Lancashire Birding (1 Viewer)

[WyreWader]

Good luck with the Lark Jonny, hope it hangs around for you.

Nothing quite so exciting from me, but we did have a couple of Sprawks overhead during the course of an afternoon in the garden yesterday, the 1st of which the local gulls took a real dislike to.

Cliff

 

[Jonny721]

Lark still present and showing very well this morning, luckily the track which it favours is in the fenced off area for the model aeroplane users so it isn't disturbed by all the dog walkers!

 

[The Actor]

I managed to see the lark this morning. I got there before the crowd and most of the dog walkers. A lifer for me but not the reason for me going there.

Hope everyone got to see it because as I was walking off I got stopped three times on Jamieson rd asking if it was still about and by then the place was over-run with dogs.

 

[derekg]

I managed to see the lark this morning. I got there before the crowd and most of the dog walkers. A lifer for me but not the reason for me going there.

Hope everyone got to see it because as I was walking off I got stopped three times on Jamieson rd asking if it was still about and by then the place was over-run with dogs.

Most of the dog walkers were okay whilst i was there for a couple of hours before lunch but one woman ignored the fact we were all watching the path and ploughed on regardless, luckily it relocated back to the runway field! A great looking bird and a nice photo.

derek

 

[Secret Twitcher]

Stl

Any news either way on the lark today?

 

[lalows2]

Was thinking of having a mooch round Myerscough Quarry later in the week - can any one tell me the best access point(s) and are there any stiles to negotiate - I've read it can be plagued with dog walkers (isn't flippin' everywhere!!!) and big Frank struggles with narrow or high stiles - he WILL be on his lead at all times though.

Thanks in advance

D

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Was thinking of having a mooch round Myerscough Quarry later in the week - can any one tell me the best access point(s) and are there any stiles to negotiate - I've read it can be plagued with dog walkers (isn't flippin' everywhere!!!) and big Frank struggles with narrow or high stiles - he WILL be on his lead at all times though.

Thanks in advance

D

I go there about once a month and I have never seen a dog walker. If you enter the site, which is private as far as I know but this isn't generally enforced, you need to go over a gate or a small fence.

Unless you are looking for passerines the two largest pits hold almost all the birds of interest. One of these can be viewed perfectly satisfactorily from the canal bridge, if you reach that from the nearest place to park there is a style but it is not the worst in the world.

Stephen

 

[WyreWader]

I spent my lunchbreak having a quick stroll along the banks of the River Brock today. Sightings included a Blackcap, 2 Grey wagtails, 1 Pied Wagtail & 2 Dippers, one of which was a juvenile - see photo attached (& for the photographers amongst you, taken in poor light, ISO1600, lens wide open @ F6.3 and 1/250th sec shutter speed).

Cliff

 

[derekg]

I spent my lunchbreak having a quick stroll along the banks of the River Brock today. Sightings included a Blackcap, 2 Grey wagtails, 1 Pied Wagtail & 2 Dippers, one of which was a juvenile - see photo attached (& for the photographers amongst you, taken in poor light, ISO1600, lens wide open @ F6.3 and 1/250th sec shutter speed).

Cliff

Great photo Cliff and thanks for the settings have been struggling with local dipper of late in the early mornings.

derek

 

[gradders52]

Location access

can any one tell me the best access point(s)

D

I understand, and I may be wrong as there may be others, but I only know the access is from Moss Lane, which is off St Michaels Road, which is where Guys Thatched Pub etc is, about a half a mile west of there, or from the east, past the entrance to Myerscough college on your right. Moss Lane surface is breaking up and narrow, you come to a sharp bend and there is a space for about 3-4 cars that leads to the Lancaster Canal Bridge and the site.

Or walk/cycle (not allowed?) down the canal until you come to the appropriate bridge!
g

 

[Gary Coulburn]

Can anyone tell me a good place in Lancashire were ive got a good chance of seeing Merlins ?
ps I visited Fleetwood with hope of seeing the lark on Tuesday but scored a blank

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Can anyone tell me a good place in Lancashire were ive got a good chance of seeing Merlins ?
ps I visited Fleetwood with hope of seeing the lark on Tuesday but scored a blank

Marshside / Crossens but getting late now until the autumn. Warton Bank has them regularly in winter as well and is just down the road from Kirkham. Clearly they nest in the east of the county, but locations would not be published on here.

