Great grey shrike still in the area around the sanctuary. Very mobile bird though. It was nice to see the bird hovering.

Rob Creek wrote:

---

A good day in the company of Steve Burke, we had 52 species over 4 locations (here, Lytham Cemetary, Starr Gate, Marton Mere)

Great Grey Shrike showed well but was mobile over the Brambles at the side of Howdens unit opposite Easter Leigh Animal Sanctuary. Both mine and Steve's 2nd ever after both (separately) having a distant brief view of the Watergrove bird earlier this year. This one however was much more obliging and regularly made low swoops out of sight to presumably catch something, then flying to the top of whichever branch or bush it was nearest too.

Plenty of other birds too however...
4 Skylark over (quite low and calling)
4 Kestrel at least
1 Buzzard (sat on telegraph post amidst many LBJ's)
1 Merlin
2 Stonechat (doing a spot of flycatching from overhead wires)
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Pied Wagtail
2 Meadow Pipit
1 Song Thrush
Few Reed Bunting
Few Chaffinch
Few Goldfinch
1 female Pheasant
A group of Partridges came down into the ploughed channels, I didn't get a decent enough view to ID but assume Grey, maybe Steve can expand on this.
Plenty of Blackbirds, Wrens, Robins, and a single Dunnock
Also lots of Black-headed Gulls, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, few Jackdaws and a couple of Rooks.
A few Skeins of Pink-footed Geese over.

A busy old place considering it was mainly to get the Shrike.


-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 16th of November 2014 09:04:16 PM

---

only other bird I can add here is a male blackcap moving in the hedges just behind the shrike.
rob I personally think they were grey partridges.

A good day in the company of Steve Burke, we had 52 species over 4 locations (here, Lytham Cemetary, Starr Gate, Marton Mere)

Great Grey Shrike showed well but was mobile over the Brambles at the side of Howdens unit opposite Easter Leigh Animal Sanctuary. Both mine and Steve's 2nd ever after both (separately) having a distant brief view of the Watergrove bird earlier this year. This one however was much more obliging and regularly made low swoops out of sight to presumably catch something, then flying to the top of whichever branch or bush it was nearest too.

Plenty of other birds too however...
4 Skylark over (quite low and calling)
4 Kestrel at least
1 Buzzard (sat on telegraph post amidst many LBJ's)
1 Merlin
2 Stonechat (doing a spot of flycatching from overhead wires)
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Pied Wagtail
2 Meadow Pipit
1 Song Thrush
Few Reed Bunting
Few Chaffinch
Few Goldfinch
1 female Pheasant
A group of Partridges came down into the ploughed channels, I didn't get a decent enough view to ID but assume Grey, maybe Steve can expand on this.
Plenty of Blackbirds, Wrens, Robins, and a single Dunnock
Also lots of Black-headed Gulls, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, few Jackdaws and a couple of Rooks.
A few Skeins of Pink-footed Geese over.

A busy old place considering it was mainly to get the Shrike.


-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 16th of November 2014 09:04:16 PM

Called in to the Lytham Crematorium & Cemetery after today's visit to Marton Mere. My first visit here.
No services were taking place.
In a group of similar trees near the pool, 6 Ring-necked Parakeets were positioned on one branch. Despite having regular harassment from Jackdaws, three were still around as we left.
A single Herring Gull was in the centre of the pool.

Female Long-tailed Duck showing very well - found it as soon as got out of car.

On the beach
Turnstone
80 Knot
8 Grey Plover
6 Bar-tailed Godwit
100's Dunlin
60 Curlew
Little Egret flew over

Wednesday, Feb. 8th.

Pochard 5
Shoveler 4
Tufted Duck 6
Goldeneye 2 imm/f
Mallard 40+
Sparrowhawk 1
etc.

On the adjacent shore:

Little Egret 1
Shelducks
Curlews
Knot(s)
Dunlins
Redshanks
Sanderlings
Oystercatchers
Coot 25+
Moorhen 6
Mute Swan 2
etc.

6 Brambling in the car park north end of fairhaven lake.

6 Parakeets ln lytham cemetery.

Sid
Thanks, I am a bit uncomfortable going in when people are attending services, maybe an early visit is best I guess.

