A cold day

Siskin 2 - Eccleston Mere
Fieldfare 100 - Moss Lane
Corn Bunting 1 singing - Moss Lane
Yellowhammer 10 - Moss Lane


I had an early morning walk to the mere, when it was still very icey. The jewel in my hand had formed on the leaves of privet. The whole hedge was covered in ice. Quite a remarkable sight.

Eccleston Mere

Water Rail 1 in ditch in SW corner
Willow Tit 1
Buzzard 1
Teal 2 (m&f)


Alas this weasel was all too brief a view, resulting in a blurred, if still interesting photo.


The sedge Carex acuta, which here grows in tussocks on the edge of the mere. It will look a lot more impressive in about 4 months!

Eccleston Mere

Water Rail 1 in SW corner
Siskin 2
Buzzard 2

Crinkle Crags, Cumbria

It was a glorious yet bitterly cold day in the Lake District. We climbed Pike O'Blisco and then Crinkle Crags from Langdale, before descending down the Band to the Old Dungeon Ghyll hotel for a well earned drink by the open fire!


Crinkle Crags, the Band and Bowfell.


The Band, Bowfell and Langdale Pikes.



Treacherous conditions on Pike O'Blisco.


Is this the Arctic? Looking back along the route we had just taken, from Crinkle Crags.


Close to the summit of Crinkle Crags.


Scafell and Scafell Pikes from one of the Three Tarns.

Rainford mosslands

I had a quick bike ride around the mosslands this morning, and as has been the trend recently, saw next to no birds. 300 Pink-feet and 2 Buzzards in Dairy Farm Road the only birds of note. Other than that the highlight was a singing Robin in Berrington's Lane. Oh well, here's hoping for better things in the coming weeks.

Happy New Year everybody!

Pennington Flash

Bullfinch 7
Willow Tit 2

Buzzards

Lots of Buzzards today, at least 4 along Dairy Farm Road, 2 Old Coach Road, 2 Berrington's Lane and 2 Eccleston Mere. The only Geese were 50 Pink-feet Dairy Farm Road.

Eccleston Mere

Siskin 50+ in trees at southern end
Lesser Redpoll 1+
Goldfinch 50+
Pochard 9
Kingfisher 1
Buzzard 1
Great Crested Grebe 10
Tufted Duck 6
Pink-footed Goose 50 (flying in direction of Catchdale Moss)

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, the year has petered out a bit, which is not unusual I suppose, what with dark nights and gloomy days. Hopefully in the New Year things will pick up again. Merry Christmas everybody!!

Eccleston Mere

Pochard 9 (7 males, 2 females)
Goldfinch 100
Siskin 1
Lesser Redpoll 1
Buzzard 2
Little Grebe 1

Eccleston Mere

Water Rail 1 in ditch in SW corner
Kingfisher 1

...but not much else. Long-tailed Duck on Prescot Reservoirs, strong westerly winds with blustery showers, there must be something on the mere surely? Nope, 2 Tufted Ducks and about 5 Great Crested Grebes the paltry total. I can almost see more birds by looking out of my window.

Hesketh Out Marsh

Great White Egret 1