On finding one's feet.

Banks Marsh and the Ribble Estuary NNR with the Forest of Bowland backdrop early this morning.

The first report of local Pink-footed Geese came from Martin Mere WWT yesterday. That's where this photo was taken a few winters ago. It'll look like this when I get back from Brazil at the end of the month I guess. Could I see some before jetting off abroad?
This morning I spent another couple of hours at the watch point overlooking the Ribble NNR in the hope of geese arriving plus any bonus birds. The initial autumnal conditions began to change quite quickly and it was very different to yesterday's fine but breezy, northerly weather (that undoubtedly assisted the arrival of Pinks).
No sign of the Pec' this morning, indeed there were fewer birds generally and it didn't feel as "busy" as yesterday. Waders did include 3 Ruff, 25 Redshank, Greenshank, 10 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Snipe, 200+ Golden Plover, an Avocet and a flock of 50 Dunlin with the Curlew Sandpiper again.

Small Tortoishell.

Still 2 Yellow Wagtails with the 30+ Pied Wagtails, 2 Wheatears and a small party of Meadow Pipits. Two Sparrowhawks, a Merlin and a Peregrine with 2 Ravens included in the "honorary raptor" bracket.

Pink-footed Geese? Mission accomplished at 0925 when a party of 19 "winkers" came over the marshes and headed in the direction of Crossens and Marshside.

Another Ribble Pec'.

Andy Bate (armed with bacon barms) and I met early for some birding on the Ribble Estuary NNR at Banks. Plenty of Golden Plover in the air and Yellow Wagtail over the farm as I left the car and a first look at the splashes produced a flock of 15 Redshank with 20 Black-tailed Godwits arriving. I noticed a smallish wader next to the landing Blackwits - scaly, capped and (importantly) ochre legs. "Got something good here Andy".
The Pectoral Sandpiper, almost certainly a juvenile but tricky to be sure as most Banks birds are pretty distant, spent most of the time alone. We 'scoped (or "scauped" if you're Andy) it for ten minutes or so before it took to the air with the godwits again (there's a Merlin around spooking everything as usual here).

Other birds noted in the following two hours: 3 Pintail (in the large flock of Wigeon and Teal present now), Merlin, 2 Ruff, 2 Avocet, 300+ Golden Plover, 30 Ringed Plover, 70+ Dunlin, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper and large flocks of Goldfinches and Linnets in the SSSI meadow.

It'll be hard work getting a decent picture of waders at Banks. The Pec' Sand' above was photographed in the elfin forest zone in Manu, Peru on 3 November 2010.

Not going out.

There's been many urban Sparrowhawks in gardens of late. Finally got one today ......

First year female Sparrowhawk, Longton 29 August 2012.

Same individual but note the darker ear-coverts and prominent supercilium from this angle.

 I had planned an early morning visit to the Ribble this morning, but the weather had other ideas. I was in the middle of non-birding stuff when I noticed this Sparrowhawk on the fence. Over the next forty-five minutes or so it spent most of its time trying to get into the neighbour's aviary. Frustrated, it spent a bit of time resting on the lawn before heading off between the houses.

Morning falcons.

Immature male Merlin, Ribble Estuary NNR 28 August 2012.

Up before the lark this morning so I waited by the banks of the Douglas for an hour or so as the sun came up. I had some half decent visible migration here last autumn, but perhaps a little too early at the moment as there was no sign of movement 0600 - 0700 today. A Barn Owl kept me amused for a while and there were a few local birds around including a scolding Whitethroat, but no migrants.
A Hobby on the five minute journey back home inspired me to take a quick look on the NNR at Banks, but it was quiet, at least when I visited.
No sign of the Spoonbill, just a small flock of Dunlin and Golden Plover to look through. Still four Avocets on the splashes and a Whimbrel with the Curlew. Pintail and a pair of Gadwall in the increasing Wigeon flock.
Nice views of an immature male Merlin, Peregrine loafing on the marshes and a female Marsh Harrier put just about everything up as I left.

Bank Holiday Weekend.

Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB, 26 August 2012.

Bank Holiday Monday's weather is a little dire and I don't expect to have anything to add to yesterday's birds, so here goes.
I never take my microphone on the Ribble but yesterday was a morning that I regretted my inability to record the dawn chorus on the marshes. A still but fairly crisp early morning visit to the Ribble NNR was a super experience with the sound of whistling Golden Plovers, a Spotted Redshank very vocal mixing with the sound of Redshanks, huge flocks of Starlings around the farm (no pale ones, unfortunately) and a Barn Owl perched on the English Nature NNR sign by the watchpoint.
Duck numbers are building by now, mainly Wigeon and Teal and this will continue so apart from the "new" Pintail, they'll not get a mention. Waders though were quite impressive:

Spotted Redshank - moulting adult with Redshanks.
15 Redshank
2 Curlew Sandpiper - juveniles.
50+ Dunlin.
435 Golden Plover - many juveniles now.
2 Ruff.
6 Avocet.
10 Ringed Plover.
2 Snipe.
700+ Lapwing.

