It was a miniscule break in the clouds that lured me onto Plex Moss this afternoon - a miniscule break that was swallowed up by the morass of grey frontal systems almost as soon as I was in the car.
Family party of five Whoopers (three youngsters and two adults) fairly close to the track was nice to watch - I know Martin Mere is a great place, but they always look a bit wilder when they're serenely mooching about an open field I think.
I stayed with them as the light went, listening to their calls and the north westerly wind whistling over the flat landscape.
Shame they obstinately refused to all crowd into the same scope views for a family shot, had to take a "point and press" job to get them all in....
Two groups of Fieldfares on Plex - one of four birds, the other of nine, a few Corn Buntings, Kestrels and coveys of Red Legged Partridge, a single Common Buzzard and a flyover Grey Wagtail.
About 3,000 Pink Feet in the air over Altcar to the south, and a similar number up to the north past Carr Moss.
Bird of the day however, was my second Long Eared Owl of the winter on the way into work - moving along the same stretch of the Formby by-pass at 5.30am as I had the last one a month or so ago.
Better views this time, I could even see the barring on the tail and underwing pattern as it flew along the hawthorns and flipped out of sight over the other side as I slowed down to take a look.
A good start to the day, but it went steadily downhill from there.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Graham Clarkson wrote...
Marshside RSPB reserve & Crossens Inner Marsh WeBS count 16/11/08:
Little Grebe 3, Little Egret 8, Grey Heron 4, Glossy Ibis 1, Pink-footed Goose 1461, Wigeon 5254, Gadwall 27, Teal 1844, Mallard 304, Pintail 478, Shoveler 473, Moorhen 48, Coot 123, Golden Plover 1230, Lapwing 1764, Ruff 20, Black-tailed Godwit 1402, Curlew 56, Redshank 107.
On the adjacent shoreline the following were also counted:
Cormorant 120, Little Egret 6, Shelduck 380, Oystercatcher 140, Golden Plover 100, Grey Plover 1500, Lapwing 360, Knot 600, Dunlin 3000, Black-tailed Godwit 200, Curlew 180.
All in all it’s why Marshside is awesome – wild birds in a wild place.
Just back from Islay, highlights;
White-tailed Eagle, Golden Eagle, Hen Harrier, Merlin, three spp Diver, three spp Auk, Fulmar, Gannet, Slavonian Grebe, Long-tailed Duck, Common Scoter, Eider, Scaup, Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander, Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Richardson’s Canada Goose, huge flocks of Barnacle & Greenland White-fronted Geese, Chough, Twite, Rock Dove. Also Otter, both Seals, Roe & Red Deer.
Posted by: Graham Clarkson | November 21, 2008 5:58 AM