LANCS: Lunchtime Ribble Birding 30 Oct 2007.

Popped down to the Ribble today (only 6 miles from the office) for a spot of birding at Newton Marsh. Nice selection of species around starting with a Little Egret flying over the entrance pool as I arrived.

Wildfowl numbers still seem a little low with only 50 Wigeon and 100 Teal on the pool. Shoveler (not normally numerous here) were up to at least 20 birds however. Seven Black-tailed Godwits were feeding on the fields and at least a dozen Snipe were feeding in the muddy margins of the pool. Three Little Grebes were doing their best to stay out of their way near the reeds.

The rough grasslands near the water treatment works had the usual Stonechats - 3 today, and 36 Corn Buntings and a couple of Tree Sparrows were perched on overhead wires. A quick scan of the bushes produced a Buzzard and a few Fieldfare and 80 Pink-footed Geese headed south rounding off a nice session.

LANCS: Long-tailed Duck, Tockholes 28 Oct 2007.

Squeezed in a little bit of birding today by popping out (only 15 miles from home) to see this Long-tailed Duck. Nice bird in a nice setting on a nice autumn afternoon.

LANCS: Morcambe Bay 27 Oct 2007.

Made a tour of the south shore of Morcambe Bay this morning. I started in the Pilling area with 1000's of Pink-feet in the air constantly, although I failed to find a decent flock to sift through on the ground. Many waders were pushed close to the sea wall with the ten metre tide, including about 600 Golden Plovers.

Several Grey Plovers, Oystercatchers, Lapwings, Dunlins and Knot were present in hundreds with a nice roost of Curlew on Pilling Marsh too. About 30 Whoopers were on Pilling Marsh too and 6 Twite flew by. I moved to Cockersands where Merlin and 4 Twite were the most noteworthy birds as the skies darkened.

I finished the day at the Conder Estuary where a couple of Spotted Redshank and a Greenshank were in the creeks with the Redshanks and Teal.

SOLWAY: Whoopers and Barnacles 26 October 2007.

We woke to the sound of Barnacle Geese overhead this morning. The overcast and windy conditions didn't help matters down at Southerness Point at low tide, so I headed inland to Loaningfoot to have a last look at the geese before heading back home to Lancs. Nice to see 11 Whooper Swans (scarce around the Solway at the moment) in the same field as the Barnies.

Mrs B and I headed towards the border calling in at Annan, but the tide was in and there were hardly any waders and no Goldies on the shore. We checked out Browhouses for future reference where we saw 7 Whoopers before hitting the M6 and then back to Lancs.

One week to go until the next trip: Ecuador.

SOLWAY: Southerness - Carsethorn and Ken - Dee Marshes 25 Oct 2007.

We'd had our eye on a public footpath from Southerness to Carsethorn for a few days as it passes through some of the few woodlands in the area, so today we decided to give it a try. We spent the morning on foot, walking the 3+ miles through mixed woodland and farmland, taking a lunchtime bus back to Southerness. Half-a-dozen Cossbills were the most notable birds on the Arbigland Estate, but many other common birds like Bullfinch, Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Filedfares, Redwings and a Brambling overhead kept us amused.

Back at the point we saw something rare in D&G - another birder! Chris Baines had just been to see the Annan American Golden Plover - good to meet you Chris.

Later in the afternoon we headed off to Loch Ken where we saw at least 30 Greenland White-fronts. There could have been more among the mounds though. We finished the afternoon a Milton Loch in hope of a rare Aythya but drake Scaup was the best I could do so we headed to Auchereoch Loch where the best thing was chocolate pudding and coffee in the hotel!

SOLWAY: American Golden Plover, Annan 24 October 2007.

Mrs. B and I left mid morning 24 October for another few days in Dumfries and Galloway, intending to do a bit of birding near Southerness or maybe Mersehead, in the late afternoon. After a quick break just before crossing the border, I suggested we take a look at the Solway coast at Seafield south of Annan. The old viaduct here is a well-known site for seawatching in the spring and I was merely intending to take a quick look in anticipation of some more exciting times there next May.
We parked on the waterfront and as the tide was dropping many waders were beginning to congregate, mostly Redshanks but there was a nice group of 98 Black-tailed Godwits and 400+ Oystercatchers roosting further east along a rocky shore. We walked to the old viaduct (presumably where the "skua-watch" takes place in the spring), noting a drake Goosander, 3 Whooper Swans and 250 Golden Plover that were in the bay to the west and out of range for close scrutiny. As we neared the car park a flock of "Goldies" flew in, alighting on the exposed mud and I commented that they were worthy of a quick check.

