[Stuart Darbyshire]

27 Waxwings on Holland House Road, Walton-le-Dale this morning at 8.30am - almost a garden tick, just round the corner from my house!

[Steve Jones]

Originally Posted by Stephen Dunstan

My experience is that they fly off some distance. For that reason I think it is sensitive. I have looked for them there once, seen them and wouldn't do it again.

Stephen

From Fylde Bird Clubs web-site:

Fylde scarcities such as Black-necked Grebe, Garganey, Wood Sandpiper and Osprey have been recorded in spring. Myerscough Quarry is also a good site for catching up with Green Sandpiper and Jack Snipe. Due to disturbance by dogwalkers many passage waders probably move through undetected.

Hardly a secret.

The dog-walkers problem is worthy of note, as I've occasionally turned away from watching here when confronted with peoples pets swimming in the lakes.

[Stephen Dunstan]

Nothing in the quoted text tells people to flush lots of Snipe. Encouraging unknown numbers of people to do so at a site where they are already deliberately disturbed is, in my view, irresponsible.

[Steve Jones]

Originally Posted by Stephen Dunstan

Nothing in the quoted text tells people to flush lots of Snipe. Encouraging unknown numbers of people to do so at a site where they are already deliberately disturbed is, in my view, irresponsible.

If my efforts to encourage other birders to visit this little watched site are wrong then I apologise.
The informal path around the site takes you past the area where Snipe are sometimes found. There is nothing 'deliberate' about flushing anything present, unless you go climbing over barbed wire fences.
I'd rather have birders walking this area than the numerous dog walkers accompanied by their spaniels, as is the case most days.

[Jigglypuff]

Originally Posted by Neil UK

Hey Jigglypuff, welcome!!! Where about's did you see the Waxwings in Preston?

Hi Neil sorry to take so long getting back to you. I work at Barry House (Jobcentre building) on London road. the first week we saw the waxwings there were six in a tree outside the office. Eight days later we had 7 appear. Eight days later again (Thursday this week) we had 17 waxwings. My twitching colleague was on leave.. he will kick himself!! We are expecting them next Friday .. but you never know!! I will be sad to see them go back.

[Jigglypuff]

Originally Posted by Jigglypuff

Hi Neil sorry to take so long getting back to you. I work at Barry House (Jobcentre building) on London road. the first week we saw the waxwings there were six in a tree outside the office. Eight days later we had 7 appear. Eight days later again (Thursday this week) we had 17 waxwings. My twitching colleague was on leave.. he will kick himself!! We are expecting them next Friday .. but you never know!! I will be sad to see them go back.

Oh .. and I should have mentioned that it was ME that spotted them all three times despite never having seen a waxwing before!

[WyreWader]

I spent my lunchbreak @ Marton Mere today. The 1st notable sighting was 5 Buzzards all soaring overhead at the same time, I only managed to get two in frame when photographing them, I've attached a couple of shots.

It was nice to see one of the LEO's visible from the reserve footpath rather than bridal path for a change (& thanks to the couple that pointed it out to me). Whilst photoing the LEO I heard my 1st Chiffchaff of 2011 but didn't manage to locate it. Also Cetti's Warblers were heard but not seen at two different locations.

Other sightings included - 2 x Great Crested Grebes, 5 x Goldeneye, 1 x Kestrel - and, making it feel very spring like my 1st butterfly sightings of the year were 1 x Peacock & 4 Small Tortoiseshells (oh - & a wasp too).

Cheers

Cliff

[Stephen Dunstan]

Originally Posted by Steve Jones

If my efforts to encourage other birders to visit this little watched site are wrong then I apologise.
The informal path around the site takes you past the area where Snipe are sometimes found. There is nothing 'deliberate' about flushing anything present, unless you go climbing over barbed wire fences.
I'd rather have birders walking this area than the numerous dog walkers accompanied by their spaniels, as is the case most days.

Steve,

I don't want to fall out with you about this and this will be my lost post on this matter as we should move on. However in your original post to the whole forum you said:

"If there has been no recent disturbance you will flush lots of snipe with possible jack snipe here.
If it doesn't zig-zag away straight up in the air at 100mph it wiill be a jack (or a poorly snipe?)!!"

I appreciate the good work you have done recording at Myerscough Quarry but this kind of comment just isn't appropriate. Just because there are dog walkers at the site doesn't mean birders should be encouraged to deliberately flush Snipe, especially where the poster is acknowledging that disturbance of the Snipe in question is already occurring.

Good birding,

Stephen

[jb123]

Hi,
Sorry, this isn't related to the previous posts.
Does anyone know if the little owls are still about at Warton Crag, Nr Carnforth? If so where might be the best place to see them? I was up there the other day and had good views of a peregrine.
Thanks,
Jake

[Jonny721]

A good trawl around Marton Mere and Stanley Park today from 9 till 2 produced my first few Chiffchaffs of the year, 3 Cetti's Warblers singing, 4 Bramblings together on the feeders, 6 Siskin in the alders near to the feeders, a Water Rail showing very well in front of the "tin can" hide.

[Pete222]

I saw this gull at Preston Docks. Apparently it's a Danish rung bird see http://birdringing.blogspot.com/2010...-grabbing.html. According to Kane's blog Ciaran Hatsell has read it up to 6J-00. I only managed to read up to 6J today.

This is a long shot, but has anyone else seen or read this ring? Does anyone have any more info?

Cheers

Pete.

