Brent Geese, Sea-Ducks, And The Diver That Wasn't!

Heysham Geese.

The geese numbers at Heysham have been picking up, with a three figure count nearly reached recently. So I decided to pay a visit on Thursday, parking up on Knowleys Road and walking down to the promenade, the high tide was around 1.50pm which was 90 minutes away when I arrived.

It wasn't easy to initially get to grips with the count, they were weaving through the stones and boulders on the north shore.

But a couple of times disturbed and split, and the tide pushing the geese ever closer, I checked through at least four times, I eventually arrived at the count of 112 Brent Geese....'the highest count so far this winter'. Thanks to Malcolm Downham for some info regarding Brent Geese movement in the area earlier in the day.

Broadway Ducks.

My next move was to Morecambe to see if there was any sign of last weeks sea-ducks, but this time as opposed to flat calm sunny weather, there was a cold wind and a swell to contend with, and it wasn't going to be as easy to search, but I eventually latched on to 8 Common Scoter.

Common Scoter. Malcolm Downham.

My sighting was much further out into the bay than these, and with a bigger swell on the sea on Thursday, but almost certainly the same birds as MD's on 17 December off the Stone Jetty.

I later picked up a 1st winter female Scaup, again almost certainly my Wednesday 8 December bird.

Pine Lake Diver.

Great Northern Diver. Brian Rafferty.

My quest to find the Great Northern Diver at Pine Lake was a failure, the bird had moved on, but a little compensation came with a lone adult Whooper Swan, 5 Goldeneye, and a drake Goosander.

All in all a decent couple of hours, resulting in the best count this winter of Brent Geese at Heysham, and 8 Common Scoter, regarded as an erratic visitor to our recording area, and in my book, verging on a rarity to the inner Morecambe Bay.  

Mainly Godwits & Gulls.

Well mainly godwits and gulls on Conder Pool on Monday, because I'm still waiting to find my first migrant despite a couple of hours spent at one of the best locations for the first Wheatear in our area at Cockersand, though I note just a few miles south down the coast, AC found his first two Wheatear at Fluke Hall....wrong place wrong time for me it seems!

I was pleased to see the godwits still hanging on at Conder Pool, though reduced in number, with at least 2,500 Black-tailed Godwit, they were accompanied by a lone Bar-tailed Godwit and up to 200 Knot, a sight not to be ignored, and one not surpassed by me, as a wader not regularly featured and rarely in a three figure number on the Lune Estuary let alone on Conder Pool. Another bird seen hanging on at Conder Pool and the estuary, was a Greenshank. 

As for the gulls in the title....Up to 150 Black-headed Gull on Conder Pool as a noisy screeching colony, probably 75 pairs looking to nest here. 

At Glasson, I never tire of finding 5 Shoveler here, seen as three drake and two duck. Eight Avocet seen again and still not seen by myself on Conder Pool. At the south end of Colloway Marsh and spreading north in the distance were c.3,500 Pink-footed Geese.

On Jeremy Lane a chance meeting with J.C.W was a stroke of luck, when a female Merlin was seen mid-distance....Nice.

At Cockersand there was little to surprise despite spending two hours and doing the circuit there, and from this experience no wintering or passage Stonechat here today. But the milder sunny weather, coupled with the Lapwing showing off its spectacular alternating flight of rising and diving, twisting and turning with territorial song, and the accompanying flight song of the Skylark, gave the feeling of spring turning to early summer. Otherwise, numbers were at around 350 Whooper Swan spread over three fields, 35 Linnet were flighty over fields.

Sunday 17 March.

A pleasant walk along the promenade, was rewarded with 33 Brent Geese seen off the children's play area at Heysham. And a female Siskin pays regular visits to our garden feeders. Our resident female Blackbird is nest building, and spent several minutes yesterday collecting material, then spent another several minutes frozen.... 

I was a little puzzled by this behaviour.

Sparrowhawk.

The images are credited to Mike Atkinson who sent me these two seen in his garden recently.

An interesting note, I'm not sure there is any connection with the sex of the bird, but as perfectly illustrated here, the Sparrowhawk's eyes change colour with age from yellow in younger birds to red with maturity....Thanks Mike, much appreciated.

Better Late Than Never!