I immediately noticed a slighter, more "leggy" bird at the front of the flock, reminiscent of a "mini Grey Plover". It was a "Lesser Goldie" and I quickly ID'd the bird as an American Golden Plover by virtue of its broad supercilia set off by a dark cap, overall greyish appearance and more crucially its long primary projection beyond the tertials (the latter falling well short of the tail tip when folded).

The bird showed a suffused greyish chest, sharply demarcated from the rest of the white underparts.

This shot shows the capped appearance, broad supercilia, dark scapulars and the primary projection beyond the tertials. At one time the bird preened revealing a more golden-spangled lower back, rump and upper tail. We watched the bird for over an hour, phoning Chris Baines (the only D&G birder we know) and Angus Marray of Birdline Scotland. The bird fed constantly, always at the periphery of the flock of Golden Plover and became more distant as the tide receded.

Eventually we had to leave Annan and head for Southerness where we spent the rest of the afternoon between there and Mersehead seeing plenty of Barnacle Geese. The only other bird of note being a Woodcock at dusk near Carsethorn.

SOLWAY: Lesser Canada Goose & Fieldfares Galore!

Twite at Southerness Point.

On Saturday 20th Oct we left Preston late morning for the Solway, arriving at Southerness in time for some late afternoon birding at the point. Lots of birds near the lighthouse as the tide came in including good numbers of Oystercatchers, Knot and Curlew but just a few Ringed and Golden Plovers. A Merlin dashed past the point but best of all was a nice flock of 30 or so Twites on the beach. We had great views of these at very close quarters, noting their stange "wheezy" call as the flitted around the saltings. I managed a shot of one that kept still for a moment (above).
The next day we took a trip out to the Mull of Galloway and it was obvious that there was a big "winter thrush" movemnet underway. We noted hundreds of Fieldfares filtering south throughout most of the day, mainly near the southern tp of the Mull. Smaller numbers of Redwings were overhead too. Otherwise the most interesting birds were Peregrine, 25 Whooper Swans and a Carrion x Hooded Crow hybrid. We ended our day at Loch Ryan in Wig Bay at the wader roost: 350 Golden Plovers, 40 Ringed Plovers, 2 Knot, 5 Dunlin and a dozen Scaup offshore. A late Wheatear and 50+ Twites were the only passerines of note. With the light fading fast we made our way back towards Stranraer to view the loch where we found a couple of adult Little Gulls and a Common Tern. Just the one Pale-bellied Brent Goose at Bishop Burn on the east side of the loch before we headed back towards Dumfries for the night.
Today we spent the whole day in the Southerness / Nith Estuary area We started at the point at high tide where a Great Northern Diver showed well offshore. Adult and 1st wtr Little Gulls and an Arctic Tern were the only ther birds of note but wader counts included 56 Golden Plovers, 10 Barwits and a single Grey Plover. Touring the rest of the Southerness area it was obvious that yesterday's thrush movement was continuing. We saw at least 700 Fieldfares between the point and Powillimount to the east of Southerness. At least 50 Redwings were associated with the roving Fieldfare flocks. We then moved round to Mersehead where a Lesser Canada Goose had been seen earlier in the morning with the several thousand Barnacles. The geese were very mobile by the time we arrived but 300+ Fielfares and 200+ Redwings were seen near the hides. We returned to Southerness via Loaningfoot where a couple of thousand Barnacles were scrutinised near the road, yielding the wished-for Lesser Canada Goose. Unfortunately when we returned a couple of hours later on our way home, the geese had departed. Our last stop on the Solway was on the Nith at Glencaple in search of a couple of Avocets that had been seen at the weekend. Unfortunately we were out of luck but a female Scaup here was noteworthy.

LANCS: North Ribble Marshes 18 Oct 07.

