Leighton Moss in January

First stop was the field at the bottom of the road to Dalton Crags were the Glossy Ibis was contentedly feeding by the fence, brilliant views from the road.

Then onto the pools where we got Spotted Redshank and Greenshank, although it was fairly quiet considering it was high tide. The usual duck types were present, but very little of any excitement, so we had our lunch and decided to head for the main reserve to look for Bittern and Otters !!!

First stop, the feeders, all the tits including Marsh Tit, but no Brambling or Nuthatch.

At Lilian's we missed a Bittern by 10 seconds !!! It had dropped into the reeds at the left of the hide and never reappeared, can't tick that !!! We were told of a Green Winged Teal at Grisedale hide, so we went for a look, where we were told it was showing at Lilian's !!!! Can't tick that either !!

But we did watch Peregrine, Marsh Harrier and Buzzard, all in the same binocular view, raptor fest !!!

Round to Public Hide for anything there, but nothing special added. We did pass a tree stump which was seeded for Marsh Tit by the path, brilliant idea, as they were coming regularly close enough to photograph.

Back to Lilian's for sunset, which was stunning, then the starling roost came in right next to the hide !!!

Best views I've had of that and so close.

68 ticks for the day, including Heysham, and Frank had a couple I didn't, so a very good day.

Heysham Harbour

Picked up Frank for a day at Leighton Moss, but we decided to drop into Heysham as neither of us had been there before.
It was blowing a gale straight off the sea as we walked round past Red Nab to the outflows were we had Kittiwake and Little Gull showing well.
Then, on to the harbour itself looking for the Glaucous Gull that had been reported. We didn't see that but had Shag on the wooden jetty and plenty of Turnstone and Redshank on the rocks below.
As we walked back Frank picked up Purple Sandpiper with the Turnstones and I got Med Gull on the second outflow with Blacked Headed Gulls, white wings, tail and vivid red beak.
There were hundreds of waders being pushed in by the tide, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Turnstone, Sanderling and Dunlin.
A party of three Red Breasted Merganser took off from the sea, were we could see flocks of Wigeon patrolling near the rocks.
Back at Red Nab, we picked up a Merlin which took off, spooking the waders, we watched it fly out to sea, which was strange, but maybe it was checking out the jetties.
No pipits or Twite, which we'd hoped for, but certainly a site to revisit in the future.  

Bewicks

I had heard that there were Bewick swans with the Whoopers at Hesketh Out Marsh, so I thought I'd drop in at lunchtime and have a look.
I found the 40 Whoopers in a field with some sheep, but no Bewicks, just as it started to drizzle and cloud up my glasses !!
As I drove home towards Banks on Shore Road, I saw a few swans in a stubble field at the dogleg with New Lane Pace. They were with sizeable flock of gulls, Herring, Black Headed and Lesser Black Back.
I pulled into the layby and scoped them, 8 adult and 3 juv. Bewicks Swans. Nothing to compare the size to, but the yellow on the beak was shorter and rounded than the Whoopers I'd just left.

That cheered me up after a miserable wet weekend. Only a trip to Lytham Moss, to chase Bean Geese again to speak of, and again a wasted journey. Although we did manage to find the correct roads this time and avaoid getting stuck.

A Dip into Martin Mere

I dropped into Martin Mere yesterday afternoon with a view to do some digiscoping, but, as it turned out, the wind was too strong. Wherever you sat in any hide, the wind seemed to be blowing directly into your face !! So no photos again !!
Tree Sparrow, Sparrowhawk, Little Grebe, Stock Dove and Marsh Harrier were additions to the list from Miller's Bridge Hide. I added Willow Tit and Reed Bunting from Janet Kear, but no sign of Brambling.
Apparently Hen Harrier was seen, but not by me !!
My year list is now at 75, 102 by the end of January last year, so 'way to go'.

I dropped into Dawlish Drive to get some photos of the White Fronts, but again the wind was blowing my scope over every time I let go, so I gave up !!

So here are some White Fronts and Barnanles from last week at Dawlish Drive.    

Love Songs

Tawny Owls were singing in the wood again this morning.
Always just after dark or just before dawn, and usually when the rain has stopped or the wind has dropped
I suppose it's so their song carries further.
There seemed to be a pair, one 'keewicking' and the other 'twooing' !!
Couldn't pick them out in the trees against the sky though.

Still windy and dismal today, too rough for another try at the Glauc. !!
I've dipped 4 times now !!

Quick Trip to the Fylde

After de-Christmassing all morning,
I decided on a quick trip to Lytham to look for Bean Geese with the long suffering wife.
I'd never found Lytham Moss before, but did today. I nearly got the car stuck in, what I think must have been Division Lane !!
Anyway, no Bean Geese, apparently not seen all day !! And no Short Eared Owls, too windy.
So to Firhaven Lake to tick the female Scaup. That proved harder than expected in gale force winds, all the ducks were huddling in the lee of the island, but I picked it out with some Tufteds and Pochard.
I'm sure Jean would like to see Lytham Crematorium !!
So we popped in there to tick Ringed necked Parakeet, 3 feeding on the holly tree near the chapel gave us good views.
Dropping Jean at home to get warm I continued to the Marine Lake for the Egret roost on the northern island. There were 5 hardy souls huddled in the shelter, they pointed out 18 Goldeneye in a flock, as we watched a total of 26 Little Egrets come in, but no Great White tonight. Hundereds of Cormorant flew past to roost on the same island.
Home for a warm as it went dark, work tomorrow !!

New Year's Day 2012

Happy New Year !!
Rain and more rain !! It eased off at 10 o'clock for an hour, so I went to Marshside, to see the White Fronts.
Dawlish Drive side of Crossens inner had 18 European Whie Fronts with 8 Barnacles, clouds of Wigeon and Teal.
A good start, but all downhill from here.
Another hours dry at 3 coincided with the high tide, only a 7mt, so not very exciting. I went to Weld Road green beach to look for the Glaucous Gull, but dipped although it had been reported again today.
I ended up with a meagre count of 54 for the day, or rather 2 hours I'd spent out and about. A stonechat on the green beach was nice, as well as the geese.