Great New Years Day today on 3rd trip up to Eday, Orkney to see the Snowy Owl .. it's still in exactly the same place as I've seen it on previous visits and it's still magnificent ... Also seen today on a cold and windy walk, 2 2cy Glaucous Gull, 2cy Iceland Gull, Hen Harrier, 2 Merlin, 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Long-tailed Duck, Great Northern Diver, Woodcock and 2 Red breasted Merganser .. Great start to the New Year
-- Edited by rob archer on Tuesday 1st of January 2019 05:14:02 PM
-- Edited by rob archer on Tuesday 1st of January 2019 05:51:39 PM
My News Years Day birding has been very urban biased, which I expect you will appreciate.
My first bird of 2019 was a Robin, belting out song adjacent to a street light outside Davyhulme Park, at 0230 hrs on the way back from a party. I obviously hadn't consumed enough alcohol to make it anything more exotic (and to be able to remember it!!!)
A late morning dog walk through Davyhulme out towards the Trafford Centre and the Chill Factor. Things started very brightly with a female Peregrine taking a feral pigeon in flight over the golf driving range. She then took it to an adjacent plyon and proceeded to tear feathers off it.
Wandering behind the Chill Factor to the Manchester Ship Canal we had Mistle Thrush and Kestrel. On the canal a single male Goosander was the highlight with Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Mallard and Cormorant. On the adjacent Eccles Sewage works gull species included Black-headed, Common, Herring and Lesser-Black backed, with a female Teal on one of the flooded tanks. Pied Wagtail and the commoner tit species were also seen, along with a pair of Collared Dove.
Crossing back over the canal via Barton Swing Bridge we tool the path adjacent to the canal to the rear of the David Lloyd centre. Here we found a decent little gathering of finches, mainly Goldfinch but with a handful of Greenfinch and a single Bullfinch. Greenfinch are getting harder to connect with in Trafford so I was very happy to get some good views. Song Thrush, Robin and Dunnock were also noted and a Carrion Crow was harassing a Kestrel. Woodpigeon and Magpies were prevalent.
Taking a look at the pylon we had seen the female Peregrine on on our return we found a smaller, presumably male bird in attendance. He took off and, after nearly colliding with the high netting around the golf driving range, headed off over the Trafford Centre. The female seemed to have finished her meal and took off over Salford in the opposite direction.
32 species in all, not a great total, but watching a Peregrine hunt is always a highlight whatever the day of the year.
Hi James. As Im in Liverpool, Ill be heading over to Lunt Meadows Nature Reserve, hoping to see Barn and Short Eared Owls, Marsh Harrier, Egrets, Herons etc......
