With regular flurries of showers, I've been visiting the Reservoir regularly. The two Dunlin have surprisingly stayed around and on Tuesday there was a Redshank in the far corner. However the last couple of days have drawn blanks for Little Ringed Plovers so I guess they've finally moved on. A couple of Common Sandpipers are still very active and the expanse of mud must surely attract something in soon but today there was just a single Dunlin.
Meanwhile, at Alston Reservoirs at Longridge, Gavin Thomas had noted a Ring-billed Gull at the roost on Monday and Tuesday evening so Bernie and I headed there on spec last night and arrived just as the message came out that it was there. Sitting on the Reservoir wall (us and the bird) we got some reasonable scope views as it sat rather forlornly in amongst hordes of Black-headed Gulls and a few Lesser Black-backs. The ring on the bill was not entirely obvious as it was covered in dried mud but everything else was good. A couple of ropey digiscoped shots in the fading light was all that I managed but it's the first one I've seen in east Lancashire for several years.
A single adult Common Gull perched nearby for some more comparative views and when it stood up briefly we could see, as in the bottom image, a ring on its right leg. No chance of reading it though!
Other birds there included at least 51 Tufted Ducks, two Goosanders, three Teal an Oystercatcher and a Common Sandpiper.
I've been helping sort things out at Bernie's school today and we had the most unexpected animal encounter - a Pipistrelle flying around the school hall looked as if it had come though a gap in the ceiling. Fantastic views! We eventually coaxed it out through a doorway and will hopefully find its normal route back to the loft.
Meanwhile, at Alston Reservoirs at Longridge, Gavin Thomas had noted a Ring-billed Gull at the roost on Monday and Tuesday evening so Bernie and I headed there on spec last night and arrived just as the message came out that it was there. Sitting on the Reservoir wall (us and the bird) we got some reasonable scope views as it sat rather forlornly in amongst hordes of Black-headed Gulls and a few Lesser Black-backs. The ring on the bill was not entirely obvious as it was covered in dried mud but everything else was good. A couple of ropey digiscoped shots in the fading light was all that I managed but it's the first one I've seen in east Lancashire for several years.
Other birds there included at least 51 Tufted Ducks, two Goosanders, three Teal an Oystercatcher and a Common Sandpiper.
I've been helping sort things out at Bernie's school today and we had the most unexpected animal encounter - a Pipistrelle flying around the school hall looked as if it had come though a gap in the ceiling. Fantastic views! We eventually coaxed it out through a doorway and will hopefully find its normal route back to the loft.
Comments
Post a Comment