Late afternoon delight.

Inner Ribble Estuary, 13 January 2012.

I spent a couple of afternoons (12th and 13th) walking the inner estuary this week with the highlight being two Short-eared Owls found while I was counting these (60) roosting Cormorants opposite Lea Marsh. 

HOM's been pretty quiet of late but the Whooper herd is building nicely with around 75 birds in residence at the moment. There were at least 500 Pink-footed Geese on the outer saltmarsh too, but far off and no chance of finding anything just yet. Two Buzzards and  a Peregrine the only raptors of note at HOM but a day-flying Barn Owl was nice.
Three Whooper Swans near Longton were the first wild swans I've had east of the Douglas this winter and a Bay-winged (Harris's Hawk) with jesses heading towards the village must be one that has been hanging around the Ribble (and bred apparently) for a while now.
I couldn't find the American Wigeon on the inner Ribble opposite Clifton Landfill but there were far fewer wigeon on the river. Goosander (female) and Common Sandpiper were good winter Ribble birds; shame the same cannot be said about the two Bar-headed Geese with 96 Greylags. Hutton marsh was heaving at high tide: 225 Curlew, 2000+ Lapwings, 120+ Dunlin, 250 Canada Geese and a single Pink-foot. No shortage of the latter as I could see a cloud of 3000+ Pinks in the distance over Banks/Crossens.
The stubble fields, whilst not as alive as last winter (all those Bramblings and the odd Lap' Bunting) still held 75 Skylarks and 10 Stock Doves.
Local Brickcroft reserve still has drake Pochard, duck Gadwall, duck Goldeneye and singing Mistle Thrush already.
Four Brown Hares in the local fields of Longton Marsh yesterday .......