Robin Singing in Response to a Dunnock

A Trip to Blacktoft Sands RSPB and North Cave

Today was the final field trip for Leigh Ornithological Society (L.O.S.) and we were off to east Yorkshire to visit a couple of nature reserves there.  We started at Blacktoft Sands RSPB where the main attractions are the Marsh Harriers which roost and breed there and they didn't disappoint.

 

A female Montagu's Harrier was also seen here today, but unfortunately not by me. This bush clearly belonged to the Dunnock as he was singing from the top of it every time we passed by.

This Willow Warbler was unusually quiet however.

There were Tree Sparrows galore around much of the site.

I didn't see as many Little Egrets today aa I have done in the  past, but there were some about.

It was great to see these Spotted Redshanks in breeding plumage, even if they were a little distant.

There were more Swifts than you could shake a stick at, there's been a huge influx in the UK this week.

Large Grey Heron incoming ...

This is probably my best photograph of the day - an Exocet, sorry Avocet, mobbing the Grey Heron. Who says 'Size Matters'?

You're going down!

I'm never sure about whether we count Greylag Geese or not, as most that we see are descended from captive populations, unlike the ones on Mull which are regarded as being truly wild.

We then moved on to North Cave which was just a little further up the M62 motorway. This was a new site for most of us and I think it's fair to say that we were impressed with the variety of birds and habitats here, even if it is still being developed.

This Grey Heron was seen in one of the first pools.

There were even more Avocets here as well as two Little Ringed Plovers and a male Ruff coming into breeding plumage.

It was also nice to see four Common Tern here.

So a good trip with some great birds. Much better than I expected actually.

Moses Gate Country Park

I decided to go to Moses Gate today to pick a Goosander or two for my new year list.  I was also hopeful I might see a Kingfisher or Dipper on the River Irwell there but no luck there I'm afraid. 

Here's a quick summary of what I did see:

• Goosander (8 male and 12 female)
• Grey Heron
• Tufted Duck
• Long tailed Tit
• Dunnock
• Robin
• Carrion Crow
• Great Tit
• Blue Tit
• Blackbird
• Black headed Gull
• Mute Swan
• Mallard
• Pigeon
• Canada Goose
• Moorhen
• Coot
• and two quite beautiful but elusive deer faun



Moss Lane and Rindle Road

When I got up at 7:30am this morning it was quite light and the weather looked good, so I decided to go out birding.  I considered going to see the rare Pied-billed Grebe at Hollingworth Lake in Rochdale which has been all over the Manchester Birding Forum and even NorthWest Tonight on the BBC.  However that would take a bit longer and as both the Manchester United and England Rugby Union games were on TV this afternoon, I decided to leave that until tomorrow. So I settled on visiting my local patch at Moss Lane and Rindle Road near Astley Moss to see what was about.

Just before I left I checked my garden to find the usual tits, blackbirds and starlings about.  The Jay I've recently spotted also did another flypast and a skein of well over 100 Pink-footed Geese also flew overhead in a long wavy line heading eastwards. I'm getting to see these more often nowadays.

When I got to Astley Moss I first went down Moss Lane and was pleased to see there were a lot of birds about.  The recent high winds had cleared a lot leaves from the trees and the fields had been either ploughed or cut recently making the birds much easier to see than in recent months.  

I parked at my usual spot on the bend near the end of Moss Lane and walked back along the tree-lined lane.  I was about to start taking some pictures when I found to my dismay that I had no memory card in the camera - I'd left it in the computer whilst downloading my last lot of photos, damn!  As it was a good day for photos, I briefly thought about nipping back home to get the card but eventually decided to stay here with just my binoculars.

Whilst on Moss Lane I saw the following birds:

• Common Pheasant (male and female)
• Robin
• Wren
• Dunnock
• Chaffinch
• Blue Tit
• Carrion Crow
• Woodpigeon

Later on I drove round to Rindle Road where I encountered a mass of birds on the floor at the feeding station, the most notable of which were the Fieldfare which gave me a good closeup view being only a few metres away this time. At the feeding station there was also a Robin, various Tits, Starlings and I was almost certain there were some Tree Sparrows.

Just as I was about to leave and go home for breakfast when another birder turned up a the feeding station.  It was Geoff Hargreaves, a name that I'd seen many times on the Manchester Birding Forum especially recording sightings at the Wigan Flashes.  He'd popped in here to see if there was a Merlin about on his way back from seeing the Pie-billed Grebe at Hollingworth Lake and I told him that I was thinking about going tomorrow. Geoff kindly let me look through his scope and helped me to positively identify the Tree Sparrow whilst also pointing out a Yellowhammer which I'd missed.

We went on to have a quick walk through Rindle Wood to look out for Treecreepers following flocks of Long-tailed Tits (apparently a useful thing to look out for) and then along Rindle Hedge where we got a beautiful sighting of a Kestrel hovering low over the fields looking for a meal.  On the way back to the car Geoff pointed out the familiar call of the Jackdaw as several flew over us, but unfortunately there were no Merlins or Treecreepers to be seen.

Thanks Geoff, nice meeting you.

Latest Pictures

I'm still quite new to serious birding. If I've misnamed or incorrectly identified any of the birds in this blog, please let me know in the comments at the bottom of the appropriate post - thanks.

A Starling in my back garden

A Willow Tit at Pennington Flash

A Chaffinch singing down Rindle Road

A female Blackbird with a meal for her young

A Sparrow at the bottom of my garden

A Dunnock at Pennington Flash

A Mute Swan on its nest in the canal near Moses Gate

Great Tit at Pennington Flash

Young Blackbird training for the World Cup

Dunnock on a Neighbour's Roof