Greenback

Hello. Dan here.
A green sandpiper was found on the patch by that nice young man Guy today. This species has been absent (or at least very elusive) this winter.

Otherwise, it was geese all the way, with around 700 pink-footed on the saltmarshes and eleven Eurasian white-fronted sprinkled in.

DH.

Secret Seven

Dan here.

Over three hundred pink-footed geese were feeding on Aldcliffe Marsh today.

As I scanned through the PGs, heads of Eurasian white-fronted geese would occasionally pop up from a shallow dyke in the centre of the saltings.

After an hour of playing peek-a-boo I ascertained that there were seven in all.

DH.

Out for the count......

10 ish to 12ish

Freeman’s Pool

Wigeon 6, Lapwing 25, Gadwall 6, Teal 25, Goldeneye 4, Tufted Duck 9, BH Gull 78 (numbers building here) Oystercatcher 3, Mallard 9, Coot 6, Mute Swan 2.

Marsh Point

Oystercatcher 147, BH Gull 88, LBB Gull 14, Comm Gull 2, Herr Gull 11

Maize Fields

Fieldfare 2, Woodpigeon 23, Pheasant 2, Moorhen 4, Oystercatcher 2, Lapwing 10 looked to be displaying on territory.

Track

Blackbird 9, Robin 2, Dunnock 4, Chaffinch 4, Long-tailed Tit 3, Song Thrush 1, Goldfinch 8.

Frog Pond

Gadwall 2, Wigeon 6.

Wildfowlers’ Pool

Teal 15, Oystercatcher 2, Curlew 2, Little Egret 1, Shelduck 2, Coot 5, Moorhen 13, Mallard 8.

Aldcliffe Marsh

Pink footed Geese 220, Erasian White fronts 4, Mute Swan 28, Little Egret 1

Gull Bank

Dunlin 200, Lapwing 650, Curlew 26

Other

Crow 37, Magpie 11, Raven 2.

You've been warned.......

Freeman’s Wood received a final touch, confusing signs, confusing because I thought they were the flippin trespassers not us! An unusual warm spell today, apparently above twice the norm, funny that! High tide pushed many birds inland. Freeman’s Pool saw Goldeneye, Teal, Wigeon, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Little Egret, Little Grebe and Grey Heron.

At Marsh Point were approx 500 Oystercatcher. The track was quite busy with Greenfinch and Chaffinch. In the fields the Pink footed Geese were still present along with 2 Eurasian White fronts. The Wildfowlers’ Pool had Teal and Little Egret. By the walled meadow riverside, were 2 Rock Pipits, probably more but not enough time today. At the sewage works Little Egret, in the pylons Ravens busy nesting.  

The recent incident with the thugs shooting on the marsh gets quite a mention in the Lancaster Guardian today. Anyone seeing any illegal hunting, shooting, hare coursing, deer hunting please ring 999 straight away. If you see cars and motorbikes on the cycle track get number plates and report them. As the wood is now closed off I saw three scramblers actually on the marsh a few weeks ago!

Steve

Stunning Redhead.......

Wandered down the Parish late morning, peered into the woods at various points, Linnets, Chaffinch singing, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Song Thrush, Long-tailed Tits etc. Freeman’s Pool was busy up to 12 Goldeneye and similar number of Teal, Little Grebe, Gadwall, Tufted Ducks, Coot, Shelduck and large group of BH Gulls, Lapwings. Across on the tip were 140 Oystercatcher and 70 Lapwing.

Highlight was on the Wildfowlers’ Pool where initially it looked like the usual suspects when suddenly as I was about to leave a Smew popped up and then gave excellent views as it dived and moved up and down the narrow stretch of water. Dan came down for a look, great bird, reckon it was probably the one regularly seen  from Glasson. Little Egret flew in as Skylarks flew overhead. In the fields were about 200 Pink-footed Geese and 2 White fronted Geese.  

Near the walled meadow 2 Grey Partridge showed well. At the sewage works saw Pied Wagtails, Teal, Shelduck.  2 Ravens were eyeing up the pylon nests. A Kestrel was hovering nearby.

Steve

                                 Dan's Pic