Now that was one entertaining weekend - yesterday is something of a blur, suffice to say that it involved (I think) standing around Crosby Marina looking at Swifts a mile away, the Clash, a bunch of Latino musos, Mrs D, the Philharmonic Hall, Simon Glinn, Pete Wylie, the Belvedere, a train breakdown and Mr Bushmills in a big way.
Not surprisingly I was stumbling through the wreckage this lunchtime, when Neill called to say that the Pallid Swift was over Crosby Marina again.
Magnifico!
I razzed down there, and after about 20 minutes the bird came steaming into a flock of about 15 Common Swifts feeding over the south eastern end of the lake and car park.
Superb - milky coffee coloured, pale head, scaly belly, dark mask, kinda saddly back and so, so, so pale.
Looked a bit smaller than the Common Swifts, but it was hard to judge.
No chance of digiscoping it - Swifts are for SLR boys - but I managed a few "point and press" souvenir shots as it zipped 20 feet over my head - it ended up looking like any other Swift thro' the woefully inadequate lens (check out the grown-ups shots on Surfbirds).
Neill, Trops and Si Glinn turned up and after 45 minutes or so enjoying the Pallid we headed for home, via a restorative or six at the Sands Pub in Ainsdale.
Wisely, Trops chose to keep a low profile.
It all got a bit out of hand, just like it used to - excellent taxi service from Jan Hunt tho' to get us all safely home.
Still three Garganeys at Marshside today, aside from that, I don't know much else.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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At least two singing Reed Warblers around visitor centre at Mere Sands Wood today
I only gave you a lift cause Trops is irresistable, I especially like his head gear!
Jan Hunt
Four Bramblings north over Hesketh Golf Course early on, very odd. Got Pallid Swift over Crosby Marina this morning too!
Two Groppers last night behind Thornton Cemetery, along Back Lane.
Nice to hear that the Groppers are still in the Brooms Cross area of Back Lane, Thornton/Lunt where I also had 2 last Thursday along with a pair and 1 single Grey Partridge.
Another gropper [or was it 2 - seemed to be another area on return walk] was reeling at Jubilee Woods near the Owl statue.
One for Mr Bannon's bird race?!
Last Tuesday had a Gropper reeling at Wheatacre Woods near Burtonwood in an area where it stayed last year.
Maybe it enjoys the aroma of the nearby brewery hops?
And if birding and brewery whets the tastebuds, with 3 pubs and 3 clubs in t'village it's something to do whilst the driver visits Ikea and M&S!!!!
Should I keep my head down now?!