Switch round of routes to cover a driver holiday so ended up doing Southport and Ormskirk.
- 9 Whooper Swans (probable family group 3 ad + 6 imm) They were flying over Orrell Lane, Burscough, (11am) in my direction so I pulled the van over on the quiet country Lane and waited until they got closer. They ended up virtually flying right over me and seemed to come down a couple of fields away.
- 15 Whooper Swans Flying over Jacksmere Lane nr Scarisbrick (approx 11.30am) heading S towards Halsall.
Doing the Aintree/Ormskirk/Southport route so obviously a chance for a bit of birding. Absolutely atrocious conditions in fog, snow and deep slush on the M62 from Manchester to Merseyside, then some of the country lanes to get to my drops were still frozen.
Delivering to a customer in Burscough so I thought Id try a quick look for the Tundra Bean Geese seen the day before at the reported nearby coordinates, round the corner from Martin Mere. Not a single Pink-footed Goose in sight in the surrounding fields.
- 2 singing Corn Buntings within 50yds of each other
I stopped the van to get a better look and suddenly a female Sparrowhawk flying low spooked c75-100 birds or so in the ploughed field including... - more Corn Buntings, - Reed Buntings, - few Yellowhammers, - Skylarks - Redwings - a Fieldfare
Also in the same field - 3 Red-legged Partridges huddled together - 1 Marsh Harrier hunting the field edge - 1 Common Buzzard on a fence post
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 1st of January 2021 01:33:59 PM
Various areas driven through today whilst working the Southport and Ormskirk route, so lots of country lanes used across farmland areas.
Pink-footed Geese seen throughout the day in massive numbers in various fields and lots of flyover skeins. I couldnt put a number to them but its up in the 1000s and I dont think Ive ever seen as many as I have this autumn/winter. Fieldfares/Redwings seen in plenty of areas. A Marsh Harrier was sat on a fencepost near Ring O Bells roundabout en-route to Burscough. Then not far from Scarisbrick, I pulled over next to a ploughed field to have look at some Pink-footed Geese not far from the road when a small flock of smaller birds dropped in. Mainly Goldfinch and a few Tree Sparrows and a single male Brambling was a nice surprise, they soon disappeared further into the field.
Delivered in Ormskirk at lunchtime and took the country lanes en route to Preston.
Just nearing Lathom near Burscough when I noticed some Pink-footed Geese in one of the fields. I pulled over and got my bins to have a ganders and they were everywhere, there mustve been a few 1000 with ease.
On way home from Marshside through Ormskirk I had 4 possibly 5 WAXWINGS flying around near the Cricketers Arms pub and they seemed to land in the park area along Ruff Lane. I didn't relocate them though.
Barnacle Goose amongst the Pink Footed Geese just been confirmed by Ian McKerchar but the Bean Goose was not to be, it is a Pink Footed Goose with a white area at the base of it's beak, still...not bad 1 in a few thousand trying to be a Bean Goose
Sunday 6/1/13 approx 2.30pm on the Formby road out of Ormskirk (B5195) near Altcar, in the fields on the right
Whooper Swans approx 120, difficult to tell due to constant flock movement Pink Footed Goose 2-3000 maybe more and what appears to be 1 each of 2 different species walking with the Pink Footed Geese, a lone Barnacle Goose and a Bean Goose. A Grey Partridge in the same field but nearer the car, and a flock of about 30 - 40 mixed Thrushes overhead that landed in the field opposite, binocular check confirmed Redwing and Fieldfare.
Photos of the geese have been emailed to Ian McKerchar for checking. Another member also had a lone Bean Goose moving with the Pink Footed Goose flock back in early 2012. Left here and called in at Pennington Flash on way home, see thread
While dropping my daughter off at Edge Hill Uni this afternoon 3 Waxwings flew over the car park. I found them a couple of minutes later in trees along Ruff lane and got some great views of this beautiful bird.
Also 135 PF Geese over just south of the Uni at 2.05pm all heading in the direction of Martin Mere