Finally found time for some local birding on the Ribble Estuary this afternoon. Newton Marsh was quite "birdy" with plenty of Teal and Wigeon on the pool plus a few Shoveler. Some of the drakes are now starting to look pretty smart too. A Little Egret flew in and put 20+ Snipe up and a single Blackwit was feeding in the shallows. Nice to see 5 Corn Buntings up on the cables with the Starlings as well.
Drove round to Freckleton for a walk out to Naze Point next. I could see that Longton had no geese as soon as I started to walk on the footpath so it looks as though last winter's early gathering of Pink-feet here was a one-off. Still time yet but I guess they were displaced from more traditional grounds. Nice to see 50+ Whoopers in the fields between Naze Pool and the Clifton Marsh though. Otherwsie the pool was as expected - loads of Teal, Black-tailed Godwits plus 3 Little Egrets in the trees. Wandered down to the river to go through the gulls gathering at the Douglas as the tide dropped but couldn't find anything interesting. Single Greenshank, Barwit and Oystercatcher with the Redshanks and Dunlins and 4 Gadwall of note. Bird numbers are building up though with 300+ Wigeon on the marsh and 350+ Golden Plovers roosting on the mud. A Brambling calling in the small wood at Naze Point was a "patch tick" for me, otherwise just the usual 3 or 4 Jays, Great Spotted Woodpecker and 50+ Redwings and Fieldfares. Little Egrets were up to 13 as I strolled back past Naze Pool. Nice afternoon, now back to work!

SOLWAY: Caerlaverock & Southerness Point 16 Oct 2007.

We took a quick trip around the Nith this morning to Caerlaverock. Loads (maybe 10,000+) Barnacles on the reserve this morning - just about everywhere we looked really. Only 8 Whoopers seen - the warden told me that there were more but they appeared to have moved off, probably headed south.

We headed back around the Nith and birded Southerness Point at high tide. Waders were everywhere at the point: 2000+ Oystercatchers, 250+ Knot, 600+ Redshanks, 50+ Turnstones and best of all at least a couple of Purple Sandpipers.

I could only manage this shakey shot of the "Purp" in the wind but hopefully we'll see more of this increasingly scarce wader over the next couple of weeks at the point.

As the waters covered the rocks I decided to scan the sea and immediately picked up a Great Northern Diver. Managed a record shot from the shelter of the lighthouse. It doesn't show the huge size so obvious in the field but the large bill and steep, angled forehead can be appreciated. Not much else here apart from a couple of Red-throated Divers and 3 Mergs.

SOLWAY: Loch Ryan, Stranraer 15 Oct 2007.

We left Mersehead intending to take a tour around the Wigtown area this morning. By the time we arrived at Wigtown the weather had turned to overcast with showers. After a quick coffee and cake in the "Book Town" (Wigtown is renowned for its book shops) drizzle had set in. We drove down to the Martyr's Stake car park and began walking to the Wigtown Bay LNR hide in the rain. Very little from the hide - 50+ Teal and half a dozen Snipe - but it made a good shelter to scoff our packed lunch. On the way back to the car we saw a Kingfisher in one of the ditches but no sign of any Whoopers or Pink-feet.

It looked like a day's touring in the car due to the heavy rain so we set off towards the Isle of Whithorn. A Scaup on a pond at Palmallet and a few Ravens were the only noteworthy birds until we arrived at Whithorn where there were plenty of Shags, some Common Scoters offshore and a pair of Peregrines that spooked a load of Rock Pipits. We drove to Luce Bay and the weather began to improve as we checked the gulls on the shore. By the time we reached the Cock Inn at the west end of Luce Bay the sun was shining and it was a beautiful autumn afternoon so we decided to head for Loch Ryan, hoping to see the Med' Gull that had been around recently. On arrival at the Loch we scanned the Loch in the late afternoon sunshine: 300+ Wigeon, 20+ Scaup, 20+ Mergs, several Slav' Grebes and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose (top image). No sign of any Med's so we headed towards Bishop's Burn.

After a while at Bishop's Burn I found the first-winter Med Gull bathing with BHG's, Angie counted 22 Scaup and the goose had joined the gulls. The Med' finally came onto the shore where it was a little easier to photograph and we spent some time watching it until hunger set in.

We headed into Stranraer for two take-away fish suppers, returning to the Burn to eat as I watched over the gulls. Suddenly there was a flash of white wings on the shore and this stunning adult Med' Gull came into bathe and preen. Adult Med' Gull is one of my favourite birds and it was a real pleasure to see this and a fitting end to a fine afternoon on the Loch. We didn't have much time at Loch Ryan so Black Guillemots, Long-tailed Ducks, etc will just have to wait a while .......

PS. We saw the Barn Owl back at Southerness on the way home too.....

SOLWAY: Loch Ken 14 Oct 2007.

The Ken Dee Marshes RSPB reserve is only 15 minutes away from the Lauriston Kite Feeding Station. There were 170+ Greylags from the viewing platform near the farm but no Greenland White-fronted Geese, so presumably they hadn't arrived. They should be in anytime now. We wandered along to the hide seeing at least 3 Red Squirrels, 3+ Bullfinches and best of all, a pair of Willow Tits (this a good site for this increasingly rare species). It was pretty quiet otherwsie apart from a distant Red Kite spotted as we were scanning for Hen Harrier.

