On to the North Ribble Marshes with another look at Newton and Clifton Marshes again. Despite spending a fair bit of time here I couldn't really add much to yesterday's sightings apart from a large flock of 215 Curlew and a couple of Corn Buntings. Teal were more conspicuous with about 125+ at the back of the Entrance Pool and there were a couple of skeins of Pink-footed Geese heading south totalling about 600 birds.
A walk along the embankment above Freckleton Creek allows good views over Freckleton Marsh and the Ribble across to Longton Marsh. At first there seemed to be very few birds around but patience paid off this morning as Fieldfares, Redwings and Mistle Thrushes appeared in the Hawthorns and a small party of Long-tailed Tits passed by. The fields, usually heaving with birds were quite empty until a flock of Lapwings flew in accompanied by Redshanks, 25 Golden Plovers and at least one Ruff.
The Naze Pool was pretty quiet apart from a Greenshank, 7 Black-tailed Godwits and a pair of Snipe flushed by a passing Sparrowhawk. Little Egrets were present with one nearby and another in with the sheep (no, it wasn't a Cattle Egret unfortunately) out on Longton Marsh. No wild swans about, no Merlins and no Stonechats. Winter is still to come, hopefully.
After a long chat with a local chap about the disgusting behaviour of some unsavoury characters earlier on the marsh in pursuit of Brown Hares with their dogs (subsequently dealt with), I was just about to stroll back when a large pipit came towards me quite low and calling loudly. "Richard's Pipit!" The loud and rather deep sparrow-like call was uttered several times as I watched the pipit fly south, bounding as it went, towards the Ribble and out of sight. By far the best bird I've seen at Freckleton in seven years.
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