Blustery again.

Another day with no photos thanks to some grim weather in the north-west. Very strong westerly winds and another big tide as I watched Longton Marsh flood from the banks of the River Douglas and no sign of yesterday's reported drake American Wigeon. Well worth the effort though as I've never watched this part of the estuary on a big tide before. Truly spectacular with many waders (hundreds of Dunlin and Golden Plover, thousands of Lapwings) looking for a refuge on the rapidly disappearing marsh. A tight flock of 22 Bar-tailed Godwits alongside 25 Grey Plovers were the most noteworthy birds, being so far up the estuary, but there's plenty of Wigeon to look through for this little gem over the next few days.

Gale force at Marshside.

Barnacle, Pink-footed and Eurasian White-fronted Goose on Crossens Inner Marsh, Lancs 28 December 2011.

 Very, very windy today with gale force westerly winds making birding difficult on the estuary. Plenty of geese to look through at Marshside once again; the Whitefronts were in their usual spot (21 counted) with a single Barnacle in the Pinks.

Eurasian White-fronted Geese with Pink-footed Geese on Marshside today.

 Nel's Hide was a welcome refuge today as the wind gained strength around midday, with the 9+ metre tide flooding the saltmarsh. Some birders were struggling against the wind and virtually breathless as they entered the hide!

Eurasian White-fronted Goose at Marshside, Lancs 28 December 2011.

 Thousands of Wigeon and Teal mingling with Shovelers, Pintails and Gadwall and at least 5000+ Black-tailed Godwits on Rimmer's Marsh. The small gull roost held nothing of interest, at least while I was there.

Pink-footed Goose, Marshside 28 December 2011.

 Another Barnacle Goose out on the partially flooded Crossens Outer Marsh with a few hundred Pink-feet. Two Peregrines on half-submerged logs, 200+ Golden Plover and a few Ruff dotted amongst a couple of hundred Dunlin pushed off the estuary by the wind-swollen tide.

Not often you get the opportunity to photograph Barnacle, Whitefronts and Pinks on the Ribble.

Decent morning on the estuary.

 I drove round to the Fylde shore of the Ribble Estuary for a change this morning in hope of seeing the Tundra Bean Geese on Lytham Moss. Expecting to have to sift through a large flock of Pink-footed Geese to find my target birds I was rather disappointed (at first) to notice a lack of grounded geese as I drove across the moss in the early morning murk. Minutes later I was delighted to discover that I had to sort through all of one Pink-footed Goose to find the five Tundra Beans!

Tundra Bean Goose, Lytham Moss (Lancs) 27 December 2011.

 In fact the Pink-foot stood out like a sore thumb amongst the 5 Beans; all pinky-grey below and much colder grey (not brown) above, even if the orange legs and bill patch of the Beans couldn't be seen.

Tundra Bean Geese on Lytham Moss this morning.

 Some big skeins of Pink-feet overhead from time-to-time, but they didn't land. At least 15 Whooper Swans on the moss this morning too.

Nice neat black tail with white edge visible on this shot.

 The drizzle gave in so I headed down to the estuary and checked Fairhaven Lake where the two Scaup were swimming around with a few Tufties and 9 Pochards.

Scaup on Fairhaven Lake, Lancs 27 December 2011.

Great White Egret at Warton Bank (Lancs), 27 December 2011.

 The Great White Egret (one of two on the estuary at present) was showing well on Warton Marsh off the end of Bank Lane this morning. Two Black Swans in with 14 Whoopers and a few Mutes there along with several Little Egrets.

Tundra Bean Goose at Lytham Moss, Lancs 27 December 2011.

Quiet day on the Ribble.

Another dull, blustery photo-less Ribble day today. Hesketh Out Marsh, flooded by the 9.7m tide was a little quiet with Merlin, Marsh Harrier, 41 Whooper Swans, 350 Golden Plover (in with Lapwings, off which there were at least 5000 on the estuary today), Grey Plover, several Snipe and 400 Dunlin the most noteworthy birds this morning on the marshes. A nice flock of 17 Eider on the Ribble as the tide rushed in was a fine sight.
A late afternoon walk with Angie and the pooch gave me another chance to grill the Marshside geese, but still no Beans. Plenty of Pink-feet of course and 24 Eurasian White-fronted Geese showing well on their usual Crossens patch (if only the Beans were as reliable). Fourteen Barnacle Geese out there, single Marsh Harrier on Crossens Outer and at least 5 Little Egrets heading towards the Marine Lake to roost.

Festive Ribble session.

Quick look at Hesketh Out Marsh this morning with the tide (9.4m) produced thousands of birds pushed off the Ribble including 2000+ Lapwings, 20 Golden Plover and a few hundred Wigeon moved onto the RSPB reserve with several hundred Teal.
Five adult Bewick's Swans were my first of the winter on the estuary with 35 Whoopers (10 juvs) on the flooded fields.
Still no Hen Harriers this winter (very worrying) but a single Marsh Harrier and a Peregrine were hunting the marshes this morning. No Merlins but very fee Skylarks on the saltmarsh to hunt on with the mild weather. Just one small flock of 20 Pink-feet.

Morning Ribble Blitz.