The Spoonbill was still preseent early morning (although absent just after I left according to other observers), but still only the single Little Egret around on this part of the estuary.
An immature male Sparrowhawk and the adult and juv' Peregrine were still causing havoc with the wader and duck flocks and passerines included the usual 4+ Yellow Wagtails, a single Wheatear and a party of 3 Sedge Warblers in the SSI ditch (very vocal, at least one juv'). The "swarm" of Canada Geese carpeting the marsh included the two dodgy Barnacle Geese.

An early evening visit to Hesketh Out Marsh provided us with little apart from nice views of the distant Bowland Fells, exercise for the dogs, 2 Wheatears, 17 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpipers and a flock of 16 Greenshank. 

Full of western promise

Little Stint (centre) with Dunlins, Lapwings and Golden Plover at Old Hollow this morning.

 The Spoonbill was present on Banks Marsh again this morning. Birds on the poosl near Old Hollow included 4 Avocets, 322 Golden Plover, 2 Ruff, 5 Ringed Plover, 30+ Dunlin, Little Stint, LRP, 2 Greenshanks, Green Sandpiper, 3 Snipe and 4 Black-tailed Godwits. At least 40 Wigeon, 100+ Teal, 7 Shoveler and 3 Gadwall out there too. A tight group of 5 Wheatears and at least 5 Yellow Wagtails were out on the marshes this morning where a juvenile Peregrine took a Lapwing and then dropped it during the struggle.

Another Ribble Spoonbill

Spoonbill on the Ribble Estuary NNR with wader flocks on splashes this afternoon.

Natural England volunteer Ron Jackson had a Spoonbill on Banks Marsh yesterday so I thought I'd have a look while the tides are still over nine metres. The Spoonbill was easy to pick out among Canada Geese when I arrived but later started mingling with a few hundred Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls beyond the splashes, where it was harder to pick out.
No sign of any stints or Curlew Sandpipers in the vast Dunlin flocks for me today, but the strong westerly with heat haze made it nigh on impossible to see detail. 
Some stunning Grey Plovers all "summered up" still, a few red Red Knot, some winter Bar-tailed Godwits and stacks of Ringed Plovers but no surprises. Four Avocets on a small pool near Cross Bank Covert, Ruff and 120 Golden Plovers with several hundred Lapwing by the farm and single LRP and Common Sandpiper.
Usual Yellow Wagtail "seep-ing" along the seawall but not a moment peace for most of these birds as two Merlins and an adult and juvenile Peregrine caused carnage out there (gulls being the benefactors). 
Spoonbill was back on the splashes when I left, leaving just a Barnacle Goose as the exotic in with the Canadas.

Ribble WeBS

Sounds of the beaches ........


Sorry, big fan you see.

Out doing the WeBS counting today. Graham Clarkson and I covered a stretch of the Ribble coast just to the south of Southport, between Birkdale and Ainsdale. 
It's a pretty busy stretch, not just for birds, but for the WeBSer's nightmare - dog walkers and horse riders.
Graham and I met a couple of hours prior to high tide at Weld Road (top of the map). "Tide will push birds our way; people will be our biggest problem - better off in the rain and they stay at home". Graham headed off to Ainsdale, counting north and I headed south (after scuttling back to the car for my golfing umbrella).
Thousands of waders on the beaches of course, mainly Knot, Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Sanderling, but the biggest surprise were two Green Sandpipers and a Greenshank that came out of the saltings calling.
A few Sandwich Terns with the gulls and three Wheatears on the beach amongst the debris.


We met up half way and did an about turn so I had a bit of free time for digiscoping on the way back to the car. Absolutely lashing down by now but some nice red Knot and Bar-tailed Godwits made it worthwhile. Just single Redshank, Curlew and Turnstone today for me. 
Back at Marshside car park we did a bit of number crunching - numbers probably down on July's count and Graham had a decent count of Sandwich and Common Terns in a roost near Ainsdale. Graham will put more detail about counts in his blog, I dare say.

Marsh Harrier over Crossens Outer as I drove home after WeBS.

I enjoy WeBS a lot, but don't always get the chance to do it because of work commitments. The Ribble Estuary could do with a few more counters (even if just as standby), so if you fancy some of the above why not give it a go?

Contact RSPB Ribble Reserves manager .....

Tony Baker

RSPB Ribble Sites Manager

1c Marshside Road

Southport

Merseyside

PR9 9TL

Tel: 01704 226190

Ribble Garganey day.

Passing Marshside RSPB this afternoon and we had time for five minutes at the Junction Pool where these two Garganeys were on show. Second and third of the day on the estuary (see this morning's post).

Nice evening. Must get the moth trap out.

OK, but not much change.

So that's where they've come from.....

