Lancashire Birding (1 Viewer)

[Stephen Dunstan]

Cliff,

I think there is enough there to confirm (a) the ID and clearly therefore (b) you saw it.

Regards,

Stephen.

 

[ivywall]

Nice shots there Cliff - the moor hen is great!
Nice grey waggy too - I tried for 2 days last year to get a good one at Yarrow valley but he wouldn't come close enough. I must try again this year now I've got a different camera.

Pat

 

[derekg]

Thanks for the advice Pat and Nick will get some nyjer and stock my feeders tonight. Will let you know how it goes.

Know what you mean about catching the Grey Wagtail Pat. There's one I miss everytime on the Ribble near the Brockholes Quarry entrance.

Derek

 

[derekg]

With it being such a gorgeous evening I took a trip up to Cuerden Valley Park this evening.

Saw this Duck in a tree and wondered if anyone could ID it for me. Had a look in my pocket books and couldn't come up with anything.

Also saw Jay, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Canada Geese, Chaffinch,Robin, Blackbird, Great, Blue and Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, and Pat you might be interested to know there are a pair of illusive grey wagtails flitting between the island end the edge of the main lake. The best I could do was some very shaky photos at long range so they hit the recycle bin.

Caught sight of a young roe deer.

Derek

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Derek,

Female Mandarin.

Stephen.

 

[Jaff]

Sunflower hearts do my bunch as well. Although Siskins do seem to like peanut feeders too. Love those Siskin shots Pat! You may have a knock on your front door before long (if I knew where it was LOL! :-O ). Same for everyone else, some good snaps taken here.
The 'without fail' returining birds of my garden in Spring are the bloody Mallards! Every time I look out the window they're milling around in one of the ponds, I suspect they are either scoffing all of the pond weed or hoovering up all the tadpoles (after a fair bit of spawn I haven't seen any!), bad form in either case.

Was at the woods today. Loads of Brambling still there apparently, one poor sod knocked itself dead against one of the centre's windows while I was there. :-C Crossbills are still there, Bullfinch are showing well at the feeders and I found a Green Sandpiper on the small irrigation pond at the back of Redwing Hide. Chiffchaff are all over the place too.
I need some input from others here as well. Has anyone seen the Kingfishers use the new perches in front of Rufford Hide? People I've spoken to say no, which will mean far less visits from me I'm afraid.

 

[derekg]

Derek,

Female Mandarin.

Stephen.

Cheers Stephen. :t:

That's why I couldn't ID it, only ever seen the male and it's not in any of my pocket books.

Derek

 

[sleipnerofasgard]

Jaff, must admit that i have been spending my weekends lately around Mere Sands, and i have yet to see the Kingfisher on that post, but last sunday i spent a couple of hours in the Marshal hide, and two were very active later on as well as a Chiffie on the tree outside the left hand window showing nicely, but didn't get the Kingfisher on the dead branch in the water.
Been waiting years for that shot:-C but may try again tomorrow as it could be quiet around there with everybody and his mother watching the national:t:

Frank

 

[Jaff]

Just as I feared. Cheers Frank. I just hope they may use it before the end of summer to reassure me as that is without doubt the best time for them. And I know exactly what you mean about Marshal Hide. Seen them in the right place but not not managed to get them yet.

Mere Sands is just the same place it was when Kim was around. Someone else has been coming up with these 'bright' ideas and they are just not to my taste, I don't like the mad reed hacking spree that's gone on in front of the Rufford Hide and the less said about the front of Marshal Hide the better.

 

[WyreWader]

Also saw Jay

Derek - I love the jay photo, I've not seen a Jay for ages :t:.

 

[WyreWader]

Sightings from a couple of hours at Stanley Park, Blackpool this morning were: -
3 x Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 x Lesser Spotted Mikfoz :t:, 3 x Great Crested Grebes, 2 x Treecreepers, 2 x juvenile punky Grey Herons & probably a couple of dozen adult Grey Herons, oh & 3 x Red eared terrapins - do they pose a hazard to the nesting Grebes?


I've attached a few photos.

Regards

Cliff

 

[mikfoz]

Cliff, I popped up to Marton Mere after Stanley Park seeing as the sun kept coming out and there was at least one pair of GCG showing really well from the platforms on the caravan park. Gives you another option if your visitors draw a blank at the park.

A pair of Mute Swans were totally dominating that end of the lake and harrassing any geese that dared breathe in the area so plenty of scope for action shots.

Great shot of the young Herons!!!

 

[ivywall]

Well I never!!!
7.30 this morning there were a pair of Lesser Redpolls in the garden!! I've never seen one before but it was a definate ID. They were pecking at the apple tree buds and then went on the sunflower seed feeders. Were there about 5 minutes but we haven't seen them again - no photos but good to see.
Just before a pair of siskins were here whilst we stood in the open 4 meters away. They don't seem very shy.

Those grebe images are great - and the young herons are growing fast! Even though OH is at college in Blackpool we never seem to have time to go there.|| That robin shot takes the biscuit though!Lovely.

Pat

 

[mikfoz]

Do we presume this is some kind of woolyback speak for an optical device?

B

http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADBS_enGB305GB305&q=bigma

 

[WyreWader]

Pat, lovely photos, the inflight Chaffinch is a beauty :t:, & very well done getting Redpolls in your garden, if you like I'll trade you two dozen starlings for them.

Three hours at Stanley Park this morning were mainly spent in pursuit of the Grebes (3 x Great Crested) & Herons & the only other sighting of note was 1 x male GS Woodpecker.

I've attached a photo of one of the GC Grebes

Regards

Cliff

 

[oncebittern]

I counted 65 Avocets at Martin Mere on Sunday - very impressive :t:

 

[Neil UK]

Those bloody Long Eared Owls @ Marton Mere are doing my head in!!! Morning, Evening, following Mr WyreWaders map and still not one sighting. May try another walk over there tonight after work and see what I can see.

Went over last week first thing in the morning and was eerily quiet. Only saw Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, long tailed, blue and great tits, 2 great crested grebes, Shoveler, Teal.

I would love to see an interactive map of where people are seeing birds like LEO, Marsh Harrier, Scoter etc etc on Marton Mere.

 

[Neil UK]

Also, what equipment do you wonderful people use to get these amazing shots?

Am really thinking of looking into saving some cash to purchase a decent Digital SLR, so was wondering what you use.

 

[mikfoz]

Those bloody Long Eared Owls @ Marton Mere are doing my head in!!! Morning, Evening, following Mr WyreWaders map and still not one sighting. May try another walk over there tonight after work and see what I can see.

Went over last week first thing in the morning and was eerily quiet. Only saw Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, long tailed, blue and great tits, 2 great crested grebes, Shoveler, Teal.

I would love to see an interactive map of where people are seeing birds like LEO, Marsh Harrier, Scoter etc etc on Marton Mere.

The LEOs have now flown away back to Sweden, I think. Not seen any for a fortnight.

Re equipment: I use a Pentax K10 with a Sigma 50-500 zoom. Cliff uses some sort of Sony camera body and a Tamron 200-500 zoom.

I've yet to see either a Marsh Harrier or a Scoter on Marton Mere.

 

[Neil UK]

The LEOs have now flown away back to Sweden, I think. Not seen any for a fortnight.

Re equipment: I use a Pentax K10 with a Sigma 50-500 zoom. Cliff uses some sort of Sony camera body and a Tamron 200-500 zoom.

I've yet to see either a Marsh Harrier or a Scoter on Marton Mere.

Cheers Mik, looks like it may take me a while to get 2k together hahaha