On a nice bright if cold sunny day, Conder Pool was as dull as it gets, with just 2 Little Grebe, a Goosander, and a few Mallard making the total of no more than 20 birds present. Conder Pool rules....but not this time.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, at least 2,500 Black-tailed Godwit, a couple of hundred Redshank and Dunlin were hanging on to the shoreline as the tide rushed in, with 3 Goosander noted, and then the Peregrine Falcon flew onto the scene.

The Peregrine Falcon caused a mass dread for a few thousand waders, including the Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, and Dunlin, and created a spectacle that lasted several minutes.

At Cockersand, 5 Stonechat seen, a pair in the rough field behind Bank House, a pair at Lighthouse Cottage, and a female along Moss Lane. Seeing 32 Stock Dove come down into a field was a first for me in our recording area, where birds seen in single figures is the norm in my experience. Whilst watching the doves, a Merlin rocketed over towards the estuary, and in the area around Bank House, 45 Linnet was a decent count, with 5 Greenfinch and 5 Reed Bunting seen, 13 Eider were off Plover Scar.

Sandylands Geese.

On Sunday, I'm quietly confident the geese flying silent and in silhouette north>south towards the harbour, were 20 Brent Geese. Earlier a Peregrine Falcon was seen unsuccessfully chasing a small wader, before doing a U turn to fly off inland.

Stonechat At Cockersand.

My header image is of one of the Lighthouse Cottage birds sent to me by Ian Mitchell....Thanks Ian, much appreciated.

This cropped image from Ian Mitchell, is of the same female Stonechat in the header, showing something best described as thin white plastic wire wrapped around both left and right lower leg.

I was in touch with and forwarded this image to a front line ringer in Cumbria, who notes they are both identical in dimension and position, otherwise is as baffled as me....Are we missing something here I ask myself!

Barn Owl.

Ian Mitchell finds a fair share of interesting stuff....Bilberry Bumblebee at Birk Bank in June 2023, including an amazing video of it burrowing on Clougha. The Merlin at Cockersand in October 2023 with some excellent photo and video footage of the bird taking a bath on a flooded stubble field. Two Otter in the Lune Valley in January, and the Stonechats at Cockersand this week, one of which has what appears to be thin white plastic rings on both legs.

Then up to date, a Barn Owl at Cockersand on Thursday 1 February bearing a metal ring on its right leg....What next Ian!

Movements of Barn Owl.

The West Palearctic population is basically resident, though young birds are known to make occasional dispersals, with no clear overall directional trend within Europe.

As a result of Ian Mitchell's discovery of the Cockersand Barn Owl bearing a metal ring. I made enquiries to another front line ringer, this one in Lancashire, about any known movements of Barn Owl, to be told they are usually only over fairly short distances. However, in the conversation I learn of one bird recovered in Lancashire having been marked in Nottingham.

And Finally.

At this point I'm not sure of the significance of the record, but I'd suggest it is a first for Lancashire and beyond. What I do know, is that this bird should have been more likely to be seen in West Africa.

Curlew Sandpiper Record Shots. Ian Walker.

An amazing record of a Curlew Sandpiper on Warton Marsh yesterday 3 February....Ian Walker FBC.

Better Late Than Never....Part 2.

Another week has gone by before I got only my second days birding for 2023, but having failed to carry out the plan to do a wander around Cockersand - wind and rain put paid to that idea - I did locate a pair of Stonechat on their winter favoured pitch in the rough field behind Bank Houses, so good enough to compensate my early retirement.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, there was a relatively small gathering of waders on the south side including a Ruff with uncounted Bar-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Knot, Lapwing and Curlew. A drake Red-breasted Merganser isn't to be as regarded regular here, with 4 Goosander and up to 250 Wigeon.

I have no idea where the Golden Plover are/have been on the Lune Estuary so far this winter. My personal best count was at Braides 31 October, when I saw 1,500 birds, and other best counts I can find on the Lune Estuary, didn't quite match this number.

Two Greenshank can be seen on the left through the gloom on Conder Pool with 5 Goosander, also a Little Grebe, and 52 Mallard was the best count in some time here. In the creeks, c,150 Teal and 2 Little Grebe.

Greylag Geese/Whooper Swans. Howard Stockdale.

Howard sent me the image of a Greylag he found recently, I also found one last Friday in the same field. Howards bird was marked HVX, whilst mine was HVK. When I received this image I had thought perhaps I had made an error in the reading - X misread as K - but on making enquiries with Howard I understand HVK had also been seen in the area recently. Both the geese had been ringed age 4 years, at Millerground, Windermere, 26 June 2022.

Brilliant Brents.

