Another "overseas" report

Ten days in England gave opportunities for the odd birding trip as the grandchildren were in school  most of the week so we were able to shoot off and do a bit of touristy stuff, shopping and yes you guessed it - birdwatching. 

We called in at Pennington Flash and managed three hides and the main lake. The Bunting hide with the feeders was a lot better than a month ago and we got excellent views of bullfinch, reed bunting, nuthatches and finally 3 stock doves dropped in. A couple of goosanders were on the spit as well as oystercatchers and lapwing. lots of bird song but no migrants. 

Feeding station from the Bunting hide

Nuthatch at the Bunting hide

Next day we had a one hour drive to Leighton Moss RSPB reserve. We have been there before and there is always something on offer. This time it was booming bitterns. There are seven scattered round the site and they were booming continually. It is something I have always wanted to hear and it was as good as I expected. No sightings unfortunately but they are on the list! We racked up 48 species in a four hour visit and other highlights included good views of male and female marsh harriers, pochard, pintail, singing Cetti's warbler, the first sand martins of the year, buzzard and sparrowhawk. The feeders were also productive with good views of nuthatch, bullfinch goldcrest, treecreeper and 5 tit species including a dinky little marsh tit which posed beautifully on a nearby branch. I wavered between marsh and willow tit as you do, but a local told me that marsh tit is the one they have so there you go! Then a trip to the Eric Morecambe Hide which is part of the reserve but separate from it. It is coastal so pulls in waders and gulls and we were rewarded with about 200 pink-footed geese doing a fly past plus distant views of avocet and great white egret. 

Sleeping shoveler

The main lake from the Causeway hide

"Osprey" platform has been taken over by greater black-backed gulls

Mute swan, cormorant and Greater black-back.

This week we  visited  Burton Mere RSPB recommended by Brendan who is one of the "Thursday Club" at WOW. We hadn't been there before but we will definitely be back. The highlight was good views of avocets, 400 black-tailed godwits, cetti's warbler, great white egret  and nuthatch (again!) and a singing chiffchaff. It is a nice reserve to visit with a good mix of habitat and an excellent café. The paths are well laid out with a lot of boardwalk round the reeds and the reception area has a good overall view and three very helpful volunteers. 

Burton Mere from the Bunker Hide

Avocets

Avocet, lapwing and black-tailed godwit

Black tailed-godwits colouring up nicely

Final stop was Elton Reservoir which is the one closest to base for a brief amble round the River Irwell and the feeding station. Highlights here were two pairs of goosander on the river and a chiffchaff seen and heard. The feeders were quiet and produced nothing out of the ordinary. I managed not to see a great spotted woodpecker at any of the sites and normally this would be a matter of great angst. Three cheers for WOW which knocked that one off in January!!

Talking of WOW I saw my first wheatear of the year on my return as well as a little egret at Kinnegar and flyover sand martins. The local patch added  bullfinch, wren and chiffchaff to the list, the latter two were confirmed by the Merlin App which I am trying out.  I also got  to Ward Park and there were still 6 waxwings giving their usual stunning views. 

Roll on the spring migrants but sand martin and chiffchaff are already on the list.

2024

120: Stock dove
121: Bittern 
1262 Sand martin
123: Cetti's warbler
124: Treecreeper
125: Marsh tit
126: Avocet
127: Chiffchaff
128: Wheatear

NDCP
46: Purple sandpiper

47: Bullfinch

48: Wren

49: Chiffchaff

Belfast RSPB
60: Little egret
61: Wheatear

62: Sand martin

Limping into 2020

Its been a while since the last post, so first we will have a wrap of 2019. The start of 2020 in England and the first trips to the coastal path, WOW and finally the Strangford trip which took place this year on January 10th will follow soon. 

2019 finished quietly with only the Divis Street waxwings on the list. We went on Boxing Day and got a late Christmas gift of 36. WOW also provided some atmospheric shots of mist over the water - something we don't often see there.

With the phone

 Then three using a friendly birders scope, yes they are rubbish but they are waxwings.

Finally from 2019 a few from a misty WOW and a visiting 1CY peregrine.

Both patches were just below their targets. The West Bangor patch finished on 66 with a couple of missing migrants and no diver. The WOW patch stalled on 98 and lacked meadow pipit. C'est la vie.

 2019
163: Waxwing
 
Bangor West
66: Mistle thrush

Belfast WOW
98: Stonechat