Managed to get out onto Plex for an hour or so this afternoon for the first time in a while.
Water levels are still falling, but enough floods remain to hold several hundred Lapwing, with a single Golden Plover and 11 Ruff.
When not busy having a dance, the juv Peregrine above spooked the waders repeatedly, sending them high over towards Downholland, before a few returned.
Thousands of Pinkies just visible whenever they took off on Downholland, and the flooded field off Station Road held 460+ Herring Gulls with a few BHGs and LBBs, more Lapwing and two more Ruff.
Local Buzzards loafing around or circling, with Linnet, Greenfinch, Song Thrush, Skylark and Corn Buntings.
One or two Jays flopping about.
Could feel that winter greyness creeping in, but luckily John Gramauskas called me having just found a Yellow Browed Warbler on Birkdale LNR (see comment, previous entry), which is enough to cheer anyone up!
I whizzed over, but it was getting late when I got to the reserve, and although I found a large Long Tailed Tit flock with Goldcrests near the main path, they were clearly heading to beddy-bys.
Refinding this critter could be a real needle in a haystack job.
More Jays here and a Redpoll or two calling overhead - could be worth a good look tomorrow I suppose.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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My trip to Plex wasn't as productive as John's but managed to see the same army of Pink Feet near Downholland; five Kestrels, lots of finches of the gold, chaff and green varieties;
Spotted a Wren and spooked a huge Grey Heron out of ditch.
I think most of the regulars at the flooded fields east of Gettern Farm had moved on by the time I got there: just two dozen Lapwing.
Lots of Starlings about including a flock of about 400 chittering away near the pumping station in Downholland.
Good to bump into you earlier, John.
Yellow Browed Warbler reported near Weld Rd roundabout with tit flock at south end of caravan site at 11am.
Beautiful late-autumn session at Marshside/Crossens, but quiet. Skeins of Pinkfeet flying in high over the Fylde to alight on Banks/Crossens, probably new arrivals from Iceland via Scotland.
2-3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers along Marine Drive almost certainly migrants, ditto 5-6 Coalies among the other tit species.
Ringtail Hen Harrier soaring over the saltmarsh only raptor of note.
Trip out to Marshside this afternoon in great light.
Pintail and Great Black Backed Gull at Nels along with lots and lots of Coot, Teal, Shoveler and Mallard etc.
Snipe, Little Egret and Black-tailed Godwits viewable from the Sandgrounders hide with more piping Teal.
The GBB gull returned overhead scaring everything in sight.
One Grey Heron on the other side on the road from Nel's.
The sand plant was very quiet except for one poor, very sick looking rabbit.