Zipped over the mosses after work today - Downholland was deader than Elvis, but there were a few bits and bobs on Plex.
Coveys of Reg Legged Partridge and quite a few Pheasants out in the stubble - no sign of any Grey Partridge though, which is quite worrying, it has been a few weeks since I've seen one out there.
A feeding flock of about 700 Pink Feet were in the flooded field (the one the Dotterels used to go on) out on Plex, including one bird with a neck collar - in the fading afternoon light it looked grey, with the letters "LDC" on it - I don't think it stood for Lancs District Council, but you never know.
Checked 'em all, but no Beans were lurking in the flock - there were more Pinkies further over on Carr Moss, but I didn't have time to get to them.
About 40 Fieldfares round Station Lane, with pairs of Mistle Thrushes here and there and one or two Meadow Pipits.
15 Mipits flew over Dempsey Towers yesterday afternoon heading north west - way too early for passage surely!
A male Sprawk eyed them but went after a Collared Dove instead - glad it left my Goldcrest alone, which is coming to duck fat stuffed into an old feeder.
Nice Barn Owl at 5.25am this morning, flying off the mosses, over the by-pass and into Formby at the Tesco lights, which was different.
Thanks to Phil Collins (no, not that one, at least I don't think so...) for sending me these shots of Blackcap from his garden.
And as a salutory warning to others about what happens when you let a birder loose with alcohol and photo-editing software over the Christmas period, Mr Collins sent me this selection of shots too...
"Thought these may raise a smile at the beginning of a difficult year for all of us", explains Phil. "All the best for 2009".
Indeed, Phil, although it could be argued that your pix are conclusive proof that birding is going to the dogs.
Don't know about you, but I think there's something quite unsettling about that Gyr-rabbit.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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52 Twite at Weld Road at 12:45 today, feeding just north of the car park, some on the marsh edge and some on the other side of the path on the edge of the dunes, with others bouncing across the path between the two halves of the flock.
Lots of Skylarks and a few Meadow Pipits as well.
A single RT Diver and 8 Common Scoter offshore.
Large nos of gulls rafting on the sea but couldn't find anything juicy amongst them.
Sorry, sorry, comments techy thingy flipped out there for a while overnight, should be working fine now - apologies if you tried to send news and failed to get through.
6 Snow Buntings still Ainsdale shore, walk south. 25+ Red Throated Divers, 4 Red Breasted Mergs, 50+ Common Scoter, Guillemot, 10+ Great Crested Grebe.
30+ Twite still on Birkdale shore - walk north from Weld Rd entrance.
LDC Pinkfoot is elusive but has been in SW Lancs all winter arriving by early November