Across The Bay

I could think of nothing better this afternoon, than a walk along the promenade to Heysham to find 48 Brent Geese off the children's play area.

....And The Sunday Brents

Bowland Best Bits. 

Confined to barracks this past week, but I managed to keep myself occupied, including stitching some footage together to create a compilation of a few of the best bits to come out of Bowland in the past twelve months.

 

The Marshaw Wyre at Marshaw

Grey Wagtail towards Tower Lodge on the Marshaw Wyre

Common Sandpiper at Marshaw on the Marshaw Wyre

Catshaw Grieve falling down Hawthornthwaite Fell

Wheatear on Hawthornthwaite Fell

Barn Owl hunting the foot and surrounds of Hawthornthwaite 

Dipper at Stoops Bridge, Abbeystead

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Brent Geese.

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A walk along the promenade Sandylands to Heysham gave excellent views of 58 Brent Geese.

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Unfortunately there was much disturbance from the 'walkies fraternity' but my delight in seeing them overrode my annoyance. 

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Aberrations in Dragonflies.

Migrant Hawker. Pete Woodruff.

Taken on the Lancaster Canal at Conder Green in September 2021, despite viewing this image of the male Migrant Hawker several times, I've not noticed until recently, it has blue markings missing on S4.

Southern Hawker. Copyright John & Carol Hurd.

I was given a link to another aberration, this male Southern Hawker has a blown headlight.

Little Birding Moments.

Thanks to Howard for the excellent header image of the Brent Geese.

My birding moments started on Thursday with a wander through the park before the weather broke down and developed into our share of Storm Christoph. 

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The birds offer a little solace to anyone who wants to spend a few minutes with them at the feeders on Fenham Carr.

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The Nuthatch was the star of the show paying two visits as I watched for around 15 minutes, it was accompanied by at least 6 Long-tailed Tit, 6 Dunnock, 4 Robin, 3 Blackbird, 3 Coal Tit, 2 Blue Tit, and 2 Great Tit. Later, I came upon six thrushes in a fairly tight little group of 5 Blackbird and a Song Thrush, all flicking over leaves on frozen ground.

Walking home through the campus at Cumbria University, 12 Long-tailed Tit moving through the trees.

Little Garden Moments.   

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It might be a while before we see Goldfinch and Greenfinch feeding together again, especially the latter which is seen as a scarcity in our garden.

Common Sandpiper.

Following on from the notes I made about the 'missing' wintering Common Sandpiper at Conder Green not seen since 11 October 2019. 

To add to the three records of an individual seen in November /December 2020 all on the River Lune. There are two records of a bird seen 9 January off New Quay Road opposite Salt Ayre, and one flying downstream on the River Lune at Glasson 17 January. In my view, this is almost certainly the same bird doing the rounds - or more appropriately doing the River Lune - in all five reports of Common Sandpiper since 18 December 2020.

Brent Geese.

As regular visitors from Walney, where the last count was 380 on 30 December, some of these birds cross Morecambe Bay to visit Heysham again this winter.

Dark-bellied Brent Goose with Pale-bellied Brent Geese Heysham 23 January. Malcolm Downham.

The first of the winter, a Dark-bellied Brent was with a peak count of 51 Pale-bellied Brent at Heysham yesterday. Thanks to Malcolm for the image and details.

From the B+W File.

Red Deer. Pete Woodruff.

A Redstarts Tale.

A decent weather forecast for Thursday saw me take off to Heysham for some therapeutic escapism. I decided to look in on the promenade off Knowleys Road as the Brent Geese had been reported back there on 11 November, be nice to see them there again this winter.

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The geese hadn't returned there, but  I saw 8 Little Egret foraging the pools, and 2 Whooper Swan flying across the bay heading south. Then I was off to Heysham Harbour to spend a couple of hours of nothing to note to be honest. But n'er mind, a quite enjoyable birding experience was about to unfold and fire up my passion.

Black Beauty.

Black Redstart Heysham. Malcolm Downham.

As I arrived at the seawall, I approached a birder looking over Red Nab. As a conversation piece, I asked 'any Meds about', he replied 'no but I saw a couple of Black Redstarts about an hour ago, they were flushed by dog walkers, and flew off '. I thought to myself, hopefully these birds will have gone to the area of rough ground or the scrub at the south wall of the harbour, or perish the thought, maybe onto the non-operational land within the power station....Whatever, no luck, they've disappeared.

