Rained Off

I had proposed a visit to Marshside this morning, but howling gales and lashing rain put me off, I know, wimp !! So I decide to do an hours garden watching instead.

First up were 100 pink feet flying over going inland to feed on potatoes I expect.

A male Great Spotted Woodpecker was on the peanut feeder as I counted 13 Chaffinch, a Robin and 2 Blackbirds around the base. 8 Goldfinch, 3 Blue Tit and 2 Great Tit took it in turns on the sunflower hearts, whilst a Coal Tit spied it's chance to dart in and away with a mouthful.

Photos from earlier in the year !!

Upto 6 Wood Pigeons vied for seed on the bird table, as Pheasant and Dunnock cleared up around the base. I had Greenfinch and Collared Dove along with Magpie also visiting the table at intervals.

The local Grey Squirrel chases everything away occassionally, as it hangs upside down to take sunflower hearts from the 'squirrel proof' feeder !!

A big jack Rabbit is helping itself to the shoots on my roses !! 

I put 2 nest boxes up yesterday and I've just watched a Blue Tit investigate the inside of one of them !! They must be in acceptible locations, I hope so.  

I'll perhaps try Marshide later on if the weather changes, tide time is about 2 o'clock

Glaucous Gull

A Glaucous Gull has been at Ainsdale for a couple of days in the Weld Road roost, so I thought I'd go and have alook today. I stopped off at 10 this morning but I couldn't stay long and dipped, however I had better luck in the afternoon. I got there at about 2.15 and asked a birder if it was about, he said somebody had seen it further up the beach towards Ainsdale, so I set off. Eventually after about 15 minutes I met Harry from Stockport and Dave, who I'd seen at Marshside before, they put me straight onto it about 100 yards out sitting by itself. It was limping when it moved and, to be honest, didn't look very well. Still it was a local tick.
Harry wanted to see White Fronts, so I took him to the bank at Dawlish Drive, where we picked up a group of 8 exactly where they had been all week with a flock of Barnies.
That's 191 for the year, I guess that's about it for 2011. Should I go for 200 next year ??? 

Christmas Day

Happy Christmas, roses in the garden still flowering, blackbird and robin singing, great spotted woodpecker drumming in the wood. It's getting confusing. Tawny owls verbally duelling tonight in Banks. In my garden goldfinch no outnumber greenfinch, I wonder if this is a result of the virus ??

2011 What a year !!

The best thing I did in 2011 was to attend the 'Birding and Beyond' course at Edge Hill. It comprised a Wednesday lecture once a month by Dr. Alan Bedford, followed by a Saturday field visit to the best birding sites in the North West lead by Graham Clarkson. The enthusiasm and knowledge of the leaders coupled with the friendships we formed in the group was excellent.
Thank you to 'the doctor' and 'the marshsider'
The best trip was to a bird ringing session at Mere Sands Wood. The chance to see closely and even handle such fascinating and delicate creatures was something I'll treasure for a long time. We ringed, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Bullfinch, Great and Blue Tit, Reed Bunting, Great Spotted Woodpecker, and a very early Chiffchaff.

Thanks to the South Lancs Ringing group for a superb day.
We also went to Gigrin Farm for the Red Kite spectacular. A long drive for 'the doctor' but worth it for us able to nod off in the back of the bus for 3 hours !!

I think we totalled 160+ species on the 12 trips, brilliant.

Holidays in 2011 were to Agadir in Morrocco, Bald Ibis and Hoopoe Lark beikng the best birds. Side in Turkey, where at one site in the Korketelli Hills I had White Throated Robin, Woodlark and Black Headed Bunting. Masked Shrike shared our hotel grounds with families of Bulbuls.

In October we went to Crocodile Island in Luxor, somewhere I'd wanted to go for 2 or 3 years, and it didn't dissappoint. It's a hotel on a private island in the Nile, surrounded by reed beds and water. 6 Marsh Harrier in the air at breakfast, Glossy Ibis, Pied Kingfisher and Purple Gallinule with Purple and Squacco Heron all showing well. Hoopoe, Yellow Wagtail, Cattle Egret and Spur Winged Plover on the lawns round the swimming pool, whilst the mimosa trees had Nile Valley Sunbird and Little green Bee-eater. There were Reed Warbler and Red Avadavat by the jetty on the river.

Black Kite and Black Shouldered Kite floated over from time to time, with a flock of about 200 White Pelicans seen.
The total counts for the year where 190 in the UK and 258 for the Western Palearctic, both records for me. Here's to 200 UK next year, but what a year !!!!

Intro

Hello, welcome to my blog !!

I had thought blogs were a somewhat egotistic activity, until I realised that, after I’ve checked my e-mail, the next thing i do is check the excellent blogs of John Dempsey, Colin Bushell and Pete Kinsella !! So maybe I should dive in !!

I live in Banks with my wife Jean and Jet, my wild black labrador. My three chickens have fled the nest for territories of their own, and have to date fledged 4 grandchildren. Jensen 8, Reuben 4, Evan 6m, and Joshua 3m, everyone a potential birder !!

I work in Burscough, so my daily drive takes me accross Martin Mere, where I am lucky enough to spot lots of birds. I hope, in this blog, to share some of those daily sightings and report on any trips or holiday birding activity.

I have always been interested in wildlife and birds, my first birdbook was the ‘Observer Book of Birds’ published in 1957, I still have it !! But I started to list more enthusiastically in 1984 whilst in Norfolk on a family holiday, I use my own ‘excel’ spreadsheet, and , since last year, ‘BTO Birdtrack’ software to keep count. I keep ‘life lists’ for the western palearctic, ‘garden lists’ and ‘year lists’. Standing at 399, 190 and 64 at present, but more of them as we progress.

So Welcome to my blog, let’s see how we progress !!

Say hello if you see me about !! Thank you for reading !!