Ring-Billed Gull

 

 29th Jan' Sands Lane gravel pit, West Yorkshire

An afternoon to twitch the long staying r b gull with Sean Johnston

was a success. The bird was found by Sean almost immediately on

arrival, amongst a group of around 250 other gull's.

It showed well on the ice for around thirty minutes

but couldn't be tempted closer, even with my crispy coated

peanut's! Also present: Tufted Duck 16, Pochard, Goosander 4,

Cormorant 8, Wigeon and Mallard.

Next stop, Fairburn Ing's.

The European White-Fronted Geese were

viewable very distantly from Lin Dyke.  Even at a range of 1km

the adult bird's belly marking's were still very noticeable as

they fed amongst Canada Geese. Finally we finished the

freezing day with view's of a Long-Eared Owl, which

was roosting very low down behind a small reed bed.

Tufted Duck with fishing line attached.

Long-Eared Owl

East Lancs 23/24 Jan 2011

 Dunsop Bridge 23rd Jan' a quiet afternoon in Bowland with the hope of seeing

 some raptor's. 3 Buzzard's  2 Kestrel and a single Sparrowhawk

were on offer today. A flock of forty siskin were in the conifer's.

Sparrowhawk

Decomposing Salmon, Dunsop

Foulridge res's 24th Jan' a lunchtime visit was quiet

as expected with 6 Goosander, 10 Wigeon, 3 Pochard

and a single goldeneye.

Water Rail, Lower Towneley

22nd January 2011

Another visit to the marshy pool at Lower Towneley

to see the wintering Water Rail's. A period of freezing

weather left most of the pond frozen over.

The bird's showed very closely at times but scurry quickly

through any open areas into cover, making photography difficult.

I did manage a few reasonable shot's in the poor light.

Also at the site: Goosander (over), Pink-Footed Geese 200 (west)

Grey Heron and Sparrowhawk.

male Sparrowhawk carrying Blue Tit.

Waxwing's at work!

19/1/11

Today was the first time that i'd seen Waxwing's

in the car park at work in over seven year's of working there!

At least twenty were flying around as i routinely

drove in to work. They showed very well as

they fed briefly on rowan berries before flying off.

This winter has seen the largest number

of Waxwing's that i can remember in the East Lanc's area.

Below are some images from late last year, when the bird's

were first sighted in the area.

Foulridge 17th Jan'

After a weekend of continuous rain it was good to

get out in dry weather. A lunchtime visit to my local

patch of Foulridge was uneventful but at least i didn't get wet.

4 Goosander, 2 Pochard, 5 wigeon and 2 Great Crested Grebe

was the best i could manage. A Mistle Thrush in full song

showed that spring is not that far away!

Red-Necked Grebe, Fairhaven Lake

9/01/11

A day on the Fylde with Ian and Glen Hodgkinson, started

with a visit on the way for the semi-resident Iceland Gull at

Preston Dock. The water at the dock has now thawed and

not as many gull's were present as on previous visits, including

the Iceland!

Moving on to Warton Bank in the hope of finding

a decent raptor. The best we could do was a distant Common

Buzzard. Lot's of waterfowl were present at the site

but unfortunately, these were all very distant and against

the light.

Fairhaven Lake and at last, a reward for our efforts.

The immature red-necked grebe was showing very well

and i managed a few reasonable shot's as it moved from

one side of the lake to the other. After the cold got to us,

we decided to try for the Rose-Ringed parakeet's at Lytham

Crematorium.

Two bird's were quickly added to the day's tally.

Next stop, Fleetwood Dock for the Great Northern Diver.

On route, we came across a large group of geese, feeding

by the roadside at Rossall. After scanning carefully, we

could only find Pink-Feets, around 1800 of them.

 Arriving at the dock's, Glen located the diver after a little

 searching, among the boat's. Frustratingly, it spent most

of it's time under the water. Nevertheless, it showed

reasonably well in the bright sunshine.

Red-Necked Grebe

Pink-Footed Geese

Rose-Ringed Parakeet

Great Northern Diver with Great Black-Backed Gull's

Ian and Glen brave the cold weather!

water rail, Lower Towneley

8/01/11
 This bird was one of at least two, probably three

bird's on the pool at Lower Towneley this afternoon.

After a half hour wait, it was great to watch the bird's

feeding on the reed edge, probing the ice-free patches

of water. They fed, undisturbed for around twenty minutes

before a lull, then resumed feeding and showing well to a small

audience of four other birder's.

Leighton Moss RSPB

3/01/11

At least three bitterns were on view from Lillian's

hide this afternoon and not alot else. At 15:00

three bitterns got up from the reed edge and flew

over the frozen area of water and dropped down

deeper into the reedbed. My first of the year!

 The visitor centre feeding station was alive

with bird's. A small group of lesser redpoll and

marsh tit showing well. The starling roost was

fabulous to watch as they swirled around in the sky

before finally coming in to roost.

bittern

starling roost

robin

2/01/11 East Lancs

I started off with a late morning visit to Pendle

Hill. Where yesterday a flock of twenty-five snow

buntings had been seen. That was yesterday and today

they were not playing. I could not find a single bird.

With just a few red grouse on the summit and a reasonable

view of a fieldfare on the way up, it was very quiet bird wise.

A drive to the layby near the Moorcock Inn at

Waddington Fell to look for the great grey shrike.

With a common buzzard and 3 kestrel's the only thing of note

and no sign of the shrike.

Next stop, Barrow Lodge for a Mcdonald's and a few

 flight shot's of the black-headed gulls before a final visit

of the day to Lower Towneley Scrape. A water rail showed

 itself briefly and a flock of around 20 waxwing

 flew over and down by the nearby housing

estate, ending the day off nicely!

1st winter black-headed gull

 fieldfare

Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Calidris pygmeus) @ Chukotka, Russian Far East

Wish i'd seen this!

1/01/11

Foulridge

A couple of hours at Foulridge reservoirs this afternoon

saw both waters virtually, completely frozen still. With just

a small patch of  ice free water on the lower res', where

6 goosander, 15 wigeon, 20 mallard and singles of
goldeneye and tufted duck were present.