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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ColinD" data-source="post: 1324499" data-attributes="member: 55409">2nd November 2008 - Merlin and Barnacle GooseIt was a wee bit chilly on the bike today. Following the disappearance yesterday of 3 Cattle Egrets on Downholland Moss, I decided to check out my local herds to see if they had headed into St Helens airspace. Unfortunately not, but it was still an enjoyable afternoon.Bird of the day was an excellent Merlin, which flew across Catchdale Moss, straight over my head and away towards Moss Lane. My first Merlin of the autumn.Apart from this, most of the action was from along the Old Coach Road. A flock of about 300 Pink-footed Geese contained a single Barnacle Goose. It's impossible to say if it's a wild bird, because there is a flock of upto 60 feral birds in the area, but on the otherhand just yesterday I saw 100 Pinks with around 11,000 Barnacles at Caerlaverock. It just needs one of those Barnies to follow a flock of Pinks, and before you know it, it's in a field in St Helens.The Tree Sparrow flock has grown to at least 80 birds, and is a very impressive sight at the moment.The Ross's Goose seems to be doing a nice little tour. Last week it was on Halsall Moss, a few days later it was at Pilling, and today it's back at Martin Mere. How long before we see it again in St Helens? Total birding miles by bike so far in 2008: 1072 (65 bike rides)Number of miles since last puncture: 1057</blockquote>