Last few days of the year round-up.

Adult Mediterranean Gull, Weld Road 31 December 2012.

 29 December

A dreadful day for birding but there was some respite from the rain during my walk along the seawall from Old Hollow to Crossens. 

12+ Little Egret, Merlin, Peregrine, Hen Harrier (ringtail over Crossens Outer), Barn Owl (a really bright buff bird hunting Crossens seawall early afternoon), 120+ Grey Plover, Ruff, 150+ Golden Plover, 1344 Pink-footed Geese behind the seawall in fields at Crossens, 2 Barnacle Geese and a huge on the saltmarsh. A dozen Twites with Linnets by the seawall.

On the way home I called in at Hundred End at dusk where there were at least 392 Whooper Swans.

30 December

Awful conditions for estuary birding so I headed for the SW Lancs mosses. I saw about 5000 Pink-footed Geese on Plex, but they were very distant and I failed to pick anything unusual out. Three Whooper Swans on Halsall Moss were the only other birds of note.

31 December

Last chance for some 2012 Ribble birding today. As usual it was a last minute decision to drive down to the Southport area and I chucked the gear in the truck at lunchtime for the short trip to the coast. The heavens opened as I pulled up just outside Birkdale at Weld Road and with the very windy conditions it wasn't very inviting.

I had a look through the large gulls from the vehicle during the storm but no rewards there. Once the rain stopped I ventured out and found this nice adult Med' Gull near the car park. Unfortunately I couldn't read the ring. The gulls began to disperse as the tide dropped so I looked for something else to do.

"El Plastico", the leucistic Red-crested Pochard was on the lake in Hesketh Park but my main aim here was to check the diving ducks for anything scarce. I sifted through the four Tufted Ducks carefully and once I was convinced that none of them were Lesser Scaups or Ring-necked Ducks I thought it was time to move on. Going to look pretty silly if one of those females turns out to be a goodie when they wake up and raise their heads! Still I'll live with that.

I suppose it should be "La Plastica". Just a thought.

El Plastico in its natural habitat.

Last stop, Marshside. Quick look near Sandgrounders: Spoonbill, Little Egrets; thousands of Lapwings, Black-tailed Godwits and Golden Plovers, a carpet of Teal and Wigeon and smaller numbers of Gadwall and Pintail. A few hundred Pink-footed Geese on Crossens, but no surprises with them.

Couldn't find the Green-winged Teal; must be losing my touch.

Definitely worthy of a full day in the New Year, Marshside. Never seen so many birds on there - and there's always lots in the winter months.

All the best for 2013 and may the New Year bring you lots of birds.