RobM wrote...

Hi John,
Thanks for the posts and the updates - still enjoying hearing the news from my exile down here in Sandwich. I hope the Shorelark is still around in a couple of weeks when I'm up in West Lancs for a couple of days.
I thought you might like to hear about a story from my local patch which includes Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory. The Obs yesterday had a call from a local resident saying that he had two birds of prey chasing each other round his kitchen.
When they went round to the house they found one of the local female Sparrowhawks and a young female Merlin chasing each other (or the Sprawk chasing the Merlin I'd imagine).
They were duly captured, removed from the kitchen and released. I don't know how they managed to get in in the first place.
Why does this sort of thing always happen when I'm in work ?!!
Cheers,
Rob
PS
Do you or any of your readers know the best spot at Marton Mere to view the Starling roost? I've never been up there and was thinking of taking a trip up there.

Posted by: RobM  | November 17, 2009 9:36 PM

Duncan Rothwell wrote...

Green beach, south of Weld Road today - two Jack Snipe and Little Egret. And rain.

Posted by: Duncan Rothwell  | November 18, 2009 5:09 PM

andy bunting wrote...

North West Bird Watching Festival

* Date: Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November
* Venue: Martin Mere Wetland Centre

Whatever the weather, The North West Bird Watching Festival is an enjoyable and informative day out.

View the latest optical equipment with a range of specialist organisations

* The nature reserve will be open from 8am over the weekend
* A range of guest speakers celebrating North West wildlife
* New Reedbed walk around the reserve
* Range of stands including outdoor clothing, birdwatching holidays, second-hand and new books, multimedia (DVDs, sounds, guides, CD Roms etc) and wildlife artists and photographers
* Have lunch in the coffee shop or browse the gift shop
* On Sunday 22 November, A Rocha Trust will be holding a church service at 10am in the Lecture Theatre

Please continue to look at this website for details of exhibitors and guest speakers.
Guest speakers
Saturday 21 November

11.30am: Sophie Ledsom: Brockholes
12.30pm: Tony Baker: Hesketh Out Marsh - restored from wheat to waders
1.30pm: Helen Sephton: Wigan Flashes - Conservation for bittern and willow tit
2.30pm: Ron Crosby: Lifes a colour in our north west seas
Sunday 22 November

11.30am: Phil Smith: Dragonflies of northwest
12.30pm: Helen Laycock: Watervoles
1.30pm: Graham Jones: Moths
2.30pm: Alan Bedford: How the Estuary works
Speaker profiles
Tony Baker

Tony Baker is the RSPB's Ribble Sites Manager. He has worked for the RSPB Reserves Dept. since 1981 on a total of 15 reserves and came to Lancashirein 1994 to establish the Society's Marshside Reserve. Tony's main focus over the last 3 years has been the establishment of the Hesketh Out Marsh reserve near Hesketh Bank. Tony lives close to Martin Mere in Scarisbrick and spends most of his spare time with his wife and two young sons who so far, are more interested in dinosaurs than birds.
Ron Crosby

Spent all working life in engineering. I started diving in 1960 whilst doing National Service with the Royal Engineers. After Nat. Service joined local diving club and became interested in marine life and underwater photography. Most of my diving is done around the North West of the UK, but also have been involved as a photographer/ surveyor on a number of expeditions in the UK, the Indian Ocean and the Great Barrier Reef etc.

I have been a member of the Marine Conservation Society since its formation in 1978 and a founder member and chairman of the local Lancashire supporters group of the Society since 1988.
Graham Jones

Graham Jones lives in Merseyside and is the Reserves Manager for The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside,

and the Lancashire Recorder for the Larger Moths. With a particular affection for the moths of the Sefton coast,

Graham has travelled widely in both the UK and Europe in search of moths, and also has a keen interest in birds and dragonflies.
Lancashire Wildlife Trust

Mark Champion and Helen Sephton of Lancashire Wildlife Trust are part of the team responsible for the management of Wigan Flashes Local Nature Reserve. Working in partnership with landowners Wigan Council, the Wigan Flashes Project is bringing about the transformation of a landscape created by coal mining and subsequent post-industrial tipping. Mark has been involved in the Wigan Flashes Project since the early days of LWT involvement in 1999, with Helen joining the team in 2003. With much of their work focussed on the creation of optimum Bittern habitat, they find themselves at the cutting (more frequently cold and muddy) edge of reedbed design and management works.
Wildlife photography workshops

