Another circuit of the Flash this morning again failed to produce yellow-browed warbler, but there was a decent passage of pink-footed geese with around 600 mainly heading east / south east in flocks of around 70. Redwings continue to pass over mainly south west, but perhaps less than yesterday. Also a small passage of meadow pipits and woodpigeons. A Cetti's warbler showed well at the western end. Two wigeon were on the Flash. Highlight of the day, my first sighting this autumn of yellow-legged gull, a cracking 3rd winter bird sitting on one of the bouys from Horrock's hide. This bird has apparently been present since at least the 6th so hopefully will remain for the rest of the winter. Thanks to Bill Harrison for the loan of his scope to allow me to take the photos which helped clinch the identification.
A circuit of the Flash this morning failed to produce the hoped for yellow-browed warbler, but plenty of redwings passing over mainly south west. Highlight for me was a swallow flying east over Ramsdales and the bizarre sight of a 1st winter oystercatcher coming to bread and seed thrown down for the ducks on the car park. The latter has been present here for a month or so at least.
-- Edited by colin davies on Tuesday 16th of October 2018 07:40:32 PM
Full circle of the flash this afternoon produced very little of note apart from the following
Kingfisher-4
Grey Wagtail-2
Redwing - 30+ on the south side
Goldcrest-1
Redpoll -2
Cetti's Warbler-3 (1 sorrowcow/1 west end/1 Ramsdales reedbed)
plus the usuals :)
I am Surprised a bit with the total lack of Goldeneye at the flash ,I would have expected some to be in by now, and Goosander also seem to be missing at the moment.
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Monday 15th of October 2018 07:52:21 PM
3310 Woodpigeon moved through S/SE (in 76 flocks) promtly between 07:45 and 08:30, mainly just off to the west of the flash with virtually none moving through to the east of it
117 Redwing (5 flocks) and a single Fieldfare S
33 Chaffinch and 14 Greenfinch over S (mainly singles or very small flocks)
722 Pink-footed Geese moved east in 5 skeins from the Mersey area (moving through south of the flash) and 340 in 1 skein east from the Ribble area (moving through north of the flash), with a further 7 birds over low north!
22 Linnet feeding on the grassy area of Ramsdales Ruck and 24 Goldfinch feeding along the edge of it in one flock
Not much more I can add to previous posts this aft/eve apart from good views of a cettis warbler in ramsdale reed bed, water rails heard, 2 skylarks over whilst stood at the posts there. 1 blackcap 2 goosander
7th January, 2010: On a bright, but sunny day, one flew north-westwards over the golf course. Cliff Hampson managed a distant record shot. Possibly the same bird was at Southport next day!
Any idea how many records there have been for the flash? I can only remember one previous.
This should prove to be the third accepted record (I'd expect anyway!), with previous records in May 2008 and January 2010.
4th then I saw one earlier this year ,in the kidney pond area :) not that I will probably be submitting it as I only had a brief view but it was one ,I can't find the record now ,so would have to rely on others I told at the time as my records went astray at that point :(
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Friday 12th of October 2018 07:47:56 PM
Found it 12/04/2018 - Kidney pond area Pennington Flash 1 flew from the back of the island circled once and flew off towards Horrocks Hide never to be seen again :)
Any idea how many records there have been for the flash? I can only remember one previous.
This should prove to be the third accepted record (I'd expect anyway!), with previous records in May 2008 and January 2010.
4th then I saw one earlier this year ,in the kidney pond area :) not that I will probably be submitting it as I only had a brief view but it was one ,I can't find the record now ,so would have to rely on others I told at the time as my records went astray at that point :(
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Friday 12th of October 2018 07:47:56 PM
Female red-breasted merganser flew west over the Flash this morning, at about 9:30am. Also today, two white wagtails in horse paddocks just east of Sorrowcow Farm.
Other sightings from 3 hours round the flash this am.
354+ Meadow pipit South (very conservative count of birds mainly seen with naked eyes whilst doing normal route)
74 Swallow South and West
12 House Martin west
c. 20 Chiffchaff in with mixed tit flocks around site
22 Chaffinch south
2 Redpoll south
5 Skylark south
21 Pink footed goose west and 7 East
2 Snipe high south over flash.
In the gull roost this evening a first-winter Mediterranean Gull, also counted 806 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 131 Herring Gull, 1 Great Black-Backed Gull. Cettis Warbler singing Sorrowcow Pond
First calendar year Yellow-legged Gull in the evening gull roost, along with just under 1300 mainly Lesser Black-backed Gulls, but also containing some Herring Gulls and a single adult Great Black-backed Gull
First winter drake Scaup with Tufted Duck flock off the main car park
Cetti's warbler singing from Sorrowcow Farm pond and 2 Kingfisher on and around the pond too
Distant mobilephonescoped images of Yellow-legged Gull attached.
Very quiet this morning. A single Black-tailed Godwit was on the spit and this with a single Common Snipe were the only waders (barring Lapwing) seen. A single Garganey was in Ramsdales Flash but too far out to determine if it was the eclipse male or the female bird that has been around. A Little Egret flew south east over the flash and a single Common Tern was present. The only sign of any migration was a small number of swallows passing south in small groups. Even this was very limited though with less than 50 birds counted.
__________________
No one on their death bed ever said they wished they'd spent more time at work. http://bitsnbirds.blogspot.co.uk
A small warbler flock on Ramsdales Ruck contained 3 juvenile Willow Warbler, at least 6 Chiffchaff and a Garden Warbler along with Great and Long-tailed Tits.
Good numbers of water birds made easy to count due to sailing boat disturbance but nothing out of the ordinary amongst them.
1 Blackcap and singing Cetti's Warbler at the western end.
To add to the above Goldcrest- 1 ,Cetti's Warbler also on the north Bank,along with 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Kingfisher,and has Ian said good numbers of waterfowl in Ramsdales and 36 Teal round the reserve.
A small warbler flock on Ramsdales Ruck contained 3 juvenile Willow Warbler, at least 6 Chiffchaff and a Garden Warbler along with Great and Long-tailed Tits.
Good numbers of water birds made easy to count due to sailing boat disturbance but nothing out of the ordinary amongst them.
1 Blackcap and singing Cetti's Warbler at the western end.