October 2005 Archives

Grey phalarope on Crossens inner marsh at Marshside now.
Thanks to Barry McCarthy for the info.

After the big blow on Tues/Weds night, loads of passerines swept through the area yesterday on a broad front.

NO I haven't been drinking _ a real "williwaw" hit the Merseyside coast last night.

Muchas gracias to Ray Wilson and Steve Evans who sent me these pics of the Torness Paddyfield Warbler ....

Two pictures by Ray Wilson

Although I try to remain grown-up about twitching these days, I still crack now and again, give up a night's sleep and hit the tarmac...which is why I was heading north on the M6 at warp factor 12 in the early hours of Saturday.

Some birds under threat of dying out across Britain appear to be
making a comeback, a major annual survey shows.

A new hotline has been launched by the Forestry Commission to help ‘leaf peepers’ in the North West of England enjoy the riot of colour that is starting to sweep the region.

The Lancashire Bird Report for 2004 is out now at all the usual places (Martin Mere, Marshside etc etc) for £6.

Are you stuck in the office? Not seeing any birds today?
No problem ... just click the link here and try a bit of virtual birding courtesy of Dempsey/Spielberg Productions.
Playing with my new scope at Martin Mere, I had a dabble at video-ing the birds on the main mere, with pretty mixed results, but I think you can make out most of what's about.

Is there any justice in the world? 30 years _ 30 bloody years _ of watching Marshside as my local patch and does the great grey shrike reveal itself to me?

Photographer John Daly sent me this fine shot of a flock of pinkies coming off the fields near Little Crosby this week.

Enjoying newly found species status, the Black Scoter at Llanfairfechan is drawing a whole new audience _ so why not go and add an easy Yankee to your list?

No less than three jays around the feeders at Dempsey Towers yesterday afternoon _ presumably more migrants from the north.
They tried a bit of scavenging, but seemed more interested in drinking rain water than feeding, which saves me extracting still more saplings from seeds "planted" by these forgeteful birds this autumn.
All the bushes are full of tiKKing robins.
An adult peregrine was still tootling around the tobacco warehouse on Great Howard Street a few days back too.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies.

Back to blogging after a week off and away from the web...but it wasn't a bad seven days for birding.

Just as I filled my feeders, dusted off my peanuts and washed out the water bowls, an e-mail arrived to make me green with envy.

With birds returning to our gardens as the days shorten and winter approaches, I dream of a special garden visitor, but I suspect I won't get near the quality of these customers at Benny Fredriksson's feeding station up in Sweden - ta Benny, you've made me feel really happy!
Imagine - a black woodpecker and nutcracker at the same time - god's holy trousers!