Award winning photographer Graham Eaton will be hosting wildlife photography workshops at the Bird Festival. Graham Eaton has the following recent awards:
Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2007 - Runner Up
Winner - Los Angeles International Underwater Photography - 2007
BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2007 – Runner Up

The workshops will be approximately one and a half hours long from 10am, 12pm and 2pm and will involve going into the grounds with Graham to look for photography opportunities and to provide advice and guidance on how to take a perfect wildlife photograph.

If you would like to take part on this workshop, you will need to book in advance by calling Lucy on 01704 891220. The workshop is free to take part, but normal admission charges apply to enter the Centre.
Confirmed exhibitors
in focus: binocular and telescope specialists

in focus are the UK's leading specialists in binoculars and telescopes with a huge range of equipment to suit any budget. in focus are the WWTs optical partners with all sales supporting the work of the trust.

in focus is staffed by birders who will be on hand to offer expert advice as you test binoculars and telescopes in field conditions. in focus has been established for 30 years and has a permanent shop at Martin Mere, open 7 days a week for after sales support & service.
Subbuteo Natural History Books

We are a mail order book company that source and provide in print natural history books that we dispatched to customers worldwide. Check out our website www.wildlifebooks.com

If there is any title you wish to obtain or bring along to the North West Bird Watching Festival please e mail us info@wildlifebooks.com or phone 01743 709420
WildSounds

WildSounds is a leading international supplier of supplier of wildlife books, audio & multimedia guides, DVDs, Videos, eGuides and Field Recording Equipment. Discounted prices, even on many new titles! www.wildsounds.com
Second Nature

Selling and buying out of print and antiquarian books on natural history, particularly birds, mammals, 'new naturalists' and 'poysers'. Visit our website at www.secondnaturebooks.com
Carl Zeiss Ltd

Carl Zeiss, world renowned manufacturer of precision high quality optics. Innovative products include Victory FL binoculars and photoscope, spotting scopes. Expert advice available. www.zeiss.co.uk/sportsoptics
Marsue-wildlife

We are not an organisation, we are bird and wildlife enthusiasts / photographers. We host our own website for photographs and news of the birds and wildlife we see. We also use our own original photographs in the production of greetings cards. Visit www.marsue-wildlife.co.uk
Swarovski UK Limited

Swarovski Optik is the Austrian manufacturer of high precision binoculars, telescopes and photographic accessories, all of which will be available for demonstration. Swarovski Optik is renowned for its innovative designs that demand state of the art technology guaranteeing the highest optical quality. Swarovski Optik is also committed long term to supporting major international conservation projects to ensure the survival of many of the worlds most threatened species.
Ribble Bird Tours

Fylde based wildlife tour company with the emphasis on 'holiday'. We run tours worldwide and in the UK and have been doing so for 12 years. We also have a programme of 'days out' and our leaders give illustrated talks. www.ribblebirdtours.co.uk
Wigan Flashes, Lancashire Wildlife Trust

Owned by Wigan Council the Wigan Flashes cover 260 hectares to the South of Wigan centre. Much of the area is now designated as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) and contains Two Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and 7 sites of biological importance grade A.

Habitats include reedbed, fen, grassland, & wet woodland. Over 200 species of bird, 18 species of dragonfly and 6 species of orchid have been recorded. The Bittern is a regular winter visitor & reedbed management is aimed at attracting this rare bird to stay and breed.
Save our Squirrels, Lancashire Wildlife Trust

www.saveoursquirrels.org.uk

‘Save our Squirrels’ works across the North of England to conserve our native red squirrels and enable people to find out more about them. The Sefton Refuge, stretches from Altcar to Ainsdale.

