Happy New Year to all our readers!
An afternoon walk down the patch with Jenny gave me a year-list of 48, which, given the rather fuzzy brain I was working with, wasn't all that bad.
Again all the pools were frozen - the small patch of open water on Freeman's Pool hardly bigger than a double bed - so the brackish drainage ditch by the cycle track proved essential for a very confiding kingfisher and relatively showy water rail.
Other highlights included nuthatch, grey partridge, peregrine (the only raptor seen!), goldcrest, redwing, tawny owl, goosander & little grebe.
Lowlights: unfortunately couldn't see any little owls in the Admiralty Wood, I couldn't find any reed buntings and a frustrating high-flying swan, which looked really good for a whooper, didn't allow for confirmation of ID as it was heading away from us.
If I get an early finish from work tomorrow (fingers crossed), I'll try and give the area another bash and try and bag a few of those common species I failed to jam into today... however I've got my pre-work Jetty visit and, consequently, a few more year-ticks in the morning to look forward to!
Welcome to Aldcliffe & Freeman's Wood, Lancaster - an area of the Lune Estuary in Morecambe Bay, North Lancs.
2 comments:
On New Years Eve at Lancaster Gold Club I saw a medium sized predominantly black bird of prey similar to a giant swift in flight. My book suggests a Hobby - is this a possibility?
Hi Frank - I don't think it would be a hobby as they're strictly summer visitors to the UK.
My guess would be peregrine (which can look very much like hobbies), as they are frequent hunters along the estuary, which is of course, nearby.
In fact I saw one today at Stodday - quiet close to where you saw yours.
I hope that this answers your question!
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