LANCS: Local weekend round-up.

The Main Pool at Brockholes Quarry near Preston, Lancashire.

Drake Garganey and Tufted Duck, Brockholes Quarry 25 April 2009.

Not really had much time for any meaningful migrant hunting this Spring with the demands of fieldwork in Bowland so a quick look in at Brockholes Quarry was welcome this evening. It will always be "the quarry" to me despite the efforts of the Lancs Wildlife Trust to rename it as Brockholes Wetland. Away it's not open to the public just yet but viewing of the Whimbrel roost (currently standing at around 160+) is arranged most evenings from late April to early May.


Avocets are not that rare in Lancs nowadays but a couple of birds at the quarry this weekend were first site records. The presence of a drake Garganey the following day was the catalyst for a long-overdue visit to the quarry where despite the efforts of some dog-walkers (are all reserves destined to be major attractions for this?), the Avocets were still around. I must admit to paying more attention to the Garganey (aren't drakes something else?) and it was good to see Green Sandpiper and the first Whimbrel arriving at the roost too.
The wildlife trust has completed some good reserve management work of late, and with the lower water-levels this year the site looks attractive once again. Let's hope this theme continues and folks come to the reserve when it opens because of the wealth of wildlife on show.

LANCS: Marshside migrants.

Arrived at Marshside in a brisk easterly with overcast conditions this morning. Female Kestrel perched near Sandgrounders as I parked the car and given the chilly conditions I opted for the shelter of Nel's Hide.

Singing Sedge Warbler and Common Whitethroat both year ticks and plenty of Black-tailed Godwits on the Junction Pool alongside Avocets, Shoveler, Wigeon and Teal.


Grateful for the shelter from the biting wind I settled into Nel's to scan over Rimmer's Marsh. It wasn't long before I found the Curlew Sandpiper with 4 Dunlin and a Grasshopper Warbler breaking into spells of "reeling" every now and then was a surprise.

Curlew Sandpiper (above) and Avocet (below) , Marshside RSPB 25 April 2009.

The Little Stint took a bit more finding (in fact someone else did it for me!) as it kept disappearing behind the tussocks. It settled down to roost for a while but always at a distance from the hide.

Little Stint with Black-tailed Godwits, Marshside RSPB 25 April 2009.

It popped up again later, preening at the back of the godwit flock and feeding with 4 or 5 Dunlin in the shallows. No sign of the Spotted Redshank this morning though but my first Reed Warbler of the year could be heard from the Hesketh Road platform.

Heading back towards the Junction Pool 2 Swifts circled overhead (my first of the year) and the Sandplant was good for Wheatears (8+) with a Whinchat also. Tide came in as I left lifting loads of waders including hundreds of Dunlin, smaller numbers of Ringed Plovers and thousands of Knot. Still plenty of Pink-footed Geese out on Crossens Outer too.

LANCS: A week in Bowland.

Langden Valley in Bowland, Lancs April 2009.

It's been a funny week one way or another. My "all dayer" in Bowland started by chatting to a few locals as I unloaded my car, ready for a day on the fells. One couple told me how easy it used to be to see Ring Ouzels in the area: "Commoner than Blackbirds 30 years ago, easy from the car". The other conversation was a little more strange.
A gentleman approached me to ask about the history of the area and confessing my ignorance I informed him that I was looking for moorland birds. Making polite conversation I commented on the quality of the weather of late.
"Not as good as back home for you I dare say", he replied.
Explaining that I'd travelled no further than from Preston, the gentleman commented on my "language".
"You mean my accent?" I enquired.
"Yes - New Zealand, Australia, South Africa?"
"I'm originally from London"
"There you go, that's what I mean"

Oh well, should be alright for a bar job in Earls Court then ....
Anyway, back to Lancashire. Another busy week trudging around the fells and moors in east Lancs, but very rewarding all the same. Migrants continue to trickle in (apart from Willow Warblers that seem to have flooded in!) with a few Pied Flycatchers and Redstarts on territory in the wooded areas.

Obviously in this heather habitat I'm seeing plenty of Red Grouse and Curlew in the boggy areas, it's infested with Meadow Pipits but most surprising is the large numbers of Wrens I'm seeing in every available patch of cover.

Highlights this week include Peregrines, a couple of Hen Harriers (one male "sky dancing over the fells), Dipper and best of all a male Ring Ouzel. The plight of the Ring Ouzel is looking pretty bleak nationally, reflected in the lack of local sightings this year (on breeding grounds at least). Sadly this attractive upland thrush is now red-listed. See the BTO website for details of their decline in the UK.

SOLWAY: Weekend Round-Up 18 - 20 April 2009.

Curlew at Mersehead RSPB, 19 April 2009.

Oystercatcher near the Bruaich Hide at Mersehead.

