and Tree Sparrow with Whooper Swan and Shellduck over.

ABOVE TWITE AND WHAT I THINK IS A 1ST WINTER LINNET

ABOVE TWITE BELOW RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE

Out & About in Lancashire - 27th October 2010

To start lets put the previous posts identification to rest - they are Linnet!

Well its been a while, weekends being busy with Reeces rugby but I took the day off work and decided to visit a few places across Lancashire to see what we could find. We started up at Heysham north harbour with the hope of seeing some Twite but it took a second visit later in the day to find them. Nothing unusual found with Oystercatcher, Redshank, Curlew, Turnstone, various Gulls though we couldn't pick out the Med Gull that is hanging around up there, Pied Wagtail and Goldfinch rounded the visit off.

ABOVE BLACK HEADED GULL

ABOVE A GULL DROPPING A MUSCLE ON THE ROCKS BELOW

ABOVE 1ST WINTER HERRING GULL 

ABOVE PIED WAGTAIL & BELOW ONE OF A LARGE FLOCK OF GOLDFINCH

Next stop was the Eric Morcambe and Allen hides at Leighton Moss with 100+ Redshank, 8+ Little Egret, 2 Greenshank, Goosander and Wigeon the only birds of interest. 

ABOVE & BELOW LITTLE EGRET 

 

ABOVE WIGEON BELOW REDSHANK 

BELOW ROOK TAKEN BY REECE 

From there we headed back to Heysham where we picked up the Twite before passing through the Trough of Bowland in hope of catching site of the Great Grey Shrike that has taken up residence just north of the Moorcroft pub at Waddington. As is usual we missed out on the Shrike but we didn't have that much time to stay to se if it would make an appearance but we did manage a flock of Brambling along with some Chaffinch and a 100+ Fieldfare on route.

ABOVE TWITE WITH A SINGLE GOLDFINCH 

ABOVE BRAMBLING AND CHAFFINCH BELOW FIELDFARE 

Mistaken Identity!

  After posting last week I recieved an email from Mike suggesting my Linnet photograph may be a Twite. I had labeled it a Linnet as they are frequently seen at Heysham and I just presumed they were juvenile because of the slight grey seen on the head. After doing a little research I now agree with Mike on his Twite ID and thanks for correcting me (not for the first and I'm sure not the last).

TWITE TAKEN ON THE NORTH HARBOUR APPROACH ROAD AT HEYSHAM

As usual I've been walking our 3 collies at Stags Lodge (Cuerden Valley Park) come rain or shine. Recent sightings include Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Malard, Blackbird, Black-headed Gull, Song Thrush, Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tit. A single Moorhen has appeared on the pond after none being there all summer, a Buzzard has been around on more than one occasion over the past week and the number of Robins has increased over the last week. All the summer migrants seem to have moved on including the Coots that were quite successful this year.