Lancashire Birding (2 Viewers)

[Fraser42]

More Marsh Harriers

Another video of Marsh Harriers over Leighton Moss in springtime.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7QQTEqQ4DY

 

[ormulum]

Waxwings seem to have been in short supply in West Lancs. Did you have any luck, sleipnerofasgard ??

 

[COLG]

The Waxwings seem reluctant to move into West Lancs at the moment . The nearest large groups seem to be concentrated in the Preston area . Apparently there was a group of over 200 in Ribble Street , Preston , today , so it's unlikely that group will move very far while there's plenty of berries about .

 

[sleipnerofasgard]

Waxwings seem to have been in short supply in West Lancs. Did you have any luck, sleipnerofasgard ??

Only spent an hour or so in Ormskirk last weekend but have had no reports from there from my mate, but i am sure they are about, as always it depends on how many people are looking, not getting any chance to look this weekend either as i am on a drinking jaunt to liverpool saturday afternoon so could be seeing allsorts by four pmB

Frank

 

[Neil UK]

Maybe a last post from me in a while, babies due date is today and got to go the hospital to see if they gonna start proceedings... long story!!

Anyway moved over the Ribble yesterday to the area off Holme Road Allotments. Great walk this with wonderful sightings of Long Tailed Tits, Redshanks (getting further inland) and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers (1 M, 1 F).

 

[Johnny1]

Only spent an hour or so in Ormskirk last weekend but have had no reports from there from my mate, but i am sure they are about, as always it depends on how many people are looking, not getting any chance to look this weekend either as i am on a drinking jaunt to liverpool saturday afternoon so could be seeing allsorts by four pmB

Frank

My son has been looking in the Ormskirk area and hasn't seen any yet.
Have one for me!!!B

 

[Alan67]

Water Rail

2 Water Rails showing well in the stream en-route to lower hide at Leighton Moss yesterday.

 

[Jonny721]

Thousand of Pink Footed Geese today Over Wyre, I managed to find a pair of Greenland White Fronted Geese (adult and juvenile) in the fields by Lancaster Road in Preesall along with a single Barnacle Goose there.

 

[Martin3112]

Waxwings are still knocking about in Penwortham, saw a flock of 30 or so flying over the golf course towards the river yesterday......

 

[oncebittern]

Leighton Moss, yesterday

Small area of open water still, to the right of Public Hide, crammed with Teal, Mallard etc. Two Water Rails seen there too. Another Water Rail seen in the stream en-route to Lower Hide. Bittern fly over from Lower, and a Kestrel plucking some unfortunate small bird from the reeds in front of the hide. Bearded Tits by the path to Grisedale/Tim Jackson, no more than about 50m from the car park path. More Beardies along the causeway, on the left, well before the hide. Several dismembered Starling corpses at the entrance to TJ; presumably taken during the evening roost, and brought there to be eaten in peace - Sparrowhawk?

 

[Jaff]

Lovely shot of the Beardie Steve. I reckon I might pay a visit next week.

 

[Jonny721]

Great day around the ribble estuary today.
Southport Marine Lakes - most of lake covered by ice so all the ducks were at the north end. 1st winter male Scaup amongst over a hundred Tufted Ducks, female Red Crested Pochard, 2 Goldeneye, 50+ Pochard, 3 Gadwall, 4 Wigeon etc
Hesketh Out Marsh - 1+ Lapland Bunting present with large Skylark flock, Little Owl, Peregrine Falcon, 1000+ Pink Feet

 

[WyreWader]

Maybe a last post from me in a while, babies due date is today and got to go the hospital to see if they gonna start proceedings... long story!!

I hope has all gone well Neil, getting somewhat worried given your lengthy absence from all things cyber?

Steve/Oncebittern, I'm loving the Bearded Tit photo, nice to see another a700 user too, I see you're shooting @ 500mm, what lens are you using? & btw, that dismembered Starling photo is extraordinary!!

I had a few hours at Stanley Park, Blackpool yesterday, I took along a bag of bird seed looking for some easy photo opps as I tried to tempt out the usual suspects - problem was about 50 feral pigeons followed me around & descended onto all the food I put out :C.

Despite the attentions of the pigeons sightings included 2+ Nuthatch, 6+ Long tailed Tits, 3+ Coal Tits, 2 Shoveler, 7 Tufted ducks, 3 Cormorants & a few other bits & bobs.

I've attached a few photos.

Cheers

Cliff

 

[oncebittern]

Steve/Oncebittern, I'm loving the Bearded Tit photo, nice to see another a700 user too, I see you're shooting @ 500mm, what lens are you using?

Morning Cliff.

I'm using a Sigma EX 50-500mm F/4-6.3 APO DG zoom.

Its a lens I hankered after for some while when I was using a Nikon body, but I also wanted to use an optically stabilised DSLR for digiscoping. The body based OS system of the A700, and the 50-500mm Sigma lens seemed to cover all bases, so the swap was made, and I'm more than pleased with the outcome :t:

http://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/lenses/telezoom/50-500mm.htm

Steve.

 

[Johnny1]

Firecrest

On Friday I went with my son to Hesketh Park, Southport looking for the Firecrest which had been reported from there, after 3 hours of scanning every Goldcrest and anything that looked small enough to be the elusive sprite we finally had a brief sighting of it, ( if you're reading this I'm sorry Bob it appeared about 10 minutes after you left!) my son had a better view of it than I did. Loads of Long Tailed Tits, Goldcrests and Nuthatches seen pluss at least 2 Gt Spotted Woods, Coal Tits etc.
Anyway my son went back there again yesterday, I declined as I couldn't face another 3 hours of walking around in circles straining to check every Goldcrest fluttering in the branches. Needless to say he saw it straight away and had excellent views!

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Got to drive over to collect my son's gear from Preston Uni on Wednesday. I was thinking of visiting Leighton Moss first and wondered whether Woodwell was any good anymore for seeing hawfinches?

 

[Geoff Pain]

Best place lately has been Sizergh Castle not too far away,usually in car park.

 

[Neil UK]

Cliff, no panic mate but thanks for the concern... Baby Briony was born December 6th @ 15:33, weighing in at 7lb 2 and she is absolutely gorgeous and I aint just saying that cos am her Dad hahahaha. Will add a post on my blog tomorrow.

On a sightings note I saw a group of 6 Shoveler on Stanley Park lake, took 30 shots and not ONE turned out, all dam well blurred so unhappy about that!!!! Also is it bull reeds that they have planted on the sides near the reserve part. No matter what it is, its a great idea.

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Best place lately has been Sizergh Castle not too far away,usually in car park.

Thanks Geoff, give that a whirl Wednesday am.

 

[Neil UK]

Infact I posted it tonight instead lol, here we go:

http://notyouraveragewildlifewatcher.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-first-born-is-here-and-she-is.html#more