Rob Creek wrote:

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A visit over to Starr Gate...

Tide was out and although it had started to come in, it was difficult to get good views out to sea.

Common Scoters- a group 4, then singles flying low far out, then Steve picked up on another 9 flying low.
3 Cormorant fishing
2 Great Crested Grebe far out
3 Shelduck
3 Redshank
Oystercatcher here and there
Herring Gulls
Black-headed Gulls
3 Mallard over
2 Meadow Pipit
A few Auk-type low flying far out (could've been Guillemot or Razorbill, unsure)
...and a couple of unidentified dots, too far out!

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also 2 geese flew past as we both were heading to starr gate I presumed they might of been pink footed geese, but have recently read that 2 juvenile dark bellied brent geese flew past fairhaven lake nature reserve this afternoon, my have been them ?

Day out in and around Blackpool with the missus. Excellent prolonged views of the Great Grey Shrike at Lytham Moss.We were watching the bird for a good forty minutes,occasionally it was getting harassed by linnets,greenfinch etc.,,but it spent lengthy periods perched up on the bushes around Easterleigh Animal Sanctuary. Other highlights included two Purple Sandpipers amongst the Turnstones and Redshanks, at the go-kart track high tide roost.Also saw a flock of at least 120 Linnets feeding on seeds at the old Pontin's site, plus a few smallish rafts of Common Scoter off Starr Gate. Cheers Chris.

There was a European White-fronted goose with a small party of Pinkfooted geese in fields off Fluke Hall Lane this afternoon. More interesting perhaps was an orange-legged goose with 1500 Pinkfeet on Pilling Marsh from Lane Ends car park. Only saw it for a few seconds before it walked into a gutter and was subsequently flushed minutes later by a helicopter. Looked like one of those pesky orange-legged Pinkfeet from brief view but might be worth keeping an eye open for if in the area.

Walk from Fleetwood to the Weatherspoons under Blackpool Tower. Well deserved drink!

Highlights included:

Purple Sandpiper 1
Eider 2m
LT Duck 1m
Red-throated Diver 1
Red-breasted Merganser 2f/imm
Turnstones
Sanderlings
Redshanks
Ringed Plovers
Oystercatchers
Pinkfeet Geese 11
Linnets

Trip to Blackpool area this a.m. Started at Fairfield Rd feeding station nr Singleton at 8.30 just as fresh seed was being put down, within minutes there were 25+ Tree Sparrow present along with lots of Chaffinch.

Then onto Starr Gate for a spot of sea watching, high tide and very rough sea, however I did make out lots of Common Scoter, 2 Red-throated Diver and 1 Great Northern Diver, also lots of Oystercatcher and Knot flying around. I was told that a Great Skua had also been seen this morning.

Cheers Ian 

late post for 30th nov.

blackpool, north pier...

7 red throated divers
20+ great crested grebes
hundreds of common scoters

knott end to pilling (fluke hall lane) a long walk but very rewarding.

a nice flock of 100+ twite, several of them ringed.
1 eider, male
oystercatchers
lapwings
curlews
turnstones
ringed plovers
redshanks
dunlins
black tailed godwits
meadow pipits & linnets
3 little egrets
in the fields next to fluke hall lane...
200+ whooper swans, could not find any bewicks
loads of red legged partridges
2 tree sparrows
on the long walk back good close views of 2 tawny owls.


I cant believe I forgot to mention this earlier but whilst at pilling as the sun was setting (a beautiful one) the most spectacular site of many a thousands of pink footed geese going on to the estuary, amazing

-- Edited by steven burke on Sunday 1st of December 2013 09:33:30 PM

Wednesday, July 3rd. Walk from Fluke Hall(Pilling) to Knott End, inland to return.

Seen from the sea wall. Early migrants:

Wheatear 1
Common Gull 1

plus

Shelducks
Curlews
Black-tailed Godwits
Oystercatchers
Redshanks
Lapwings
Meadow Pipit 1
Skylarks
BH Gulls/Herring Gulls/LBB Gulls/1 GBB Gull
Sedge Warblers 3
Whitethroats
Chiffchaffs 2
Tree Sparrow 3
Linnets
Swifts
Swallows
House Martins

etc.

