Lancashire's less interesting bird by the name of Ross's

The Ross's goose was still amongst the pinkfeet when I visited this evening, the barnacle was out of sight but was certainly present earlier along with the 2 whoopers (per JWB/PW posting on LDBWS).
Gadwall pair remain at Darter Pool, where the coot still sits tight on the nest and a pair of mute swan are busy constructing theirs. A little egret was also feeding here.
Tufted duck pair still on Freeman's Pools.
4 black-tailed godwit at the Wildfowlers' Pools (2 in breeding plumage).
Grey partridge pair and 5 reed bunting near Walled Meadow.

Wheatears etc...

Managed a couple of hours wander round Aldcliffe late afternoon (4pm - 6pm) after a weekend away...
Both the Ross's and barnacle geese still with approx. 800 pinkfeet plus 2 whooper swans & 2 little egret were on the marsh.
Pair tufted duck still on Freeman's Pools.
The gadwall pair remain by Darter Pool while the drake shoveler's still on Bank Pool.
2 black-tailed godwit continue to feed by the Wildfowlers' Pools.
A single water rail was on 'The Flood'.
Male wheatear (my first of the year) & 1 partridge were by Walled Meadow.
A fem wheatear was on the new banking by Frog Pond.
8 & 2 sand martin over (also my first here this spring).
Up to 6 chiffchaff singing in Freeman's Wood.

Less of the same, but more...

Dan filling in for Jon here. Hello!

Didn't put much work in on the estuary side of the ARA (Aldcliffe recording area!). If any fellow 'parishioners' have noted owt else over the weekend please add a comment, or alternatively, e-mail your records to me via pumasutras@hotmail.com and I'll stick them up.

The dainty Ross's goose and barnacle goose were still hanging out with c.600 pink-footed geese this weekend.
The two whooper swans are still on the marsh too. No sign of the gadwalls or any black-tailed godwits today.

Three chiffchaffs and six scramblers in song in Freeman's Wood. Tufties and 12 roosting redshank Freeman's Pools.

A flock of thirteen skylarks was in the stubble field.

Paid a bit more attention to the inland side of the patch today and found a stonechat, a flock of 45 off-passage meadow pipits and 11 Redwing in the S/E corner of the area. See map!

The boggier areas of Fairfield produced 50 more feeding meadow pipits, a few common snipe and first patch wheatear of the year. A little owl and a siskin were near Pony Wood.
A common buzzard was soaring overhead- an increasingly familiar sight round here.

A few migrating curlews with 22+11+4+3 noted heading north mid-afternoon.

Just OOA (out of Aldcliffe)- 4 little egrets on Colloway Marsh.

More of the same, but less...

Single barnacle & Ross's geese & multiple pinkfeet still present today as were the gadwall pair on Darter Pool. The coot pair are still minding their nest there. A pair of teal and a snipe were on the Wildfowlers' Pools and the tufteds were still on Freeman's Pools. Two little grebe remain in the Reedy Corner.

The ever-dwindling hare population continues to struggle on despite the frequent presence of blokes with lurchers...

Pipit Influx

Just over 200 meadow pipits and 28 'alba' wagtails (all pied) were feeding in the recently-mucked stubble fields and along the new flood bund this afternoon.

22 linnets were also new in, in three parties near Freeman's wood, where two chiffchaffs were in song.

A sand martin flitted north over Railway Crossing Lane.

The Ross's goose was showing well but flighty. It even decamped to the Colloway side mid-afternoon! At times it was to be seen drinking and preening in the river near 'Gull Bank' .
It was in the company of 815 pink-footed geese.

The regular two whoopers (an adult and subadult) were at the northern end of the marsh.

A black-tailed godwit and the gadwall pair graced the pools.

A grey partridge was in song near the pylons.

'Parishioner Dan'

Geese on show...

Ross's & barnacle geese again on Aldcliffe Marsh this evening with approx 500 pinkfeet.
Gadwall pair back on 'Darter Pool' while the tufties remain on Freeman's Pools.
Female sparrowhawk over the marsh.

Update

Oops - forgot! A single, silent, chiffchaff was on the edge of Freeman's Wood near the cycle track. Also, a small group of black-tailed godwit were on one of the marsh pools with another on the the Wildfowlers' Pools.

Welcome

The popular Ross's goose remains on the marsh with approximately 500 pink-footed geese and a lone barnacle goose. 2 whooper swans are still present. A couple of little egret were also seen on the marsh.
2 tufted duck are still on Freeman's Pools.