Wasn't really expecting to get out today, but it brightened up a bit early afternoon, so I headed down to the marsh, which was still all frozen up.
Only three Mallards and a Curlew braved the ice covered Sandplant lagoon.
30+ Pochard with Tufties and 3 Little Grebes were crowded round the patch of open water in front of Sandgrounders Hide, and with them the Green Winged Teal, dabbling away and generally showing off.
Okay, so it's not a Glaucous Winged Gull - but then, what is?
Wigeon and Pintail at point blank range too, but not that many waders on the inland side - apart from Blackwits and Curlew, only to be expected given the cold conditions.
Over the other side of the road, about 700 Pinkies were in the outer marsh and were spooked by this hunting Marsh Harrier, which sent them scattering before heading off on its way.
Just a bit too far off to get any nice digiscoped shots, but it was around for about 45 minutes, until a Carrion Crow began hassling it and before both birds went up high to the north.
Could just make out a little bit of pale feathering on the forewing.
Perched up halfway out was a pale Common Buzzard too.
Otherwise Stonechats, Merlin, Kestrel etc out there and 7 + Little Egrets.
Tawny Owl in the back garden at Dempsey Towers was nice last night, and now four Fieldfares coming into the garden, with all the usual.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
PS: Si Glinn's Twite shots from Weld Road today
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Twite still around today @ Weld Rd; awful light and bloody freezing but got a couple of snaps (attached.) Lots of Snipe in the marshy bit too, including at least 3 Jack Snipe taking flight. Grey Plovers and a couple of Barwits amongst the Dunlins on the beach.
Was down @ Marshside first light-ish, GW Teal, Water Rail, Peregrine etc, no Marsh Harrier early on. Graham had a Barn Owl. Treecreeper, Nuthatch, GSW, Sprawk @ Crematorium woods.
Thanks Si - stuck your Twite pix on the end of this entry...Still a few ringed birds I see.
Hi John. I've managed to get out to do some local birding over the last four days. Highlights;
1/1/9. Burscough/Lathom; five Woodcock, five Mandarins, 130 Linnet, Little Owl, Peregine & Merlin.
2/1/9. Rufford/Sollom; male Goshawk, five Buzzards, two Sparrowhawks, two Mandarins. Three Bunting spp, Tree Sparrow, Curlew, Golden Plover.
3/1/9. Marshside; Green-winged Teal, Water Rail, Merlin.
Hundred End; male Hen Harrier, female Marsh Harrier, two adult Peregrines, Barn Owl, Short-eared Owl, two Ravens, Stonechat, 2200 Pink-footed Geese, three Greenland White-fronted Geese, one Dark-bellied Brent Goose.
Lathom; two Woodcock, six Mandarin.
4/1/9 Marshside; Green-winged Teal, Barn Owl, Water Rail, Merlin.
Southport Marine Lake; two Turnstone, two Ruff, Grey Wagtail, 26 Little Egret (at dusk), 145 Cormorant (at dusk).
Churchtown/Blowick Moss; Green Sandpiper, two Redshank, two Treecreeper, three Stonechats, 80 Linnet, 16 Grey Partridge, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Buzzard, c.600 Whooper Swans.
Hello
Silly me - rubbish tips are shut on Sunday. Idyllic scenery though= a lot of sheep via Ingleton/Hawes/Aysgarth/Catterick
More seriously, are the ringed Twite still present at Weld Road? At the last count there was one with the Heysham site ring, one with Askam-in-Furness site ring plus the ones with metal-only ringed by John G.
Please could you let me know the status of any there which are bearing colour-rings = one large site ring plus a split two-colour year code. Thanks very much. I'll obviously pass details to Dave Sowter but any colour-ringed are almost certainly ours=Heysham or Jack Sheldon's birds, not from the Pennines. Thanks in anticipation.
Pete
From Philharmonic Hall roof looks like three Common Buzzard circling above Liverpool Central Station now!
5/1/9: Southport Marine Lake roost count. Ralph Jones and I did a co-ordinated count of the roost on the northern island. Cormorant 321; Little Egret 27; Grey Heron 3; Little Grebe 21; Teal 1; Pintail 1; Shoveler 5; Carrion Crow 4; Magpie 52; Redshank.