Calling all birds...........

Aldcliffe was a hard slog today, and I spoke to a few other birders who were also finding things quieter than expected. New in was a pair of Gadwall on Freeman’s Pool, along with Shoveler, Little Grebe, Tufted Duck, Shelduck, Coot, Mallard and Mute Swans. Chiffchaff’s singing in the woods. A few Goldfinches about looking very smart, and a Little Egret did a flyby. 

A Chiffchaff was seen at the railway crossing, along with Greenfinch.

Elsewhere, of note, were 1 Swallow, Meadow Pipit 5, Skylark 1 and a Green Sandpiper on the Wildfowlers’ Pool along with some Teal. A Kestrel was hunting by the pylons.

Steve

Little Ringed Parishioner

  Wheatear snapped today by Dan

Made it down for a quick visit along the cycle track this morning.

Water rail and green sandpiper on the flood.

Goldcrest, little egret and singing chiffchaff near Wildfowlers. A smart stoat was also in this area.

The linnet flock is now down to about 30 birds.

Little ringed plover settled in the parish.

Dan also reported that the smew is still present along with 3 wheatear, 5 chiffchaff, 8 sand martin and a swallow. 485 pinkies are still on the marsh.

Guy

Swallows

2 swallows in the parish this afternoon.
The only other signs of Spring was coot building a nest on Darter pool and a skylark singing over the stubble fields.

Guy

Quiet Morning.....

The Black-headed Gulls appear to have moved on, only three present. Smew showing well. Was hoping for some LRP but no joy, checked out the flood and 1 single Redshank. Other highlights....

Freeman’s Pool.

Goldeneye 2

Shoveler 4

Shelduck 2

Oystercatcher 2

Tufted Duck 6

Mallard 9

Teal 4

Wigeon 2

Grey Heron 2

Mute Swan 2

BH Gulls 3, wonder if they have moved on?

Little Grebe 2

Coot

Marsh Point

LBB Gull 34

Herr Gull 36

BH Gull 26

Darter Pool

Tufted Duck 4

Little Grebe 2

Coot 2, busy nest building.

Wildfowlers' Pool

Green Sandpiper 1

Teal 6

Redshank 2

Coot and Moorhen

Track

Linnet 65

Reed Bunting 2

Dunnock 4

Greenfinch 4

Bullfinch 2

Marsh

Pink Footed Goose 900

Little Egret 1

Curlew 9

Redshank 18

Shelduck 12

Steve 

An hour after work

10 tufties and smew all together on the bottom pool.
4 shovellers
2 shelduck
2 goldeneye
8 teal in the area.
1500ish pinkies still on Trig Hill
Greensandpiper on Wildfowlers
Little egret on the flood

Guy

A ponder and a wander

Visit with Steve this morning. We debated the merits of the gulls settling on the island. If it's colonised by the gulls would there be a danger of predation by the BHG's or would they offer a degree of protection from other predators. A carrion crow was patrolling the island today - probably the same one which predated the second clutch of LRP's last year. Time will tell.

Peregrine, raven, merganser and 8 meadow pipits in the vicinity of the pylons.
2 little egrets on the marsh.
1500 pinkies on trig hill
Green sandpiper, 2 teal and redshank on the flood.
Sparrowhawk at Aldcliffe village.
Kestrel, smew, 3 goldeneye in the vicinity of Freemans pool.


Guy

Gull Island.......

Quick visit to Freeman's Pools before WeBS back to the weir.
Black-headed Gulls appear to be resident on the island these days, 60 today.

Herring Gull 2

Common Gull 5

Lapwing 7

Smew 1

Teal 6

Tufted Duck 10

Little Grebe 3

Canada Goose 7

Redshank 1

Usual Coot

Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Blue, Great Tit, Blackbird, Wren and 2 House Sparrows.

Steve

Spring into action......

 

Adult Med. Gull at Gull Bank

Beautiful early spring morning, not a cloud to be seen. Bird wise not a bad trawl round. Joined up with Guy for a wander up to the pylons.

Freeman's Pool

Smew 1

Ones and twos of Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Teal, Snipe and Grey Heron plus the usual Coot. The Black-headed Gulls still present on the island along with a few Lapwing and Oystercatcher.

Little Egret and a Grey Heron by the dead trees.

Buzzard circling over the marsh.

Frog Pond, Canada Goose 65

Pink Footed Goose 275 in fields.

Track.

Water Rail 2 possibly 3.

Greenfinch 2

Dunnock, Robin and Blackbird.

Gull Bank

Black-headed, Common, Herring, Lesser Black Backed and Great Blacked Gull with 1 Med Gull on far bank.

Goldeneye 3

Raven 3

Carrion Crow 14

Sewage Works Track

Goldfinch

Chaffinch

Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tit.

Sparrowhawk 1

Kestrel 1

Steve 

Rockits……

Rock Pipit courtesy of Dan 

Another big tide and more Rock Pipits. Today started off from sewage works and headed north to Freeman’s Pools. Got off to a good start 3 Rockits and male Merlin………

Rock Pipits, 16 in total along the length of the route.
Meadow Pipit 2
Merlin 1
Raven 2, on the corner pylon.
Peregrine, 2
Snipe 4
Skylark 20, flock of 9 heading NE.
Greenfinch 4/5, numbers increasing.
Stock Dove 8, amazing number for Aldcliffe, in the stubble field with Woodpigeon.
Little Egret 3
Dunlin 100
Golden Plover 110
Curlew 150
Lapwing, couple of thousand.
Pink Footed Goose 17 heading east

High Tide

Freeman’s Pool

Smew 1
Green Sandpiper 1
Black-headed Gulls, 110 on the island, I noticed similar number yesterday, we were wondering if they were planning to breed and colonise! There were also 65 Lapwing jostling for space. Usual Coot and Tufted Duck, Shoveler, Goldeneye, Shelduck.
Steve




.

High Tide and Rising……

Mon 1st March. 

With a big tide forecast I headed down the Parish with Rock Pipits in mind and was not disappointed, saw at least 3 possibly 5. Other highlights were….

Skylark 2
Reed Bunting 5
Linnet 12
Raven 1
Plenty of waders in fields…..
Curlew 35
Oystercatcher 9
Lapwing 75, good couple of thousand flying around.
Snipe 2 on the tide line and 1 on Wildfowlers’ Pool along with….
Teal, Moorhen, Oystercatcher 2.
Smew on Freeman’s Pool along with one or two of…..
Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mute Swan, Grey Heron
Little Owl showing well enjoying the Sun at Admiralty Wood.

Steve