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Rich's Bonxie

Posted by on September 18, 2007 9:49 AM | 

skua11.jpg

Rich Steel, back to full power now his long lens has come back from the menders, captured this stonking Bonxie which landed on the seawall at Leasowe just after high tide yesterday.
Link to Rich's site is over on the right.
He's been busy these last few weeks too, with the following Common Tern and Turnstone taken at Leasowe recently...

ctern7.jpg

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And look at this gorgeous Ringed Plover, taken down in Gronant.

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Thanks for the pix Rich!
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...


Comments (4)

Graham Clarkson wrote...

Hi John
Sandgrounders Hide and hide access track will be closed on Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th September for essential reserve work. Apologies to any of your blog readers for any inconvenience caused.
Approx 3,000 Pink-footed Geese on the reserve today, also Glossy Ibis, two Kingfishers, male Bullfinch (major reserve rarity!), Green Sandpiper, several Greenshanks, a large hybrid Falcon and an unconfirmed report of a Honey Buzzard drifting over the reserve.
On Sunday I went out from Bridlington on the Yorkshire Belle with the Edge Hill University group that I work with, we had amazing views of a juv Sabine's Gull following the boat for an hour along with Sooty & Manx Shearwaters, Arctic & Great Skuas, Red -throated Diver, numerous Little Gulls, Common Terns and Auks. Well worth the £11!
Graham Clarkson
Warden
Marshside RSPB Nature Reserve

Posted by: Graham Clarkson  | September 18, 2007 8:13 PM

derek forshaw wrote...

Huge number of pinkfeet now, particularly in the Martin Mere area, where I had a single flock this evening conservatively estimated at 18,000 birds!
They were spread over several fields on the area known as Scarisbrick Moss which runs parallel to the north side of the railway line east from the end of Pool Hey Lane. Most of these are roosting at MMWWT, but many also on the Ribble.
This is just about the biggest single feeding flock of Pinkfeet I have seen in 35 years of studying and counting the species in Lancashire.
There were also more birds feeding further east closer to the edge of the WWT reserve, and these, together with a considerable movement of parties of birds to and from the reserve itself suggest that over 20,000 are now present in this area.
This is a record Lancashire count for mid-September, though totals of around 20,000 have been obtained in some years at the very end of the month.

Posted by: derek forshaw  | September 18, 2007 10:20 PM

Paul Slater wrote...

Hello John,
Hope all well. Your recent articles on sea-watching reminded me of past days on Hilbre and Bardsey. Haven't done any propersea-watching for a while now, just not enough hours in the day.
Had quite a good weekend (15/16 September), without having to leave Liverpool. On Saturday, a Kingfisher was at Sefton Park.
A Buzzard was later above the Old Garden Festival site, being briefly
attacked by a Sparrowhawk.
Tree Pipit and Wheatear here. Small numbers of Turnstone present on the shoreline below here, along with an adult Mediterranean Gull.
A very fresh-looking Painted Lady at the Old Garden Festival site, along with Speckled Woods and Small Copper. Migrant Hawkers and Common Darters also present here, with a lot of bat activity
after dark on the Saturday.
Regards
Paul Slater

Posted by: Paul Slater  | September 19, 2007 6:12 AM

ron jackson wrote...

Re Graham's comment about hybrid falcon, I've been seeing a "queer" Peregrine type over Banks Marsh, latest occurrence on Monday.
I've mentioned it on the Blog before, big and brownish a bit like a juv P. with long fairly narrow wings. I maybe have some "digivideo" shots of it.
A bit of a blow re Sandgrounders, I had intended trying out some new video gear there today having been blown off a fishing trip out of Amwlch (anyone fancy a pelagic from N Wales or Liverpool?)
What are the "reserve improvements"? Permanently fixed Kodak grey/white cards outside the hide for the benefit of white balancing?
I think I'll head for the Pinkfoot swarms
Ron

Posted by: ron jackson  | September 19, 2007 9:18 AM

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