Seaforth

Black tern 4 (ad & 3 juv.s)
Sandwich tern 3 (2ads & juv.)
Mediterranean gull (3 adults)
Common tern (200+)
Yellow wagtail 1 female
Goldeneye 2 females
Common sandpiper 2

The hide at Seaforth.

Ribble Marshes

We spent the day on the Ribble mainly hoping to see the spoonbills which have been in the area recently. Most of our day was at Hesketh Out Marsh, but we also took in Banks Marsh south from Old Hollow (Baxters) Farm and finally Crossens Marsh and Marshside. No sign of the spoonbills anywhere, goodness knows where they hide themselves, but I suppose it is a big estuary.

At Hesketh Out Marsh we saw seven species of raptor, hobby, three marsh harriers, peregrine, two merlins, two buzzards, sparrowhawk and kestrel. Also three yellow wagtails, at least 10 greenshanks, 30 black-tailed godwits and a couple of common sandpipers.

Black-tailed godwits.

Hesketh Out Marsh

Whilst hanging out the washing this morning.....

A hobby flew over, quite low down, from the direction of Pennington Flash!

Pennington Flash

The juvenile black tern was still hawking for insects over the eastern end of the flash this evening, at times showing very well from the car park, but it also spent a lot of time over in the south east corner. It was persued by black-headed gulls for most of the time, I'm not really sure why since it's not eating anything which the gull can steal.

Pale Common Buzzard

This very pale juvenile common buzzard set off a few alarm bells when I first saw it  near Carr Lane Pools at Hale today.

A round up of the week from Appleton Reservoir

Bird numbers are starting to grow at the reservoir, with around 14 gadwall, 30 tufted ducks, 80 coot and now seven little grebes (five adults and two juveniles). Dragonflies are still out in good numbers, with four or five ruddy darters seen on each visit and similar numbers of common darters. Two or three Emperors were seen, at least two brown hawkers and one migrant hawker. Butterflies include small copper.

Ruddy darter.

Ruddy darter.

Common darter.

Common blue damselfly.

Pennington Flash

A juvenile black tern was at the eastern end of the flash this evening, mainly in the area where the lesser scaup spent a lot of time two years ago, but occasionally right off the main car park. Very difficult to photograph in the bright evening sunlight and constantly moving and difficult to focus on, but I'm pleased enough we these.

Pennington Flash

The garganey was showing well from the Teal hide this evening, but otherwise it was fairly quiet at the Flash.

Mallard, shoveler, garganey and teal.

Lesser Yellowlegs, Conder Green

A lesser yellowlegs was found at Conder Green near Glasson Dock this morning, so after a short stint (ha!) at Hesketh Out Marsh we decided to head north. We arrived at about 14:00 and had decent views of the bird for about 20 minutes, albeit against the sun, until the yellowlegs and all of the other waders were spooked by something and flew off onto the Lune. It was relocated on the Conder at about 16:40, but by that time it wasn't the sun that was the problem it was torrential rain, thunder and lightening and blackness like it was the middle of the night! By this time though we had moved to Glasson Dock in search of a spoonbill, but like yesterday at Hesketh Out Marsh, we failed.

Year: 245 (Lesser yellowlegs)

If the bird is too far away to get a decent photo at least try to make a rubbish photo of the bird atmospheric and interesting!!! I have loads of atmospheric and interesting photos.....

Should we go back to the car?

No, it will pass over.

It's only a shower.....

Capsian Gull, Ainsdale

We called in for another look at the Ainsdale Caspian gull today, and had even better views than last week. A magnificent bird.

While we were on the beach, a flock of nearly 100 summer plumage grey plover flew over the sea.

Hesketh Out Marsh

At Hesketh Out Marsh today, two juvenile little stints and a third bird which was the size of little stint but looked a bit odd, with no tramlines down its back, possibly a longer curved bill, a more upright stance and a distinct supercilium. Whilst the other two birds fed on the exposed mud in a typical little stint like way, the third bird ran around in the grass and was on a different pool, about 100m away from the others. Unfortunately we didn't see it long enough to be sure either way, it eventually disappeared into thee grass.....

Also today, marsh harrier, 3 greenshank and lots of little egrets.

Pennington Flash

In attrocious conditions, poor light and heavy drizzle, I at least managed to get a good look at the garganey which has been moving between Ramsdales and the Spit. Today it was feeding right in front of Ramsdales hide. Also from Ramsdales, two green sandpipers, though these were seen to fly off high shortly after I arrived. On the flash, at least 130 tufted ducks and two common terns.

Garganey. It's not just about the facial stripes, notice also the pale throat.

One for the unwary. A (possibly eclipse male?) teal with an eye stripe, but nowhere near as distinct as the garganey. Notice also the lack of a pale throat.