We'd had a pretty long day but it was rounded off nicely with great views of a Barn Owl near Southerness on the way home.

SOLWAY: Red Kite Feeding Station 14 Oct 2007.

We left Mersehead for the Red Kite feeding station west of Loch Ken, arriving just after 2 PM. They had already started feeding and as we approached the farm we could see kites congregating above.

'Scoping from the road I attemped my first digiscoping flights shots, some of which came out OK.

At any one time there were around 30 kites above the feeding station, some swooping down in front of the hide.

We had a late lunch in the car watcing the spectacle and left for Loch Ken after 3 PM. There were still plenty of kites around when we departed.

SOLWAY: Barnacles Galore!

Barnacle Geese in flight over Mersehead RSPB Reserve, Dumfries & Galloway.

On 14th Oct Mrs B. & I decided to make the short trip from Southerness (where we stay on the Solway) to the Mersehead RSPB reserve. I expected there to be "a few" Barnacle Geese in by now, but I was truely astonished when we headed away from the Southerness peninsula only to be confronted by a carpet of black and white geese in a field.

The Barnies were quite tame really, allowing close views. We reckon there were about a couple of thousand of them in the one field right next to the road.

A few minutes later we arrived at Mersehead in glorious weather. There were a few butterflies on the wing including Small Tortoishell, Painted Lady and Red Admiral plus a few dragonflies that remained unidetified but I though they may have been Common Darters.

We thought there were something in the region of 3500+ Barnacle Geese on the reserve, including this albino pictured above. Otherwise we didn't see an awful lot on our walk out to the beach and back via the hides: 50+ Pink-feet, Green Sandpiper, 2 Stonechats and 5+ Yellowhammers.

LANCS: Great White Egret at Leighton Moss 13 October 2007.

Well, I thought I'd better go and see it. After all, it's been there since I left for my last trip to Peru! Anyway, me & Mrs B. were on our way up to the Solway again so it was on our way ....... and it was a Lancs tick! We arrived at Leighton Moss pretty late and in the rain, so we went straight to the Eric Morcambe Hide. A quick scan over the pools revealed 7 white egrets in the distance, all the same size. A brief look on the Allen Pool and there it was, strolling around and feeding. Just had enough time for some snaps before a train went by and put everything up. The GWE flew onto the saltmarsh and the 7 Little Egrets flew overhead onto the RSPB reserve.

PERU (Central Sept / Oct 07): The coast at Barranca.

We finished the Central Peru trip on 9th October heading down to the coast from Huaraz and on to the Pan American south to Lima. We picked up Bay-crowned Brush-finch in the mountains on the way down before stopping for another endemic - Peruvian Seaside Cinclodes at Barranca. We also saw a few "padders" like Elegants Tern and Grey Gull before heading for the airport and home.

PERU (Central Sept / Oct 07): Rufous-backed Inca-Finch & Black-necked Woodpecker.

There's something special about inca-finches: All five species can only be found in Peru and they really are attractive birds as illustrated by this pic of Rufous-backed Inca-Finch taken just outside Huascaran NP. We saw Great Inca-Finch at the start of this tour - you'll have to visit the north of Peru to get the other three.

The Black-necked Woodpecker was seen near Yungay at the Pale-tailed Canastero site.

PERU (Central Sept / Oct 07): Pale-tailed & Many-striped Canasteros.

We took some time out from Huascaran to visit some arid cactus-covered hillsides near Yungay where we had seen Pale-tailed Canasteros in the past. This year we found them easier than ever before, performing well in the early morning sunlight, singing frequently. Spot-throated Hummingbird, Black-necked Woodpecker and Raimondi's Yellow-Finch were some of the endemics we saw today.

Back in Huascaran National Park, this Many-striped Canastero came in nicely to playback and sat up very close to our group. Not much else to say about this one really apart from the fact it complemented a nice series of Furnarid sightings for the tour that included the rare White-bellied Cinclodes.

PERU (Central Sept / Oct 07): White-cheeked Cotinga.

So here's arguably the star attraction for birders at Huascaran - White-cheeked Cotinga. Yet another endemic along with Baron's Spinetail, Rufous-eared Brush-finch, Black Metaltail, Ancash Tapaculo and Plain-tailed Warbling-Finch that all fall into the same category (and all seen this morning!).

Some of the best Polylepis forest to be seen anywhere too - a real pleasure to walk in it with Stripe-headed Antpittas and Jelski's Chat-Tyrants around.