Nicked a few hours on the Ribble at Marshside this morning, hoping to see the Tundra Bean Geese found at the weekend.
The conditions were typically "UK December" - dark and dreary, making distant goose viewing difficult.
The Euro Whitefronts were still on Crossens Inner; 22 if them in fact. Still 13 Barnacle Geese out there, but no looking so convincing in with the Canadas today.
I gave in on the Beans as most of the Pink-feet seemed to be on the tall saltmarsh. I guess they're out there with them somewhere. Scanning the outer marsh had its rewards though as a brute of a juv' white-winged gull headed south. It was barrel-chested and I'd put money on a Glaucous Gull. A dash to the sandplant failed to relocate it out on the estuary but 2 Lapland Buntings flying over was a nice surprise as they haven't been seen for a few weeks as far as I know.
Otherwise it was all the regulars like Whooper Swan, Marsh Harriers and of course the marsh was smothered in Wigeon, Golden Plovers and Blackwits.
Looking forward to getting back for some more over the Christmas break ......

Glossy Ibis at Leighton Moss RSPB, Lancs 16 December 2011.

 Angie and dropped into Leighton Moss on the way up to Scotland on Saturday afternoon to see the Glossy Ibis. Well worth the detour.

Martin Mere WWT today.

The mere 12 December 2011.

 Angie and I popped down to the Martin Mere Wetland Centre today which made a pleasant change. Surpisingly the Grey Phalarope that turned up while I was in Colombia was still on view from the Ron Barker hide. It spent most of its time bobbing around at the back of the lagoon so I could only manage a record shot .........

There were of course plenty of Pink-footed Geese with a couple of Barnacle Geese (just about see them in the Pinks in the photo above) and several Eurasian Whitefronted Geese, although they were a bit elusive at times.
Hundreds of Whoopers on the mere, 30+ Ruff, many Pochards and Tufties and stacks of dabblers too. At least 3 Marsh Harriers on show most of the time we were there.
Drove out to the coast afterwards with another herd of Whoopers just inland of Banks and the first check of the Marine Lake at Southport this winter was a bit quiet with just 12 Goldeneye and 5 Dabchicks on show among the huge raft of Coots there.

Back on the Ribble patch.

Eurasian Whitefronted and Pink-footed Geese with Wigeons at Crossens Inner Marsh, Marshside today.

 Didn't have to set the alarm clock for the first time in over a month so it was late morning by the time I made the Ribble Estuary today. Crossens Inner was a real feast of winter birds with thousands of wildfowl including at least 15 Eurasian Whitefronted Geese with the Pinks. Graham Clarkson gave me a tip regarding some of these at close range on the east side of the marsh at digiscoping range from the public footpath. 

 Adult and first winter Eurasian Whitefronted Geese on Crossens Inner Marsh, 10 December 2011.

 There were also at least a dozen Barnacle Geese on the marsh and in the Pinks I found an old friend. Blue neck-band B2S Pink-footed Goose was on Crossens Outer on 17 October 2010; one of the Svalbard birds that normally winter in the Netherlands or Denmark, this individual has been with Pinks in Norfolk and in Lancs after being banded in Denmark in 2003.

Pink-footed Goose B2S (centre) on Crossens Inner today.

A few hundred Golden Plover, several hundred Blackwits, a Ruff and thousands of Wigeon, Teal and Pink-footed Geese were on the marsh with Marsh Harrier and several Little Egrets on the Crossens Outer.
A late afternoon visit to Hesketh Out Marsh was fairly quiet apart from 100+ Whooper Swans, 475 Pink-footed Geese, 3 Gadwall, female Pintail, 2 Ravens and 4+ Twite.

Colombia: Last morning in the Guajira.

 Just enough time for a quick post before leaving for the airport. A few pics from our final session in the Guajira "desert" (very green, lush and muddy after so much rain). A fitting end to a month's birding in Colombia with Ornitholidays .......

Orinocan Saltator, Perico.

Chestnut Piculet, Perico.

Glaucous Tanager, Perico.

Colombia: Last few pics.

Collared Aracari near Minca, Santa Marta Mountains.

Yellow-tailed Oriole near Minca, Santa Marta Mountains.

Colombia: Golden-breasted Fruiteater.

Golden-breasted Fruiteater below El Dorado, Santa Marta Mountains.

Colombia: Santa Marta Mountains.

Santa Marta Parakeets, San Lorenzo Ridge 5 December 2011.

Just back from a morning on the San Lorenzo Ridge above El Dorado. These Santa Marta Parakeets showed well in the dull, drizzly conditions.

Colombia: Back to Santa Marta.

Black-and-white Owl near Minca, Santa Marta Mountains.

 Nearing the end of the second Ornitholiday's Colombia departure now, spending the final few days in the north. The day started with Chestnut-winged Chachalaca and as we climbed above Minca we had super views of Black-and-white Owl roosting near the road.

Whooping Motmot.

Colombia: Moustached Puffbird.

An excellent few days at RNA Reinita Cielo Azul produced the Turquoise Dacnis, Niceforo's Wren, Yellow-browed Shrike-Vireo and Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird. Shame that we couldn't get to that singing Recurve-billed Bushbird or that Yellow-throated Spadebill but this Moustached Puffbird was some consolation. Sooty-capped next year then?

Colombia: El Paujil and RNA Reinita Cielo Azul.

Broad-billed Motmot.

Rufous-tailed Jacamar.

Violet-bellied Hummingbird.

Lesser Kiskadee.

Golden-headed Quetzal.

Broad-billed Motmot.