Stephen

 

[plymouth]

Haweswater Eagle

How's the Golden Eagle showing at the moment? Hoping to head up there with my son on Saturday. Cheers.

 

[lalows2]

I understand, and I may be wrong as there may be others, but I only know the access is from Moss Lane, which is off St Michaels Road, which is where Guys Thatched Pub etc is, about a half a mile west of there, or from the east, past the entrance to Myerscough college on your right. Moss Lane surface is breaking up and narrow, you come to a sharp bend and there is a space for about 3-4 cars that leads to the Lancaster Canal Bridge and the site.

Or walk/cycle (not allowed?) down the canal until you come to the appropriate bridge!
g

Found it easy enough and seem to remember watching a Lesser scaup(?) from the canal bridge some years ago. Frank fitted under the stile easy enough, there's no way he was climbing over it - not much there other than a single LRP.

 

[Jonny721]

Very good seawatch off Rossall Point this morning however I arrived too late for the main tern passage with over 1000 Arctics Terns seen before I arrived at 8! Totals between 08:00 and 10:30 as follows:

male Long Tailed Duck east
2 dark morph Arctic Skua
171 Arctic Tern east with many more blogging further out
1 Common Tern
1 Fulmar north
1 Red Throated Diver
female Goosander (rare here)
2 Wigeon
6 Red Breasted Merganser
20+ Common Scoter
4 Shelduck
1 summer plumaged Knot (very nice bird to see)
1 summer plumaged Bar Tailed Godwit (even better!)
4 Whimbrel
34 Swallow
2 Sand Martin
1 House Martin
3 Wheatear
1 Lesser Redpoll
3 Greylag Geese

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Very good seawatch off Rossall Point this morning however I arrived too late for the main tern passage with over 1000 Arctics Terns seen before I arrived at 8! Totals between 08:00 and 10:30 as follows:

male Long Tailed Duck east
2 dark morph Arctic Skua
171 Arctic Tern east with many more blogging further out
1 Common Tern
1 Fulmar north
1 Red Throated Diver
female Goosander (rare here)
2 Wigeon
6 Red Breasted Merganser
20+ Common Scoter
4 Shelduck
1 summer plumaged Knot (very nice bird to see)
1 summer plumaged Bar Tailed Godwit (even better!)
4 Whimbrel
34 Swallow
2 Sand Martin
1 House Martin
3 Wheatear
1 Lesser Redpoll
3 Greylag Geese

Is that 2 Long-tailed Ducks then given a pager report of a bird going east before the above times?

Did you see any Sarnies? I had nearly 70 at Starr Gate but they were all going south, presumably cleared off the beaches by the tide. Also 3 Little Terns north.

Stephen

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

How's the Golden Eagle showing at the moment? Hoping to head up there with my son on Saturday. Cheers.

Sorry for the late response. Better to ask on the Cumbria thread.

Regards,

Stephen.

 

[Jonny721]

Is that 2 Long-tailed Ducks then given a pager report of a bird going east before the above times?

Did you see any Sarnies? I had nearly 70 at Starr Gate but they were all going south, presumably cleared off the beaches by the tide. Also 3 Little Terns north.

Stephen

I didn't find out about the first bird until I got home so don't know who reported it, but it could well have been the same bird doing a circuit of the bay.
No I didn't see any Sarni terns nor little, I don't think any were seen before I arrived either

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

I didn't find out about the first bird until I got home so don't know who reported it, but it could well have been the same bird doing a circuit of the bay.
No I didn't see any Sarni terns nor little, I don't think any were seen before I arrived either

If it came from south of Blackpool not sure why it would then do a circuit of the bay, but it could have drifted back past observers unnoticed on the sea.

I forgot to mention there was a Manxie off Starr Gate, the first I have had this year. Also presumed Spotshank heard twice going north.

Stephen

 

[Jonny721]

If it came from south of Blackpool not sure why it would then do a circuit of the bay, but it could have drifted back past observers unnoticed on the sea.

I forgot to mention there was a Manxie off Starr Gate, the first I have had this year. Also presumed Spotshank heard twice going north.

Stephen

In the second half of the watch there were quite a lot of Arctic Terns coming back south in the distance before heading east again past us