Another rather quiet trip up to the Solway this month. Our journey north took us to Redkirk Point just west of Gretna where there were still a few Barnacle and Pink-footed Geese on the mud at low tide. The assembled gulls were checked but nothing stood out, despite there being a few "white-wings" in the region lately. A little further along the Solway we pulled in along the shore at Browhouses where it was apparent that there had been an arrival of Willow Warblers of late. Few Red-breasted Mergansers in the low tide channel and 10 Goldeneye were about the only birds of note.

Bird of the day was undoubtedly the Osprey we found by scanning across the Solway to Cumbria from Seafield Bay near Annan. Luckily it soared overhead mobbed by Herring Gulls and a Common Buzzard. A few pools in the Priestfield area near Powfoot had a few bits and pieces to check including at least 8 White Wagtails. Once settled in the caravan at Southerness we found a bit of time to take an evening stroll along the beach where we counted 60 Ringed Plovers and 3 summer plumaged Dunlin.

Sunday 19th didn't look particularly promising for migrants so we decided on a tour of our local spots, starting on the Colvend Coast. No Sedge Warblers detected in Gillfoot Bay and just 10 White Wagtails west of the point at Southerness. A tour of Auchencairn Bay produced little apart from Sandwich Terns but Balcary Point was a pleasant diversion with 50+ Guillemots, 10+ Razorbills, 2 Fulmars, 10+ Kittiwakes and several Rock Doves of varying degrees of apparent purity.

We returned to the Southerness area by late afternoon after calling in at Auchenreoch Loch (disturbed by jet skis), Milton Loch (just no birds) and Loch Arthur (zilch!). Carsethorn shore was a bit better with a Pale-bellied Brent Goose and a Whimbrel but perhaps our best birding was in the early evening at Mersehead RSPB. Nothing really outstanding, just a lot of birds including 2 Little Egrets, Goldeneye and still a couple of thousand Barnacle Geese in the area.

Barnacle Geese of the wetland RSPB reserve at Mersehead.

Monday 20th came round all too quick and it was soon time to head south once again. Single Manx Shearwater off Southerness in calm conditions was nice before leaving "home patch".

Jackdaw on the Farmhouse Tower, Caerlaverock WWT 20 April 2009.

Female Merlin on Folly Pond, Caerlaverock WWT 20 April 2009.

A couple of noteworthy events from Caerlaverock: Female Merlin swooping down on the Folly Pond, then wading in the shallows and taking a drink with the Redshanks, Oystercatchers and Black-tailed Godwits (28).

The view from the Saltcot Hide showing an empty Prince Philip's Field where there should be hundreds of Barnies!

In excess of a thousand or so Barnacle Geese could be seen from the Farmhouse Tower feeding near the Saltcot Hide so we thought we'd take a walk down there. On approaching the hide we watched a "photographer" go through the gate and approach the field where the Barnies were feeding. Surprise, surprise, up went the Barnacle Geese. The culprit didn't appear but I managed to question his intentions later and he explained that he was "chasing the geese to make them fly, so another photographer could get a flight shot"! After explaining the concept of hides and reasons for leaving migratory birds to feed in peace I realised I was fighting a losing battle when he answered with "They were not molested and they'll come back".

I wonder what the late, great Sir Peter would have made of all this?

I reported the incident to the staff but our afternoon had been ruined and we decided to leave.

LANCS: Bowland.

Working in Bowland at the moment with the wet season underway in most of Latin America.
Stunning scenery and some good birds with migrants arriving every day at the moment, making a very pleasant experience. No bird pics yet - if you think I'm lugging a 'scope and tripod up slopes like the one pictured above, think again!


Loads of Wheatears and a couple of male Redstarts so far - always nice to see, plenty of Red Grouse, Hen Harriers, Peregrines and a spanking adult Med' Gull. Single migrant Osprey was a bonus but Ring Ouzels thin on the ground though, which is worrying.

LANCS: Evening on the Ribble.

Short-eared Owl, Crossens Outer Marsh, Ribble Estuary 11 April 2009.

Crossens Outer Marsh looking north across the Ribble towards Warton Bank.

Another pleasant evening on the Ribble. Parking at Marshside I decided to walk north to view Crossens Marsh to see if there were any owls around. Plenty of Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits and Redshanks out on the marsh with smaller numbers of Teal, Wigeon and a few Little Egrets. Wasn't long before I found my first owl of the evening as one then two Short-eared Owls appeared, performing beautifully in the evening sunshine. I watched them for about an hour or so, gracefully quartering the marsh and plunging to pounce on some unsuspecting victim. I finally found one perched distantly and took a few snaps. A Barn Owl appeared just as I found the second Shortie perched and passed oh so close when another, darker Barn Owl suddenly flew across the road. Spectacular stuff indeed.


Loads of Mipits out on the marsh and a few Wheatears on the fence posts. The Pink-feet were a long way out this evening with no birds grazing in range unfortunately.

Walking back to the car the characteristic "cheewit" of a Spotted Redshank disturbed me from my daydream as it sped over the road towards Crossens Outer, pitching down on a pool with some Blackwits (above). The female Ruddy Duck was behind a "Aythya Shield" of Tufties on the Sandplant Lagoon but little else of note there this evening apart from a few passing Swallows.

