Clear blues skies as the sun sank rapidly into the west when I headed home today, so I got a quick walk in around the Sands Lake at Ainsdale for half an hour.
It was either that, or more work at home and looking at the latest Steppe Grey Shrike extreme close ups from Lincolnshire on Surfbirds
When it perches on the end of John Harriman's lens, you know things have gone too far...
As long as folk keep feeding it, it may stick around, and continue to clamber into photographic bags, wander under cars and generally behave like an over-familiar Budgerigar - I can only hope, as my chances of getting over there are still non-existent, and I don't like the look of that cold snap coming down from the north this weekend...
Anyway back to the Sands Lake - all the usual on the water, but still only about 40 Tufties, 3 Shovelers alongside the Mallard flock, Little Grebe, Cormorants etc.
Twittering overhead were a flock of about 40 Goldfinches, with a few Gringoes thrown in, which kept settling in the tops of the bushes - if they stick around, they may draw something in, although they are just as likely to bound into Ainsdale to stuff their faces with sunflower seeds in any one of a hundred gardens.
No show on the Water Rail front this evening.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Latest from Haskayne and elsewhere, Nov 9th-15th: Carr Moss Lane 40 Whooper Swans and 3 Buzzard (9.11.08); Haskayne - 3 Tree Sparrow, 11 Corn Bunting; 1 Med Gull; 84 Stock Doves; 9 Kestrel; 14 Mistle Thrush; 5 Buzzard; Great Spotted Woodpecker; 2 Sparrowhawk; c70 Linnet; 9 Curlew; 100+ Mallard; Wigeon; 30 Teal; 29 Moorhen; 2 Fieldfare; 35 Redwing; Peregrine; Barn Owl; 5 Long Tailed Tit.
Jay on Duke Street, Formby on Nov 15th.
With reports of the number of House Sparrows dropping across the country,
the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) wants to know if this is the case in
your area.
The BTO monitors House Sparrows throughout the year through the BTO Garden BirdWatch survey and is able to look at how this, one of our closest bird neighbours, is doing in different parts of the country. In Scotland and
Wales their numbers have remained fairly stable, whilst declining in other parts of the UK. To have a look at how they are doing in your area visit,
http://www.bto.org/gbw/results_speciestrends.htm
Paul Stancliffe of the BTO Garden BirdWatch Team commented, "The only way we can monitor this cheeky little bird properly is to ask homeowners to tell us whether or not they have them in their gardens." He added, "Our research
shows that it's not all about a lack of food for the young birds, the adults
need our help too, and we can help them by providing food all through the
year, providing thick cover; ivy and creepers give them the shelter they
need, and by putting up a nest box with a 32mm entrance hole."
To get involved, or for more information on how you can record the birds in your garden, visit, www.bto.org/gbw or telephone 01842 750050, or write to BTO, GBW The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU and ask for a free information pack.