Ay Caramba, crops higher than the Baby Black Death out on the Withins this afternoon, as the greens and yellows ripened into browns and tans, and a BIG passage of Common Swifts tanked through.
Not much else on the mosses though, apart from meandering feeding flocks of hirundines, and a Hobby in the usual area, arcing high high high up as it chased insects, and was pestered by unwise Swallows.
A juv Peregrine got serious on Haskayne Moss, buzzing panicking corvids, Woodpigeons and finches, but despite three stoops, it headed off to the south east empty handed/taloned.
Fair numbers of Whimbrel (5-6 birds) on the foreshore between Ainsdale and Freshfield for the last few days, but perhaps more impressive was my discovery of a piece of fresh ginger shaped like an elephant as I did the weekly shop today.
How could I resist it?
Even got a few shots of it in the garden, while Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral and Cabbage White were coming and going.
Clearly about as good as shopping gets....and far more dignified than twitching a disorientated purple chicken in a Cheshire ditch (please tell me NONE of you fell for that one)...
I was about to contact Ripley's/Guinness (re the Elephant Ginger NOT the Cheshire chicken) when Mrs D announced she was going to whip up a demon curry, and before you could say "toast-shaped-like-baby-jesus" the root was diced, spliced and in the marinade.
"Relax", explained the boss, "it was clearly an Indian Elephant."
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Coach trip to the Birdfair. The MNA are running a coach trip to the Rutland Birdfair, the world's largest international birdwatching event, on Saturday 21st August 2010. We still have places available on our coach, so if anyone wants to join us, ring our Coach Secretary Dave Hardy on 07811 323354 by Thursday 13th August to secure your place.
The trip costs ã30, which includes the cost of admission. Details of the coach pick-up points and times are on our website.
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth was feeding at Buddleia flowers in my back garden at 7:30 this morning.
2 Little Egrets,2 Common Sand,109 Dunlin feeding from bridge to end of first hide at Wigg Island
lots of Swifts above Prescot Road Widnes and in abundance everywhere today - Weston Point,Penn Lane - itchy feet?
Please report your Jellyfish Sightings!
The EcoJel project aims to assess the opportunities and detrimental impacts of jellyfish in the Irish Sea.
http://www.jellyfish.ie/index.asp
They need your help!
We are into the jellyfish season and the EcoJel team are interested in your recent jellyfish sightings. They have a handy Jellyfish ID card with colour photos of all the jellyfish you are likely to see:-
http://www.jellyfish.ie/downloads/IDCard.pdf
You can report your sightings via a form on their website:-
http://www.jellyfish.ie/jellyfish_sight.asp
Big Thanks!
Popped down to Mere Brow at lunchtime today, lovely views of Lesser Whitethroat, the hedges here were full of common birds, lot's of Blue Tits especially. Many butterflies also but I have to confess I'm not an expert when it comes to Butterflies.
Also a family of Partridges flushed and dissapeared into long grass, in the fleeting views looked like Greys which was nice to see.