Crossens Inner Marsh, Marshside RSPB 11 April 2009.

Black-tailed Godwit, Marshside RSPB 11 April 2009.

With the light fading I just about had time for a look on Rimmers Marsh where 380+ Golden Plovers congregated plus a single Dunlin. Several Ruff were out there with the Redshanks.

S. ECUADOR 2009: Tony Smith.

Tony Smith at Tapichalaca having just ticked Jocotoco Antpitta, S. Ecuador January 2009.

Drifting back to my early days of travelling around the UK in search of birds I can remember a few very good long weekends at Portland Bill Bird Observatory near Weymouth. Invariably when I visited a certain A. Smith was there with a few of his birding mates. Alpine Accentor and Savannah Sparrow were just a few "goodies" that turned up while I was there and Tony was always around somewhere near the Bill. Later I bumped into him on the East Bank at Cley and from time to time during some local birding at Staines Reservoir. In the latter years of my twitching "career" I shared a journey with Tony down to Poole Harbour for Little Swift. The blow of the "dip" was softened by the copious amounts of beer on the way back (we weren't the drivers) but with my early twitching retirement I saw less and less of this "old school" birder.
Lately though I've had the pleasure of Tony's company on a couple of trips to Peru and last January in S. Ecuador. I'll never forget that magic moment when a couple of White-capped Tanagers were located above the lodge at Tapichalaca and Tony (who had left his boots inside) tripped and slipped along the wet cobbled path in flip-flops at least 3 sizes too small for him. He saw the tanagers though! An ex-Naturetrek leader, Tony's experience and anecdotal skills are unrivalled. His directions may leave a little to be desired ("On top of the f***ing tree!") but if you get a chance to bird with Tony ........ do it.

S. ECUADOR February 2009.

Green Thorntail, Buenaventura S. Ecuador February 2009.

We crossed the Andes from the east slope at Copalinga to the (very) wet west slope at Buenaventura during our tour of thye south of the country. Long-wattled Umbrellabirds were seen well as well as Grey-backed Hawks as soon as there was any warmth in the air.

Green Honeycreeper (male), Buenaventura February 2009.

Many-banded Aracari.

Rufous-headed Chachalaca.

LANCS: Marshside 10 April 2009.

View over the Junction Pool, Marshside RSPB 10 April 2009. Drake Garganey lurking in the corner somewhere.

Mrs B and I were really pleased to get out birding this afternoon after a very hectic ten days or so. Heading south of the Ribble the weather looked very unfavourable indeed but we continued and as we reached the Hesketh Road platform at Marshside RSPB the rain reduced to a drizzle. A drake Garganey had been reported but no sign in the murky conditions, just plenty of Teal, a few Wigeon plus the odd Black-tailed Godwit in full summer splendour. Sand Martin was the only migrant on view so we jumped back in the car and drove round to Marshside Road.
Apart from the obvious Avocets the first bird we looked at on the Junction Pool was a superb drake Garganey - one of my favourite summer visitors to the UK. Plenty of signs of movement today too with several Sand Martins, Swallows and at least 3 House Martins over Rimmer's Marsh. A mix of winter, intermediate and summer plumaged adult Golden Plovers amused us for a while before reaching Nel's Hide where we informed a few local bods of the whereabouts of the Garganey. Pintails, Ruff, Blackwits, Snipe and several Little Egrets (don't even bother to count them nowadays, tut, tut) and then time to head back to the car. Mrs B. stopped to find the Garganey for the local bods at the Junction Pool before a brief stop at the Sandplant Lagoon where a female Ruddy Duck was with some Tufties.
Last gasp stop for some Pink-feet on Crossens Outer Marsh where there were at least a dozen White Wagtails on one of the pools. Couldn't see anything in with the "Pinks" but there were more geese lurking in the long tussocks of the saltmarsh and I hear some Greenland Whitefronts were seen today.
A good choice of venue for a brief trip out and nice to blow away some domestic cobwebs.

MEXICO March 2009: San Blas.

Time to head back to Mexico for a short while. Our stay in the San Blas area gave us plenty of opportunities to search for waterbirds as usual, mainly from the boats at La Tobara mangroves. Our first excursion late in the afternoon was primarily to search for Northern Potoo. We were successful once again this year with many seen as well as Pauraque, Lesser Nighthawks and even a glimpse of a Mottled Owl.
Our second boat trip was in search of the elusive Rufous-necked Wood-Rail which we duly found thanks to our expert boatman who stationed us in a prime spot of mangroves to lure out our quarry. A Collared Forest-Falcon (above) was a real bonus as it flew across the river after a period of calling. The shot above is of the bird seen the following day at Cerro de San Juan. CFF's on consecutive days - can't be bad.

White Ibis and Reddish Egret, San Blas W. Mexico March 2009.

White Ibis.

Northern Potoo at La Tobara Mangroves, W. Mexico March 2009.