More goosing today – its great that we’ve had another influx and I’ll watch them as much as I can before they go. I enjoy spring migration at Marshside, but it’s always tinged with sadness as the goose throngs depart for their northern breeding grounds – I’d love to go to Iceland to watch them […]
Black-tailed Godwit Update
Today there was at least 2300 Godwits on the Eric Morecambe Complex on the edge of Morecambe Bay. But with high spring tides most were on the flooded salt marsh. During the first half of March we have sighted five colour ringed birds. …
Big fun
Big fun with the big spring tides. A few highlights as follows: Hesketh Road/golf course – adult Med Gull and 2 Cattle Egrets, several Chiffchaffs singing, 6 Siskin The 2 Scaup still at Junction Pool and 1st Wheatear of the year on the Sand Plant Hesketh Out Marsh – 45 Avocet, 3 Spotted Red Banks […]
Siskin Control
After almost three weeks of rubbish weather I feared there would be no ringing ever again. The perpetual winds eased on Monday when Andy managed to get up to Oakenclough for the first time since 1st March. I couldn’t make it but was hopeful for later …
Comment on New study reveals widespread illegal killing of hen harriers on England’s grouse moors
The NE study was based upon 58 birds. The RSPB has stated that even in 2018 they tagged more that 30 Hen Harriers. The RSPB may hold even more data than that which the excellent paper is based upon. I would like to ask the RSPB if they are prepared, us…
Blog Post: New study reveals widespread illegal killing of hen harriers on England’s grouse moors
A new study has provided compelling evidence that many young hen harriers in England are being illegally killed in areas associated with grouse shooting. The RSPB’s Head of Nature Policy Gareth Cunningham discusses the significance of this scientific r…
Anas horribilis
The awful weather continues, but had a few hours at Hesketh this morning to combat the cabin fever. Torrential rain and strong westerlies make it hard to bird the west side, but I fancied a look at the waders. A decent selection on there with 2 Greenshank, 6 Dunlin, 13 Avocet and a lot of […]
60 minutus
A morning of swimming and sliding at Splashworld in Southport with the family was fun – especially with the double rain downpour happening through the window. Even managed an adult Med flyby from the top of the building whilst waiting to go down one of the spiral slides. We drove past Crossens twice and each […]
Wren
Up here on the Lancashire coast March lived up to that old adage of “In like a lion, out like a lamb”. At the moment the Atlantic Jet Stream sits over us like a heavy wet blanket bringing just this morning a hoolie of wind, rain, sleet and hail, plus a…
Routine
There is always something of interest when out in the natural world, that’s the nature of it, but sometimes it is less exciting and perhaps a bit more routine. And routine it was yesterday morning,when I was at one of my wintering bird survey sites clo…