Went in search of the Snow Goose in very apt weather. Unfortunately missed out but did see
Merlin
Yellowhammer
Linnet
Corn Bunting
Grey Heron
Pink Footed Geese (100s)
4 Brown Hares

Fairhaven Lake, Lytham:

The female Long-tailed Duck was showing well in the gloom / drizzle this afternoon. Nothing else of note to report other than plenty of noisy Oystercatchers and 2 Knot on the salt marsh very close to the seawall giving good views.

After successfully twitching the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, myself, Jason Atkinson and Alex Jones stopped off on our way home and had a few brief views of the Pallas's Warbler at Knott End on Sea.

Full marks to Chris for allowing access to his back garden to view the bird in the Sycamore Tree a couple of gardens away.

Found an adult Mediterranean Gull round the corner in a field with Black-headeds at Carr House Stud on Green Dick's Lane (don't ask )

Also saw a Pink-footed Goose among the 1000's from Pilling embankment wearing a pale blue neck collar with black letters TXF.

Popped up to the north Fylde today with Chris Neild in search of 2 little gems that were there yesterday. First stop was Knott End for a Pallas's Warbler that has been in birder Chris Batty's garden, & adjacent gardens, for several days. Chris has kindly given open access to his back garden through the side gate by his garage. Joining several birders already on Chris's back lawn the bird was soon relocated in its favourite sycamore a couple of gardens away. This gorgeous warbler showed on & off for the next couple of hours, even allowing scope views, but most of the time it was much easier with binoculars.

Reluctantly leaving it behind we popped up to the coast for lunch & watch a close flock of drake & female Eiders as well as several Sanderling, 2 Knot, Redshanks & Oystercatchers whilst eating our sarnies & having a warming flask of coffee - although in the sunshine it was very warm for October.

Next stop was only a few miles away but required a long drive down over Shard Bridge & up the other side into Fleetwood. Here we stopped at The Mount - a small local park - and started our search. A much harder bird than the Pallas's, we eventualkly had excellent views of the Yellow-browed Warbler as it fed on a large feeding circuit with Blue, Coal & Great Tits.

Not a bad day out in the NW with these two east coast speciallities just a few miles apart

Tuesday, 20th March.

Fleetwood Marsh Nature Park:

Ring-necked Duck...good views of adult male on first pool on left of car park.
Pochard 1f
Tufted Ducks 10+
Shoveler 3m
Little Grebe 1
GtCrested Grebe 1
Herring Gulls
Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Skylarks
Meadow Pipit 1

On the River Wyre:

Eider 1m
Wigeon 9
Redshank 5
Cormorant 1

Marton Mere:

Cetti's Warbler 1 singing near first hide on left of mere.
Water Rail 1 heard.
Goldeneye 5
Teal
Shoveler 9m 1f
Chiffchaff 1 singing.
Gadwall 1m
Oystercatcher 2
Kestrel 2

etc.etc.etc.

a walk through stanley park on the way to marton mere with roy ridings...

1 sparrowhawk
1 great spotted woodpecker
4-5 nuthatches
1 pied wagtail
the usual tits and finches around,plus all usual birds on the lake inc great crested grebes & tufted ducks.
several hybrids around inc chinese goose.

cheers Nick , i'm assuming burglars alley is a local name but i'll try and get hold of a os map , thanks again.

could somebody by any chance please give me some directions from the nearest bus stop to thornton ICI reservoir , i know its off fleetwood road somewhere but a google serch has left me scratching my head. Many thanks for any help.

Late post for 1st to 3rd Feb. a few days around the Fylde coast...
Around karting track, opposite Sheraton Hotel :
40+ sanderling , 50+ redshank , 3 purple sandpipers ,40+ turnstone ,plus a few knot and dunlin. Two rock pipits ,busying around the " concrete cliffs ." Good numbers of black-headed, herring , lesser and greater black backs.
Fleetwood boating lake : pair of red-breasted merganser , 60+ turnstone ,pair of goldeneye. Also pair of red-breasted merganser on marina at Fleetwood Freeport...
Knott End : 300+ oystercatchers , plenty of redshank and turnstone , 4 ringed plover , good numbers of shelduck and curlew. 6 female and 3 male eiders , and approx 30 scoter, out past sandbank, Finally great views of the very photogenic black redstart, which has been resident at the abandoned building site , near the ferry slipway ...

