Jane Turner
Well-known member
She, like HE3 is a green buoy. It was much easier when HE3 was a black and yellow one. Now Feas's past the green buoy needs a qualifier!
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Hoylake Bird Observatory (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Jane Turner
- Start date
She, like HE3 is a green buoy. It was much easier when HE3 was a black and yellow one. Now Feas's past the green buoy needs a qualifier!
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Jane Turner
Well-known member
More Leach's today, though much fewer other birds. Well over 150 Petrels West about also 70+ east, so possible that it was just circulating birds. 3 Bonxies, 10 Arctic Skuas and a Possible Pom. Couldn't rule out Bonxie, since it kept so low I couldn't see are arse shape, but it was almost black above. 5 Fulmars, 40 Manxies - again as many east as west, a juv Sabine's Gull. Only 5 Auks, but 20+ Scoter.
captaincarot
Well-known member
hello jane looks like you're having fun, could i just pick your brains a bit please.
what's your prediction for a decent fall of birds on saturday,
do you think we might get one and if so where.
considering everything bar fulmar in your last post would be a lifer for both of us
what's your prediction for a decent fall of birds on saturday,
do you think we might get one and if so where.
considering everything bar fulmar in your last post would be a lifer for both of us
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Are you thinking seabirds or migrants? The tides are about 8pm and pitiful, so the only water will be at New Brighton for much of the day. The wind is dropping now and it wil probably be calm by Saturday. There may well be odd Leach's out in Liverpool bay, but your best best will be to walk out to Hilbre.
If you are talking migrants - I suspect the break in the wind will be good for passage.
If you are talking migrants - I suspect the break in the wind will be good for passage.
captaincarot
Well-known member
either is good for us, sounds like it's a walk to hilbre then, thanksB 
Jane Turner
Well-known member
If the overnight conditions are good, I'll go to Red Rocks. I've not been able to get there all autumn, but I reckon I can get there.
Cheshire Birder
Well-known member
Clear skies at the moment and hopefully with lighter winds you should be right Jane! Good luck :t::t:
CB
CB
captaincarot
Well-known member
well that's well and truly knackered then.
no birding for us tomorrow my parents are coming to see us.
what's your thoughts on sunday jane do you think it will still be worth a look or will it be too late for sea birds by then,
i want to see a skua or a petrel.
no birding for us tomorrow my parents are coming to see us.
what's your thoughts on sunday jane do you think it will still be worth a look or will it be too late for sea birds by then,
i want to see a skua or a petrel.
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Hard to give sensible numbers for the LPs today. In 90 minutes, spread out throughout the day, 1 saw 205 Leach's petrels, 94 of these were going East however. The star bird was early this morning. I was looking at a relatively distant LP, when I saw a tiny pale blob on the water. After a few minutes it got up an flew east - a tubby pale wader that jinked. Since I couldn't resolve the wing bar at that range, ID beyond Phalarope spp would be pushing it, though odds are its a Grey which is what I will record it as [123]. Other birds were less than on previous days - I only connected with 4 Arctic Skuas and one Bonxie (3 times). 4 Fulmars, 5 Manx Shearwaters and a handful of Auks. The weirdest sighting of the day was just before dusk, when a falcon spp went hammering through over the sea, so low I only saw it above the waves once in my view. Now it should have been a Peregrine, and probably was, but I got the impression it was a bit longer tailed. It looked as though it was going to go straight under the sea watch hide on Hilbre so no doubt the mystery will be solved.
Hi Jane, there has been a large hybrid-type Falcon over the last couple of weeks at Seaforth,a juv with a pale crown, Lanner-like but with pale underwing coverts and yellow legs and feet, quite long-tailed too.
Rob Smallwood
Well-known member
I saw what may have been this bird on Wednesday just around sunset between Dove Point & Meols scattering waders off the sandbar but ignoring the seemingly vunerable Leach's.
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Interesting - I couldn't be sure of the size of this bird - in fact I couldn't even rule out Kestrel! I thought it was going to be a Manxie, and since it was nearly dusk, I have no idea what colour it was - I never saw the underside.
Impression was of a long-tailed Peregrine though
Impression was of a long-tailed Peregrine though
Rob Smallwood
Well-known member
My bird was clearly a falcon, and dark, but when I first picked it up I thought that it was a Hobby, but convinced myself it was either a largish Merlin or small Peregrine. Something about the structure made me uneasy, I didn't make any notes and was still high on LP's having had them fly within feet of me whilst sat at the rocks.
Probably just another Eleanora's!
Probably just another Eleanora's!
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Its funny Rob - I called Hilbre to say I'd seen a falcon that could have been Merlin, but I'd not ruled out Eleanora's and Kestrel! It looked all dark, but that could have been the light. It was the sea hugging flight that was most strange.
Excellent pic of the Falcon by Tony Conway attached here.Quite Peregrine like but you can just get the long-tailed look and the rear underside of the body is very pale.Also(although not visible in this pic) the undertail coverts didn`t have the prominent barring which is a diagnostic feature of Peregrine, also the flank streaking lacked any anchor shaped markings.The thighs had some light streaking unlike Lanner.No real contrast between the underwing coverts and the rest of the underwing which is pro Peregrine.Head pattern is very Peregrine like with a broad rounded moustache and thick eyestripe.Very long-winged jizz in flight was interesting and on first glance it did have a Merlin like flight action.Conceivably just a thin, underfed juv Peregrine, struggling to catch anything, but the apparent unbarred undertail coverts is puzzling.View attachment 284217
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Jane Turner
Well-known member
That is plausibly the same bird
Jane Turner
Well-known member
10:10 Update
19 Leach's Petrels since 07.15, a Bonxie that has eaten so many dead auks it doesn't want to fly, 3 Arctic Skuas, that falcon spp - looks ever so long tailed on the ground - Saker-like even, 7 Red-throated Divers, 120+ scoter at mega range, plus 40 or so close birds. Two Turnstone
Also 2 Goldcrests, a Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 24 Long-tailed tits and 12 Coat Tits through the front Garden
19 Leach's Petrels since 07.15, a Bonxie that has eaten so many dead auks it doesn't want to fly, 3 Arctic Skuas, that falcon spp - looks ever so long tailed on the ground - Saker-like even, 7 Red-throated Divers, 120+ scoter at mega range, plus 40 or so close birds. Two Turnstone
Also 2 Goldcrests, a Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 24 Long-tailed tits and 12 Coat Tits through the front Garden
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Jane Turner
Well-known member
YOu will see skuas, if distant - there are always a few out there. Might be pushing it for petrels
captaincarot
Well-known member
thank you
you're a star.it's marvelous being able to tap such a mine of information and experience.
i had a spot of insipration and arranged to meet my parents at old moor so still got some birding in and added a new lifer into the bargain with a curlew sand, hehe a cunning plan that paid off.