Martin Mere is at the northern edge of our buffer zone, we also work inland to Rainford and Knowsley and as far south as Waterloo to help sustain a safe habitat for the remaining populations of endangered red squirrel.
Robert Fletcher: Wildlife Artist

The Robert Fletcher range of wildlife cards, prints and originals portray his unique use of pencils and crushed pastels. His portrayal of misty woodland scenes in particular, have achieved him widespread recognisition. He is also noted for his bird and wildlife studies. Visit www.robertfletcherwildlifeartist.co.uk
John Dempsey: Wildlife Photographer

This years bird fair presents an opportunity to view an exhibition by Wild bird Photographer John Dempsey of In the frame images. John will be exhibiting some of his most creative images from his unique "Wild Art" portfolio. John has been photographing wildlife for 20 years his work has featured in several publications. www.intheframeimages.com
Lancashire & Cheshire Fauna Society

The society is a registered charity and has been in existence since 1914. The society publishes the annual Lancashire Bird Report and other sundry publications such as the recently lauded “Birds of Lancashire” that provides an updated status of the avifauna of the area.

We also liaise with other groups to help with survey work and undertake work on other faunal groups.

www.lacfs.org.uk
BWWC: The Bird Watching and Wildlife Club

The Bird Watching and Wildlife Club owns and runs the newly refurbished Grant Arms Hotel at Grantown-on-Spey in the Scottish Highlands. BWWC guests choose what they want. The BWWC team are there to tell guests what’s around and where and the best time to see it. They will also provide advice on the escorted trips available. The BWWC Club Room, Library, Walks, Talks, Newsletters, Guides and Briefings are free to all Guests.
North West Ecological Trust

Gorse Hill Nature Reserve near Ormskirk was founded in 1996 by the North West Ecological Trust to create and preserve natural habitats for wildlife. It now covers over 100 acres, providing several native woodlands, wildflower hay meadows, hedgerows, ponds, wetland areas and reed beds to support a growing and rich diversity of wildlife, including over 60 bird species, half of which appear on the nationally endangered list.

www.nwecotrust.org
Country Innovation

Specialist in clothing, footwear and accessories for the bird and wildlife enthusiast. Visit us to see our NEW Venture and Lady Venture waistcoats, Hawk and Buzzard Jacket and Plover range as well as many exclusive show offers.

www.countryinnovation.com
British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)

www.bto.org
The BTO is an independent trust, investigating the populations, movements and ecology of wild birds in Britain. Volunteers of all ages and from all walks of life put their bird-watching skills to good use. They record wild birds using survey methods developed by our scientists, who then compile the records and analyse them for publication. This work makes a direct and vital contribution to bird conservation, by enabling both campaigners and decision-makers to set priorities and target resources. It also provides a unique insight into the state of our environment.
Ribble Coast and Wetlands Regional Park

The Ribble Coast and Wetlands area is one of Europe's most special
places for wildlife The area supports internationally significant populations of birds. An average of 340,000 avian visitors per year make it one of the most important wetland sites in Britain for migratory and breeding birds. The area's environmental significance together with its location between Merseyside and the Lake District resulted in its being recognised as a potential regional park for the north west.
Tony Dunn wildlife photographer

An award winning amateur wildlife photographer and nature lover from Lancashire
Website: www.tonydunnwildlifephotography.co.uk
Garrick Books

Sale of books both rare and old on birds and natural history ,esp illustrated books by c.f.tunnicliffe & peter scott,also prints on birds
Stealth Wildlife Ltd

Based in the North west of England Stealth Wildlife Ltd. was born from our passion of nature watching and wildlife photography. We source and design quality and innovative products at great prices. Whether you simply like venturing into the great outdoors with binoculars in hand, or are a professional or hobbyist photographer, our range of clothing and camera accessories suit all abilities and pockets. We believe you don’t have to pay the earth for outdoor gear because lets face it enjoying nature at its best is free!

www.stealthwildlife.co.uk
Nikon UK Limited

Nikon will be displaying a product range, from binoculars and fieldscopes to SLR cameras including the new EDG Fieldscope range and D5000 DSLR camera

Posted by: andy bunting  | November 18, 2009 6:15 PM

John wrote...

Ta Andy, meant to plug this earlier in the week - don't forget to sell any remaining copies of "Wild Merseyside" at In Focus!!!

Posted by: John  | November 18, 2009 6:25 PM

Garry Hird wrote...

The best place to see the starling roost at Marton Mere is normally from the patio area.

Posted by: Garry Hird  | November 19, 2009 10:32 AM