Cheers Chris

spent the day at blackpool north,only walked just over 2 miles and it took most off the day. here from 10.30-5pm,but got the target bird i was after & a few extras....
1 PURPLE SANDPIPER (lifer) showing well at the karting track on queens promenade opposite sheraton hotel.
now not big numbers off birds,but a nice mixed variety at close range...
1 ringed plover
7 sanderlings
6 knot
1 curlew
35 turnstones, but several more along the beach & steps.
100+ redshanks
lots off oystercatchers
1 rock pipit
plus all usual gulls.

on the sea,which was nice & calm...
17 eiders, 13 males 4 females.
did have 83 common scoters at a reasonable viewing range,but hundreds more at distance,could not id any velvets,if there was any.
3 shelducks
18 great crested grebes
96 pink footed geese (over,south)
and a fairly large starling roost,probably 5000+ on central pier.

good day

After visiting Warton Bank and Lytham today, I popped up to Fleetwood and Rossall Point at high tide. At Fleetwood I saw a group of three male and two female Eider Ducks on the sea as well up to eight Turnstones feeding along the water's edge before they came inland to only a couple of metres from me. There were also a few Redshank and Sanderling (or Dunlin) at the water's edge.

A quick walk along the sea wall to Rossall Point at dusk produced a group of 20-30 Turnstones roosting on the pebbly beach and later a goup of about the same number of Sanderling (or Dunlin) doing the same a little further down the beach. I missed them completely until they started making a noise - hunkered down, they look just like pebbles!

Fabulous moody sunset too - a great end to a good day out.

Louise Aspden wrote:

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I spent Christmas in St Annes and was looking forward to see a good variety of waders but apart from several hundred Oystercatchers I didnt see, or at least recognise, any other species, quite a disappointment.

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The local bird club has a site guide here and sightings page here. Hope they are of use for future trips.

went to north pier blackpool for an hour before going to marton mere,and glad i did managed to see at least 200 common scoters on the sea,but obviously more in the distance towards south pier. other birds...
cormorants, oystercatchers, redshanks, 2 great crested grebes
g b b gulls, l b b gulls, herring gulls, common gulls, b h gulls.
2 grey seals.

A few stops on the Fylde today with John Barber for company.

First stop was Fleetwood Marsh NR for the Ring Necked Duck. The bird was easily found and gave good views as it was tucked in close to the near banking due to the biting wind. Had a quick wander before returning to the car for a brew. Other stuff present were: -

4 Mute Swan
1 Little Grebe
c10 Coot
c10 Tufties
Blackheaded gull
LBB gull
Herring gull
Common gull

From here we went for a mooch along the front at Fleetwood near to the boating lakes. Not much on the lakes but on the shore line were hundreds of gulls and Oycs with a few Sanderling and Dunlin thrown in for good measure. Scanned the gulls with the hope of finding something decent but no joy unfortunately.

After this it was a quick visit to Wyre Country park for a look and a sandwich but not much seen here apart from a few mixed gulls and a Curlew.

We then took a chance and headed for Mythop Lane near Staining where a few days ago a White fronted goose was reported. After a bit of hunting around, we eventually discovered a field in the far distance holding upwards of around 1500 Pink feet. A very distant check through them though couldn't turn any of them into a White fronted so off we went to our last stop, the Iceland gull at Preston docks.

The bird wasn't present when we arrived but after a wait of about 20 minutes it eventually turned up and gave good views.

A good but very cold day!!

Started off at Fleetwood Marsh Nature Park

Drake Ring Necked Duck showing very well on pool near car park

Onto Cleveleys

1 Purple Sandpiper on groyne
c14 Turnstone
10+ Eider on sea close in
300-400 Sanderling on shore
200-300 Knot flying around
Herring Gulls feasting on starfish
Black Headed Gulls

Some of the locals commented that they had never noticed so many birds on the shore.

A brief look on the fields at Mythop

Teal
Wigeon
Little Grebe

Finishing at Lytham Crem

4 Ring Necked Parakeets calling quietly, at least one male bird present

Diver still showing at 3-00 today in the third marina. A very mobile bird but did stay in the dock area