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MARCH 21

Wheatears pouring through in the good weather this week, several Chiiffchaffs seen and heard this week including one singing early today in the bushes on the compound by the car park. Highlight over the past few days  was a Ring Ouzel on Thursday morning. Avocet numbers are huge, about 60 birds. Little Stint with the large Golden Plover flock from Nels hide and 2 Little Gulls on Pollys(friday). Little Egrets galore.

MARCH 16

The first Wheaters of the year today, 3 in total, all on the point and all fine males. Very skittish, possibly due to the work being carried out on the point. 7 Sand Martins through at 2.30 but typically not hanging about. At least 25 Avocet knocking about on the 2 marshes and a couple on the outer. Good numbers of Black-Tailed Godwits and Golden Plovers and a single summer plumaged Med Gull (looks like one of the weekends birds)on Rimmers marsh. Little Egret numbers looking very healthy at present, I counted 9 in a quick sweep today. Goldcrest on the point along with a good stream of Meadow Pipits passing over.

MARCH 12

3 Adult Med Gulls today(2 on 10th), Water Rail as usual from Sandgrounders, still about 10 Avocet and the now usual Little Egrets knocking about.

 

MARCH 11

Not updated for a while! As always to much to do, to little time to do it! Spent the best part of a week on Irelands West coast at Galway with Bazzo, Jellyhead and Trops, more of that to follow. Over the past few weeks there has been plenty to look at on the marsh, Hen Harriers present along with several Short Eared Owls and all the other expected raptors. A nice surprize was a 1st Winter Glaucous Gull on the 15th Feb. Avocets now back with at least a dozen around. Any time now the first Wheatear will arrive, so keep those eyes open.

GALWAY,  IRELAND FEB 2009.

Rather than give a full report of the trip i'll show some photo's. It's a lot easier and quicker. On the trip was Bazzo, Jellyhead, Tropical and myself. The main reason for the trip was to look for Gulls, we where not dissapointed.

Started off on the southern side of Galway Bay, we where welcomed by great views of 2 Otters playing in the first sheltered bay we looked at! By noon we had seen at least 50 Great Northern Divers, a few Black Throats and fewer Red Throats. Long-Tailed Ducks, Black Guillemots, Brent Geese all seen in good numbers. A couple of Greenshanks and Common Sand also put in an appearance.

On to Galway!

 

The first gull we saw on exiting the car at Nimmo's Pier was this;

A fine adult Ring Billed Gull, over the weekend we managed to see 3 of these American Gulls.

Superb.

Iceland Gulls where pretty numourous and between the sites we visited and managed to clock up about 15 individuals.

 

Adult Iceland Gull.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st and 2nd Winter birds also present.

In the city we managed to catch up with a couple of Waxwings, not very common this far west.

Along the coast wehere treated to a Red Necked Grebe at Silver Strand, it was pretty distant but decent scope views. We did however miss the long staying Surf Scoter that had been present all winter.

A trip up to Sligo produced 2 King Eiders, a Lesser Scaup and stacks of  Barnicle Geese.

King Eiders.

Back at Nimmo's the gulls where still mounting up. A couple of Little Gulls on the beach as a bit of a surprise. On the other hand Glaucous Gulls where much more expected, we managed to see about 4.

Big Gulls!

One of the target birds for the trip was Kumlien's Gull and what a a bird it was!

An adult bird,

The dark wingtips on this bird are at the darkest end of the scale, the majority of birds have much paler primaries.

The underwing on this bird was almost completely pale, just a hint of grey on the underside of the primaries was visible.

Sandwich Terns where present on th beach but we managed to miss the Forsters Tern. Biggest dissapointment was missing the American Herring Gull which had been present on and off over the winter but had been very hit and miss. A very good reason to go back, and we will!

Took over 10000 photo's!

JANUARY 28

JANUARY 26

Unfortunately Nels hide has been vandalised and will be closed until at least Wednesday 28th January and possibly beyond.

We will update the site as and when we recieve further information regarding re-opening of the hide.

RSPB are sorry for any inconveniance and will keep us informed.

JANUARY 25

Green Winged Teal still present today, in front of Sandgrounders, the usual place. Had a walk around with John (the Brick) Dempsey and Squeaky John.

 A fairly good day, plenty of Pink Feet on the outer and this Barnacle Goose with them, pretty distant though.

 

Not a lot else with the geese, but out on the marsh a single Raven was milling about with the local Carrion Crows and Jackdaws.

 

 

Several Little Egrets on the marsh with this one showing well from the Coast Road.

Plenty of Golden Plover (2000+), Black Tailed Godwits, Lapwings and a few Dunlin from the hide, best of all though as a winter plumaged Spotted Redshank on Polly's (present a couple of weeks).

A fine Scaup was mixing with the Tufted Duck on the Junction Pool, while 27 Pochard lazed on the Sandplant Lagoon.

Stonechats where noticable today, at least 3 individuals knocking about, Robin, Song Thrush, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks all around the Point, Raptors where dissapointing considering the weather with Peregrine, Merlin, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel putting on a show but no sign of any Harriers or Owls.

As I was leaving this fine Kestrel perched  up just for a photo, thanks mate!

No sign of the Little Owl today which has been seen recently on Stanley School roof, worth looking out for.

JANUARY 19

Green-Winged Teal still present today, again in front of Sandgrounders hide.

JANUARY 16

Very quiet on the marsh over the last couple of days and today was no different. Besides the zillions of duck, the usual winter fare and a couple of Little Egrets, there wasn't much happenin' so I went down the beach at Birkdale and Ainsdale to check out the Twite and Snow Buntings.

First up was Birkdale beach, parked at the Weld Road entrance and found th flock of Twite after about 10 minutes looking.

As well as the Twite, 47 of  'em, there was a small group of  16 Skylarks flitting about and a couple of Little Egrets on the green beach.

Down at Ainsdale the 6 Snow Buntings where hiding out down past the second barrier, upon getting to them they slowly made there way back towards the 1st barrier.

The light wasn't particularly bright, and with the new camara I was havin some difficulties!

A nice walk though, Red Throated Diver off shore and the usual gulls and waders on the beach.

JANUARY 11

Drake Green Winged Teal present over the weekend, other birds of note include; Marsh Harrier, sev. Little Egrets, Spotted Redshank, Water Rail, Kittiwake and 7 Bewicks Swans over.

JANUARY 07

Water Rail and the Green Winged Teal showing well from Sandgrounders Hide.

JANUARY 05

Green Winged Teal still present.

JANUARY 04

Green Winged Teal showing well today, as usual in front of Sandgrounders.

Plenty of Pochard, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail and Shoveler about, the majority of them in front of the hide where the water remained unfrozen.

Barn Owl and Water Rail from the hide early on.

On the outer, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Merlin , Buzzard and Sparrowhawk, 800 odd Pink Feet and a good hand full of Little Egrets. Also a pair? of Stonechats on the outer, 200 yards north of the Sand compound

JANUARY 03

Green Winged Teal still at Sandgrounders + Water Rail.

New Year New Bird .

Spent the day in the company of Mr Squeak, Mr Stanage and young " Chris Lad" from Ormskirk, the reason a Glaucous-Winged Gull up in Cleveland. Can you believe it, 3rd day of the year and a Mega bird. I can put the nightmare of the last one which we missed in South Wales 2 years ago behind me. Good veiws through the scope but to far to get a decent photo, but I had a go.

This bird, an adult is the bird in the centre of both the photos.

If you squint and pull a funny face you might be able to make out the grey primaries!

nuff said.

 

JANUARY 02

Green Winged Teal still present + Marsh Harrier.