I'd earlier seen Malcolm Downham along the seawall, he had also seen the birder who also reported the redstarts to him. Malcolm takes up 'A Redstarts Tale' here....

Black Redstart Heysham. Kevin Eaves.

Towards high water a visiting birder reported 2 female/immature Black Redstart on Red Nab, which had then been flushed along the wall by walkers. Myself (MD) and Pete Woodruff were in the area, we split up, and after an hour, relocated them just 30m from the original sighting, on the rocks east of Red Nab. They were very mobile and kept disappearing then reappearing, sometimes two together other times a single bird. By this time we had been joined by Kevin Eaves, and between us managed some record shots. Kevin had "both" birds together at Red Nab and looked over to me and Pete who were photographing another 100m away, there were three Black Redstarts.

Later we learned another had been found at Bank End, there was 4 Black Redstart in our recording area, same day, same time....Another first!

Vagrant Emperor.

I wanted to feature this excellent creature, discovered on the seawall at Heysham Harbour on 9 November. A species primarily found in Africa and the Middle East, it is a highly migratory dragonfly, capable of traveling long distances, there are records from Iceland, and even the Caribbean. 

The Netherlands were flooded with large numbers of Vagrant Emperors in 2019. The influx was unique for more than one reason, the number of Vagrant Emperors was higher than all previous sightings combined, and it was the first time a real influx was seen before summer. Mating and ovipositing was observed at many Dutch locations, and for the first time in history the Vagrant Emperor emerged in The Netherlands, in August 2019.  

Vagrant Emperor Heysham 9 November. Kevin Eaves.

A mega for Heysham, and congratulations to Kevin. 

Malcolm's header image though small, shows how startling the birds rusty-red tail is when taking to flight. Many thanks to Malcolm and Kevin for their images, they are much appreciated.

Picture Gallery.

The header image is a 22 year old from my file labeled 'Golden Oldie Birds'. The Long-billed Dowitcher at Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve in October 1998, courtesy of the late John Leedal. 

Whilst I plan my next bid for freedom, I selected a few piks taken over the years, but don't expect any world beating images, they only just got past quality control.

1.   Snow Bunting Plover Scar

2.   Whinchat Newby Moor N.York's

3.   Spotted Flycatcher Bowland

4.   Wheatear Bowland

5.   Black Redstart Fluke Hall

6.   Eastern Black Eared Wheatear Fluke Hall

7.   Skylark Fluke Hall

8.   Blackbird Home Garden

9.   Little Ringed Plover Conder Pool

10. Turnstone Plover Scar

11. Snipe Conder Pool

12. Brent Geese Heysham

13. Little Owl Roeburndale

14. Purple Heron Eagland Hill

    

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Stonechats.

My records to date now stands at 95 Stonechat since I found 18 on Caton Moor 2 months ago on 26 August, mostly in Bowland, with some records taken from local websites. This is a good indication that the species has had a good breeding season in 2020, though I tried twice without success to contact the RSPB, to find out what their records - if any - showed to get a handle on numbers in Bowland.

Black-tailed Godwits. 

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I was grateful to Howard Stockdale for the video of the Black-tailed Godwits, including this one ringed OL-RZ, Arnessysla, Austurey, Iceland, 4 July 2012. The bird has collected 58 sightings, none of which were in our area until this one at Cockersand Wednesday 20 October. Otherwise it favoured Essex and Merseyside, and was seen twice back in Iceland in June 2013 and August 2018.

Conservation.

Below is an excellent post I copied from a website which touched on one of my favourite subjects on conservation and farming practices. I'm also aware of some ongoing local and bigger conservation issues which I intend to follow. 

'34 Fieldfare were a welcome sight this morning, these Scandinavian travelers on their annual visit to forage on the winter berries, however the dreaded hedge munching machine had other ideas and has now destroyed all the food that was lying in wait to keep our visiting Fieldfare well fed along with many others that would have foraged on same, no need to look very hard for the demise of wildlife when this goes on country wide, modern farming practices indeed' 

Heysham Brent Geese

I quite enjoyed editing this video of the Brent Geese present at the beginning of the year at Heysham. 

The film is a smaller format 1280x720, suitable to meet the requirements of the limit of 100mb upload to Blogger, and therefore loses a little quality. It's a combination of two videos, the first section is of the Brents off Knowleys Road on a blue Mediterranean sea, the second section at Red Nab on a dull day.