Little Stint and Garganey best birds this morning from an early visit to the Ribble Estuary NNR. Banks Marsh was pretty full of water making waders hard to see (they get into the muddy troughs or in the grass), but the stint was near the farm with Dunlin. Reeve and 30 Golden Plover with the Lapwings, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sand's, LRP and 3 Snipe around and abouts the seawall. At least 70 Ringed Plovers pushed onto the splashes as the tide came in.
Duck numbers building - 13 Shoveler, 337 Teal, 23 Wigeon and 2 Gadwall. The Garganey was in with the Teal, but very tricky to see.
At least 10 Yellow Wagtails between Old Hollow and Cross Bank Covert where a pair of Avovets were on a pool. A juvenile Peregrine was taking turns with Kestrels and a Sparrowhawk to flush the waders.
Quick visit to the disappointing (of late, at least) Hesketh Out Marsh produced nothing more than the usual 4 Greenshanks, 2 Green Sandpipers and a couple of Little Egrets.

Juvenile Peregrine on Bank's Marsh this morning.

It could happen!

Gold Spot

Gold Spot Plusia festucae, Longton 15 August 2012.

 Had time to walk the seawall at Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB this morning. Four Greenshanks, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Egret, fifty Teal and a juvenile Marsh Harrier were the highlights. Pretty quiet - should improve with the bigger tides from this weekend.
More waders on the Banks splashes at high tide, Turnstone (a juvenile with fifty Ringed Plovers) being the twentieth "shorebird" I've seen on these pools so far this autumn. I didn't get time for a thorough search of the area but the Golden Plovers had increased to 195 with the Lapwings by the farm and a Green Sandpiper flew over as I headed back to the car in the showers.

Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta, Longton 15 August 2012.

No moth trapping last night but thanks to Andy Bunting (local moth expert from In Focus, Martin Mere Wetland Centre) for helping me sort out the Shuttle-shaped Dart (above). Bit of a variable one apparently.

Some movement

Definitely a few birds on the move this morning. I spent a couple of hours on the seawall overlooking the Ribble NNR at Banks Marsh with Tree Pipit and a flock of 26 House Martins heading east as the first bit of visible migration of the autumn.
A juvenile Little Stint was new on the splashes with the Dunlin flock but the juvenile Peregrine made them, and the duck flocks (189 Teal and 23 Wigeon) hard to watch. A good selection of waders included 4 Greenshank, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, a Ruff and 79 Golden Plover with three hundred Lapwings, 10 Snipe, a Green Sandpiper and 2 Avocets. 
The strong ESE wind made searching for passerines tricky but there were 3 Willow Warblers and a few Tree Sparrows near the farm with at least 5 Yellow Wagtails on the marsh.

Plain Golden Y Autographa jota, Longton 11 August 2012.

Plain Golden Y, Longton 15 August 2012.

Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Longton 11 August 2012.

Silver Y Autographa gamma, Longton 15 August 2012.

Iron Prominent Notodonata dromedarius, Longton 15 August 2012.

Cabbage Moth Mamestra brassicae, Longton 15 August 2012.

Copper Underwing Amphipyra pyramidea ? Longton 15 August 2012.

Light Arches Apamea lithoxylaea, Longton 15 August 2012.

Quite autumnal

Or late summer at the very least.

Southern Hawker and Common Darters at Martin Mere Wetland Centre yesterday, three hunting Barn Owls and a juvenile Marsh Harrier looking for a place to roost in the Hesketh Out Marsh area at dusk in the evening.

Lots of moths in the trap to go through this morning, House Martins and Swallows over the garden here in Longton.

Wetlands

Red-billed Scythebill, Rio Pixaim (Pantanal), Brazil.

Nothing much to report from a quick visit to Martin Mere Wetland Centre this morning apart from two Greenshanks, a Common Sandpiper, 38 Black-tailed Godwits and a handful of Snipe. 

Have to admit to a bit of daydreaming and looking forward to next month in Brazil. Here's one of the birds I should be seeing.

I made some recordings of this species in the Pantanal on 13 August 2008.

This is what the song sounds like .....



and the alarm call .......

Less variety than Keane's Greatest Hits.

Good coming from someone who likes Coldplay.

Rather overcast weather with a fresh SSE wind had me a little optimistic for something interesting this morning as I scanned across to the splashes on the Ribble Estuary NNR. 

2 juv' Marsh Harriers
2 Little Egret
65 Teal
23 Wigeon
Juv' Little Ringed Plover
55 Golden Plover
1 Reeve
100+ Dunlin
1 Greenshank
1 Reed Warbler
2 Yellow Wagtails.

Black-tailed Godwits, Redshanks, Ruff and Lapwing on Rimmer's Marsh, Marshside RSPB this afternoon.

I spent a couple of hours at Marshside this afternoon in the hope of some better views of the adult Pectoral Sandpiper that Graham found on Friday. A quick look at Polly's Pool on the way was pretty fruitless, thirty Golden Plover flew along the seawall and over the salt marsh as I walked down to Nel's Hide.

 No sign of the Pec' initially but the view was spectacular with 550 Black-tailed Godwits in varying stages of moult and different plumages, at least 8 Ruff / Reeves, some nice adult and "spotty" juvenile Common Redshanks, ten more Golden Plovers, at least four Dunlins and thirty plus Snipe.

The Pectoral Sandpiper did the decent thing and appeared around 4.45 PM, albeit briefly and still rather distant as you can see from the above photo.

A check of the pools on the NNR at Crossens produced a nice Garganey with several Teal.