Phil

Rick
Thanks, would need to time it between services I guess.

Cheers


Phil

Can someone let me know where the parakeets frequent at the crematorium please.

Many thanks

Phil

The RN Grebe was showing well this morning.

In an extremely heavy shower, went down to the lake to see the grebe. It was feeding largely in the middle, but in early morning was on the seaward side of the lake feeding in front of a guy with a camera. When I joined him, it started to rain even harder and my scope's lens filled with rain, so despite being close to the grebe I couldn't see it properly . Also on the lake were a pair of Mergansers and about 4 Pochard. Anyone going on the train might see about 20 Whoopers (probably, bit quick so couldn't pick out any Bewicks) and about 30 Pinkfeet to the left of the track between Moss Side and Lytham. Good birds to see, shame about weather!

-- Edited by Joe Wynn on Saturday 15th of January 2011 06:30:13 PM

Saw 7 Ring Necked Parakeets at the Crem about 11.15, they were in the tall trees in fornt of the duck pond.

Then got good views of the Red Neck Grebe and the pair of R.B. Merganser in front of the toilet block at fairhaven. Weather dull with light drizzle. It was low tide so not much to see on the sea front.

Grebe still showing this morning 9-30

Just realised how the new Out-of -County section works.

I popped by this afternoon on the way home from Heysham to see the Red-necked Grebe that has been there for a few days. If you have never seen one then this is a beauty and was just playfully floating to within 3m of the path, amazing views that I doubt I'll ever beat and no need for the scope . It happily got out of the water right in front of me and sat on the concrete pecking about itself and preening.

Also on the lake were a few Tufties and a Shoveller, with a large flock of Linnet on the salt marsh. Worth the trip if you keep missing the Manchester ones!!!

6/1/11

Fairhaven Lake:

Red-necked Grebe still present (3rd day), spending most of its time asleep just in front of the Ribble Discovery centre.
1 Pochard, 1 Shoveler, and a handful of Tufted Duck were the only others of note..

Granny`s Bay at high tide:

Amongst the many Curlew, Redshank, and Oystercatchers were two Grey Plovers and a lone Bar-tailed Godwit. Huge numbers of Shelduck, and quite a large raft of Pintail just offshore. Much to-ing and fro-ing of Cormorants but nowt else flying by. Skylark and three Mistle Thrushes over.

Then on to Staynall (about 15mls N of Lytham) to tickle the 1stW Red-breasted Goose. It was in fields with Pinks and a few Greylags.

Jon Taverner wrote:

---

No sign of the bird so far today. A lot of disappointed people according to the lady in the RSPB shop. Just hope my wife is enjoying her shopping in Lytham!

---

its probably on penny while everyones in Lytham

No sign of the bird so far today. A lot of disappointed people according to the lady in the RSPB shop. Just hope my wife is enjoying her shopping in Lytham!

The bird was on the north side of the western island at midday, frequently sheltering amongst the moored boats. It flew off north at 1225 but returned 5 minutes later. What a stunning bird - well worth getting soaked for.

Good 'scope views of the Red necked Phalarope this afternoon. On arrival the bird had not been seen for 15 minutes and had flown off from view due to the driving wind and rain.

I decided to have a walk round the other side of the lake as this seemed more sheltered and the bird was quickly located feeding in "typical Phalarope fashion" against the island. The bird then flew towards me and landed on the water closer in for even better views through the bins.

A cracking bird and not too far from home!!!

-- Edited by Phil Owen on Saturday 18th of September 2010 05:34:45 PM

thats sad news about a great bird, which was very obliging. Well worth the wet sunday morning trip a few weeks back.

The Ross's Gull was found dead today

26/4/08 late afternoon

Ross's Gull again showing well in Grannys Bay, loads of summer plumaged waders about
including 20 Blackwit, 100+ Dunlin, Knot, Redhank, Whimbrel flew over as did an Ad Med Gull and 20 Eider were off shore.

Stopped of at Warton Bank and got the Glossy Ibis flying west and a further 14 summer plumaged Blackwit.

That with the Dotterel this morning not a bad days birding

After checking my notes and field guides i'm pretty sure the female Goosander was in fact a Red Breasted Merganser. I was convinced it didn't look right for a Goosander.