It all helps to keep B2B afloat...Excuse the pun!

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Of Geese And Gulls.

On my way to Heysham on Friday, I pulled off the by-pass to park up and walk down Imperial Road leading to the 'Waste Technology Park'. This is at the eastern boundary of the Heysham Obs recording area, and was the location of an exceptionally early spring Stonechat migration in 2019, when up to a possible seven were seen on 17 February. I was hoping I'd picked the right day, right time for a repeat this early March, but the visit drew a blank.

Eight Brent Geese had made a return to Heysham on 27 February, a visit today was rewarded with 6 Brent Geese seen off the promenade by the children's play area, but flew off a little north towards Sandylands, 77 Eider were off here.

A 50 sec snatch of at least 2,000 gulls on the Lune Estuary late afternoon.

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I had been at the bowling green about 45 minutes when Pete Crooks joined me. I had already noted a number similar to that of the gulls, c.1,500 Black-tailed Godwit and 500 Bar-tailed Godwit, and an adult Mediterranean Gull, Pete found another one later. A Buzzard flew low over the river, putting everything in sight to flight. 

But the interest over the course of an hour, was in eventually finding nine darvic ringed gulls, listed as.... 

Five Common Gull, all with right leg rings, three White, a Green, and a Red.
Two Lesser Black-backed Gull, Yellow left leg, and Black left leg. 

Two Black-headed Gull, Yellow left leg, and White right leg.

Though frustration was equal to the interest, in that, because of distance, no readings could be made to add to the colours, the gulls being on the opposite shore below the south end of Colloway Marsh, this was an excellent and rewarding exercise between PC and myself.

A Wild Goose Chase....

....turns into a dead duck!

I'm often heard to say things like 'every birding day is good birding day' and rarely have cause to put my birding down, but Thursday was an exception to the rule.

Five White-fronted Geese were reported on Aldcliffe Marsh on 16 February, since then they have been seen on Heaton Marsh and were reported to be conveniently there on Wednesday at the corner of the Snatchems and Overton Roads. So Thursday, full of hope, I set off to the location....Nil, but heyup, there's around 300 Pink-footed Geese on the opposite side of the river on Aldcliffe Marsh which I scoped to no avail and found no WFG with them.

Off I went to Knowleys Road at Heysham to see if the Brent Geese were there, they had made a return to Heysham on 20 February. A week later they were seen again, seen as two adult and four juvenile, in which case the Canadians had returned as a family group....great stuff. 

But today was turning out to be a bad one for me, no WFG at Heaton Marsh, and no BG at Heysham despite eight being reported there earlier in the morning, but if they were keeping to a pattern they built up previously they would perhaps now be at Red Nab, so off I went.

No sign of the Brent Geese at Red Nab, nor did I find the earlier reported Little Gull and Kittewake over the outfall, despite legging it to the south wall at the harbour, followed by a visit to Ocean Edge salt marsh, where there was no sign of the recent Stonechat.

Ne'r mind, in the end it was exhilarating seeing the tide roll in at Half Moon Bay before I threw the towel in on a bad day at the office.

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Long Time No See!

With little birding of late for me, comes little blogging, and with little blogging eventually comes a hole in which Birds2blog finds itself in. But n'er mind....here's a little tale to entertain and help dig it out of the hole. 

It's about a bird I found at Heysham last Wednesday after I had seen 6 Brent Geese off Knowleys Road, and a Mediterranean Gull in the field by the children's play area, where I also found a ringed Black-headed Gull.

Copyright laws and all that, mean I'm not at liberty to post details about this sighting, but something of a mystery developed, in that when I received the lifelist of this bird there were no previous records shown on the list until it was sighted at Heysham, Lancashire, observer Pete Woodruff.

Well there's no real mystery at all about all this, but it did make me scratch my head when I considered, a Black-headed Gull had been ringed in Europe in 2017, and had avoided detection for 3 years until it was first seen in the UK in January 2020....Possible Guinness Book of Records material in the 'long time no see' category I'd suggest. 

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Video with sound of the Little Ringed Plover on Conder Pool 2 July last summer, showing in part the birds feeding behaviour of foot patting to bring insects to the surface. 

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Brent Return.

The Brent Geese made a return to Heysham on 7 January when the first sighting was of 17 seen off Knowleys Road, they were feeding in an area they have returned to for a third winter. By Monday the number had risen to 26 Brent Geese at Heysham....Clik the piks.

