Nipped down to Marshside for an hour after work today - just as a big grey bank of cloud sent it all cool and moody.
Greenshank on the outer marsh was nice, with plenty of Blackwits about (only to be expected), 7+ Little Egrets and hirundines and Starlings zipping over the back of Marshside Two.
Willow Warblers hoo-eting in the bushes around the Grassy Knoll, with Blackbird and Robin there.
A Stoat swimming across the back of the Sandplant lagoon was different, and while it was no Michael Phelps, it appeared comfortable enough steaming along.
It was ignored by a Common Sandpiper though, which clearly felt it posed no threat while it was doggy-paddling so furiously.
Water levels have dropped a bit, so I should have checked Marshside One, but I didn't have time.
Earlier in the day, the wader roost off the Green Beach began to attain impressive autumn (there, I've said it) standards, with at least 10,000 birds in the tightly packed flocks - Knot, Barwit, Dunlin, Sanderling, Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Oycs.
Tern gathering wasn't particularly big, but still noisy.
Very nice.
A female Wheatear in the dunes yesterday and a light passage of Mipits and Swifts was encouraging, but it was really quiet offshore.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Over the weekend of 11 - 12 August, Marshside is hosting a “Bioblitz”, a large-scale wildlife stock take, where visitors will help spot the maximum number of different species over 24-hours.
Alex Pigott, RSPB Marshside’s Warden said “We'll be looking at the amazing range of wildlife at Marshside; from ducks to dragonflies and everything in between. We will be helped by visitors, volunteers and some local wildlife experts.”
“You can join in a range of events over the 24 hour period, from guided walks to hands-on activities. So for a fun day out with a special purpose, come along, join in and let us know what you see. “
The ‘BioBlitz’ will officially start at 2pm on Saturday with a programme of activities right through to 2pm on Sunday. Entry to the ‘BioBlitz’ is free with but a donation of £2 would be appreciated for guided activities (children go free).
Please visit www.rspb.org.uk/marshside or email ribble.reserves@rspb.org.uk for more details and a full programme of activities and times.
I've not had much opportunity to get out and about recently so kept a closer eye on
the local area and tried to work out what was decimating my feeders at such a usually "flat" time of year.
It turns out there has been unprecedented activity around here over the last week,
with the following bird life visiting the locality:
lots of parids: blue, great and coal
- greenfinch : 2 male and one female
- a single nuthatch
- a juvenile bullfinch
- two great spotted woodpeckers
- dunnock
- robin
Particularly pleasing were the bullfinch, GSWs and greenfinch.
The greenfinch because they looked so vivid and healthy; the young bullfinch because
I'm hoping it's the progeny of the pair I saw earlier in the year and the GSWs because I've only seen a single bird before and if these are a pair then we may have young as well.
I'm not really sure why I'm seeing such variety at this time of year unless the wet weather has destroyed their normal food supplies?
A decent week, nonetheless.