[Stephen Dunstan]

Originally Posted by Pete222

I saw this gull at Preston Docks. Apparently it's a Danish rung bird see http://birdringing.blogspot.com/2010...-grabbing.html. According to Kane's blog Ciaran Hatsell has read it up to 6J-00. I only managed to read up to 6J today.

This is a long shot, but has anyone else seen or read this ring? Does anyone have any more info?

Cheers

Pete.

Pete,

I have no additional info but just to warn you that some of the Danish ringers are not very good at responding. I had a Danish Darvic ringed bird there and don't expect to get anything back.

Regards,

Stephen

[Pete222]

Originally Posted by Stephen Dunstan

Pete,

I have no additional info but just to warn you that some of the Danish ringers are not very good at responding. I had a Danish Darvic ringed bird there and don't expect to get anything back.

Regards,

Stephen

Stephen,

There's a response on the blog from someone called Jesper Brinkmann from the 'Gedser Fuglestation' (ringing station?). Might be worth posting your darvic sighting on his blog?

Pete

[Geoff Pain]

Trip into Lancashire today first port of call Preston Docks for the Iceland Gull which was there today ,then onto Marshside to see what goodies were there.
The Lesser Scaup was a bit of a surprise and the Avocets were giving some good views.attached are some shots from the day.

[Jonny721]

Went in search of the Firecrest after school today which had been seen in the morning at Stanley Park. Although the bird didn't show whilst I was there Me and a couple of mates recorded 21 Goldcrests between the feeders at the north end and the bridges seperating the lakes (250 metres or so). This was a definate number and the most I have ever seen in one place together, and it wouldnt surprise me if there were more than skulking around in the undergrowth. Shows that they haven't been too affected by the hard winter!

[Stephen Dunstan]

Originally Posted by Jonny721

Went in search of the Firecrest after school today which had been seen in the morning at Stanley Park. Although the bird didn't show whilst I was there Me and a couple of mates recorded 21 Goldcrests between the feeders at the north end and the bridges seperating the lakes (250 metres or so). This was a definate number and the most I have ever seen in one place together, and it wouldnt surprise me if there were more than skulking around in the undergrowth. Shows that they haven't been too affected by the hard winter!

Putting to one side how the Goldcrest count can be so precise does anyone know who reported the Firecrest? I understand Paul Ellis received a text but didn't know who it was from.

Stephen

[Jonny721]

Originally Posted by Stephen Dunstan

Putting to one side how the Goldcrest count can be so precise does anyone know who reported the Firecrest? I understand Paul Ellis received a text but didn't know who it was from.

Stephen

Nobody knew who had put the news out whilst I was there and at the bird club meeting last night no-one said that it was them.

Maybe I should have used the word minimum rather than definate to describe the number of goldrecests seen. Me, Ash and Aaron started of on the cycle path by the golf course where the feeders are, then walked south along the path to the bridges, counting all of the goldcrests that we saw and making sure we didn't count the same ones twice, and the count we got was 21 including a flock of 6 and a flock of 5.

[Stuart Darbyshire]

4 adult Med Gull at Brockholes today (found by another birder) - good count for the site

[Jonny721]

Lesser Scaup still present on the junction pool at Marshside pool today, a lifer for me also 50+ Avocet and 2 Merlin

Escaped White Stork at Pilling this afternoon, small red ring on its left leg which means that it is probably one of the birds from harewood house in yorkshire.

juvenile White Fronted Goose in fields at Backsands Lane, Pilling this afternoon

[sleipnerofasgard]

Went up for a second go at the Shore Lark at Carnforth, stood around for an hour in the face of a strong sea breeze with no luck until a couple who had joined me decided to walk to the other end of the rocks resulting in the little beggar flying into the open, whistled them to come back and promptly lost it again, but not for long,watched it for a good twenty minutes on and off before it disappeared again, Life Tick.
A fine wheatear for a year tick too, then of to the pools where the spotted Redshank was feeding at the back, some fine looking summer plumaged Godwits on show with a single Dunlin, Peregrine mooching about as well, up to Leighton where Treecreeper, Nuthatch and Goldcrest were knocking around the Feeding area, good selection of Ducks around and Marsh Tit and Great Spotted Woodpeckers to end the day

Frank

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sleipnerofasgard/

[ta brandreth]

coming back from Cumbria having seen nothing of interest as we approached Ormskirk I thought I saw a White Stork in a field - when we got home I asked Shell who also saw it "yep - that was it!" pointing at the Collins guide - bollocks - if anyones anywhere near please tell me it was a big plastic bird scarer and not a half glimpsed mega rarity!

[Jane Turner]

There are a few escapes knocking about. I last saw one low over the A66 against a snow laden sky in December!

[Stephen Dunstan]

Originally Posted by ta brandreth

coming back from Cumbria having seen nothing of interest as we approached Ormskirk I thought I saw a White Stork in a field - when we got home I asked Shell who also saw it "yep - that was it!" pointing at the Collins guide - bollocks - if anyones anywhere near please tell me it was a big plastic bird scarer and not a half glimpsed mega rarity!

Won't it be the escaped bird that was in Pilling yesterday?

Stephen

[sleipnerofasgard]

Gorgeous day up in Lune valley where Sand Martins are everywhere, not much else but a single Redshank and a few Chiffchaffs so nipped up to Dalton Crags for some good views of the Great Grey Shrike then back to scorton for afternoon tea, spring is most definately here ( rain by midweek then)

Frank

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sleipnerofasgard/

[ta brandreth]

cheers people, not been relocated and probably the Pilling bird from all accounts - certainly livened up our journey!