Picked up Bazzo at about 11am and we headed down to Marshside.
It was raw cold, with dark, grey leaden clouds, all very depressing.
The Sandplant Compound and peninsula were pretty quiet, bar a few Greenfinch and Wrens, and the outer marsh wasn't much better - shrouded in murk it was hard to make much out.
A few large flocks of Wigeon on Marshside Two and Crossens Inner and a Merlin perched up on the Crossens Inner fenceline.
Plenty of Lapwings roosting on M2, looking very miserable.
One or two Teal bustled about in front of Sandgrounders, and from the log Graham C had seen the Green Winged Teal earlier - no sign when we were there, probably down a drain somewhere.
Water Rails still squealing away up towards Polly's Creek, and more Pintail seem to be about now.
One groups of five Little Grebe on the channels and 15 Pochard on the Sandplant Pool.
Water levels seem quite low for this time of year - at least there's some monster tides at the end of next week to shake things up a bit.
I drove Bazzo over to Martin Mere, where there were plenty of Whoopers, a few Buzzards, Ruff and small flocks of Pinkies.
Brambling was calling around the Janet Kear Hide, but there was too much noise inside for one to come down while we were there.
More Whoopers and Buzzards from the Ronnie Barker Hide, and Tree Sparrows in the usual places.
Headed back to Southport via Churchtown Moss, where the corvid flocks around Twist's Covert held at least 15 Rooks, some carrying sticks and messing about as only Rooks can.
The wood would make for an ideal rookery....
A cold, quiet November day.
Tawny Owl calling around Dempsey Towers this evening.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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John, re your earlier posting re goose hunting on the mosses. I too had a go on Saturday, trogging across Plex Moss Lane in a Landrover not to be recommended if you expect to look out for birds rather than having to keep 100% concentration on the "road".
The experience could be sold to "Pleasureland" (always a misnomer don't you think at least to a local ?) to replace some of the rides taken to Blackpool.
Nowt at all by way of geese as I continued on via Bescar Lane and back to Churchtown.
A fair few Kestrels though, which for me at least makes a change.
75,000 Wigeons, 10,000 Lapwings, 3000 Golden Plovers and 1800 Redshanks among the stuff counted on the Ribble in last weekend's WeBS.
I haven't heard yet what the goose totals were but a flock of 4000 Pinkfeet is frequenting the "new" reserve to be by Hundred End.
A walk, preferably dogless and keeping off the skyline, along the bank between Crossens and Hundred End is recommended to those who want to see and hear swarms of Wigeons, "Wings and Goldies
Ron
Records from Haskayne area, Nov 5th to 12th:
On Carr Moss Lane, Whooper Swan - 100 on 7.11.07; 183 on 10.11.07; 280 on 12.11.07.
Greylag Geese 2; Tree Sparrow 2; Yellowhammer; Jack Snipe; Kingfisher; fem Gadwall (123rd sp for year); Buzzard 5-8; Lapwing 363; Mallard 200+; Teal 40; Tufted Duck; Little Grebe 6; Stonechat 4; Fieldfare 76; Grey Wagtail; Treecreeper; Great Crested Grebe; Cormorant; Kestrel 6.
There has been a Cormorant fishing at Calderstones Park lake this week.
Hi John, results of the goose count on Sunday 11th are now somewhat belatedly to hand.
It was another excellent total of 38,478 Pinkfeet (well twice that number of actual 'feet'!!).
14,400 up on Morecambe Bay and the Wyre Estuary; 14,820 roosting on the Ribble with nearly 10,000 of those feeding at Plex (with the Ross's Goose I mentioned earlier - has anyone seen this since?); 2458 roosting on the Alt Estuary and 2000 at Simonswood.
This is the third highest November count for Lancashire, and the seventh highest overall.
It's hypothermia time!
Strong south-westerlies over area with heavy rain on Saturday, clearing Sunday but winds continuing strong westerly.
Sunday probably the last chance for a seawatch spectacular this year.
The Bulwer's Petrel is probably coming up the Irish Sea as I write.