Brent Geese Red Nab Heysham 13 Jan Malcolm Downham

I was keen to see if the birds were still present yesterday, and as I was in the area I decided to go to Knowleys Road to find 6 Brent Geese on the incoming tide off the children's play area.

Mediterranean Gull 15 January. Pete Woodruff. 

A Mediterranean Gull was also seen from this viewpoint, initially on the shore, then went on a nearby inland field.

Thanks to Malcolm for the use of his image of the Brent Geese, much appreciated. 

Hunt The Celeb's.

There's little purpose in this post, other than to point out a failure to find the birds. 

Against my better judgement, I decided on a 'Hunt The Celeb's' on two dates, there having been a selection in the Heysham Harbour area recently, with a list including....

Glaucous Gull
Iceland Gull
Little Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Shag
Brent Geese

Chough 

Wednesday 24 January was my first failure date. The session started in good style and an encouragement to move on to my hunt at Heysham Harbour, when I soon found the Chough and Stonechat at Half Moon Bay. But 2 hours later, and in pretty difficult windy conditions and a gust almost blowing me off the south wall and into the sea at one point....I found bugger-all.

The hunt on Tuesday 30 January for a repeat 2 hours at Heysham, also had the same miserable 100% failure rate when again I found bugger-all. Imagine, not one bird from seven possibles, despite constantly grilling, including in excess of 300 mainly Black-headed/Herring Gulls at Red Nab/Outfalls/Harbour. Ironically, this day ended as the first attempt had started on 24 January, when I went to see the Chough and Stonechat, and found them both again within 15 minutes of arriving at Half Moon Bay.

  

Wot No Birds & No Piks

Most of lifes rewards can be found in birding....that's my take on it anyway.

A Birthday Missed!

I missed the birthday of Birds2blog last Thursday, 4 years ago on 15 November 2008.

This is just the opportunity to congratulate myself on the determination to keep the blog afloat,  and to thank everyone who visits Birds2blog to encourage me to do so.  It's  hard to believe  I've published almost 1,000 post and had over 78,628 visitors as I write over these 4 years. This is  all very rewarding and I'll be trying to keep it up and running a little longer, but....who knows! 

When I decided to give blogging a go in 2008 I had just had an excellent run with the birds since the beginning of September, and which ends on 14 November 2008 with 19 Waxwings seen at Levens Village in Cumbria, for the sake of interest I have copied the records below.      

The four species  marked * were  all self  found and  are exciting  rewards, all of which added to my ever growing passion for the birds.

Black-necked Grebe on Conder Pool 1 Sept * 
Honey Buzzard over Birk Bank 19 Sept * 
Brent Goose on Pilling Marsh 6 Oct
Med Gulls three seen Cockers Dyke 9 Oct
Common Scoter on Conder Pool 27 Oct
Ross's Goose Cockers Dyke 28 Oct *
Scaup on Conder Pool 28 Oct
Whooper Swans an amazing 300+ in the Nateby area on Black Lane 28 Oct 
Hooded Crow over Birk Bank 29 Oct *
Pink-footed Geese an astounding c.30,000 on Pilling Marsh 12 Nov
Short-eared Owls three on Bradshaw Lane Head 12 Nov
Common Sandpiper still on Conder Pool 12 Nov
Waxwings 19 at Levens Village 14 Nov 


And the pics representing three of the birds in the list above....

Short-eared Owl Geoff Gradwell

By  coincidence  the Short-eared Owls  are once  again  currently  'performing'  in  the Rawcliffe  area as they were in the same month of November 2008 when  I saw  three of them  just as GG has recently not many miles away from mine on Bradshaw Lane. Thanks for this GG....brilliant bird, brilliant photograph. 

Hooded Crow © Photo by Szabolcs Kókay

The Hooded Crow was a great reward as I came down off Clougha on 29 October 2008 during one of my monthly 5 hour foot slogs looking for Stonechats.

Mediterranean Gull. Pete Woodruff.

This adult Mediterranean Gull frequented off Broadway at Morecambe where I took this photograph on 3 February 2010.                                  

And finally, to note....

In my post of last Thursday 15 November when I visited Cockersands I had noted a 'few' Skylark there and suggested a number were probably still in this area in stubble fields. I was  right, but it turned out to be a bit of an understatement, in excess of 100 were reported there on Sunday. Also worthy of note....In excess of 200 Little Egret at Burton Mere Wetlands yesterday, also a Whinchat seen here.