Having seen the sunshine from my office window all week, I decided that there was nothing left but to take a half day and see som early migrants. First stop was Mythop flood. Lots of Teal and Wigeon, four blackwits and a lone distant Little Ringed Plover was my first summer visitor of the year.
Then it was on to Stanley Park in Blackpool where there had been a Firecrest for a couple of weeks. I found the pot and some Goldcrests quite quickly and learnt that it had been around from a couple of other birders. I searched the conifers and the scrub - plenty of commoner birds and the Herons in the nearby colony were very active. after about an hour , I took one last circuit and just as I was about to give up I heard the Goldcrests again and then a similar but subtly different call - I knew it was here. A few tantallising seconds later, I got a bronzy flash and then the white supercilium - it wasn't being overly bliging but I managed to get a good view before it disappeared back into the top of the conifers again.
Elated at that, I headed for Rossall Point in the hope of seeing some Wheatears. I didn't realise the tide was going to be out but I got some nice close views of a group of Knot and Sanderling on the point as well as 164 Eider on the sea - mainly males displaying - I wish I could have heard them! On the return leg, I bumped into a male and two female Wheatears on the fence.
Finally, I called in at Brockholes but didn't stay long enough - consequently I missed an Osprey!
Then it was on to Stanley Park in Blackpool where there had been a Firecrest for a couple of weeks. I found the pot and some Goldcrests quite quickly and learnt that it had been around from a couple of other birders. I searched the conifers and the scrub - plenty of commoner birds and the Herons in the nearby colony were very active. after about an hour , I took one last circuit and just as I was about to give up I heard the Goldcrests again and then a similar but subtly different call - I knew it was here. A few tantallising seconds later, I got a bronzy flash and then the white supercilium - it wasn't being overly bliging but I managed to get a good view before it disappeared back into the top of the conifers again.
Elated at that, I headed for Rossall Point in the hope of seeing some Wheatears. I didn't realise the tide was going to be out but I got some nice close views of a group of Knot and Sanderling on the point as well as 164 Eider on the sea - mainly males displaying - I wish I could have heard them! On the return leg, I bumped into a male and two female Wheatears on the fence.
Finally, I called in at Brockholes but didn't stay long enough - consequently I missed an Osprey!
Comments
Post a Comment