After the Firecrest at Freckleton earlier in the morning, we decided to pop in for a look at the 1st winter Iceland Gull which was showing really well on the wall amongst the Black Headed Gulls.
The bird seems very settled and approachable and was only a matter of feet away giving some great views through the bins and some good photo opportunites.
-- Edited by Phil Owen on Sunday 28th of November 2010 05:12:47 PM
Mike Chorley said
Sun Nov 21 7:23 PM, 2010
Would seem so. It was seen around about 3.30 to 4.00 p.m. yesterday, and 'materialised' (no other word for it!) in a group of squabbling gulls about 3.40 p.m. this afternoon, having not been seen since 10.45 am.
There were about 20 Waxwings regularly feeding in the carpark of The Ribble Pilot just at the end of the dock until some junior idiot in a clapped-out blue car thought it would be fun to sound his horn right under the tree where they were perching! There was still a reasonable crop of berries there and just round the corner.
Jonathan Platt said
Sun Nov 21 6:44 PM, 2010
I assume the Iceland is roosting at the docks - it was there at 7.00am on Saturday morning, then again tonight when we left at 4.30pm. The waxwings at Euston Street numbered around 160 early on Saturday morning!
If your in the area it's worth having a look for the firecrest at Freckleton Naze too, as it's only ten minutes up the road from the docks:
We found it in the same place Saturday morning and, again, late this afternoon. Gen up on the call and it's not too difficult to find.
Pete Welch said
Sun Nov 21 11:10 AM, 2010
Couldn't see a thread for this area - popped up on a blatant twitch this morning to see the Iceland Gull - showing very well down to 5m away [for bread!] I was first there this morning and found the gull quite easily with the relative size difference to the BHG and colour variation with the LBB in the same area. It then flew off onto the McDonalds roof before going back to the pontoons for the bread that a forward thinking chap from Clitheroe had bought with him RBA reporting no further sign at 10:45 I note - hopefully it'll be back!
After that I just had time to go searching for Waxwings before heading home and they were ranging over at least a kilometer from Euston Street and east over the railway to the new buidlings for the university. On Leighton Street there are five or six berry laden Rowans next to the buildings and a flock of around 60 birds alighted on them only to be put to flight instantly by the building work. If the builders are working elsewhere that should be a good spot as the Euston Street berries get finished off?
-- Edited by Pete Welch on Sunday 21st of November 2010 11:15:56 AM
The bird seems very settled and approachable and was only a matter of feet away giving some great views through the bins and some good photo opportunites.
-- Edited by Phil Owen on Sunday 28th of November 2010 05:12:47 PM
There were about 20 Waxwings regularly feeding in the carpark of The Ribble Pilot just at the end of the dock until some junior idiot in a clapped-out blue car thought it would be fun to sound his horn right under the tree where they were perching!
There was still a reasonable crop of berries there and just round the corner.
If your in the area it's worth having a look for the firecrest at Freckleton Naze too, as it's only ten minutes up the road from the docks:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf?X=343358&Y=428372&A=Y&Z=115&lm=1
We found it in the same place Saturday morning and, again, late this afternoon. Gen up on the call and it's not too difficult to find.
After that I just had time to go searching for Waxwings before heading home and they were ranging over at least a kilometer from Euston Street and east over the railway to the new buidlings for the university. On Leighton Street there are five or six berry laden Rowans next to the buildings and a flock of around 60 birds alighted on them only to be put to flight instantly by the building work. If the builders are working elsewhere that should be a good spot as the Euston Street berries get finished off?
-- Edited by Pete Welch on Sunday 21st of November 2010 11:15:56 AM